Shortbrook Primary School

Shortbrook Primary School Westfield Northway, Westfield, Sheffield, S20 8FB

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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.  In two years, the new leadership of this school has reversed its fortunes. Where achievement, attendance and school numbers were all falling or not improving, the trend is now securely on the rise.  From their individual starting points, which are often well below the levels expected, pupils’ progress is now accelerating. Attainment currently is at, or a little above, the national average. This represents good progress by the pupils.  Teachers are using the information they have on the progress being made by every pupil in their class to ensure that each of them is fully challenged to do their best.  Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs are now being very well supported and so they now make excellent progress, closing the performance gap with other pupils.  Pupils told the inspector how much behaviour has improved since the new school leaders had arrived. No time is now being lost to learning

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

because of bad behaviour in class and pupils say they feel very safe and enjoy school.  Careful thought has been given to new appointments and to providing excellent opportunities for professional development. This is at the heart of the rapid rise in standards and outcomes for pupils.  Leaders, including governors, have a clear and focused vision that has transformed the school in a short space of time

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Pupils are not transferring their skills in reading, writing and mathematics to their work in other subjects well enough.  The recently appointed leaders of key subject areas do not yet have enough skills in management to fully promote and develop their individual subject areas across the school, or opportunities to do so.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector observed six lessons, including seeing each class teacher with their class. Three of these were joint observations with the head of school. In addition, shorter periods were spent in each classroom looking at the effectiveness of the ways in which teaching assistants were being used and to check on behaviour across the school.  Some pupils from Year 2 read to the inspector and a detailed check was made of the work contained in a representative sample of the pupils’ books.  Meetings were held with the executive headteacher and head of school, staff with other specific responsibilities, the Chair of the Governing Body and other governors with key areas of responsibility, a representative of the local authority and two external consultants who support the school in raising standards.  The views of parents were gathered from 13 responses to the Parent View online questionnaire and from discussing the school’s own questionnaire evidence.

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Information about this inspection

 A meeting was held with a representative group of pupils and the inspector spoke to as many pupils as possible throughout the inspection to make sure that their views were taken into account.  The views of staff were gathered from discussions held throughout the inspection in addition to the involvement of many staff in a variety of meetings that contributed to the inspection evidence.  A range of written evidence was looked at, including evidence on the progress being made by pupils, teachers’ planning and assessment, the school’s evaluation of its own performance and its improvement plans, and a range of policies and procedures including those for safeguarding.

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Inspection team

Martyn Groucutt, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 Shortbrook is much smaller than the average primary school. Until recently numbers had been falling for several years but this process has now reversed.  The proportion of pupils who are supported by the pupil premium (additional government funding for pupils known to be eligible for free school meals, who are in the care of the local authority or who have a parent in the armed forces) is far above average.  The proportion of disabled pupils or those with special educational needs supported through school action is below average, but the proportion supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is far above average.  A large majority of pupils are from White British backgrounds. A very few are from other ethnic backgrounds and none speak English as an additional language.  In 2013, the school did not meet the floor standards, which are the government’s minimum

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Information about this school

expectations for progress and attainment in English and mathematics by the end of Year 6.  Following the departure of the previous headteacher in 2012, the local authority deployed one of its lead headteachers to act as executive headteacher at Shortbrook.  In June 2013, the school joined a hard federation with the nearby Halfway Junior School, the two schools sharing a single governing body and the same executive headteacher. Some staff are employed jointly by the two schools. It is also part of the Westfield family of 10 schools that includes the local high school as well as all the local primaries, who come together to provide support and training.  Staff provide a range of training for other schools throughout the local authority.  All of the current leaders and teachers at Shortbrook have been appointed since the executive headteacher joined the school. The amalgamation of the governing bodies of the two schools in

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Information about this school

