Broom Valley Community School

Broom Valley Community School Broom Valley Road, Rotherham, South Yorkshire, S60 2QU

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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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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.  Pupils make good progress and achieve well in both their personal and academic development during their time at the school.  Teaching is good or better in nearly all lessons and meets the needs of all pupils effectively.  Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs, as well as those pupils who enter the school speaking little or no English, make similar progress to all other pupils because they receive a good level of targeted support with their learning.  The headteacher, senior and middle leaders make careful and rigorous checks on the quality of teaching and this has helped all staff to improve the way in which they teach. Consequently, the school continues to improve.  The headteacher, supported by all the school community, shares a vision for all to be included and all to aspire to do their very best.  Pupils like coming to school and say that they feel safe and enjoy their learning. They show a

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

great deal of respect for others and work hard in lessons. Newcomers are welcomed warmly by all the pupils.  Governors are proud of the school and are not afraid to ask the staff challenging questions about the quality of education the school provides for its pupils.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 The quality of teaching is not yet consistently high enough to ensure that all pupils make outstanding progress.  Pupils need more and wider opportunities to develop and practice their interests and use of language in all areas of the curriculum.  The quality of teachers’ marking and feedback to pupils in lessons varies too much throughout the school. It does not always help them to understand what they have to do to improve their work.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspectors observed 19 lessons or part lessons. One lesson was observed jointly with the headteacher. Inspectors also made a number of short visits to lessons, observed guided reading, and listened to pupils read and attended assemblies.  Discussions were held with the headteacher and other senior leaders, the English and mathematics subject leaders, pupils and governors. The lead inspector had a discussion with a representative of the local authority.  A range of documentation was examined, including the school improvement plan, data on pupils, current progress, the school’s view of itself, minutes of the governing body meetings and records relating to behaviour, attendance and safeguarding.  Inspectors observed pupils’ work and looked at their exercise books.  The responses from parents to the online (Parent View) survey were not available to inspectors because of the low numbers completed. The inspectors took account of and analysed 22

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Inspection team

Andrew Morley, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Carol Smith Additional Inspector David Halford Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 Broom Valley Community School is a larger than the average-sized primary school.  There is a higher than average proportion of pupils known to be eligible for support through the pupil premium. This is additional funding for children in local authority care, those who have a parent in the armed forces or those known to be eligible for free school meals.  The school has a higher than average proportion of pupils supported through school action. It also has a higher than average proportion supported by school action plus and of those who are disabled or have a statement of special educational needs. These needs include behavioural and learning difficulties.  The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds, many with a first language other than English, is also higher than average. Several of this group are at the early stages of learning to speak English. More than 20 different home languages are spoken by pupils in the

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Information about this school

school.  One quarter of the pupils start school or leave in the middle of a key stage, which is above average. Pupils often attend the school for short periods of time and move into and out of the area with no notice.  The school runs a breakfast club which is managed by the governing body.  The school meets the government’s current 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?

 Improve the quality of teaching from good to outstanding by:  ensuring pupils understand what it is they are going to learn, what they need to do to succeed and what their contribution needs to be in a lesson  teachers using a wide range of questions to encourage pupils to extend and develop their use of language  making sure teachers’ written marking of pupils’ work and their verbal feedback always help pupils to know what they have to do to improve their work.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve further the quality of the curriculum by:  ensuring pupils have more opportunities to develop their knowledge and skills in a wide range of subjects, particularly science and geography  teachers planning for and checking that pupils are making progress in a range of subjects other than mathematics and English.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 When children enter the school they have skills which are well below those typically expected, but by the time they leave at the end of Year 6, their attainment in reading, writing, grammar and mathematics is usually close to the national average. This represents good progress from pupils’ starting points.  Achievement is good and sometimes excellent in the Early Years Foundation Stage. At the end of the Reception Year, children’s level of skills and understanding in all areas are increasingly close to those expected for their age, especially their communication and literacy skills. School data and inspection evidence show that this continues to be the case this year.  Pupils continue to improve at Key Stage 1. The school has worked hard to remedy previous under-performance at this key stage which now builds on the good work in the Reception Year as recommended in the previous inspection report.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Achievement in mathematics is good because teachers effectively relate mathematics to the real world, allow pupils to practise their skills and ensure appropriate degrees of challenge to pupils of different abilities. For example, in one lesson Year 4 pupils explored fractions. Pupils worked with enthusiasm to find equivalent fractions, and at the same time practised key mathematical vocabulary and valuable skills and knowledge linked to fractions.  Pupils are now making good progress in reading although, in the past, achievement has not been as consistently as good as in writing. Pupils across all ages are keen readers and the quality of the teaching of reading stood out clearly during the inspection. Younger pupils are able to understand words by using the different sounds letters and groups of letters make (phonics). In 2012, the proportion of pupils in Year 1 reaching the expected standard in the

