Hambrook Primary School

School report Hambrook Primary School Moorend Road, Hambrook, Bristol, BS15 1SJ

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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.  Teaching is good because lessons are well planned to deepen and extend pupils’ knowledge and skills.  From average starting points, pupils make good progress across the school to reach levels above those expected nationally at the end of Year 6.  A wide range of strategies used by teachers to support disabled pupils or those with special educational needs ensures they make good and sometimes outstanding progress.  Pupils’ behaviour is good; they have positive attitudes to learning. In lessons, pupils are unfailingly courteous and respectful to each other. They feel safe in school.  The headteacher, senior leaders and the governing body provide focused and clear leadership. Weaknesses are identified and effective action taken, ensuring that the school continues to improve.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Pupils’ achievement is lower in writing than in reading and mathematics. This is because pupils lack opportunities to produce sufficient extended written work in a variety of styles.  Newly appointed subject leaders are still developing their skills and have yet to contribute fully to school improvement.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspectors observed 14 lessons or part lessons of which two were observed jointly with the headteacher.  Inspectors held formal discussions with a group of pupils, members of the governing body, the headteacher, staff and a representative from the local authority.  Inspectors spoke to a number of parents at the start of the day, and took into account the 46 parent responses to the online questionnaire (Parent View) and the 14 responses made by staff to their questionnaire.  The inspectors heard pupils read and looked at a range of pupils’ books.  Documentation provided by the school was examined, including the school’s self-evaluation and development plan, information on the progress and attainment of pupils, attendance and safeguarding.

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Inspection team

Shahnaz Maqsood, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Philip Taylor Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 Hambrook is a smaller than average sized primary school.  Most of the pupils are White British. The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic groups is well below the national average. The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is also well below the national average.  The proportion of pupils eligible for the pupil premium is below average. Pupil premium is funding for pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and those in the care of the local authority.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs supported at school action is below average. The proportion supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is also below the national average.  The school manages Breakfast and Early Bird clubs.  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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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve teaching in order to accelerate progress in writing by: – making sure that pupils are given the opportunities to write extensively across the curriculum – ensuring lesson planning encourages writing in a range of styles.  Develop the role of the subject leaders so that they make positive contributions to school improvement.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 From average starting points, pupils make good progress in Reception. This is because of the effective teaching, and a stimulating and interesting environment for learning. Activities are thoughtfully planned to enable children to progress and prepare well for Year 1.  Over time, standards at the end of Year 2 have been above the national average in reading, writing and mathematics. Current data and inspection evidence indicate that the school has been able to maintain the high levels of achievement.  In 2012, Year 6 results were higher than the national average in English and mathematics. Standards fell in 2013 to below the national average in reading and mathematics and average in writing. This year, pupils have made good progress across Key Stage 2 and results are set to improve in reading and mathematics, based on work seen.  Although Year 6 pupils in 2013 made better progress in writing than other subjects, rates of progress

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The achievement of pupils is good

have accelerated this year in reading and mathematics and attainment is higher than in writing across Key Stage 2. This is because pupils do not have opportunities to write extended pieces of written work and lack experience of writing for a range of purposes.  Phonics (letters and the sounds they make) skills are taught well and help pupils to read. Year 1 pupils will exceed nationally expected levels this year in the phonics screening check. The school encourages pupils to read regularly and widely.  The school has formed close links with the local secondary school to access its expertise to help support the most able pupils. This, along with well-targeted booster classes, has been effective and this year a much higher percentage of pupils are on course to achieve the top levels at the end of Year 6.  Teachers use a number of carefully planned strategies to teach and support disabled pupils and those

