Brompton and Sawdon Community Primary School

Brompton and Sawdon Community Primary School Cayley Lane, Scarborough, North Yorkshire, YO13 9DL

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Good 2 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.  This is a happy, caring school. Pupils thrive in the purposeful learning environment.  Achievement is good. From their starting points pupils make good progress through the school. The standards reached in the national tests by the end of Year 6 are above the national average in reading and mathematics.  Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage settle quickly and get off to a good start as a result of the exciting activities on offer.  Teaching is consistently good. Pupils are interested in purposeful activities within a calm and respectful environment.  Pupils who need extra help do well because they receive good support.  The newly appointed headteacher provides inspiring leadership and has set a clear direction for further improvement to teaching and achievement. She receives good support form a united staff team.  Pupils enjoy school and are proud of their achievements. Behaviour is good and attitudes

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

to learning are positive. Pupils say they feel safe and their attendance is above average.  Parents are strongly supportive of the school.  Governors provide strong support for the school and play a key part in its improvement.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 The proportion of pupils that make better than the progress expected is not yet consistently high enough in writing for achievement to be outstanding.  The presentation of work and handwriting of some pupils is untidy.  Following significant staffing changes, the newly appointed teachers are not yet experienced or knowledgeable enough to contribute fully to aspects of leadership and management within the school.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed teaching in all the classes. They saw seven lessons, one of which was observed jointly with the headteacher. In addition, the inspectors made a number of short visits to observe pupils learning in small-group sessions. A school assembly was also observed.  Inspectors heard pupils from Year 2 and Year 6 read, examined the work in pupils’ books, and observed pupils’ activities in the dining hall and playground.  Inspectors held discussions with the headteacher, other members of staff, the special educational needs co-ordinator, members of the governing body, and had a telephone conversation with a representative of the local authority. They also met informally with parents.  Inspectors spoke informally to pupils in lessons and around the school, as well as having two more formal meetings with groups of pupils from Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2.  Inspectors examined a range of documentation, including minutes of governing body meetings,

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Information about this inspection

a summary of the school’s view of its performance, the school’s improvement plan, and documents showing how the quality of teaching is checked, the school’s information on pupils’ progress, teachers’ plans and records relating to safeguarding, behaviour and attendance.  Inspectors took account of the 21 responses, from 37 families, to the on-line questionnaire (Parent View), and seven responses to the inspection questionnaire returned by staff.

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Inspection team

Peter Bailey, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Jan Lomas Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 This is a much smaller than average primary school. The school has doubled in size since the previous inspection.  The vast majority of pupils is of White British heritage.  The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for the pupil premium, which is additional funding provided by the government for children in local authority care, pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and those from service families, is below the national average.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs supported by school action is below average. The proportion supported by school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is also below average.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which are the minimum expectations for attainment and progress.  There are three mixed-age classes in the school. Class One comprises Reception (the Early Years

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Information about this school

Foundation Stage),and Year 1, Class Two comprises Years 2 and 3, and Class Three comprises Years 4, 5 and 6.  The school has undergone major changes in staffing in the last year. The majority of the teaching staff have joined the school since the headteacher’s appointment in April 2013.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Raise standards further and ensure that more pupils make better than the expected progress, especially in writing by:  ensuring that pupils’ level of understanding is carefully monitored as they work, and appropriate support provided if necessary, to further improve learning  developing a whole-school approach to improve pupils’ handwriting and the presentation of their work  providing more opportunities for pupils to develop and use their writing skills in English and in a range of other subjects.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Strengthen the leadership and management within the school by:  extending the provision of good quality training for those teachers new to the school so as to develop their skills in, and knowledge of, leadership and management  providing the opportunity for all staff to take responsibility for specific areas of development within the school.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Children start school in The Early Years Foundation Stage with skills and experiences that vary within and between years, owing to the small numbers of children and their different starting points. In this safe and happy learning environment, children settle quickly. Good teaching and the wide range of imaginative and stimulating activities, ensure that they enjoy learning and get off to a positive start in their school life. They make good progress and are well prepared for their next stage of learning by the time they enter Year 1.  Progress across Years1 to 6 is good, and at the end of Key Stage 2 standards are consistently above the national expectations.  The Year 2 results of national assessments were significantly above national expectations in 2011 and 2012 in reading, writing and mathematics, but dipped in 2013, particularly in writing and mathematics. Attainment can vary significantly each year, owing to the small numbers in