the federation also resulted in a very significant change in governors.  In December 2013, the school registered as an early childhood provider and is part of a pilot scheme in the local authority to admit some children at the age of two. This will be subject to a separate Ofsted inspection at a different date.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Ensure that pupils can make greater use of the specific skills being learned in reading, writing and mathematics in other subjects, topics and situations.  Support middle leaders who have key subject leadership roles by developing their opportunities to raise standards in their subjects further by:  increasing opportunities for them to monitor their subject being taught  supporting ways in which they can show others best practice  providing opportunities for them to learn the skills of leading professional development.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Attainment is now rising, with improvement at a much faster rate than that being found nationally, albeit from a low starting point. More pupils are now reaching the levels expected for their age and current data shows they are now at the national average or just above it.  Many children first enter the Nursery class with skill levels below, and often well below, those expected nationally. More effective use of tracking information is now showing that children are making much better progress through the Early Years Foundation Stage, although some are still below the levels expected when they start Year 1.  As more parents are choosing to send their children to the school, the numbers in Key Stage 1 are increasing so that there are separate classes for Years 1 and 2 for the first time for several years. The evidence shows them making good progress and, by the time they finish Year 2, the current class will be at, or a little above, the expected level in reading, writing and mathematics.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Tracking progress in Key Stage 2 is difficult because of very small numbers in each cohort. Last year there were 12 pupils in Year 6, this year there are eight. One pupil makes a big difference to the statistics and it was this that resulted in the school failing to reach the floor standards last year, when several of the Year 6 pupils had additional needs that skewed the overall outcomes.  However, looking at the current cohort in Year 6, the progress made by each from their starting points shows that pupils are making increasingly rapid progress and overall are now on track to reach or exceed the levels expected nationally by the end of Key Stage 2.  The progress of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs has been boosted by greater challenge, coupled with clear target setting and progress tracking. These pupils are therefore making much better progress and are starting to close the performance gap with other

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The achievement of pupils is good

pupils. Teaching assistants often provide this additional support and show skill and understanding in the way in which they support their pupils, helping them to do their best.  The most able pupils are also being better challenged. Several of the eight current Year 6 pupils are on track to reach the highest level in their end-of-year exams. This represents the level expected of 14-year-olds. Within the family of schools the local high school is providing good opportunities for such pupils, and local primaries, including Shortbrook, send their most able pupils to use the specialist facilities and staff to challenge them to make the most of their talents.  A majority of pupils receive pupil premium funding and in some of the small Key Stage 2 groups they are a large majority. This makes comparison of their progress with that of other pupils difficult, but they have caught up to or are outperforming those who do not receive the grant in

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The achievement of pupils is good

several year groups in both English and mathematics, and there are no significant differences.  The school has made a considerable investment in new materials to support phonics (the understanding of letters and the sounds they make) and reading. This is proving successful and standards right through from the Reception class have risen sharply over the last two years. Pupils are now on track to reach, or exceed, expected levels.  The additional funding for primary school sport that is being made available is being used well to raise the confidence of teachers in physical education through opportunities to work alongside coaches. It is also providing enhanced opportunities and skill development for pupils, such as the opportunity to play badminton with a trained coach, which pupils enjoy very much.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers’ high expectations inspire pupils, who say that they now enjoy learning much more than they once did. Their good work and the care they take with presentation provide evidence of their good response to their teachers’ expectations and their good progress over time.  High expectations are also reflected in the much more effective use of data to monitor the progress of every pupil that has been introduced by the current leadership. Since last year twice- termly pupil progress meetings are held with every teacher to identify pupils not making expected progress or those exceeding their targets. Issues are now being picked up quickly and addressed effectively so that those with special educational needs and those who receive pupil premium funding are given more support when needed, while the most able are given greater challenge.  Effective teamwork by teachers and teaching assistants ensures that activities are well planned

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The quality of teaching is good

and everyone knows what part they are playing to support with extra help or to speed up progress.  Teaching assistants are supported in building up their own areas of expertise. For example, during the inspection one of them was leading a day’s training for teachers from other schools in supporting dyslexic pupils.  The new leadership has set out a specific policy of only employing teachers with a track record of performance that has been judged to be good or outstanding. Sometimes they are employed jointly with the other school in the federation, sharing the costs, as in the case of the three lead practitioner teachers who provide help and support to staff throughout the school.  This has brought expertise in reading, writing, communication and mathematics into the school. However, at the moment there is not a strong link between the skills of reading, writing and mathematics, with the wider learning done through themes or topics. Too little application of