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The achievement of pupils is good

national reading check was close to average. Older pupils can explain different types of books and why they prefer one author to another. An above-average proportion of pupils made more than the expected rate of progress in reading in Year 6 in 2013.  In Year 6 in 2013, the proportion of pupils making more than the expected levels of progress was similarly high in writing. Pupils enjoy writing and it is consistently of a good standard.  Through effective support from teaching assistants, disable pupils or those who have special educational needs, as well as those who are new arrivals and speak English as a second language, make similar progress to other pupils.  Most able pupils are now making good progress because of the targeted support they are given.  Pupils known to be eligible for support through the pupil premium achieve well. In Year 6 in 2013, for example, the attainment of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals in English

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The achievement of pupils is good

and mathematics was less than one term behind other pupils in the school. This gap is narrower than the gap seen nationally. This demonstrates the school’s commitment to promoting equality of opportunity and tackling discrimination.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers have high expectations of the progress pupils are capable of making, and particularly the most able.  Teaching in all subjects, including in mathematics and English, is usually good with examples of outstanding practice. A majority of the teaching observed during the inspection, for instance, was of a good standard; some was outstanding.  Relationships between adults and pupils are very good. Behaviour is managed effectively and pupils’ personal development is fostered well. Consequently, pupils have positive attitudes to their learning, enjoy their work and achieve well.  In lessons where pupils make good progress, pupils have access to excellent resources and their learning gathers momentum throughout the lesson. In a Year 6 guided reading lesson, pupils made excellent progress. One group particularly benefitted from an ’evacuation suitcase’. By exploring the artefacts, they developed some excellent language and developed their skills of

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The quality of teaching is good

deduction.  Disabled pupils, those with special educational needs, and also pupils whose first language is not English, respond well in lessons where they know what is expected and how everything is organised. The teacher with responsibility for these pupils is passionate about ensuring that they do well. Pupils benefit greatly from small group and individual sessions, together with well- targeted whole-class teaching and make good progress.  Pupils tackle work enthusiastically and complete tasks briskly when they know what it is they are expected to learn. However, in a minority of lessons, there are occasions when pupils do not produce enough work because they are unsure of what they need to do to succeed in the time allocated.  Pupils do not develop their language skills in some lessons. Although teachers asked useful questions of pupils to help them to think initially about an issue, the pupils do not have enough

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The quality of teaching is good

time to respond. Pupils do not have the opportunity to deepen their thinking or to increase their precise use of language as there are no follow-on questions.  The quality of teachers’ marking of pupils’ work in books varies. Some is of a good quality, but there are occasions when marking and verbal exchanges of information do not provide pupils with enough details about what they need to do to improve their work. This affects the progress pupils make at times.  Teachers make learning interesting for pupils by mixing subjects together. For example, in a lesson based around a study of the Second World War, pupils enjoyed painting water colours, studying a map of Europe to locate key places and writing a diary extract as a soldier. While the pupils enjoy this approach to learning, they do not develop their key skills well enough in some subjects, particularly in science and geography.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Broom Valley is very much an inclusive school and the pupils fully understand and are committed to ensuring that every pupil feels cared for and valued. Pupils enjoy learning and have good attitudes to school. They are very polite and friendly.  Pupils say that they feel safe and secure in school. A number of pupils enter the school at different times during the year and all the other pupils understand their role is to make them feel welcomed and at ease. Their parents agree and value the very good level of care and support the school provides for their children.  Playtimes and lunchtimes are much enjoyed. ‘Playground leaders’ are very mature as they carry out their role to support the younger children in their play and make sure they are happy.  The work of the reading buddies is an excellent example of how the older pupils support the learning of the younger children. The reading buddies are highly skilled in their understanding of

