Brunel Primary & Nursery Academy

P R O T E C T – I N S P E C T I O N School report

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Brunel Primary and Nursery Academy Callington Road, Saltash, Cornwall, PL12 6DX

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Not previously inspected 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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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.  Senior leaders, including governors, are ambitious for their school. Governors are fully involved in the life of the school and contribute well to school improvement.  Behaviour is good. Pupils are well cared for by the adults in school. They feel safe and say that bullying is very rare.  Achievement is good as all groups of pupils make effective progress and are well prepared for the next stage in their education. Parents are very pleased with the progress that their children make at the school.  Additional adults in school provide effective support for small groups or individual pupils who need extra help to ensure that they make good progress.  Teaching is good and sometimes of high quality. In the best lessons, teachers ensure that pupils know how to improve their learning and challenge pupils to make rapid progress.  Pupils are polite and have respect for each other and the adults. They are effective

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

communicators and enjoy learning.  The school works well to engage parents and involve them in their child’s education. Parents are very happy with the school.  The curriculum is exciting and motivates pupils to learn.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Occasionally, pupils are not sufficiently challenged to ensure that they make rapid progress.  The quality of marking of pupils' work is not always consistently good across the school.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors visited 24 lessons, including short visits to sessions where small groups of pupils receive extra support with their learning. Three lessons were observed jointly with the headteacher.  The inspectors heard pupils read, examined pupils’ work in their books, attended assemblies, observed pupils’ activities in the playground and in the dinner hall.  Inspectors held discussions with pupils, the headteacher, deputy headteacher and other senior leaders and members of the governing body.  Inspectors examined a range of documents including a summary of the school’s self-evaluation, the school improvement plan, documents showing how the quality of teaching is evaluated, the school’s information on pupils’ progress, teachers’ plans and records relating to pupils’ safety, behaviour and attendance.  Inspectors spoke informally to parents to seek their views about the school and analysed the views of 46 parents through the Parent View website.

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Information about this inspection

 The views expressed by 35 staff who returned questionnaires were also considered.  Inspectors also considered a report written by the Department of Education in November 2012 about the progress and improvements being made by the school.

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Inspection team

Chris Chamberlain, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Linda Rafferty Additional Inspector Alan Jones Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 This is a larger than average size primary school.  The school converted to become an academy school on 1 August 2011. When its predecessor school, known as Brunel Primary and Nursery School, was last inspected by Ofsted it was judged to be good overall.  The proportion of pupils for whom the school receives the pupil premium (additional funding for looked after children, pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and children of service families) is above average.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs who are supported through school action is below the national average. The proportion supported through school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is lower than the national average.  Most pupils are from White British backgrounds.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics in Year 6.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching from good to outstanding in order accelerate the rate at which all pupils make progress across the school by:  ensuring that the activities planned for pupils in lessons always provide an effective level of challenge for pupils of different abilities  ensuring that pupils consistently receive high quality feedback from adults so that they always know how to improve their learning.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils enter the Nursery with knowledge and skills below age-related expectations in communication, language and literacy as well as personal, social and emotional development. They make good progress across this phase and also in Key Stages 1 and 2.  Since the school opened pupils’ progress has been improving and the current Year 6 pupils have made good progress in the past two years. Because of the good progress pupils are making their attainment in reading, writing and mathematics is improving rapidly. This good progress is replicated across the school.  All groups of pupils, including disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs, make good progress in all year groups due to the support they receive from additional adults who work with them in small groups or on an individual basis.  In 2013 the gap between the attainment of pupils for whom the school receives pupil premium funding compared to that of all other pupils at the end of Year 6 narrowed considerably. In

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The achievement of pupils is good

reading, writing and mathematics they were less than a term behind all other pupils in English and mathematics. The school is working effectively to reduce this gap by using the extra money it receives from the pupil premium to provide additional support to individuals, groups and cohorts of pupils where attainment needs to be improved. For example, the school also runs a voluntary before-school writing club which is attended by the large majority of Year 6 pupils. Pupils are enthusiastic about these support groups and are making good progress.  Pupils are effectively taught the skills they need to become successful readers. Less able readers decode words by applying their strong phonic knowledge or make sense of sentences by using contextual clues such as pictures. Pupils told inspectors that they enjoyed their phonics teaching and group reading sessions. They are encouraged to read regularly at home to improve their

