Brightside Primary School

Brightside Primary School Brightside, Billericay, CM12 0LE

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Good 2 This inspection: Good 2 Leadership and management Good 2 Behaviour and safety of pupils Good 2 Quality of teaching Good 2 Achievement of pupils Good 2 Early years provision Good 2

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Senior leaders, including governors, are persistent in driving forward improvements in the school. Their high aspirations for the future are shared by all staff, pupils and parents.  The governing body is well organised and track the work of the school closely.  Pupils in all year groups achieve well in English and mathematics. Despite often low starting points, by the end of Year 6, pupils’ levels of attainment are above those found nationally in reading, writing and mathematics.  The quality of teaching is consistently good, with some that is outstanding.  Well-planned activities, supported effectively by teaching assistants, ensure that pupils with special educational needs achieve well.  The good provision in the Reception classes provides a happy and nurturing environment where children are well cared for and make good progress.  Pupils behave well and are eager to learn.  Pupils say they feel safe at school, and the vast

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

majority of parents agree.  Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is promoted well through a range of activities offered by the school, including religious studies, art, music and sporting activities.  The school teaches a good range of subjects, with strong emphasis on literacy and numeracy, that enriches their learning experiences.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Pupils’ progress in mathematics is not as rapid as it is in reading and writing.  The most-able pupils are not stretched sufficiently to ensure that they achieve as well as they can.  Marking does not consistently guide pupils to understand how to improve their work.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspectors observed 18 lessons, two of which were joint lesson observations with the headteacher. In addition, they made a number of other short visits to lessons and observed small groups of pupils taught by teaching assistants. The inspectors also listened to pupils in Years 2 and 5 read to them.  Meetings were held with groups of pupils, members of staff, the Chair of the Governing Body, the Chair of the Finance Committee and a representative of the local authority.  The inspectors took account of 77 responses to the Ofsted online questionnaire (Parent View), parents’ comments and the 34 responses to the staff questionnaire. They also talked to parents as they brought their children into school.  The inspectors looked at pupils’ books and at a number of documents, including the school’s own data on pupils’ current attainment and progress, the school’s evaluation of its performance, school improvement

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Information about this inspection

planning, documentation relating to teachers’ performance over time and records relating to safeguarding.

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Inspection team

Tusha Chakraborti, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 The school is larger than the average-sized primary school.  The large majority of pupils are White British. The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds and the proportion speaking English as an additional language are well below the national average.  The proportion of pupils eligible for the pupil premium, which provides additional funding for children in local authority care and pupils known to be eligible for free school meals, is well below average.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs supported through school action is below average. The proportion supported through 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 set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in English and mathematics.  The school is a member of the Billericay Community Trust, which includes 15 primary, secondary and

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Raise achievement in mathematics, including for disadvantaged pupils, by extending the opportunities for pupils to develop skills for solving problems.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching so that pupils make exceptional progress by ensuring that:  teachers consistently set tasks that stretch all pupils, especially the most able  marking gives all pupils clear guidance on what they need to do to improve their work.

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The leadership and management are good

 The leadership team, with the support of the governing body, communicates high expectations and has successfully moved the school forward. Leaders have sustained good-quality teaching and ensured rising standards of achievement.

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The leadership and management are good

 Systems for checking pupils’ progress are rigorous and effective. The tracking information is used effectively in pupil progress meetings to identify any individuals who are at the risk of falling behind in their learning and to provide well-targeted support for pupils in all year groups.

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The leadership and management are good

 The new curriculum planning is in place and is being taught well. Working together with their partner schools in the Billericay Community Trust, staff have made good progress in producing an assessment system and are beginning to use it to ensure appropriate coverage of the new curriculum.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school monitors the quality of teaching effectively. Teachers’ performance is managed efficiently, as senior and subject leaders observe lessons regularly to identify areas for improvement. Staff are set challenging performance targets which are appropriately linked to their professional development and to their pupils’ performance.

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The leadership and management are good

 The curriculum creates many opportunities for pupils to develop their understanding of their community and the wider world. For example, during Book Week, pupils dress as their favourite characters and discuss the books they read. Multicultural Week provides pupils with the opportunity to work with the schools within the Billericay Community Trust. They choose different countries and learn about their physical and economic characteristics. On the last day, pupils represent their school in the local church for a celebration assembly. In addition, pupils enjoy a range of after-school clubs and sports activities. All these promote pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development very well.

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The leadership and management are good

 The primary sports funding has been used to train staff in gymnastics and to buy new sporting equipment. Coaches from Chelsea Football Club Community Project and Champions Basketball Academy teach pupils a range of sporting activities during and after school. As a result, pupil participation is now high and pupils enjoy a range of inter-school competitions.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school’s systems for safeguarding and ensuring that all pupils have an equal opportunity to succeed are good. The pupil premium funding is used effectively to support the pupils for whom it is intended; for example, through the work of the teaching assistants and the counsellor.

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The leadership and management are good

 The local authority has provided effective support that reflects the school’s good performance. Membership of the Billericay Community Trust enables the school to share and develop good practice.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school has a close partnership with parents, and the vast majority of parents are very happy to recommend the school to others. They are well supported through a range of meetings and workshops to understand how they can help their children’s learning.

