Broadfield Primary School

P R O T E C T – I N S P E C T I O N School report Broadfield Primary School Windmill Road, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, HP2 4BX

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Satisfactory 3 This inspection: Inadequate 4 Achievement of pupils Inadequate 4 Quality of teaching Inadequate 4 Behaviour and safety of pupils Requires improvement 3 Leadership and management Requires improvement 3

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a school that has serious weaknesses.  Standards in Key Stage 2 have been too low for the past three years.  Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs, and those for whom the school receives extra funds, make inadequate progress given their starting points in Key Stage 1.  The quality of teaching in Key Stage 2 has been inadequate over time. Expectations of what pupils can achieve have been too low, and work set is not well matched to pupils’ abilities.  Pupils do not receive detailed feedback on the next steps they should take to improve their work.  Behaviour requires improvement; some older pupils lose concentration while learning. Agreed boundaries for behaviour have not always been applied consistently.  Until recently, those responsible for leading and managing the school did not ensure that the quality of teaching enabled pupils of all abilities to do as well as they should.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Procedures for monitoring have not been effective. Pupils’ progress and targeted support have not been regularly checked until recently. Senior leaders have begun to ensure that weaker staff are challenged or supported to improve.  Governors are not fully aware of how effectively additional funding has been used to raise pupils’ achievement.

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The school has the following strengths

 Good support from the local authority and substantial and recent changes to leadership and governance are enabling the school to arrest the decline at Key Stage 2 and have led to improvements in teaching, achievement, behaviour and attendance.  Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage and pupils in Key Stage 1 make good progress due to good teaching.  Across the school, pupils make increasingly good progress in reading, and they enjoy regular opportunities for sports.  Those responsible for leading and managing the school are very clear about how to make the necessary improvements. More rigorous systems have been established to hold teachers to account and check on the quality of teaching.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspectors observed 24 lessons or part lessons, two of which were observed jointly with the headteacher and two with the deputy headteacher.  Inspectors observed pupils in lessons, at play, at lunch and as they moved around school.  Discussions were held with staff, the Chair of the Governing Body and other governors, and a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors held meetings with two groups of pupils, listened to pupils read and checked reading progress records.  A wide range of documentation was reviewed, including records of the monitoring of teaching and of pupils’ attainment and progress, the school’s view of its performance and the school development plan. In addition, records of meetings of the governing body, safeguarding documentation and reports from the school improvement adviser were reviewed.  The inspectors took account of the 112 responses to the online questionnaire (Parent View), and

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Information about this inspection

21 responses to the staff questionnaire received during the inspection. Inspectors also spoke to parents at the beginning of the school day.

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Inspection team

Susan Thomas-Pounce, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Andrew Wibroe Additional Inspector Jane Richmond Additional Inspector

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Full report

In accordance with the Education Act 2005, Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector is of the opinion that this school requires significant improvement, because it is performing significantly less well than it might in all the circumstances reasonably be expected to perform.

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Information about this school

 This primary school is larger than average.  The large majority of pupils are White British.  The proportion of pupils eligible for the pupil premium is above the national average. This is additional government funding for pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals and children who are looked after by the local authority.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs supported through school action is above average. The proportion supported through school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is below average.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in English and mathematics.  Since the previous inspection, there has been considerable turbulence in senior staffing and changes in governance. An executive headteacher was brought to the school by the local

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Information about this school

authority in the spring term 2013 and then worked in partnership with the newly appointed experienced deputy headteacher during the summer term. An experienced headteacher took up post in September 2013. Other changes in teaching staff include the appointment of five newly qualified teachers.  The school manages a children’s centre which is situated on the school site. This provision is inspected separately and the report can be found on Ofsted’s website.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Ensure that teaching is good or better, so that all groups of pupils make at least good progress and their attainment rises in mathematics and writing in Key Stage 2, by:  raising teachers’ expectations of what pupils can achieve  improving teachers’ use of assessments, so that tasks in lessons are sufficiently challenging for all ability groups and work is closely matched to pupils’ needs  ensuring that pupils always receive feedback on their work that gives them very clear information on what they need to do to improve  ensuring that disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs receive support appropriate to their individual needs.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve leadership, management and governance by:  developing the expertise of those who lead subjects and key areas to monitor effectively the quality of teaching and pupils’ progress  determining how effectively the school spends its pupil premium funding and the impact this is having on those who are known to be eligible for free school meals  undertaking an external review of governance, to include a specific focus on the school’s use of the pupil premium, in order to assess how this aspect of leadership and management may be improved.