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The achievement of pupils is good

with special educational needs which greatly benefit their learning. Pupils from different ethnic backgrounds and those who speak English as an additional language also make similar progress as their classmates.  The attainment and progress of pupils eligible for support through pupil premium funding are good. Numbers in Year 6 in 2013 were very small. However, gaps in attainment are closing rapidly due to high quality intervention provided by the school. Boys and girls across the school achieve equally well.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching is good and improving. Teachers plan lessons which take account of what pupils already know and what they need to learn, with tasks that are challenging for all pupils.  Lessons are vibrant, interesting and fun. They stimulate and engage pupils. Resources are well used to enhance pupils’ understanding so that they acquire knowledge quickly. For example, the use of practical equipment helps pupils to grasp the ideas involved in estimating volume. Teachers show strong subject knowledge which they use well to give a range of explanations for problems, and provide support, guidance and challenge to help pupils’ progress.  The school has a detailed policy for assessment that is consistently applied by the teachers and effectively contributes to improvement. Marking of books is thorough and regular; it contains good advice on how to improve the work, provides further challenge and requires a response from pupils.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching assistants are well trained and have the skills required for helping pupils to progress. Questioning to support pupils by the teaching assistants is good. They assess pupils’ understanding and promote learning through ‘why’ questions.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Behaviour is good because pupils are focused and engaged in their learning. Around school, pupils are polite, sensible and conduct themselves in an orderly manner. For example, at lunchtime all pupils wait patiently in the queue for ‘school dinners’ and say ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ without adults prompting.  Pupils feel safe and well cared for in school. They have a good understanding of different types of bullying, including cyber bullying. Pupils said bullying is rare and they know who they can talk to if it occurs and are confident that it would be dealt with effectively.  Pupils take pride in their school’s achievements and enthusiastically speak about events and visits. For example, pupils told inspectors about the record breaking ‘Christmas concert’ with live animals, including a camel and goat.  The school is a very harmonious environment; relationships are extremely positive and pupils from

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

different ethnic backgrounds work and play very amicably. There have not been any racial incidents recorded in the last four years due to the school’s good work to promote spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.  Parents agree with their children that the school keeps them safe.  The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good.  Pupils enjoy coming to school and so attendance is above average. An education welfare officer has been employed by the school to monitor pupil absence closely.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher provides strong leadership. The weaknesses indicated by the decline in attainment in reading and mathematics in Year 6 in 2013 were quickly and successfully tackled by the headteacher.  Senior leaders know what needs to be done to improve the school. Teachers intervene and take swift and effective action when a pupil falls behind as shown by the regular progress checks.  Subject leaders have recently been appointed to their areas of responsibility. Although they show enthusiasm and display a strong sense of teamwork, these leaders are still acquiring the skills to contribute effectively to school improvement.  The school has good systems to check the quality of teaching which includes the work of the teaching assistants. Information and evidence gathered from observations, pupils’ work and progress checks are used to organise training and support. Teachers’ pay is directly linked to pupils’ outcomes.

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The leadership and management are good

 The curriculum provides a wealth of learning experiences which engage pupils well through carefully considered themes and visits to local places of interest and links with a school in Peru. This contributes well to their spiritual, moral, social and cultural awareness.  The sports funding is being used to improve staff expertise and confidence. A sports coach has been employed to widen the range of sports taught to pupils.  The local authority provides light-touch support for what it thinks is a good school.  The governance of the school:  The governing body knows the school’s strengths and areas for development. It monitors pupils’ performance well and has a good understanding of information on pupils’ progress. Governors are well aware of how the pupil premium funding is spent and of its impact. They are fully committed to ensuring equality of opportunity for all pupils to make the best progress they can and strive to

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The leadership and management are good

eliminate any discrimination.  The governing body knows about performance management and the quality of teaching and takes full responsibility for ensuring that pay rises are only given when teachers meet their pupil progress targets and their teaching is good. The headteacher is also set appropriate targets based on pupils’ progress.  Information related to pupils’ performance is used by the governors to ask the headteacher challenging questions as well as providing support when required. They ensure that safeguarding procedures are robust.

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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 109024 Local authority South Gloucestershire Inspection number 443950

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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 205 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Karen Blowers Headteacher Joanna Dent Date of previous school inspection 10 – 11 February 2010 Telephone number 0117 9568993 Fax number 0117 9568993 Email address jo.dent@hambrookprimary.org.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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