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The leadership and management are good

 The governance of the school:  The governing body is skilled and it both challenges and supports leaders well. Governors take regular opportunities throughout the year to review the performance of the school and are actively involved in the evaluation of the school’s work and in development planning. Governors understand the priorities for the school to improve. They have attended training on analysing data and know how the school compares with schools nationally. Governors monitor the school’s finances carefully, including the use of the pupil premium to improve these pupils’ achievement. They understand the link between teachers’ performance and salary progression. Governors ensure that the procedures for safeguarding pupils are robust and meet statutory requirements.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The behaviour of pupils is good. Pupils are very proud of their school and they are friendly and welcoming to visitors. They enjoy coming to school. They arrive at school on time and their attendance rate is above the national average.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils have positive attitudes to their learning and are eager to do well. They say that they have ‘to try hard to improve’ and ‘must not get distracted’. In the playground, they play well together, making good use of the wide range of sports equipment and support from sports coaches.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils readily take on extra responsibilities. For example, they are eager participants in the school council, and they organise recycling in liaison with Basildon Council. The school council raises funds for improving the playground facilities and for supporting charities.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good. Pupils say they feel very safe and well cared for by all the adults in the school. Pupils are well informed about all types of bullying, including cyber-bullying. They say bullying is very rare and that, should it occur, it is quickly and effectively resolved.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils are well aware of the dangers of the misuse of the internet and social networking sites, and they know what to do if they should encounter it. They demonstrate good understanding of issues relating to their personal safety, such as use of drugs.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The relationships between staff and pupils are very positive. Teachers show respect for their pupils and, in turn, pupils listen carefully and respond in a positive way. This creates a good climate for learning in all classrooms. Teachers use questions effectively to check pupils’ understanding and to extend pupils’ thinking skills.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers use their good subject knowledge to plan work carefully and make pupils’ learning interesting and engaging. In a Year 5 lesson, pupils were absorbed by the task of writing a ‘warning tale’ as a part of their study of myths and legends. They enjoyed discussing with their partners the different characteristics of a warning tale, deepening their understanding of the structures of their own stories.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Pupils read a range of stories and information texts which enhance their understanding of characters and of different styles of text.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching assistants are used effectively in lessons to provide additional support and this is particularly helpful for pupils who have learning difficulties or behavioural needs.

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The quality of teaching is good

 While teachers provide a variety of different work to match the capabilities of different groups of pupils, they do not always make enough use of the information they have about what pupils already know and can do to ensure that work is hard enough, especially for the most able. In mathematics, pupils are sometimes not given challenging enough problems to consolidate and extend their mathematical understanding.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers mark pupils’ work regularly but some of their comments are either too brief or not analytical enough. Consequently, pupils do not consistently receive clear guidance on how to improve their work or what they need to learn next.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Children start in Reception with skill levels below those expected for their age, especially in communication and language development. They make rapid progress during their time in Reception.  By the end of Year 6, pupils reach standards in reading, writing and mathematics that are above average. Results in national assessments in 2013 were well above average in all subjects, a marked improvement over 2012 results. 2014 results, as available in school, show attainment that is above average. This is well supported by evidence from the work seen in pupils’ books.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The most-able pupils make good progress in all areas, especially in writing. They develop a clear understanding of how to write effectively for different purposes. Pupils were observed using four operations of mathematics to solve problems on ratio and proportions. However, they do not always reach the standards of which they are capable because they are not consistently stretched enough to perform as well as they can.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Progress in mathematics is not as rapid as that in reading and writing. This is because pupils are not always supported sufficiently to extend their problem-solving skills.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs make good progress from their starting points because they get the support they need.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Disadvantaged pupils, who are supported by the pupil premium, are making good progress but they are not yet reaching the same above-average standards as their classmates. Their attainment varies considerably from year to year because of the small number of disadvantaged pupils in each year group. In 2014 the number of disadvantaged pupils in Year 6 was too small to make comparisons. In 2013, the gap between these pupils’ attainment and others at the end of Year 6 was three terms in reading, two terms in writing and grammar, punctuation and spelling and four terms in mathematics. However, the gaps between the attainment of these pupils and the average for other pupils nationally was much narrower. In reading these pupils were one term behind, and less than a term in grammar, punctuation and spelling. The gap in writing had almost closed. The gap in mathematics, of two terms, was wider than it was in other subjects because progress was not quite as fast, for all pupils in the school, as it was in

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The early years provision is good

 Children make a good start to their education in the Reception Year. A welcoming environment and stimulating resources support their learning and development well. Children greatly enjoy their learning and make good progress. As a result, the proportion of children reaching a good level of development by the end of Reception is in line with the national average.

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The early years provision is good

 Staff provide a range of engaging activities that captures children’s imagination and moves their learning on quickly. Children are encouraged to become confident in pursuing indoor and outdoor activities that match their own interests as well as those directed by adults. This was seen in a session where children were engaged in a range of activities identifying the features of ‘Woodlands’, their termly topic. A group of children were engrossed in building a ‘habitat’ for the animals, demonstrating their understanding of how animals live. One child ensured that there is a secure space for the butterflies within the habitat.

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The early years provision is good

 Regular teaching of phonics (the sounds that letters make) supports children well in rapidly developing their reading and writing skills. Children develop good coordination and personal skills as they explore the well-organised indoor and outdoor activities. Disabled children and those who have special educational needs are very well integrated and benefit from good support from skilled teaching assistants.

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The early years provision is good

 The school works in close contact with families through an effective induction system. The vast majority of parents, consulted during the inspection at the start of the day, stated that their contributions are valued and that they are very happy with school’s work with their children. Children’s health, safety and well- being are always of utmost importance. Children settle quickly into their daily routines and form very good relationships with adults and each other. Assessment of children’s progress is rigorous and the information gained is used effectively to inform planning. Leadership is effective in providing children with an enjoyable, safe and secure learning environment.

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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 failing

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Grade Judgement Description

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 132164 Local authority Essex Inspection number 448697

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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 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 448 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair John Worricker Headteacher Isabel Unite Date of previous school inspection 9–10 December 2009 Telephone number 01277 655995 Fax number 01277 633152 Email address admin@brightside-pri.essex.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 and 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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