Bucklesham Primary School

Bucklesham Primary School Main Road, Bucklesham, Ipswich, IP10 0AX

p.1

Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Satisfactory 3 This inspection: Requires improvement 3 Achievement of pupils Requires improvement 3 Quality of teaching Requires improvement 3 Behaviour and safety of pupils Good 2 Leadership and management Requires improvement 3

p.1

This is a school that requires improvement. It is not good because

 Pupils’ achievement has improved over the last year, but not enough pupils are making good progress in reading and writing.  Some inconsistencies and variations in approach mean that the quality of teaching is not yet good.  Occasionally, the work set in lessons is too hard for some pupils and too easy for others.  The marking of pupils’ work is not always effective in helping them to improve their key skills in literacy and numeracy.  The school does not systematically build up pupils’ writing skills in all year groups, inspire all pupils with a love of reading, or ensure that they all take pride in the presentation of their work.  The governors and leaders are successfully bringing improvement to the school’s performance following weak Year 6 test results in 2012. However, they have not yet established consistent approaches to teaching to ensure that it is always good throughout the school.

p.1

The school has the following strengths

 The improvements made during the last year illustrate the school’s capacity to improve further. The acting headteacher has quickly identified where further improvements are needed.  Results have risen in the 2013 tests in Year 6, most notably in mathematics.  The youngest children are well taught, settle quickly and get off to a good start.  Parents who responded to the questionnaire feel that their child is happy and safe at school. Both pupils and their parents agree that behaviour is good.  Pupils develop positive attitudes to learning. They also benefit from a range of clubs and activities that extend and enhance their social development and their sporting skills.

p.1

Information about this inspection

 The inspector observed eight lessons and, in addition, made a number of short visits to lessons. He spoke to pupils in lessons and at playtime, and met with a group of Year 5 and 6 pupils.  The inspector examined a range of documents, including the school’s plans for improvement and policies about keeping pupils safe. He also examined the work in some pupils’ books and a range of data about their progress.  The inspector held discussions with teachers, the acting headteacher, and three members of the governing body. He also spoke to a representative of the local authority.  The views of 22 parents were analysed through the Parent View website along with parents’ responses to the school’s very recent survey of their views. The inspector also considered the views expressed in questionnaires returned by members of staff.  During this inspection, the inspector asked additional questions designed to ascertain the

p.2

Information about this inspection

school’s view of the impact and effectiveness of local authority services to support school improvement. This information will contribute to work being carried out by Ofsted to assess the use, quality and impact of those services.

p.2

Inspection team

Christopher Parker, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

p.2

Information about this school

 The school is smaller than most primary schools.  Almost all of the pupils are White British. The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic groups and the proportion who speak English as an additional language are both below the national average.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs at school action (pupils who need extra support with their learning) is below average. The proportion at school action plus, or who have a statement of special educational needs, is also below average.  The proportion of pupils supported through the pupil premium is well below the national average. In this school the funding supports pupils known to be eligible for free school meals.  In 2012 the school did not meet the government’s floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for attainment and progress, but it did so in 2013.  The acting headteacher joined the school at the start of the autumn term 2013 and was in her

p.3

Information about this school

third week at the school when the inspection took place.

p.3

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the teaching of writing so that all pupils make good progress, by ensuring that:  pupils are taught the skills they need to extend and develop their writing before embarking on extended tasks  pupils’ work is always marked in a way that highlights how it can be improved and gives them an opportunity to respond  pupils develop a fluent style of handwriting, and are expected to present their work neatly.

p.3

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Increase the rate of pupils’ progress in reading by ensuring that:  strong and effective teaching of the sounds that letters make is fully established and extended  the most able pupils are consistently challenged  authors and books are given a high profile in classrooms and corridors in order to stimulate all pupils’ interest in reading.

p.3

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the effectiveness of leadership and management by:  establishing consistent approaches to teaching to ensure that it is good throughout the school  making full use of the information collected about the school’s performance to bring further and rapid improvement.

p.3

The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Not all groups of pupils are doing as well they could in reading and writing, because although teaching has improved, it is not yet consistently good. Most pupils, but not yet all, are now making the progress expected nationally in reading. Not enough pupils are making good progress to reach high standards in writing.

p.4

The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 In 2013 the results of national tests at the end of Year 6 showed a marked improvement on 2012, when they fell below the government’s floor standards. The Key Stage 1 results showed that pupils had made the progress expected nationally by the end of Year 2 in reading and writing.

p.4

The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Pupils’ progress in mathematics has increased this year. In Year 6, many more pupils reached the high Level 6 in the national tests in 2013 when compared with 2012 results. Test results in mathematics were also stronger at the end of Year 2 than those in reading and writing. Boys and girls have positive attitudes towards mathematics.

p.4

The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 In lessons, and also in their written work, pupils make the fastest progress where the tasks set build on what they already know, and develop the skills they need to write successfully. This was seen in Years 5 and 6 when pupils were using the writing of Ted Hughes to enhance their own descriptions, but as yet not enough lessons have these good features.

p.4

The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 The pattern of better progress in mathematics than in reading and writing is reflected in the data the school collects about disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs. While most of these pupils are making steady progress, few are making sufficiently rapid progress to catch up with other pupils.

p.4

The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 The children start school with skills that are broadly typical for their age. They do well in the Reception Year, with many reaching the goals set for them and some exceeding them. Most children settle quickly into school life, listen to their teacher carefully, and speak to adults with confidence.

p.4

The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 There were no pupils supported by the pupil premium in Year 6 last year. However, the school’s own data show that, throughout the school, pupils supported by the pupil premium made progress in line with their classmates in reading and writing, and particularly good progress in mathematics.

