Brook Infant School and Nursery

The Brook School Salterns Road, Maidenbower, Crawley, RH10 7JE

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Outstanding 1 This inspection: Good 2 Achievement of pupils Good 2 Quality of teaching Good 2 Behaviour and safety of pupils Outstanding 1 Leadership and management Good 2

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.  Pupils’ results in reading, writing and mathematics at Key Stage 1 are above those found in most schools.  All teaching is at least good and much is outstanding across the school. As a result, pupils make good or very good progress during their lessons.  Standards of speaking and listening are very high across the school.  The school’s strong ethos of ‘learning with love and laughter’ results in pupils’ exemplary attitudes towards learning. Pupils feel safe at all times and their behaviour is excellent.  The school caters for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development very well. Pupils have a very strong awareness of their and other people’s rights and responsibilities.  Leadership is good because of the high expectations set by the headteacher. Senior leaders and governors have ensured that teaching is of consistently high quality.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Information to set targets about the progress of different groups of pupils is not used as well as possible to ensure the consistently high achievements of these groups.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspectors saw teaching across the school. They observed 10 lessons, pupils’ behaviour in the playground and a school assembly. Four lessons were observed jointly with the headteacher.  Discussions were held with pupils, members of the governing body, the headteacher and other staff and a representative from the local authority.  The inspectors observed many aspects of the school’s work, including supervision and support for pupils who need extra help. They examined pupils’ work in their exercise books and on display around the school.  The inspectors looked at a number of documents, including plans for what pupils will learn in each subject, plans for the school’s future development, the school’s arrangements for keeping pupils safe, pupils’ attendance records, minutes of governing body meetings, records of how pupils’ learning is checked and tracked and records of how the quality of teaching is checked.

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Information about this inspection

 The views of parents were taken into account through discussions with several parents and taking note of the 44 responses to the online ParentView survey.  Staff views were taken into consideration by looking at questionnaires completed by 31 members of staff.

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Inspection team

Steven Popper, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Fiona Robinson Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 The school is smaller than the average-sized infant school.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations of pupils’ attainment and progress.  The proportion of pupils who are eligible for additional government funding, known as the pupil premium, is much lower than the national average.  The proportions of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs and who need extra help are much lower than in other schools nationally. Some of these pupils have speech, language and communication needs while others have behaviour, emotional and social difficulties. Two pupils have a statement of special educational needs.  A very small minority of pupils join or leave the school during the school year. This minority is much smaller than that found in most other schools.  A very large majority of pupils are of White British heritage.  Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage are provided with three Reception classes and a

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Information about this school

nursery which is managed by the school.  The school does not operate any alternative provision for pupils.  The current deputy headteacher, English leader and Early Years Foundation Stage leader took up her post in September 2013.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Make better use of information about the progress of different groups of pupils to ensure the consistently high achievement for these groups.  Use the school’s performance management system to set staff more precise targets for improvement in the achievement of different groups of pupils.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Most children start school with the skills that are expected for their age and make expected progress in all areas of their learning as they move through the Reception Year.  Results of national screening in phonics (linking letters to the sounds they make) have improved substantially since the previous year and are now higher than in most other schools. This is because of highly engaging and effective teaching.  Most pupils make good progress in all subjects throughout Key Stage 1. Results of national tests in reading at the end of Key Stage 1 are higher than in most schools, and significantly higher in writing and mathematics.  The progress of pupils receiving support through the use of pupil premium funding has improved since the previous year. Their progress is now in line with that of other pupils in the school. This is partly because of the effective small-group and one-to-one support in English and

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The achievement of pupils is good

mathematics they receive from the headteacher and other staff.  The progress of the most able pupils, disabled pupils and those with special educational needs was lower than expected during the previous year, which is the main reason why the achievement of pupils is not outstanding. Their progress has accelerated because they receive more targeted teaching and support better matched to meet their needs.  Standards in speaking and listening are very high across the school. Pupils express their feelings and ideas with confidence, precision and delight.  Reading is promoted well in the school. Pupils are heard to read regularly and given advice about how to improve. Pupils enjoy reading and talk about books with enthusiasm. For example, one Year 2 pupil talked happily about the range of books that she liked to read.  Pupils made good and very good progress during all lessons seen during the inspection. This

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The achievement of pupils is good

was because of enjoyable and stimulating teaching that engaged them fully.  Pupils take pride in their work and present it to a consistently high standard. This is because of the high expectations of their teachers and the school’s own modelling of high standards of presentation and neatness.  All pupils, and a very large majority of parents, express positive views about the achievements and progress made by pupils at the school.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching across the school is consistently good, with much that is outstanding. This is the main reason for this year’s secure improvements in the progress made by pupils receiving support through the use of pupil premium funding, disabled pupils and those with special educational needs, and more able pupils. Teaching is not yet outstanding because the progress of these groups of pupils is not yet strong over time.  Teaching consistently features substantial opportunities for pupils to share their ideas and discoveries with each other. Teachers and teaching assistants talk with pupils and use questioning very effectively to extend learning. For example, in one outstanding Year 1 mathematics lesson, pupils were asked questions that considerably deepened pupils’ understanding of how numbers relate to each other.  Pupils are offered a high level of challenge across the school. As a result, pupils’ thinking and