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The achievement of pupils is inadequate

 Although varying from year to year, children generally start in the Nursery with skills and knowledge which are just below those expected for their age. They make good progress across the Early Years Foundation Stage and in Key Stage 1. Standards at the end of Year 2 are steadily rising. This good achievement is not maintained in Key Stage 2, where pupils’ standards in writing and mathematics for the past two years have been consistently low.

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The achievement of pupils is inadequate

 The progress of different groups of pupils in Key Stage 2 has been too variable. In 2012, for example, the attainment of pupils in Year 6 for whom the school received pupil premium funding was about one year behind their classmates in English and mathematics and around six months behind similar pupils nationally.

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The achievement of pupils is inadequate

 The progress of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs is far too uneven. This is because their progress has not been rigorously checked, and the additional support these pupils receive is not precisely matched to their needs. Although their achievement in Key Stage 2 remains inadequate, it is beginning to improve.

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The achievement of pupils is inadequate

 The proportion of pupils reaching the expected standard at the end of Year 1 in the screening check for phonics (the sounds that letters and combinations of letters make) was well below the national average in 2012. Prompt action taken by the school with the support of the local authority led to a sharp increase in performance in 2013. The teaching of phonics is more structured, which is helping most pupils to learn to read more rapidly. Pupils’ progress in reading is stronger than in writing and in mathematics throughout the school.

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The achievement of pupils is inadequate

 Although progress across Key Stage 2 is beginning to accelerate in every year group, slow progress in the past means that not enough pupils in the current Year 6 group are on track to reach National Curriculum Level 4 in both English and mathematics.

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The achievement of pupils is inadequate

 Leaders have improved the way in which pupil premium funding is used to raise pupils’ attainment, and this is helping to narrow the previous gap. School data and inspection evidence show that pupils supported by pupil premium funding are now making better progress, particularly in mathematics. However, the school has identified that this is still an area for further improvement and has taken steps to track the progress of these pupils more carefully, but it has not fully evaluated the impact of its improvement strategy.

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The quality of teaching is inadequate

 Teaching in Key Stage 2 has not had enough impact on pupils’ achievement over time and pupils have made inadequate progress in relation to their attainment as assessed at the end of Year 2. Although staffing is more stable, pupils’ progress has been hindered because some classes have had several teachers in a short period of time.

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The quality of teaching is inadequate

 Teachers do not always have high enough expectations of what pupils can achieve or the amount of work pupils can do in a lesson. Although most teachers mark pupils’ work regularly, there are inconsistencies in the quality of guidance given to pupils on how to improve their work to help them reach their targets.

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The quality of teaching is inadequate

 The school’s systems for monitoring pupils’ progress are relatively new. Not all teachers are skilled in using this good information about pupils’ progress to ensure that tasks are matched carefully enough to the different levels of ability in the class.

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The quality of teaching is inadequate

 Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs, and those for whom the school receives pupil premium funding, are not well supported to help them make rapid gains in their learning because support for their needs is not sufficiently well targeted.

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The quality of teaching is inadequate

 Where teaching is good, teachers plan interesting and relevant activities that motivate most learners and use stimulating resources and equipment. For example, in a numeracy lesson in Year 2, pupils had great fun investigating symmetry using a range of resources including a video clip, mirrors and a range of interesting shapes, as well as using the computer. The teacher showed high expectations and provided frequent opportunities for pupils to think for themselves.

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The quality of teaching is inadequate

 Teaching in the Early Years Foundation Stage remains a strength, as it was at the time of the previous inspection. Good teaching at Key Stage 1 underpins the rising standards in Years 1 and 2 and the good progress pupils make in these classes.

