Broughton CofE Primary and Nursery School

Broughton CofE School Kepplewray, Broughton-in-Furness, Cumbria, LA20 6BJ

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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 of all abilities are making good progress throughout the school. In 2013, tests taken by Year 6 pupils showed standards that were substantially higher than standards nationally, and higher than in the previous year. With seven-year-old pupils, standards have been above average for many years. In the main, the most-able pupils thrive. Most aspects of reading are strong.  Teaching is good and in several lessons it was outstanding. The quality of teaching has improved considerably since the previous inspection. Teachers often cater well for different age groups in a class and for pupils of differing ability. Marking is very thorough.  Pupils are often enthusiastic learners. They behave very well in lessons. Behaviour on the playground and about the school is good. Pupils generally get on well together.  Pupils feel safe. They value the support that staff provide and say that staff are usually able

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

to sort out any problems that they might have.  The headteacher has led the school with supreme judgement and perseverance. Despite the exceptional staffing difficulties of the last eighteen months, teaching and pupils’ achievement have been improved greatly. She has the strong support of staff, and parents generally appreciate what the school does for their children.  Governance is very good. Governors have been firm in their determination to ensure improvement in all the school’s work.  The local authority has given very good moral and practical support for improvement during a difficult time.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Occasionally, work in mathematics is not well tailored to the needs of the fairly-able and the most-able pupils in a classroom.  Older pupils have not mastered the knack of reading aloud with maximum proficiency.  A few parents are not fully sure whether their children are getting on as well as they might with learning and in their interaction with other pupils.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector observed seven lessons for a substantial time; two lessons had shared observations with the headteacher. In addition, short sessions were observed in lessons for religious education, physical education, and personal and social education. There were brief observations of sessions where letters and their sounds or pupils’ understanding of reading were being developed. The inspector made several brief visits to observe Reception children indoors and in the outdoor learning area. An assembly was observed.  Meetings were held with five members of the governing body. The inspector spoke briefly by telephone with a representative of the local authority and with a headteacher who had been acting headteacher of this school for a short time since the previous inspection. The inspector also held meetings with the headteacher, and had discussions with pupils.  The inspector observed the school’s work and looked at a number of documents. These included

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Information about this inspection

pupils’ work in the current year, the school’s recent and previous national assessment results, information on pupils’ progress, the school’s evaluation of its own performance and improvement plans. Records on safeguarding procedures, behaviour and attendance were also examined. The inspector listened to the reading of pupils from two year groups.  The inspector took account of 21 responses to the on-line questionnaire (Parent View) and spoke with about a dozen parents at the school gate and one in school. He considered parents’ questionnaires from a recent survey conducted by the school. There were 10 questionnaires completed by staff.

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Inspection team

Jim Bennetts, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 This primary school is smaller in size than average.  The great majority of pupils are of White British heritage. None are learning to speak English as an additional language.  The proportion of pupils who are eligible for the pupil premium is below average and there are none in some year groups. (The pupil premium is additional funding for those pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals, children from service families and those children who are looked after by the local authority.)  The proportion of pupils whose learning needs are supported at the level known as school action is average. The proportion of pupils supported at 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 by the end of Year 6.

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Information about this school

 There are generally three classes: Reception and Year 1; Years 2 and 3; Years 4, 5 and 6. However, Year 4 pupils are sometimes taught separately.  There is an adjoining privately run nursery. The private nursery is subject to separate inspection and has separate inspection reports.  Some pupils arrive early to school and are looked after by school staff in a ‘breakfast club’.  There is no deputy headteacher, nor are there teachers with delegated leadership responsibilities. Since the previous inspection in 2012, there has been major disruption to staffing. The headteacher was away from the school for a substantial period and two acting headteachers took charge of the school. There have been two full-time supply teachers for the last twelve months. The school expects to make permanent staff appointments shortly.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Raise achievement in mathematics further by:  ensuring that pupils of differing abilities always have work to do which challenges them, avoiding spending time on things that they can already do  sharing more fully the school’s existing outstanding teaching practice to raise the quality of the teaching of mathematics.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Raise the achievement of older pupils with their reading fluency by coaching and practising the skills needed to read aloud with appropriate tone and emphasis.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Strengthen leadership by liaising more closely with any parents who feel they need to know more about how their children are getting on at school.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Those starting at the school in Reception settle in well, with a capacity for concentration and for getting on with others that is normal for their age. In most years, their skills in listening, talking, counting and working with their hands are as would be expected with Reception children, although there is variation from one intake to another. They make good headway. At the time of the inspection, some could put in sequence a set of written statements about a poppy, as well as build towers a metre high with small bricks.  In Year 1 the most-able pupils could write longhand about the spines and thick skin of a cactus and key-in their writing to laptops. Weaker ones came up with adjectives such as long/thin/green as they wrote about the stem of a cornflower. They proudly read their pieces to the class. Standards by the end of Year 2 have been above average for many years.  There is good progress throughout Key Stage 2; there are some instances of outstanding

