Braishfield Primary School

Braishfield Primary School Common Hill Road, Braishfield, Romsey, SO51 0QF

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Good 2 This inspection: Good 2 Achievement of pupils Good 2 Quality of teaching Good 2 Behaviour and safety of pupils Good 2 Leadership and management Good 2

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.  The new headteacher is successfully leading improvements. Members of the governing body share her aspirations. Without exception, teachers and support staff express pride at being members of the school.  Pupils make good progress and achieve well. By the end of Year 6 their attainment has consistently been well above average, particularly in reading and mathematics.  Although attainment in writing has been above the national average, more recently fewer pupils have reached the higher level than in reading and mathematics.  In Reception, children make good progress in most areas of learning.  Teaching is well organised and is mostly planned to provide tasks that match the needs of the different groups in classes which have wide spans of age and ability. This often leads to a good level of challenge for pupils.  The school’s positive ethos fosters pupils’ good behaviour in lessons and around the school.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

Pupils show mature attitudes to learning.  Pupils feel safe at school and parents and members of staff agree. Pupils say that bullying is rare; school logs confirm that this is the case.  Pupils’ attendance is above average and is improving further.  Pupils’ progress is regularly tracked. The headteacher also keeps a close check on the quality of teaching and learning. This informs the school’s self-evaluation, which is accurate and forms the basis of good improvement planning.  Governors have a good understanding of the school’s performance and priorities for improvement. They are supportive of the school, and confident to hold it to account.  Parents are positive about the school. Almost all would recommend it to others.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Attainment in writing is not as high as in reading and mathematics. In part, this is because the level of challenge in tasks set is not always high enough for more able pupils.  In their marking, teachers do not give pupils enough feedback and advice about how they could improve the quality of their writing.  The school’s target-setting arrangements do not have enough impact in guiding pupils towards improving their writing.  Teachers’ expectations about the neatness of pupils’ handwriting and presentation of their work are not consistently high.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector observed teaching and learning in seven lessons of which two were joint observations with the headteacher. The inspector also heard a sample of pupils in Years 1 and 2 read.  Meetings were held with groups of pupils, members of staff, the Chair of the Governing Body and two other governors and a representative of the local authority.  The inspector analysed the small number of responses to the online questionnaire (Parent View). He also spoke to a small sample of parents at the beginning of the school day and received a written communication from one parent.  The inspector also took account of nine responses to the questionnaire for school staff.  The inspector observed the school’s work and looked at a range of documents including the school’s own information on pupils’ current attainment and progress, planning and monitoring documentation, records relating to behaviour and attendance, and documents relating to

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Information about this inspection

safeguarding and staff performance management .

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Inspection team

Chris Grove, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 This is a primary school that is much smaller than average.  The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for the pupil premium (which provides additional funding to support children in local authority care, children from service families and pupils known to be eligible for free school meals) is well below average. There are currently no children who are looked after by the local authority or who are from service families.  The proportion of disabled pupils or those who have special educational needs supported through school action is well below average. There are currently no pupils supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs.  In 2012, the school met the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.  Following the retirement of the previous headteacher, the school was led by an interim executive

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Information about this school

headteacher. The present headteacher took up post in January 2013.  There is a pre-school club which is managed by the governing body and which formed part of this inspection.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Raise pupils’ attainment in writing so that it matches their higher attainment in reading and mathematics by:  providing greater challenge in the tasks set, particularly for those who are more able  helping pupils to develop the quality of their writing through improved use of target setting and better feedback from marking  making sure that teachers set more consistently high expectations for the quality of pupils’ handwriting and presentation of their work.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils are making good and sometimes better progress. The small numbers who are disabled or have special educational needs are also making good progress.  Since the last inspection, overall attainment, measured by national tests at the end of Year 6, has consistently been well above average. In the last two years, attainment in reading and mathematics has been higher than in writing. In particular, the proportions of pupils who reached the higher National Curriculum level, Level 5, considerably exceeded national averages in both reading and mathematics, but have been closer to average in writing, notably in 2012. Attainment by the end of Year 2, also, has been consistently above average in reading and mathematics, but was lower and broadly average in writing in 2012.  When children first come to school, their knowledge and skills are generally as expected for their age although there is some variability from year to year. They make good progress so that they

