Becket Primary School

Becket Primary School Tavistock Road, Worle, Weston-super-Mare, Somerset BS22 6DH

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Satisfactory 3 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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This is a good school

 Pupils’ achievement is good. Progress is rising because teaching has improved across the school. A strong focus on sounds and letters helps pupils make very good progress in reading. Well-judged extra support for pupils who find learning difficult ensures achievement is consistent across all groups of pupils, including those who receive additional pupil premium funding.  Teaching is good. Teachers set high expectations and ensure a purposeful and enjoyable atmosphere in lessons. Teaching assistants actively support learning. Pupils are keen to learn, listen well and work hard.  Very clear marking, which includes helpful advice, provides pupils with a full understanding of how to improve their work.  Pupils behave well. Relationships with one another and their teachers are warm and friendly and pupils know they are well cared for. They report correctly that bullying is unusual and that the school quickly deals with

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This is a good school

it on the rare occasions when it starts.  Children make a good start to their education in the Early Years Foundation Stage in a well- organised purposeful environment.  The headteacher has raised expectations for the school, eliminated many weaknesses and empowered staff, particularly senior and middle leaders. The impact of reforms is increasingly evident in improved behaviour, purposeful teaching and higher achievement across the school.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Not all lessons provide sufficient challenge for all groups and the pace of learning can slacken. Teachers do not always take opportunities to develop pupils’ literacy and numeracy skills in subjects other than English and mathematics.  Members of the governing body are developing their skills and understanding of the school but their expertise is not shared equally by all members.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors visited 13 lessons taught by seven teachers and undertook three joint observations with senior staff.  Inspectors held discussions with pupils, teachers, the headteacher, senior managers, parents and carers, representatives of the governing body and a local authority officer.  Inspectors examined numerous school documents, including policies, assessment information, planning documents and records of all kinds.  Seven parents and carers entered their views onto the Parent View website; this is too few to be analysed.

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Inspection team

John Carnaghan, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Jennifer Cutler Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 This is a smaller than average-sized primary school.  The proportion of pupils eligible for the pupil premium (additional funding for looked after children, pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and those from service families) is well above the national average.  Approximately one tenth of pupils are from minority ethnic groups, this is below the national average. Almost all pupils speak English as their first language.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs supported through school action is above average. The proportion of pupils supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is also above average.  The school has a higher than usual turnover of pupils.  The school meets the current government floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in English and mathematics.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Raise achievement further by ensuring more teaching is good and better, through:  ensuring that the start, middle and end of lessons all run at a brisk, purposeful pace  planning so all pupils are kept working at full stretch throughout lessons  making sure that teachers take every opportunity to promote language and number skills in all subjects.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Encourage all members of the governing body to develop an in-depth understanding of the school to enable them all to provide a consistently rigorous challenge to leaders and managers.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils’ achievement is improving because there is more good teaching which provides better opportunities for pupils to learn.  Children enter the Early Years Foundation Stage with attainment that is usually well below that expected for their age, especially in communication and language. They settle in quickly and are well taught by confident, capable staff. They make good progress and are well prepared for the next stage in their education, developing skills such as working independently and cooperating with their friends. Children move into Year 1 with attainment that is below average.  There is a variability to attainment at the end of Year 6 because the school has a higher than usual turnover of pupils and because the abilities and needs of each year group vary considerably. However, the overall picture is that pupils’ attainment in both English and mathematics at the end of Key Stage 2 is similar to the national average.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The rate of pupils’ progress has risen considerably since 2011 and is now good. Progress in lessons is usually good or better. In particular, teachers’ accurate, supportive marking and the way they use their understanding of pupils’ standards to plan future learning opportunities are driving achievement strongly upwards, so that it is now good.  The school uses its monitoring to identify any variations in progress, such as between groups of pupils and between subjects. It then acts quickly to address concerns, particularly through the well-targeted use of additional help for pupils in danger of falling behind. These intensive sessions are invariably successful so, for example, the achievement of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs is good, similar to all other groups. In this way, the school ensures equality of opportunity and that there is no discrimination.  Letters and sounds are very well taught to younger pupils and all teachers share a strong