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The quality of teaching is good

skills acquired in English and mathematics means that pupils are not always aware of the reasons why the things they have learned in English and mathematics are so important, or able to transfer their skills to other tasks.  Pupils’ work is marked regularly and the marking policy is rigorously observed. This means that, as well as praise for good work, teachers also say how work could be improved, and then there is time for pupils to make corrections or additions. Pupils take pride in their books and their standard of presentation is high.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The behaviour of pupils is good and the most powerful evidence to support this was that provided by the pupils themselves. They were able to explain how much the school has changed for the better over the last two years and how much more focused on learning pupils have become.  Sometimes drastic action had to be taken, reflected in the immediate rise in fixed-term exclusions when the current leadership first arrived. However, once pupils and their parents realised there were very clear lines beyond which nobody went without serious consequences, the numbers have dropped down equally sharply.  Across the school, time is no longer lost to poor behaviour and pupils are engaged in learning, enjoying what they are doing. Pupils said that before the current leadership arrived a lot of time was wasted and there was a lot of indiscipline in class, but this is no longer the case and another sign of rapid improvement.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Around the school and grounds pupils get on well together and with adults. They were very interested in the inspection process, wanting their school to do well, and it is clear that they are proud of their school.  The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good. Pupils and their parents agree that the school is safe and that the bullying that did go on until the current leadership took over has been largely ended. Pupils said that if any incident did occur it was dealt with quickly and effectively. All said they had an adult in school in whom they could confide.  Very effective work on e-safety and the dangers of misusing the internet and social networking sites have made pupils very aware. They talk about the special day they spent on this topic, which clearly made a big impact.  Similarly they can talk about the different types of bullying. They accept that it did go on at one time, but alongside the general improvement in behaviour at the school they say it is not really

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

an issue any more.  The leadership has placed a major focus on raising attendance, and this has been very effective. The situation has improved dramatically so that attendance, which was very low, is now above average. In large part this is because pupils enjoy coming to school so much more.

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The leadership and management are good

 The executive headteacher was deployed to the school by the local authority with the specific brief of raising standards and attainment. Subsequent leaders who have joined her have created a powerful senior team that is focused on raising standards.  Every one of the current teachers has been appointed since the senior leaders arrived and throughout the school adults, whatever their role, show a commitment to improvement. The impact on teaching and learning has been positive. The reports from several consultants who have supported the school provide clear evidence of a school moving from inadequate to good.  Such consultancy has helped the school create effective self-evaluation and from this to target key areas for development. This has created a very objective approach to school improvement, with clear roles for everyone involved.  That said, middle leaders with specific key roles for promoting key subject areas in school have

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The leadership and management are good

not always had opportunities to fully develop the impact they could be making, for instance by sharing their own good practice, checking on the work of others and leading development meetings.  Monitoring is detailed and rigorous, including termly reviews of teachers’ progress towards meeting annual objectives. This also links to looking at the data on the progress of pupils in each teacher’s class, and where progress is less than good a support package to raise the teacher’s performance is implemented. All staff have clear annual objectives to develop their expertise.  The detailed pay policy recently introduced makes the link between teachers’ pay and performance very clear but it also sets out ways in which outstanding performance will allow teachers to be fast-tracked.  The curriculum is effective in that it enables every pupil to gain access to learning at an appropriate level, which reflects the strong commitment to equality of opportunity. Now that

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The leadership and management are good

robust data on the progress of each pupil is being produced it is possible to measure the extent to which all are being fully stretched. However, planning does not fully support pupils’ learning to use their skills for different purposes.  The school works extremely hard to foster positive links with its parents and with the whole of the local community. The extent to which they are successful is reflected in the much more positive responses to parent questionnaires being completed now compared with those from the past.  There are also strong links with other professional bodies, several of whom rent accommodation at the school site. This has positive benefits, for example, in supporting robust arrangements for safeguarding with good links between the professionals involved.  The local authority has given strong support to the school, not least of which is the provision of the executive headteacher. Over time the positive relationship has been an important factor in

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The leadership and management are good

helping the school make the strong improvements that are now clear.  The governance of the school:  Governors are very well informed and carry out their statutory duties effectively, including those for safeguarding. Governors take specific responsibility for checking areas of the curriculum, meeting staff, observing teaching and finding evidence, so they know how effective the provision has become. There is a range of professional expertise that is used well; supporting financial monitoring and governors’ ability to not only understand how the pupil premium is allocated but also to monitor its specific impact. Well-qualified governors share the setting of the annual performance objectives for the executive headteacher with the local authority. Governors have a very clear overview of the performance of staff and the very detailed pay policy sets out the clear links between pay and performance. They hold senior

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The leadership and management are good

leaders to account but are also committed to the continuing development and increasing success of the school in an effective partnership.

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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 107102 Local authority Sheffield Inspection number 426003

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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 2–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 122 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Delia Kay Headteacher Beverley Nicholson (Executive Headteacher) Date of previous school inspection 11 May 2011 Telephone number 0114 2482497 Fax number 0114 2486844 Email address enquiries@shortbrook.sheffield.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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