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The achievement of pupils is good

develop a firm foundation for later learning. By the end of the Reception Year their attainment in most areas of learning is similar to, and sometimes exceeds, national expectations.  The very small proportion of Year 6 pupils supported by the pupil premium in 2012 attained higher results than others in reading and mathematics, though not in writing. In all years, the school makes good use of its pupil premium funding, for instance through additional provision by learning assistants on a one-to-one or small-group basis, designed to enhance attainment in literacy, and to provide social and emotional support. The funding is also used to enable participation in wider opportunities, such as school visits and extra-curricular activities. This illustrates the school’s commitment to promoting equal opportunities and tackling discrimination.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Pupils’ good progress across the school reflects the good quality of teaching. Most parents who completed the online questionnaire agreed that their children are well taught and make good progress.  Relationships between teachers and pupils are especially good. Together with teachers’ high expectations about pupils’ behaviour, the harmonious relationships make an important contribution to successful learning.  Lessons proceed at a brisk pace. This sustains pupils’ attention and provides a good sense of direction for their learning.  Lessons are mostly well planned, and are consistently well organised. The expectation that work should be matched to pupils’ prior attainment is well established, and often leads to good levels of challenge for them. However, performance data indicate that pupils, especially those who are more able, do not achieve as well in writing as they do in reading and mathematics. One reason

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The quality of teaching is good

is that the level of challenge in the writing tasks they are given is not consistently high.  Evidence from pupils’ exercise books in English and other subjects, as well as work on display in classrooms and on the school’s website, shows that pupils sometimes achieve well in their writing. However, feedback to pupils about how their writing could be better is not as effective as it could be. For instance, although teachers regularly mark pupils’ work and offer praise and encouragement, they do not give enough advice about how pupils could improve the quality of their written work, or provide opportunities for pupils to incorporate their advice into subsequent writing.  The school’s target-setting arrangements are designed to help pupils to make progress towards the next levels in their writing. However, pupils are not always clear about their current targets, indicating that target setting does not have enough impact. Furthermore, although teachers

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The quality of teaching is good

assess pupils’ progress towards their targets, they rarely refer to them in written feedback.  The school is aware that expectations about the quality of pupils’ handwriting and presentation of work have not always been high enough, which leads to inconsistency. Whereas some pupils write neatly and produce well-presented work, others do not take sufficient care.  Support assistants make good contributions to pupils’ learning, especially for those who are lower attainers or who have additional learning needs.  Teaching in the Reception class has a good impact. Especially close cooperation between the teacher and assistant makes for the highly positive atmosphere for learning. Teaching is brisk and well structured, resulting in children’s early success in learning to read and write. In addition, there is a strong emphasis on learning from practical experiences, particularly in the outside area.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils behave considerately towards others. Their mature attitudes reflect the school’s positive ethos well.  In class, pupils are attentive to teachers, and responsive to questions. They cooperate willingly with others, for example in discussions with learning partners. Older pupils readily take on roles, such as playground buddies and peer mentors, and carry them out enthusiastically.  Pupils also behave well at playtimes and lunchtimes. They understand the various forms of bullying, and say that that there is almost no bullying of any kind in the school. School logs confirm that there is very little bullying, and only a single racist incident in recent years. Most respondents to the parental survey agreed that the school deals effectively with bullying. There have been no exclusions.  Although pupils behave particularly well, the school does not yet actively build on this to foster greater independence in learning, for instance through improved use of target setting.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 In the survey, parents unanimously agreed that their children feel safe and are well looked after. Similarly, all members of staff who completed a questionnaire agreed strongly that pupils are safe. Pupils understand the need to exercise caution, for instance in using the internet. In view of its location, the school pays particular attention to road safety through participation in the Streets Ahead pedestrian training.  Attendance is above average, and is continuing to improve.