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The achievement of pupils is good

commitment to promoting reading skills. Pupils benefit from numerous opportunities to experience all kinds of texts and become confident handling and understanding the printed word, making good and often very good progress with their reading. Attainment in the Year 1 phonics screening check is above average.  Strengths in reading progress were exemplified in an excellent sounds and letters lesson in the Reception class that featured the much loved ‘Crispin the Crow’. Assisted by the teacher, Crispin maintained an orderly classroom and, with the use of various items like a tin, a bag and a box, helped children learn how to combine letters to make simple words.  The school has carefully adapted the subjects and experiences that it offers to meet the needs of the large group of pupils who receive additional pupil premium funding. This group receive specifically organised assistance including additional pastoral support, an Easter school and small

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The achievement of pupils is good

group work to boost their skills. The effectiveness of this work is demonstrated in the closing gap in attainment between the pupils who benefit from premium group funding and their peers. In 2013, Year 6 pupil premium pupils were approximately half a term behind the others in their class in reading, a term behind in writing and there was no gap in mathematics. These gaps are smaller than those found nationally.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The quality of teaching has improved because this area has been a priority for leaders and managers, who regularly check on classroom learning. Their work to eliminate weakness and promote good practice has meant that good teaching is now the norm.  Teachers plan carefully and show the strong subject knowledge that makes them confident practitioners. They pose questions to check on learning and encourage pupils to think for themselves, offering numerous opportunities to work independently. A typical example of this was a good Year 5 mathematics lesson, where groups of pupils were sent off to research how they would explain to younger pupils the workings of tally charts. This bold strategy paid off as pupils worked together with energy and inventiveness under the watchful eye of adults, enabling them to make good progress in developing their understanding.  Brief checks throughout lessons enable teachers to keep an eye on how well pupils are

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The quality of teaching is good

progressing and adjust what they are doing. Marking is detailed, analytical and, using colour coding, very clear to pupils. They appreciate the information they receive and invariably act on advice given, doing corrections and writing replies.  Teachers manage pupils with assurance and often use humour to engage them; they foster good relationships and promote a positive ‘can do’ atmosphere. Pupils enjoy all aspects of lessons, listen carefully and usually concentrate well on their tasks.  Teaching assistants form an important element in the promotion of good learning. They are appropriately trained and well briefed about lessons so participate fully, both in whole class sessions and when supporting individuals.  Teaching is mainly at a good pace and most lessons start off at a rapid clip. In some cases, this energy can diminish when pupils start to work independently because they are not set tight

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The quality of teaching is good

enough deadlines and everything can slow down. In many instances, work is carefully planned to engage all ability levels, but there are occasions when there is insufficient challenge for the most able and this can slow their learning.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils’ positive attitudes to every element of school life promote good progress, both academically and personally. Most of them enjoy everything about school and they greatly value the friendly atmosphere and positive relationships with their peers and with all adults. Teachers are trusted and pupils say they are always ready to help.  The school provides a calm, harmonious environment in which to grow and learn. Courtesy between pupils and towards adults is usual because these attitudes are well modelled by staff.  Teachers make learning enjoyable so pupils have fun as they learn; behaviour in lessons is invariably good with few interruptions to their smooth progress. At playtimes, the dining hall is orderly and the playground and field are calm.  Pupils are alert to the possibilities of bullying and know about the various forms it can take because the school keeps them well informed. They know the potential of bullying by text