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

key reading skills and, alongside their teachers, they are enhancing the reading development of the children they support.  Pupils have developed a very good understanding of the different forms of bullying, including physical, emotional and cyber bullying. They are also confident that adults always deal with any rare instances quickly and firmly.  Behaviour in lessons is good; pupils enjoy their learning and want to do their best.  Pupils’ attendance has improved since the last inspection and is now in line with the national average. The school works hard with families to make sure pupils attend school on time and regularly. Persistent lateness and pupils’ absences without reason are quickly followed up with an immediate telephone call to the homes of the pupils involved.  There have been no recent incidents of pupils being permanently excluded from the school.  The school strongly promotes the ideal of family and community involvement. This helps pupils

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

to feel safe in their environment and to behave well to promote family and community values.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher’s very strong resolve to improve the quality of pupils’ experiences is demonstrated through the commitment of all teachers to improvement.  The school has developed effective systems to check the quality of teaching and the judgements of senior leaders about the quality of teaching are accurate. A programme of peer-to-peer support is tailored to individual teachers’ needs. It is underpinned by a strong commitment to providing relevant and effective professional development.  Procedures to manage the performance of teachers are applied thoroughly and, as a result, teaching has improved since the last inspection.  Senior leaders know their school very well and identify accurately the priorities for improvement. Middle leaders, such as the English and mathematics coordinators, are increasingly effective in taking responsibility for checking the quality of teaching and pupils’ achievements in their

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The leadership and management are good

subjects. This has a significant impact on standards.  The many different groups of pupils flourish equally well because the school promotes equality of opportunity and this is demonstrated by the way, for instance, the progress of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is good and their attainment is quickly catching up to that of others.  The leadership team is committed to a rich and varied curriculum. This is evident in the wealth of educational trips and visits to places, such as Eyam and Sherwood Forest. Similarly, pupils benefit from a wide range of extra-curricular activities. The introduction of an integrated programme of learning across all the subjects is appreciated by the pupils. However, progress in key science and geographical skills is not planned systematically which means that there are gaps in what pupils learn in these subjects.  There are many opportunities to broaden pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural

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The leadership and management are good

development. Many of these are through the study of festivals, cultures and religious traditions within the curriculum. The varied programme of visits and trips, and the links with outside organisations, extend pupils’ cultural awareness well.  The new Primary School Sports funding is used to employ a full time sports coach who provides high quality sporting experiences for the pupils. In addition, he supports sports activities at lunchtime as well as the play leaders so that they become skilled in their work. Staff shadow his lessons to improve their expertise.  There is a strong partnership with parents and the great majority are very supportive of the school. The school is an active partner in the ‘learning community’. This involves a group of local schools working to support improvement. As part of this, the school is involved in a number of initiatives to further improve teaching and learning. There are good links to Oakwood High

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The leadership and management are good

School and the Valley Children’s Centre. The local authority offers light touch support as a result of its confidence in the school’s performance.  The governance of the school:  Governors are very committed to the school and its success and have a thorough knowledge of its strengths and areas for development. This is achieved through their regular visits to the school and the good information they receive about its performance. They support and challenge the school in equal measure so that there is a sharp focus on pupils’ achievement. The governing body undertakes training, for example in data analysis, and this means the governors are able to question school leaders knowledgeably about teaching quality. Governors fulfil their statutory duties well, carefully assess the headteacher’s performance annually and increasingly link salary progression to teachers’ performance. They know what the school is doing to tackle any underperformance and have a careful eye on the progress of

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The leadership and management are good

pupils known to be eligible for support through the pupil premium.

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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 106835 Local authority Rotherham Inspection number 425739

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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 455 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Anne Asher Headteacher David Saunders Date of previous school inspection 12 October 2011 Telephone number 01709 828636 Fax number 01709 835491 Email address bvcs@rotherham.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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