Glenfrome Primary School

Glenfrome Primary School Cottisford Road, Eastville, Bristol, BS5 6TY

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 Requires improvement 3 Leadership and management Requires improvement 3

p.1

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

 Teaching is not consistently good and pupils do not always make good progress, especially across Key Stage 2.  There are times when pupils are not settled down to work quickly enough because teachers spend too long talking at the beginning of lessons.  Tasks are not always matched to pupils’ abilities, especially in stretching more-able pupils so that they can learn for themselves.  More-able pupils do not always achieve the standards they are capable of in writing in some year groups across Key Stage 2.  As a result more-able pupils do not always reach the levels they are capable of in writing by the end of Year 6.  Pupils are not consistently given opportunities to produce longer pieces of writing, especially in different subjects.  The task of improving the quality of teaching relies too much on the headteacher and deputy headteachers.  Teachers who are responsible for groups of classes are not given consistent opportunities

p.1

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

to check on the teaching and learning in these classes.  There are occasions when pupils’ attitudes to their learning in lessons hinder their progress because the pupils are given tasks that are too easy or too hard.

p.1

The school has the following strengths

 The headteacher, supported by senior leaders and governors, provides strong leadership and has improved the quality of teaching and raised standards at the end of the Early Years Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1.  This is because the headteacher has been rigorously monitoring learning in lessons.  As a result, some pupils are learning at a quicker rate, especially in the Early Years Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1.  The governing body provides good challenge and support in order to hold senior leaders to account.  Pupils feel safe and are generally well behaved and polite.

p.1

Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 26 lessons and part lessons, of which 12 part lessons were visited together with the headteacher.  Meetings were held with the headteacher and other senior leaders, members of the governing body, a representative from the local authority and a group of pupils.  Inspectors examined a range of evidence including: the school’s safeguarding procedures; school data tracking pupils’ progress; the quality of work in pupils’ books and the school’s own judgements about teaching and pupils’ achievement.  Inspectors heard pupils from Key Stage 1 read.  Inspectors analysed the views of 42 parents who responded to the Parent View survey on the Ofsted website and spoke to a number of parents during the inspection.

p.2

Inspection team

James Henry, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Matthew Cottrell Additional Inspector Liz Townsend Additional Inspector

p.2

Information about this school

 Glenfrome is larger than the average-sized primary school.  The majority of pupils are from minority ethnic backgrounds and the proportion that speaks English as an additional language is well above average.  The proportion of disabled pupils or those who have special educational needs supported through school action is above average, but the proportion supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is below average.  The proportion of pupils for whom the school receives the pupil premium, which is additional funding for pupils known to be eligible for free school meals or in local authority care, is well above average.  The number of pupils who move in and out of the school at times not normally expected is above average.  The school meets the current government floor standards, which set the minimum requirements for pupils’ attainment and progress in English and mathematics by the end of Key Stage 2.

p.3

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching so that it is consistently good or better by making sure that:  teachers quickly settle pupils down to work so that they learn at a quicker rate  pupils, especially the more able, have more opportunities to learn for themselves  teachers regularly use questioning to check pupils’ understanding in order to match challenging tasks to pupils’ abilities, especially in stretching the more able.  Raise more-able pupils’ attainment in writing across Key Stage 2 by making sure that:  pupils have opportunities to write at length in different subjects  pupils have consistent opportunities to judge how well they are doing in writing and understand how to improve their work  planned activities to increase pupils’ experiences in order to help pupils write in different ways for different purposes are made secure.  Strengthen the role of leaders in charge of a group of classes in improving the quality of

p.3

What does the school need to do to improve further?

teaching by providing more opportunities for them to:  check learning in the classes for which they are responsible in order to hold teachers to account and share good practice  work together to ensure a consistent approach to teaching and assessment across the school.

p.3

The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 The achievement of pupils requires improvement because not enough pupils make consistently good progress during their time at the school.  From lower than expected starting points, pupils, including disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs, make broadly expected progress across the school, with progress in reading and mathematics being consistently better than in writing. This is because of differences in the progress of different groups of pupils, particularly the more able in writing.  Pupils from different ethnic minority backgrounds and those who speak English as an additional language make the same expected progress over time as other pupils.  Pupils who join and leave the school at times not normally expected are supported well by staff but also make expected progress.  Progress is not good because it is inconsistent in different year groups, being better in the Early

p.4

The achievement of pupils requires improvement

Years Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1 than across Key Stage 2. For example, more-able pupils do not always make the progress they are capable of in writing in Key Stage 2, with opportunities missed to enable them to produce longer pieces of writing, especially in different subjects.  As a result, attainment in English and mathematics by the end of Year 6 fluctuates. Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 has been below the national average over time but rose to be broadly in line in 2012. However, attainment fell in 2013 to below the 2012 national average, particularly in the proportion of more-able pupils achieving the higher Level 5 in writing.  Progress in reading, writing and mathematics is improving, particularly in the Early Years Foundation Stage and in Years 1 and 2.  As a result, attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 is rising. For example, at the end of Year 2 in 2013, attainment in reading, writing and mathematics was broadly in line with the 2012 national

p.4

The achievement of pupils requires improvement

average and above in the proportion of pupils achieving the higher Level 3 in mathematics.  Pupils eligible for the pupil premium make the same progress in English and mathematics as other pupils in the school. In 2012, pupils eligible for the pupil premium made better progress than their peers in school and their achievement was broadly in line with the national average in English and one term behind all pupils nationally in mathematics. However, due to pupils making inconsistent progress, particularly across Key Stage 2, results in 2013 at the end of Year 6 show that the achievement of pupils eligible for the pupil premium dipped in English and mathematics to below the 2012 national average.