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The achievement of pupils is good

development. In 2013 two pupils attained the highest level (Level 6) in mathematics and the proportion at a high level (Level 5) was higher than nationally in reading, writing and mathematics. However, the Year 6 pupils were strong academically at age seven. The good results represented reasonable, rather than impressive, headway from their starting points. Nonetheless, clever pupils did well.  Now, across the age range, there is obvious robust progress when a pupil’s recent work is compared with that done eighteen months ago. The current Year 6 pupils, as a group, were weaker at age seven than their Year 6 predecessors in 2013; although end-of-year standards are likely to be a little lower, progress is better.  Younger pupils learn to link accurately letters and the sounds they make; so they can sound out words, including unfamiliar ones, competently. Older pupils have an impressive command of vocabulary such as ‘brusque’ (Year 4) and appreciate the implications of text such as ‘avoided

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The achievement of pupils is good

eye contact’ (Year 6). The books they chose are demanding. However, in relation to their age and general ability, their reading aloud is a little stilted. Sometimes the inspector could not hear a comma or a full stop. They are not as skilled as they should be in glancing ahead in a sentence to spot an embedded clause and bracing themselves for reading it with suitable expression.  Pupils are eager to bring precision and interest to their writing by having the right word in the right place. Building a pen-portrait of a superior personage, a Year 6 pair came up with ‘haughty and scrawny,’ while a Year 4 pupil chipped in ‘...and narcissistic!’  Some of the smartest pupils have an excellent grasp of mathematics. Holding a cylinder, the teacher asked, ‘What’s this?’ ‘A prism,’ answered a Year 3 pupil proudly (and correctly). ‘Tell me what we mean by a prism,’ demanded the teacher. ‘It’s like the same shapes all put together in

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The achievement of pupils is good

a line,’ the pupil explained. ‘Well done!’  Occasionally, however, pupils spend time doing things in mathematics they can already do, which restricts the time available for breaking new ground. Multiplication such as £10.50 x 100 resulted in answers like £1005.00 from a weaker pupil (thus, usefully, revealing a misunderstanding that could be sorted out in the marking); the most-able did two dozen similar tasks with tedious perfection.  Pupils learn well in science, showing for instance good interpretation of findings regarding the size and sharpness of shadows. In physical education pupils show good coordination and agility. Even Year 2 pupils proudly showed impeccable compliance with the coach’s command: ‘Hold your rugby balls at 6 o’clock (= above the head) with your big Ws (= spread fingers) and march this way!’  Pupils who are disabled or who have special educational needs are well supported, often by

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The achievement of pupils is good

teaching assistants. They respond well to individual help and make good headway.  There are very few data from national tests about those entitled to pupil premium funding. However, observations show that they generally make good headway; one is doing exceptionally well. All pupils, whatever their ability or background, are given equal opportunities to flourish.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching is good; several lessons had outstanding teaching and none had teaching less than good.  Lessons are well prepared, with a good variety of activities for the topic in hand. Pupils are keen to learn. With a mixture of successful approaches, teachers almost always cater effectively for the range of ages and abilities in classrooms.  In a mathematics lesson with outstanding teaching, the teacher, having taken an answer or two from the brightest pupil, rightly went on to ensure that all had a chance to contribute. She constantly pressed pupils to go further, refining their answers. There was persistent attention to the correct use of words to describe mathematical features and procedures. ‘A triangular quadrilateral,’ ventured a pupil. ‘Try again. Think of acrobats at the circus.’ ‘Ah, trapezium!’ The question and answer session went on for half an hour with eager attention and highly efficient

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The quality of teaching is good

learning throughout.  In preparation for writing to recount a past event, a teacher skilfully drew out a string of key features from pupils: ‘time connectives (after, then etc)’, ‘forming the past tense (-ed, was and were)’. Pupils jotted such criteria before embarking with confidence on expansive writing. Their books show writing to a wide range of stimulating opportunities, such as letters to a war-time evacuee and writing in the style of W H Auden’s Funeral Blues. Pupils take delight in their work, rising well to teachers’ high expectations.  Marking is often of impressive quality. The marking of older pupils’ writing is exceptionally detailed, correcting every error. There are thoughtful suggestions: ‘Your sentences are too complicated and they become muddled. Try writing good shorter ones. Then we can try putting in more detail’. Marking prompts further thought and response: ‘What kind of triangles combine