p.4

The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Not enough teaching is consistently good or better. There is too much variation in the way pupils’ skills are developed and extended, in teachers’ expectations of pupils’ presentation of their work, and in the detail and effectiveness of marking.

p.4

The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Pupils’ learning does not always build rapidly enough on what they already know and are able to do. Although the school has an established system of recording pupils’ progress, there are occasions where teachers do not use this information well enough to make sure the tasks they set for the pupils help them to quickly increase their knowledge or extend their skills.

p.4

The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Many lessons are interesting and well structured, with the teacher making it very clear to the pupils what they must, should and could achieve. However, in some lessons the pupils are not given such a clear indication of what they are expected to learn and aim for, and as a result they do not make as much progress as they could.

p.4

The quality of teaching requires improvement

 The marking of pupils’ work is inconsistent. The examples seen in books show that the guidance they receive on how to improve their work is becoming more sharply focused. However, it is not good enough to ensure that all groups of pupils make consistently good progress.

p.5

The quality of teaching requires improvement

 The teaching of early reading is increasingly systematic. This is the main reason why pupils in Year 1 achieved much better results in the national screening check in 2013 than the very low results in 2012. Although much improved, the teaching of the sounds that letters make is not yet consistently good. The most able readers are not always challenged.

p.5

The quality of teaching requires improvement

 The teaching of the youngest children is good. They settle very quickly into the routines of school life. They do well and grow in confidence through enjoying a broad range of activities, some led by adults and others they chose themselves, both inside and outside the classroom. There is a good emphasis on early reading, writing and counting.

p.5

The quality of teaching requires improvement

 The teaching of mathematics, particularly to the oldest pupils, has resulted in pupils making good progress and reaching high standards. This is because the teacher sets the pupils tasks in interesting contexts that make them think hard and use the skills they have been taught to solve them.

p.5

The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils have positive attitudes to school. They listen carefully to their teachers, and most contribute confidently to lessons. The pupils welcome the opportunities they are given to take part in activities after school, particularly sports clubs. The pupils in Years 5 and 6 enjoy, and feel they benefit greatly from, the residential visits they make.

p.5

The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils typically behave well. In conversation, older pupils say their learning is very rarely interrupted by other pupils misbehaving. Pupils respond immediately to their teachers’ instructions. This was the case when a few pupils lost concentration when sorting and classifying leaves. A brief word from the teacher focused pupils on the task in hand.

p.5

The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils have very few concerns about bullying or their safety. They are very confident that their teachers would act immediately if they became aware of unkind name-calling. The oldest pupils, for example, take part in the Crucial Crew, which extends their understanding of how stay safe in a range of situations.

p.5

The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils say that they enjoy school and this is reflected in their above-average levels of attendance. They have positive attitudes to learning but not all pupils write neatly and present their work to a good standard. Expectations of handwriting and presentation are not consistently high throughout the school.

p.5

The leadership and management requires improvement

 The school has an established system for checking pupils’ progress, and this has contributed to recent successes in raising standards. However, it is not yet being used to full effect by teachers to ensure that all pupils make good progress. Leaders have not established consistent approaches in order to iron out variations in the quality of teaching.  The acting headteacher has, in a very short time, identified the school’s key strengths and weaknesses. She has set out a clear plan for raising attainment further. Improving the pupils’ reading and writing skills is rightly highlighted as a key focus to ensure that more pupils make rapid progress. The plan has clear timescales and short-term goals.

p.5

The leadership and management requires improvement

 The acting headteacher, staff and governors are keen to provide the pupils with a good education. All of the teachers contribute to leading subjects and know where improvements are needed. Through the appraisal of teachers’ performance, each teacher has a target that is linked to increasing pupils’ progress.

p.6

The leadership and management requires improvement

 The pupil premium is predominantly used to provide support for eligible pupils, and extra teaching to increase their rates of progress. This funding is having a beneficial impact on the achievement of the pupils it supports. Although the school has not yet received the additional funds for sport in primary schools, it has made detailed plans to extend the range of opportunities available to pupils.

p.6

The leadership and management requires improvement

 The pupils are taught through an interesting range of topics and themes. Lessons are enhanced by opportunities that include visits to places of interest. Classrooms and corridors do not have enough stimulating displays, for example to promote reading. The school provides pupils with good opportunities to play sport, and all pupils in Key Stage 2 have swimming lessons.

p.6

The leadership and management requires improvement

 The local authority knows how well the school is performing. It has made an appropriate contribution to bringing improvement over the last year through courses and support activities, particularly in monitoring pupils’ progress. The school also chooses to buy support from other providers.

p.6

The leadership and management requires improvement

 The governance of the school:  The governing body has developed strongly since the last inspection. Governors are well informed, although they have not found local authority training particularly helpful in extending their skills. However, they do find property, finance and governors’ services very supportive. The governing body has reviewed its role, and now makes effective use of data about the school’s performance to challenge the school to improve further. Governors visit the school frequently and carry out a range of checks so that they know what is happening in the school. They carefully analyse the reports they receive about the pupils’ performance, and check how much impact improvement activities are having. The governors ensure that staff appraisal is carried out and that any pay awards are linked to improved performance. Governors know how the pupil premium funds are spent, and how well pupils do as a result of

p.6

The leadership and management requires improvement

the additional teaching that is provided.

p.6

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

p.7

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.

p.7

School details

Unique reference number 124572 Local authority Suffolk Inspection number 425285

p.8

School details

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

p.8

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 101 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Victoria Finch Headteacher Susan Todd Date of previous school inspection 1 December 2011 Telephone number 01473 659389 Fax number 01473 659389 Email address ad.bucklesham.p@talk21.com 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 .

p.8

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.

p.9

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

p.9

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

p.9

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’.

p.9

School details

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

p.9