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The achievement of pupils is good

reading skills. Pupils read widely, enjoy a wide range of favourite authors and are encouraged to read both fiction and non-fiction books to broaden their experience of books.  Pupils’ progress in phonics across the Early Years Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1 has risen due to improvements made to the teaching of phonics. In 2013 a much higher proportion of pupils reached the expected standard in the Year 1 phonics screening check than in 2012. In both years the percentage of pupils reaching the expected standard in phonics exceeded the national average. The improvements in the teaching of phonics have led to improvements in attainment in writing in Key Stage 1. Evidence from discussions with senior leaders, work scrutiny and lesson observations show that this improving trend in attainment in writing is continuing.  Parents are very pleased with the progress that their children are making across the school. One

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The achievement of pupils is good

parent reported that there is a ‘good balance between learning and care’ in the school.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching is good across the school. Some teaching is of high quality. Pupils are enthusiastic about their learning and are keen to do well.  A large majority of parents spoken to during the inspection and those who accessed the Parent View website agreed that their children are well taught.  In the very best lessons pupils are set challenging work because teachers have high expectations of the progress that they can make and teachers extend pupils’ learning through skilful questioning. They check pupils’ progress regularly during lessons and give very detailed feedback so that pupils understand how to improve their learning.  Pupils who are disabled or have special educational needs are able to make good progress due to the well-planned deployment of additional adults. Teaching assistants and teachers work very successfully with groups of pupils, developing their knowledge and skills and ensuring a good

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The quality of teaching is good

rate of progress through well-planned teaching sessions and effective relationships with pupils. In a group session with less able older pupils the teacher skilfully differentiated her teaching and questioning so that pupils with a wide range of abilities were all able to make effective progress in a supportive learning environment.  This was further illustrated in a mathematics lesson where the teacher organised the pupils into small groups to meet their specific individual needs. Activities such as problem solving enabled pupils to apply their knowledge to new concepts. The teacher ensured that those pupils requiring extra support with their learning were rapidly provided with the help they needed from teaching assistants when they found a new concept difficult to understand. She also effectively judged when pupils were ready for the challenge of the next step in their learning.  Teachers regularly make learning fun and stimulating through the introduction of the

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The quality of teaching is good

International Primary Curriculum. Pupils are enthusiastic about their learning. For example, in a lesson about a recent natural disaster pupils demonstrated a fascination in the issues surrounding the disaster, made very good progress in their knowledge and understanding in geography, were able to apply their well-developed computer skills and worked well collaboratively.  In the Early Years Foundation Stage teaching is good because of the effective level of teamwork between adults which ensures that children listen well, respond politely to all instructions and are encouraged to develop their independence and perseverance. Children thrive on activities organised in the outdoor learning area which not only mirror those indoors but also enable pupils to experiment, practise and learn in a safe and secure environment.  The most effective teachers ensure that pupils have very detailed feedback, both written and

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The quality of teaching is good

verbal, so that they understand how to improve their learning. This includes the use of success criteria to ensure pupils know how to improve and self or peer assessment to enable pupils to reflect on their progress against the success criteria.  Teaching is not yet outstanding because in a very small number of lessons pupils are not consistently challenged and do not always receive consistent, effective feedback from adults.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils are well behaved in school. They are polite, helpful, courteous and friendly. For example, pupils readily speak to adults when moving about the school by saying ‘Good morning’ and groups of pupils confidently spoke to inspectors both formally and informally.  Pupils know who to go to if they have a concern and agree that bullying is rare in school. They say that any problems with behaviour are dealt with effectively by adults. School records show that there are a few incidents of poor behaviour but these are dealt with rapidly and appropriately. There have been no exclusions in the last three years.  Pupils are kept safe in school. They are aware of e-safety including the dangers of cyber bullying. Pupils understand the systems that the school uses to keep them safe, such as controlled access and secure boundaries.  Almost all parents who completed the online Parent View, or spoke to inspectors, and staff who