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The quality of teaching is good

to form parallelograms?’ Pupils are expected to spot and correct errors themselves: ‘Me and Sam went...’ became ‘Sam and I...’  The environment for young children gives ample scope for fruitful experimentation, interaction with others and learning by doing. There is a homely atmosphere, to which youngsters respond with enthusiasm, keen to please the teacher and assistant.  Teachers often arrange different work for pupils of differing ability; sometimes, within a whole- class activity, they contrive to ask the most able tough questions and weaker ones something within their scope. In one mathematics lesson building up data for bar graphs, the most able worked with an Excel spreadsheet; weaker pupils had adult guidance with basic tallying. However, on rare occasions, the most able and even those of middling ability are not stretched as much as they could be. Not enough attention is given to coaching and practising the higher-

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The quality of teaching is good

order ‘performance art’ of reading aloud.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The behaviour of pupils is good. They enjoy school and attend well. They behave very well in lessons and are often very keen to learn. Sometimes a forest of hands is up, waving eagerly to answer. They work diligently with thesaurus and dictionary to improve their writing. In the dining room and on the playground, pupils interact cordially with one another. Older pupils act as buddies for younger ones and mixed-age seating at lunch time fosters wholesome socialisation. On the playground there are no ‘loners’ and games and activities provide plenty of fun without becoming oppressively boisterous. The breakfast club starts the day well.  The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good. The difficult road crossing is admirably patrolled by a veteran with 32 years in the job. Out-of-lesson time is well supervised; there is a proper complement of adults and they keep a close eye on what is happening with all pupils.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

The school has very detailed logs of any mishaps and there are records of very thorough and professional investigation and action where issues of concern have surfaced. That includes notes on situations where pupils have fallen out with one another. Pupils say that they feel safe in school and that when pupils talk to an adult about a situation that worries them, there is generally effective action. Occasionally, the inspector observed a pupil telling an adult about another’s misdemeanour (for instance, chewing gum).  The great majority of parents are full of appreciation for all the work of the school and have every confidence that their children’s development and welfare are very well looked after. Occasionally, there are situations where, for instance, older pupils in mixed-age classes feel up- staged by younger clever pupils; and there are times when pupils are mildly naughty (messing with soap in the toilets, for instance). Tales go home. A few parents are not a hundred percent

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

sure that things are going well; in reality, there is no cause for significant concern.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school has made great strides forward in the last year. Achievement has improved greatly. Although two of the three classrooms are staffed by teachers on temporary ‘supply’ arrangements, teaching has improved strongly. This improvement, in the face of adversity, is testament to the headteacher’s clear-sightedness and determination since she joined the school just before the previous inspection. One parent said: ‘I just wish the changes that have been made had come earlier.’ At the present time all leadership and management functions are carried out by the headteacher; there is no delegation.  With the school’s unusual circumstances, at present the governing body does not have normal discretion with regard to teachers’ pay. However, teaching quality is monitored frequently. Advice to teachers and opportunities for training ensure that good practice is maintained and improved upon. Staff are very positive about the way the school is run and gladly ‘go the extra

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The leadership and management are good

mile’ to make sure that its work is as good as possible.  The great majority of parents are fulsome in their praise for the school. In the aftermath of major changes in the school, a few wonder whether their child is getting on as well as possible. The headteacher and governors are aware of the importance of maintaining as open a dialogue as possible with all parents.  The school offers a vibrant curriculum. Pupils know some of the sayings of Julius Caesar and Winston Churchill – also, that flowers have ‘sex organs’, and crocodiles lay eggs. There are very good opportunities to further pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Older pupils learnt about the five pillars of Islam while younger ones enjoyed the teacher’s work with puppets to depict playground attitudes.  The local authority has stood by the school, not least with regard to serious budget contingencies. The authority’s staff had a very clear appreciation of what needed to be done to

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The leadership and management are good

make improvement possible. They have given staunch support and generous practical professional help.  The governance of the school:  Governors bring extensive professional expertise to their work. They have assigned responsibilities and frequently visit the school, observing lessons and writing notes on what they find. They are conversant with data on the school’s performance. Since the previous inspection, which drew attention to significant shortcomings in the school, they have tackled robustly the things that had to be done. Their minutes show that they are very mindful of the connection between budget issues and the stabilisation of staffing. Although their freedom of action with staff pay is limited at present, they have given the headteacher every support in honing teaching quality. Earmarked funding is well spent, including that for pupil premium pupils (which provides extra support) and for sport (which engages coaches, pays for training

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The leadership and management are good

sessions and buys additional equipment). Safeguarding requirements are fully met. Governors are greatly relieved that the school is now providing a good education – a satisfying outcome of their earnest efforts.

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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 112287 Local authority Cumbria Inspection number 430958

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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 Voluntary controlled Age range of pupils 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 58 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Dee Gannon Headteacher Jacqueline Graham-Kevan Date of previous school inspection 27 March 2012 Telephone number 01229 716206 Fax number 01229 716240 Email address head@broughton-furness.cumbria.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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