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The leadership and management are good

 The new headteacher has quickly had a positive impact. With good support from the staff, she has begun to realise a new vision for the school, encapsulated by the strapline, ‘We nurture resilient, inquisitive and successful lifelong learners’. She enjoys the full confidence of staff, as is evident from the survey, where they unanimously expressed their pride in the school. More than one referred to the ‘great team spirit’. Similarly, almost every parent who completed the online questionnaire judged leadership and management positively.  High expectations are being set for staff and pupils. Very effective use is made of the school’s evidence about pupils’ performance through the newly instituted half-termly progress meetings. These lead to additional support for any pupils who are not achieving as expected.  The headteacher undertakes much informal monitoring of the quality of learning and teaching, in

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The leadership and management are good

addition to regular formal checks, followed by supportive feedback to teachers. As a result, whole-school planning is robust, tightly focused, and firmly based on accurate identification of improvements to provision and to pupils’ outcomes.  The curriculum is a broad and well balanced. Close attention is paid to reading, writing and mathematics. Topics, such as ‘Adventurers and Explorers’ in Years 3 and 4, involve a range of work, including focuses on art and poetry, experience of orienteering, and a mini-adventure as part of the termly home-learning project. Innovative features of the curriculum include, for example, the mini-businesses developed by pupils in Years 5 and 6. Using these experiences, pupils in both classes have produced writing of good quality.  Cooperation with other small schools supports the specialist teaching of Spanish. A link with a school in the Gambia is being developed. All pupils learn to play a range of musical instruments.

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The leadership and management are good

Peripatetic tuition is also provided for violin, flute, clarinet and guitar. School clubs include sports as well as gardening, drama and batik. The pre-school club provides enjoyable activities for pupils. Both the curriculum and the extra-curricular programme do much to foster pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.  Because of the changes in leadership, the local authority has recently monitored the school closely. In the past, it judged the school as requiring medium priority support but already it has confidence in the new leadership.  An emerging strength is the improved engagement of parents through better communication, workshops on mathematics and English and involvement in family learning.  The school maintains a rigorous focus on all aspects of safeguarding and child protection, which fully meet statutory requirements. Leaders are at pains to ensure that vulnerable pupils are

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The leadership and management are good

carefully supported.  The capacity for improvement is shown by the thorough and systematic approach to self- evaluation. The rigorous improvement planning convincingly addresses an issue that was identified at the previous inspection.  The governance of the school:  The governing body has a good understanding of its role, and, based on performance information, knows the school’s strengths and focuses for improvement. Governors are aware, from the headteacher’s reports and direct contacts, that leadership action is improving the quality of teaching and pupils’ progress.  Governors know that rigorous arrangements for staff appraisal have been instituted, and expect proposals for salary progression to be merited by performance. They understand the purpose of pupil premium funding, are aware that these pupils’ performance is regularly tracked and can explain the rationale for how the funding is spent. The governing body

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The leadership and management are good

subscribes to the local authority’s training programme and takes seriously its professional development needs in order to hold the school to account well.

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding An outstanding school is highly effective in delivering outcomes that provide exceptionally well for all its pupils’ needs. This ensures that pupils are very well equipped for the next stage of their education, training or employment. Grade 2 Good A good school is effective in delivering outcomes that provide well for all its pupils’ needs. Pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education, training or employment. Grade 3 Requires improvement A school that requires improvement is not yet a good school, but it is not inadequate. This school will receive a full inspection within 24 months from the date of this inspection. Grade 4 Inadequate A school that has serious weaknesses is inadequate overall and requires significant improvement but leadership and management are judged to be Grade 3 or better. This school will receive regular monitoring by Ofsted inspectors. A school that requires special measures is one where the school is

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Grade Judgement Description

failing to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education and the school’s leaders, managers or governors have not demonstrated that they have the capacity to secure the necessary improvement in the school. This school will receive regular monitoring by Ofsted inspectors.

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School details

Unique reference number 115866 Local authority Hampshire Inspection number 403277

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School details

This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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School details

Type of school Primary School category Community Age range of pupils 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 95 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Amanda Maxwell Headteacher Frances Hardy Date of previous school inspection 15 May 2008 Telephone number 01794 368359 Fax number 01794 367955 Email address adminoffice@braishfield.hants.sch.uk guidance ‘raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234 , or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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School details

You can use Parent View to give Ofsted your opinion on your child’s school. Ofsted will use the information parents and carers provide when deciding which schools to inspect and when and as part of the inspection.

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School details

You can also use Parent View to find out what other parents and carers think about schools in England. You can visit www.parentview.ofsted.gov.uk, or look for the link on the main Ofsted website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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School details

achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work- based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection. Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the Education Act 2005, the school must provide a copy of this report free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please

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School details

telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as you give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the information in any way. To receive regular email alerts about new publications, including survey reports and school inspection reports, please visit our website and go to ‘Subscribe’.

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School details

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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