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

messages and the dangers of racism. However, they report that bullying is very unusual and are confident in themselves and adults to prevent any disputes from escalating.  Visitors to the school raise pupils’ awareness about how to stay safe in their daily lives. For example, police officers talk about road safety and how to avoid potential danger from strangers. Pupils are well aware of the possible risks of the internet and know what to do if they encounter difficulties while they are on computers. In this caring environment, pupils report that they feel safe and secure at school.  A specialist member of staff works actively to engage with parents and carers; for example, she is on the playground, meeting with them informally at the start and end of each day. Her effective work has helped to reduce absences and improve punctuality; attendance is similar to the national average.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher, strongly supported by a capable senior management team, has subjected the school to the most rigorous scrutiny. Leaders and managers follow up on areas for concern with great tenacity and, as a result, teaching has improved since the previous inspection, progress has risen and pupils’ achievement has moved from satisfactory to good. This improving school receives effective support from the local authority and has the capacity for continuing improvement.  The checks the school makes on teaching are thorough and regular. Classroom visits generate reports with clear action points that staff are expected to address. In consequence, there is greater consistency in the way teachers work. For example, the marking of pupils’ bookwork across all classes is regular, thorough and promotes good learning as pupils heed the advice offered.  The school is rich in data about pupils’ progress. Regular assessments feed into a systematic

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The leadership and management are good

recording system that enables trends to be analysed and barriers to learning identified. This permits prompt actions when pupils are in danger of falling behind. For example, teaching assistants deliver short periods of well-targeted additional help to pupils facing difficulties. The effectiveness of these interventions is carefully checked and this usually provides evidence of how well they ensure that all pupils make similar progress.  The regular meetings held between leaders and managers and individual class teachers see assessment information used well to hold each member of staff to account for the progress of pupils in their charge. Where progress is not fast enough, senior staff act quickly, offering additional support and training when appropriate. This work has brought about a shared culture of high expectations.  The school is developing the subjects and activities it offers so that they more closely meet

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The leadership and management are good

pupils’ needs and interests. Pupils report that they enjoy learning and the stimulating areas that are studied have a positive impact on behaviour and achievement. Numerous trips are undertaken to broaden pupils’ horizons and to provide interesting stimuli for work back in school, such as descriptive writing about what they have experienced. The school is aware of the continuing need to boost pupils’ basic skills in literacy and numeracy and is starting to incorporate these areas into studies of other subjects, but it is aware that this initiative requires further development.  At the time of the inspection primary school sport funding had only just become available, but the school has already brought in additional coaches to offer extra physical education opportunities for pupils both at lunchtime and after school.  There are good opportunities for pupils to develop self-esteem and confidence and their strong

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The leadership and management are good

moral and social development is evident in many aspects of school life. The school’s sponsorship of a child in Africa has had an impact on pupils’ cultural awareness but the school acknowledges that further links with contrasting environments would be beneficial. Regular acts of collective worship provide opportunities for pupils’ spiritual development, encouraging them to reflect on the plight of others, such has having empathy for global issues like poverty in Africa and elsewhere.  The governance of the school:  Members of the governing body are increasingly active in the checks they make on the school. Visits and links with staff keep many of them well informed about daily school life and how well pupils are progressing. Some have been trained in using assessment data so have a good grasp of the achievement of Becket pupils and how it compares with the national picture. They know how additional pupil premium funding is spent and are aware of its impact on progress.

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The leadership and management are good

Governors have been supportive of the headteacher as he has tackled previous weaknesses in teaching and most are knowledgeable about current teaching standards and how teachers’ pay progression is linked to their performance. The governing body is developing the skills it needs to offer a consistently strong challenge to the school but there is some inconsistency in members’ expertise, so not all members are able to challenge the school with equal rigour. Governors fulfil their duties well, including checking on the school’s safety. This has helped to ensure that the school meets all safeguarding requirements.

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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 109123 Local authority North Somerset Inspection number 426731

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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 209 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Norman Donovan Headteacher John Clark Date of previous school inspection 28–29 September 2011 Telephone number 01934 516052 Fax number 01934 517412 Email address becket.pri@n-somerset.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 .

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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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