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The achievement of pupils is good

each cohort. This accounts for the dip in 2013 and data held by the school and the work in pupils’ books indicate that pupils currently in Year 2 are on track to achieve well.  In the national screening check in phonics (letters and their sounds) for Year 1 in 2013, results were below the national expectations. The school has taken prompt action in restructuring the teaching programme over the last year, which has improved the quality of learning and led to pupils having a greater understanding of phonics (letters and the sounds they make). This has resulted in the rapid progress of pupils in that group and all are predicted to achieve the expected level this year.  Reading is encouraged in each class and parents are very supportive in listening to their children read at home. Pupils enjoy a wide range of reading materials and are keen to talk about their favourite books and authors. They tackle new words with confidence and read fluently.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Work in books shows that pupils are not given enough opportunities to practise their writing skills. School data indicates that the current Year 6 pupils are on track to make progress above national expectations. However, progress in writing is not as strong as in reading and mathematics. In the past, fewer pupils have made better than expected progress in writing.  Progress in mathematics has been accelerated by introducing a wider variety of problem-solving activities for pupils to practise their basic skills. The most able pupils make good progress particularly in mathematics because of the challenge in lessons. The school has linked with other local primary schools to promote the learning of the most able pupils in a gifted and talented project and this is helping to speed up their progress.  Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs make good progress. There is early and accurate identification of their learning needs and suitable learning activities are provided by

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The achievement of pupils is good

teachers in the classroom or in one-to-one activities with skilled teaching assistants.  The pupil premium funding is effectively allocated to improve achievement by supporting one– to-one tuition, providing reading support and other extra help for those pupils entitled to this funding including those known to be eligible for free school meals. The school’s robust tracking systems closely monitor the progress of these pupils, and data shows that this additional support is very successful in raising the achievement of these pupils. Pupils eligible for this funding do as well as other pupils in the school, as there are no significant differences in their progress and attainment.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching is good across the school and this enables pupils in all year groups to learn well. The work in pupils’ books shows good progress over time.  Excellent relationships within the classroom ensure that pupils have a very good attitude to their work and learn new skills quickly and confidently.  All teachers in the school are very committed to developing and improving their work, so that they can help pupils learn even more and make progress faster. They attend frequent training courses and work well as a team to share new ideas.  In Reception and Year1 every part of their indoor and outdoor environment is used effectively to ensure that children enjoy learning through exciting experiences. Adults take every opportunity to extend children’s numeracy and language skills in all activities, by thoughtful planning and regularly asking the children about the things they are doing. For instance, children were highly

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The quality of teaching is good

engaged in a numeracy session which linked developing calculation skills to their topic on dinosaurs.  The highly effective use of children’s ‘Learning Diaries’, which record children’s development, create excellent partnership opportunities between school and home, which powerfully supports pupils’ learning.  Teacher’s good subject knowledge is shared well with pupils with good opportunities to learn through a variety of activities which sustain pupils’ interest. For example, pupils were highly engaged, made good progress and enjoyed learning in a Years 4, 5 and 6 mathematics lesson when they had to apply their multiplication skills to problems where numbers were represented by shapes.  Information about pupils’ levels of understanding is used effectively to check on pupils’ progress and to plan the teaching activities. This ensures that in the mixed-age class groups in the school, all pupils’ learning needs are met, including for the most able pupils.

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The quality of teaching is good

 There is a clear focus on improving pupils’ reading skills. Regular phonics sessions, learning letters and sounds and guided reading activities further support the development of pupils’ reading skills and love of books.  Teaching assistants make a positive contribution to support the learning of all pupils, especially those who may need a little extra help to keep up with the rest of the class. They play a key role in supporting the development of pupils’ skills in reading each morning and work highly effectively with small groups across the school. This support strongly contributes to the improvement of their basic skills, so that all make good progress.  Occasionally, there is not enough checking on pupils as they learn to see that they understand and can do the work they have been set. As a result, adjustments are not made to enable pupils to make as much progress as possible.  Pupils’ work is marked regularly and useful comments help pupils move on in their learning.