p.4

The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Teaching requires improvement because not all groups of pupils make consistently good progress in their learning.  Almost all the parents who completed the Parent View survey on the Ofsted website felt that their child was taught well.  Teaching is improving. Where teaching is good, teachers have high expectations of pupils and match work to their abilities. There is good pace to lessons with pupils enjoying their learning and making good progress.  However, this is not consistent. In some lessons, the pace of pupils’ learning slows because teachers talk for too long at the beginning of lessons and give pupils tasks that do not meet their abilities, especially in stretching the more able.  Teachers do not always question pupils effectively about how well they understand what they are learning. Consequently, opportunities are missed to identify and put right any gaps that pupils may have in their learning.

p.4

The quality of teaching requires improvement

 There is a consistent approach to marking across the school with teachers providing pupils with comments about how they can improve their work. However, teachers do not consistently give pupils the chance to check and improve their own work, especially in writing.  Opportunities are missed to allow more-able pupils to learn for themselves rather than sitting listening in whole-class lessons.  Teachers provide pupils with targets in their books and highlight them when they have been achieved. This enables pupils to see the progress they are making.  Relationships in lessons are good, with pupils and staff cooperating and working well together.  Teaching assistants are used effectively to support disabled pupils or those who have special educational needs, with teachers planning activities that meet their needs in whole-class lessons.  The school is particularly effective in helping pupils who join the school at different times and

p.4

The quality of teaching requires improvement

speak English as an additional language to settle quickly through providing extra help for them with their English speaking, reading and writing skills. This is an example of how the school ensures all groups of pupils have an equal opportunity to be fully included in the school community and none are discriminated against.

p.5

The behaviour and safety of pupils require improvement

 Behaviour and safety require improvement because there are occasions when pupils’ attitudes to their learning in lessons hinder their progress. This happens because sometimes tasks are not matched to pupils’ abilities. This can result in some low-level disruption because pupils either finish their work quickly or struggle to understand what they are learning.  Pupils are polite and welcoming and behave well around the school and in the playground.  Relationships are good, with pupils from a wide variety of cultural backgrounds getting on well together.  The school is a very welcoming community. Pupils who join the school at different times during the year quickly settle, mainly due to the good care and attention they receive.  Pupils say they feel safe in school because bullying of any kind is rare and they have the confidence in staff to deal with any problems that may arise.  Most parents and carers who completed the Parent View survey felt that the school makes sure

p.5

The behaviour and safety of pupils require improvement

its pupils behave well and that any bullying is dealt with effectively.  The school promotes good attendance through a balance of rewards and sanctions. For example, the school consistently applies a policy that all requests for holidays during term time are refused.  The school’s attempts to improve attendance are having some impact. For example, attendance this term is in line with the 2012 national average. However, over time, attendance is low. This is due in part to some parents and carers unnecessarily taking their children out of school during term time.

p.5

The leadership and management require improvement

 Leadership and management require improvement because the task of improving the quality of teaching relies too heavily on the headteacher and deputy headteachers.  While the headteacher has eliminated past inadequate teaching, the quality of teaching is not consistently good across the school, particularly across Key Stage 2.  Leaders who have responsibility for groups of classes across the school have not been given enough opportunities to check learning in lessons, hold teachers to account, share good practice and support the headteacher in making sure that teaching and assessment are consistently good.  As a result of the headteacher’s strong leadership, teaching has improved, particularly over the past year. This has resulted in pupils’ progress accelerating and rising attainment by the end of the Early Years Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1. However, this has not had a full impact on consistently raising standards at the end of Key Stage 2 because teaching over time has been

p.5

The leadership and management require improvement

more variable.  Senior leaders hold teachers to account through managing their performance, for example through holding meetings to check on pupils’ progress.  The curriculum promotes pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development effectively. For example, pupils visit different sites of religious worship and there are a wide variety of sporting and creative activities that pupils enjoy.  At the beginning of the school year, senior leaders introduced a new approach to the curriculum designed to give pupils experiences to help them write in different ways for different purposes. These activities are at an early stage of development.  The school is using the primary school sports funding to introduce a sports programme. It is too early for this to have made a difference to pupils’ health and physical well-being.  The school fosters good relationships through working with parents and carers from different

p.6

The leadership and management require improvement

cultural backgrounds. For example, the school organised a Martin Luther King Week that finished with a community barbeque which brought different sections of the school and local community together.  There are appropriate safeguarding policies. Staff are regularly trained in child protection procedures and checked before being allowed to work in school.  The local authority has provided good support for the school to address past weaknesses. This support has gradually been withdrawn as the school improved and now the local authority provides appropriate support and challenge as necessary.  The governance of the school:  The governing body knows the strengths and weaknesses of the school well, including the quality of teaching. Governors provide a good level of support and challenge for senior leaders through gaining an independent view of the school by looking at pupils’ work and visiting classes with senior leaders. There are effective systems to manage teachers’ performance and

p.6

The leadership and management require improvement

to hold the headteacher to account so that increases in teachers’ salaries are justified. Governors know what the school is doing to tackle any underperformance. Governors have a good understanding of the difference that the pupil premium funding is making to eligible pupils. For example, money spent on training adults to support pupils in receipt of the pupil premium with their reading is raising standards. Governors also undertake regular training on topics such as school data to ensure they carry out their roles effectively.

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 108931 Local authority City of Bristol Inspection number 400069

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 Maintained Age range of pupils 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 325 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Jon Symonds Headteacher Inger O’Callaghan Date of previous school inspection 28 June 2011 Telephone number 0117 3772247 Fax number 0117 3772248 Email address glenfromep@bristol.gov.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 .

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