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

completed the questionnaire agreed that their children are happy and safe in school.  Playtimes are well managed. Pupils play in specific zones to ensure that ball games do not become dangerous. Pupils have regular access to play equipment during lunchtimes and playtimes and are fully involved in organising the distribution of equipment.  When pupils took part in a whole key stage ‘wake up and shake up’ at the beginning of an assembly they demonstrated a mature, sensible approach to this activity and were keen to take part.  Pupils work hard in lessons and attitudes towards learning are positive. This is demonstrated by the way in which older pupils are aware of what they need to do to improve and openly and confidently discuss this with adults in school.  Pupils develop their independence successfully throughout the school. In a mathematics lesson with younger pupils, for example, a group independently identified examples of real-life two-

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

dimensional and three-dimensional shapes around the classroom while the teacher worked with another group of pupils. Older pupils are involved in running the book fair or organising the hall for assembly.  The work of the school’s parent support advisor alongside systems that the school has put into place, including the ‘Golden Ticket’ or ‘Never Late, Never Away’ award, has had a positive impact on the level of pupil attendance. Attendance has improved over the last three years and is now in line with the national average.

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The leadership and management are good

 Regular self-evaluation such as work sampling, lesson observations and moderation exercises ensure that senior leaders are fully aware of the areas of the school that require further improvement. Leaders are determined and ambitious. It is clear that the school has a strong capacity to continue to improve.  There is a very strong sense of teamwork across the school. Staff support the headteacher’s vision and ambition for the school.  Middle leaders have recently successfully overseen the introduction of a new phonics scheme as well as a reading and writing scheme which have improved pupils’ achievement. The cooperative approach used by the school for coordinating some subject areas has had a positive impact on improving subject leadership and also pupils’ achievement.  Regular pupil progress meetings ensure that the achievement of each pupil in the school is monitored effectively. When a pupil is not making enough progress appropriate support is given

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The leadership and management are good

and the impact of this is evaluated to ensure that the identified pupil makes better progress. However, the school’s systems for checking performance have not yet resulted in all pupils making rapid progress or all teaching that is of the highest quality.  The school has a very good knowledge of its pupils and the families in the community. This has enabled the school to put in place effective strategies for engaging with parents, particularly those who find working with the school difficult.  The school’s curriculum is broad, balanced and exciting. The school has recently introduced the International Primary Curriculum which has had a positive effect on pupils’ achievement and motivation. This also ensures that pupils are regularly given the opportunity to apply their core skills in mathematics and English to other areas of the curriculum.  The school has successfully used the new primary school sport funding to enhance sporting

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The leadership and management are good

provision in the school by organising for sports coaches to come into school each week. The grant also enables the school to participate in many local sporting tournaments and festivals. The school evaluates the impact of these initiatives as part of its school self-evaluation programme.  Staff appraisal is used successfully to improve pupils’ progress, as well as linking appropriately with other school priorities.  Provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. Discrimination of any kind is not tolerated. These aspects, including equal opportunities, are promoted well through all that the school does and make a strong contribution to pupils’ personal development.  The school’s arrangements for safeguarding pupils fully meet statutory requirements.  The governance of the school:  Governors are effective. The Chair of the Governing Body changes every two years. After their

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The leadership and management are good

term of office Chairs of the Governing Body remain as governors and this ensures that the governing body is very knowledgeable. Governors undertake training regularly and are able to interpret pupil data, know how to compare school performance data with that of other schools nationally and are confident to ask the headteacher to explain issues related to pupil data. Governors have an overview of standards of teaching, how performance management is used to improve the quality of teaching and salary progression for other staff. They understand how pupil premium funding is being used and the impact of this on pupils’ progress. Governors use this knowledge to ask challenging questions to senior leaders about the performance of the school. Governors are regularly in school. They are each linked to a different year group and subject area. This gives governors a strong knowledge of progress that the school is making

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The leadership and management are good

towards its areas identified for improvement. Governors have great confidence in the leadership of the headteacher.

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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 136957 Local authority Cornwall Inspection number 426849

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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 Academy converter Age range of pupils 3–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 320 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Peter Bennett Headteacher Peter Roberts Date of previous school inspection Not previously inspected Telephone number 01752 848900 Fax number 01752 849749 Email address secretary@brunel.cornwall.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 whenand 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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