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The quality of teaching is good

learning are of high quality. For example, in one outstanding Year 2 phonics lesson, the most able pupils were engaged in categorising different types of sound in a very sophisticated manner. This resulted in substantial learning.  Pupils are listened to very well and their ideas and suggestions are taken seriously and responded to respectfully.  The learning environment is of high quality across the school and supports pupils’ learning well. Displays are stimulating and tell pupils that their achievements are valued.  Staff in the Early Years Foundation Stage care for children very well. Children in their very early days in nursery and Reception were made to feel safe and secure. This enabled them to get the most out of their lessons.  Teachers set targets for individual pupils’ future progress. They offer pupils encouraging and accurate advice and feedback that identify and value their achievements, but written feedback

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The quality of teaching is good

does not always tell pupils what they need to do to progress further.  Homework is set frequently and used effectively to practise skills and apply knowledge.  Pupils interviewed by the inspector spoke highly of the teaching they received and said that they enjoyed their lessons.  A very large majority of parents who left an opinion for the inspectors thought that their children were taught well and made good progress as a result.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 The school’s very effective ethos of ‘learning with love and laughter’ results in pupils’ exemplary attitudes towards learning. Pupils have extremely high expectations of their own learning and delight in it.  Pupils’ behaviour in lessons, in the playground, in the library and when travelling around the school is exemplary. They are very courteous and always considerate of others. This was witnessed during lessons, during morning break, and in a discussion held with a group of pupils.  Relationships between pupils and adults and pupils and other pupils are excellent. Staff and pupils act with obvious respect for each other at all times. This is supported by the school’s deep-seated focus on ‘sparkly rights’, which promotes equality of opportunity and develops pupils’ appreciation of the value of themselves and others.  Pupils know how to keep themselves safe. They understand different types of bullying (including

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

cyber-bullying and verbal bullying) though none is present in the school. The school’s very effective teaching about e-safety ensures that pupils know how to protect themselves while using the internet.  All staff model very high behavioural standards and have very high expectations of pupils’ conduct. These ensure an excellent climate for learning at all times. No low-level disruption was witnessed during any lessons.  The schools’ records show evidence that some pupils have made substantial improvements in their behaviour as a result of the care and provision they have received while at school.  Parents and staff are positive about behaviour and raise no serious concerns. All staff and almost all parents who expressed an opinion thought that behaviour in the school was good and well managed. Most parents thought that the school dealt effectively with bullying.  Pupils feel very safe in the school and feel that bullying and other forms of poor behaviour are

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

either non-existent or extremely rare. Their opinion is supported by the school’s records on behaviour.  Pupils enjoy school immensely. Attendance is higher than that found in most other schools.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher and senior leadership team have high aspirations for the school and high expectations of pupils’ achievement and the quality of teaching. As a result, the school pursues excellence in everything it does.  Well-judged recruitment of staff has increased the capacity of school leadership to promote improvement. Staff are effectively deployed to ensure that high-quality teaching is featured consistently across the school.  The progress of pupils is now tracked accurately and systematically. This tracking is used to ensure that individual pupils are offered help and support that is well matched to their learning needs. However, progress information about the achievement of different groups of pupils is not used effectively enough to set targets for improvements in these groups’ progress.  Senior leaders have an accurate knowledge of the quality of teaching across the school and its impact on pupils’ progress and achievement. Performance management and decisions about pay

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The leadership and management are good

awards to staff are explicitly linked to success in improving pupils’ results and progress. Leadership and management are not yet outstanding because staff do not set precise enough targets to the achievement of different groups of pupils, so that they fulfil their potential.  The school’s evaluation of its own strengths and priorities for development is accurate. The school development plan focuses on the improvement of pupils’ achievement and ensuring the high quality of teaching.  Pupil premium funding is spent where it has most impact. Small-group and one-to-one support in English and mathematics provided by the headteacher and other staff is effective in securing good progress of pupils who receive such funding.  Pupils learn a broad and varied range of subjects. Their experiences excite them and develop their application of knowledge and a wide range of skills in areas such as ICT, forest school and

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The leadership and management are good

physical education, including swimming. The school intends to utilise sports premium funding to further develop pupils’ gymnastic skills.  The school provides excellent opportunities for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Pupils’ awareness of the wider world is developed well across all subjects, and their moral development is advanced through the school’s focus on people’s ‘sparkly rights’ and responsibilities. For example, pupils have considered planned real-life local building developments and their possible impact of these on different groups of residents of the area.  The school ensures that all pupils are safe. It keeps high quality and up-to-date records of its work in this area and meets statutory requirements.  The local authority has supplied advisory support and staff and governor training. These have contributed to higher achievements in reading and extended governors’ capacity further.

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The leadership and management are good

 Parents who talked to the inspectors felt that the school communicated with them well and kept them informed about their children’s achievements and progress and events at school.  The headteacher and school leadership team have the well-founded confidence of the school’s governing body, the local authority, a very large majority of parents and all of the staff.  The governance of the school:  Governors are trained, active and capable. They have a good understanding of the information on pupils’ achievement and how it compares with similar schools nationally. They offer a good level of challenge to the school about the standards of pupils’ results, including the achievement of most able. Governors set the headteacher pertinent performance management targets focused on securing improvements in pupils’ achievement and the quality of teaching. They ensure and monitor the efficient management of financial resources, including the

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The leadership and management are good

effective use of pupil premium funding. Governors visit the school regularly to scrutinise the quality of teaching and other provision. Their impact on the school’s drive for improvement is good.

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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 131602 Local authority West Sussex Inspection number 426656

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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 Infant School category Community Age range of pupils 3–7 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 199 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Sandy Tong Headteacher Fiona Dowley Date of previous school inspection 13–14 October 2009 Telephone number 01293 886521 Fax number 01293 889328 Email address office@brook.w-sussex.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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