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The quality of teaching is inadequate

 Teaching has improved over the past two terms as a result of recent actions by school leaders and managers.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils requires improvement

 A small minority of parents and carers who responded to Parent View expressed concern about pupils’ behaviour. While the great majority of pupils behave well, there is some justification in these views. This is because, while there are agreed arrangements in place for managing the behaviour of pupils, these arrangements have not always been consistently applied.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils requires improvement

 Leaders are successfully improving pupils’ behaviour. School records show that incidents of poor behaviour have reduced. Pupils agree that there are fewer incidents of poor behaviour and none was observed during the inspection.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils requires improvement

 Pupils have a good understanding of the consequences of inappropriate conduct, and most pupils respond well to these, so, in most lessons, learning is not disrupted by poor behaviour. In a few lessons, when activities are not matched well enough to pupils’ varying needs and abilities, some pupils lose concentration and interest.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils requires improvement

 Pupils’ behaviour around school and in the playground is appropriate, and pupils are polite and welcoming to visitors. Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage settle quickly because they are welcomed and looked after well.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils requires improvement

 Pupils are well informed about the different types of bullying that they may come across. They say that bullying occurs is rare. Inspection evidence and the school’s records of the management of behaviour confirm this view. They show incidents to be robustly and swiftly addressed. Pupils have a good understanding of how to stay safe, including, for example, how to keep safe when using computers and the internet.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils requires improvement

 Parents and carers are generally positive about their children’s attitudes towards school and say that they largely enjoy their learning. Pupils said that the school provides a very safe and caring environment for them, and their parents agree.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils requires improvement

 Strategies aimed at improving attendance are increasingly effective. Attendance has been in the bottom 20% of schools nationally but it has improved markedly this term.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The school’s procedures for checking the quality of its work have neither been sharp nor regular. The senior leaders know that pupils’ achievement in Key Stage 2 is still not as good as it should be. Arrangements to check pupils’ progress have been reviewed recently and systems put in place to ensure that these assessments are more reliable and precise.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 Leaders are ensuring that all teachers have a clear understanding of how to use information about pupils’ performance so that pupils work is set at the right level to help them achieve as well as they should. The reliable information now available means that pupils’ performance cannot dip without staff noting and being required to act on this.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 New teachers have joined the school and substantial changes have been made over the past two terms to leadership, management and governance. There is already clear and positive impact showing improvements to teaching and pupils’ achievement.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 Arrangements for managing the performance of teachers are becoming more effective. Staff value the recent work by senior leaders to encourage them to take on wider school responsibilities and to ensure that their skills are used to best effect in the interests of pupils. However, key leaders and managers at all levels are still at an early stage in addressing historical underperformance by many pupils as a result of weak teaching.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 Provision to meet fully the needs of some disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs and those eligible for additional funding through the pupil premium requires improvement. Reviews and adjustments of individual targets and plans to boost the achievement of these pupils is becoming more regular. Key leaders and managers are beginning to check to see whether resources, including pupil premium funding, are used to make sure that individual pupils receive effective support.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The school provides regular sporting activities and plans to use the primary school sports funding to strengthen this provision. In addition, there are extra-curricular events, visits to places of interest, and visitors to school. These make appropriate contributions to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Teachers ensure that they tackle immediately any discrimination that may arise.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 Inspection evidence, including lesson observations, consideration of data and the scrutiny of pupils’ work, shows that teaching is improving and that progress is accelerating in each year group. The recent improvements show that leaders and managers have the capacity to take the school forward.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The local authority has been aware of weaknesses in pupils’ achievement and has provided additional support from external consultants to improve teaching and learning. These measures have already helped to improve outcomes for pupils.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The governance of the school:  The governing body is beginning to ask searching questions of the school or hold the school to account. Governors are more aware that pupils in Key Stage 2, including those who have special educational needs, have not been achieving well enough. They are in the early stages of understanding how effectively the school is using its pupil premium funding. Governors are developing their understanding of the impact of this funding on pupils’ progress. Minutes of meetings and information provided by the school show more emphasis on pupils’ achievements and leaders and managers are being held to account. The governing body has a more accurate understanding of the school’s performance and is informed about how the school is improving classroom practice. Governors are ensuring that teachers only receive pay increases if they meet their class targets in relation to pupils’ progress. The governing body

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The leadership and management requires improvement

ensures that statutory requirements with regard to safeguarding are met.

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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 135339 Local authority Hertfordshire Inspection number 425313

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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 3–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 451 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Nick Evans Headteacher Christine Hall Date of previous school inspection 22 November 2011 Telephone number 01442 426300 Fax number 01442 426302 Email address admin@broadfieldprimary.herts.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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