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The quality of teaching is good

However, the standard of pupils’ written work and its presentation are not monitored as rigorously.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The behaviour of pupils is good. They behave well in and around the school because of the harmonious relationships that exist. Pupils enjoy the company of each other and of adults. Pupils, the staff and the majority of parents endorse the view that behaviour is good.  Pupils are acutely aware of the importance of good manners and treating each other with respect. They are polite and courteous at all times.  Pupils’ attitudes are good and lead to hard work, concentration and good progress. They are excited about their school and are very keen to take part in the wide range of clubs and opportunities offered to them.  Incidents of misbehaviour are very rare, and pupils respond positively to the school’s behaviour policy. This is applied consistently by staff and valued by the pupils, who speak enthusiastically of earning ‘dojos’, for their positive behaviour.  The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The school’s safeguarding policies and practices meet requirements. The school gives a high priority to ensuring that everyone has an equal opportunity to enjoy school and succeed. School records show that there is no discrimination or serious bullying. Pupils can talk about various types of bullying, but do not regard any of them as significant issues for this school. Pupils say that they feel safe and well cared for.  In their questionnaires, all staff and an overwhelming majority of parents agree that pupils are happy, well-behaved and safe at school.  There have been no exclusions over recent years and attendance has risen to be above average.

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The leadership and management are good

 The new headteacher has instilled in the school a renewed sense of high ambition and purpose, and set about implementing effective strategies to improve teaching and learning. She has brought clarity to self-evaluation, and plans for improvement are focused sharply on the correct priorities.  The headteacher is held in high regard by the pupils, parents and staff. Comments on the all the staff questionnaires returned indicated a high level of confidence in the school’s leadership. Staff morale is high. Leaders have an accurate understanding of how well the school is doing, and thoroughly evaluate the school’s performance. The school’s plans for future development correctly identify the school’s strengths and the right priorities for further improvement. For example, the school has tackled pupils’ underachievement in reading and their understanding of letters and sounds effectively since the previous phonics screening check. Standards are now

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The leadership and management are good

well above national expectations. Also, leaders are aware that progress in writing is not as strong as in mathematics and reading and there are good plans to tackle this.  Improved systems are used to check on pupils’ progress and achievement. Any underachievement is tackled by providing extra help when pupils need it. As a result, there are no significant differences in the performance of different groups.  The headteacher has the confidence and vision to further develop skills of the newly appointed staff so that they have a greater impact on improving the overall effectiveness of the school. The team of teachers is relatively new and inexperienced. Leadership roles and responsibilities have not yet been fully established. There is not yet enough delegation of responsibility so that all staff can make a greater contribution to school improvement and to raising pupils’ achievement further.  The headteacher carefully checks the work of teachers and other staff. Setting targets for

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The leadership and management are good

teachers to improve their work is effective because it focuses strongly on the impact adults have on meeting pupils’ needs and on supporting their progress.  The curriculum is exciting and contributes to pupils’ good spiritual, moral, social and cultural awareness. It is clearly focused on pupils’ skills in reading, writing and mathematics while providing many opportunities for pupils to develop their enjoyment of history, art, science and geography. For example, in a lively debate by older pupils, the merits of two styles of painting, which the pupils had explored in their own artwork, were hotly contested.  The school uses its primary sport funding well. It has been used to increase the scope of sports activities available to pupils during and after school, provide pupils with the opportunity to be coached by sports specialists, and provide training to develop the teachers’ expertise. A wide range of sporting opportunities is available to pupils. These are well-attended and contribute to

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The leadership and management are good

the pupils’ health and well-being.  The school benefits from links with other local small primary schools in sharing facilities and expertise.  The local authority works very effectively with the school. It has provided support to the newly appointed headteacher, as well as helping the school analyse its effectiveness. It has an accurate understanding of the school’s performance and has the confidence in its ability to improve even further.  Parents overwhelmingly hold the school in high regard as shown in responses on Parent View, where all responses stated they would recommend to school to another parent, and also in discussions with the parents during the inspection. Several commented on the positive impact of the newly appointed headteacher had on improving links between school and home.  The school’s arrangements for safeguarding meet statutory requirements.  The governance of the school:  The governing body is exceptionally supportive of the school; governors are knowledgeable,

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The leadership and management are good

ambitious and approachable. They are highly committed and very well informed about the school. They use statistical information astutely to evaluate the school’s performance in relation to other schools nationally.  The governors play a critical role in challenging plans for improvement and setting rigorous targets for the headteacher.  They monitor teacher performance and pupils’ progress, paying particular attention to the progress made by pupils eligible for pupil premium funding. They are fully aware of the priorities for school improvement and monitor progress against the school improvement plan throughout the year. They continuously seek to further their own expertise by additional training in order to make them increasingly more effective in their role. School finances are managed effectively.

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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 121373 Local authority North Yorkshire Inspection number 431352

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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 5–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 56 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Dave Pearce Headteacher Helen Isaac Date of previous school inspection 6 May 2009 Telephone number 01723 859359 Fax number 01723 850245 Email address admin@bromptonsawdon.n-yorks.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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