Brigg Primary School

Brigg Primary School Atherton Way, Ancholme Business Park, Brigg, Lincolnshire, DN20 8AR

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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

 The headteacher and deputy headteacher provide strong and effective leadership so standards are rising and teaching improving. The headteacher’s work and the work of other staff are highly regarded by parents.  Senior leaders, including governors and subject leaders, have a clear and accurate view of the school’s performance and effectiveness. The school is well set to continue to improve in the future.  Pupils behave well and are kept safe. They concentrate, cooperate and work hard in lessons and show consideration for each other.  Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is promoted strongly. Relationships are very good in this happy school.  Teaching is good. All teachers ensure pupils behave well, work hard and enjoy their learning.  Early years children settle quickly into school and make good progress due to the good quality teaching and provision they receive.  The achievement of all groups of pupils is good

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

throughout the school. Pupils progress well in reading, writing and mathematics from their starting points and attain average standards by Year 6. Standards are rising throughout the school and more pupils than previously are attaining above expected standards and making better than expected progress.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 The school lacks a systematic approach to help pupils develop their writing and mathematics skills in subjects, such as history, geography and science.  Although marking provides pupils with clear guidance, in some classes, pupils are not sufficiently required to follow up marking comments to bring about necessary improvements.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors saw teaching and learning in all classes, observing 16 mainly whole lessons, including two joint observations, one with the headteacher and the other with the deputy headteacher. In addition, a number of shorter visits were made to lessons in the early years and to see particular aspects such as the teaching of reading, or pupils taught individually or in small groups. A range of other school activities including playtimes, lunchtimes and an assembly were observed.  Past and current work in Key Stages 1 and 2 was scrutinised and some pupils were heard reading.  Meetings were held with school leaders and other staff, members of the governing body and with a representative of the local authority.  Documents, including school development planning and reports showing the school’s view of its own performance, safeguarding documents, and policies and records relating to behaviour, safety and

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Information about this inspection

attendance were inspected. A range of information on the performance of the school in comparison with other schools nationally was analysed. The school’s records of pupils’ progress were also reviewed.  The views of 23 parents who completed the on-line questionnaire (Parent View) were analysed. Short discussions were held with 48 parents of a total of 63 children at the beginning of the second day of the inspection. The results of the most recent school survey of parents’ views held by the school in October 2014 when 196 parents responded were also taken into account.  Inspectors received the views of staff through discussions and by analysing 25 responses to the inspection survey of staff views. They received the views of pupils through both informal and pre-arranged discussions.  At the same time as the main inspection, an additional and separate subject inspection of history was carried out by one of Her Majesty’s Inspectors (HMI).

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Inspection team

Roger Sadler, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Inspection team

Michael Maddison Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Information about this school

 In this larger than average-sized primary school, most pupils are of White British heritage and speak English as their first language.  The school has an early years unit which nursery-aged children attend part time and Reception-aged children attend full time.  There is an above average proportion of disadvantaged pupils (those known to be eligible for free school meals or looked after by the local authority). The school receives additional funding for these pupils.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs is above average.  The school met the government’s current floor standards that set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.  Changes in staff have been greater over the last two years than in many schools. This September four new teachers joined the school.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve standards in writing and mathematics by:  ensuring teachers in all classes check that pupils follow up and work on the issues identified in teachers’ marking.  introducing a systematic way of ensuring that pupils develop in other subjects, such as history, geography and science, the skills of literacy and numeracy taught in mathematics and English lessons.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher, well supported by senior leaders, has developed effective ways of helping teachers and teaching assistants to continually develop their practice. Teachers new to the school are soon helped to adopt the school’s approaches. Leaders have an accurate and detailed knowledge of what is working best and what needs to be improved and have successfully ensured that all staff are working to the same end of helping pupils do their very best.  Leaders continually check the quality of teaching and learning. Each term, meetings are held between senior leaders and each individual class teacher. At these meetings, the progress of each pupil in the class is reviewed and particular attention is paid to any pupil at risk of not achieving well. Additional support is arranged, targets are set and each pupil’s progress is checked at the next meeting.  Teachers are observed teaching and pupils’ books are regularly checked. Teachers are given clear

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The leadership and management are good

feedback on their work and they say that they are helped to improve their teaching.  The school improvement plan focuses on appropriate areas and provides a strong guide to school development and staff training. Each of the priorities in the plan has one or more named governors responsible for ensuring each of the key priorities in the improvement plan are successfully implemented.  Middle leaders are supported and guided so they do their jobs well. Leaders of subjects help to ensure pupils make good progress and that teaching is effective within their areas of responsibility.  Good relationships exist throughout the school and the school is a welcoming and happy place. All pupils are given the same chance to do their best and many parents, especially those parents of disabled pupils or with special educational needs were keen to tell inspectors how sensitively and effectively their children’s needs are met by the school. The most able pupils also do well and the school is fully committed

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The leadership and management are good

to, and successful in, promoting equal opportunities for all.  The pupil premium funding to support the learning of disadvantaged pupils is used well and the gap in the attainment of disadvantaged pupils and other pupils is closing throughout the school. Funding to improve physical education and sport in primary schools has been spent well on staff training, resources and new clubs. Pupils are keen to participate in the new sports now on offer. More sports clubs and competitions with other schools and more frequent specialist coaching contribute well towards pupils’ enjoyment of sport and their healthy lifestyles.  Leaders, including governors, ensure the school is a safe place. Safeguarding arrangements fully meet current requirements. Staff are fully trained and the school carefully checks the suitability of all adults who work with pupils. Parents are impressed with the support and care provided by the staff. The school has

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The leadership and management are good

effective arrangements to ensure pupils behave well so behaviour is consistently good throughout the school.  The curriculum is of good quality. It is currently under review to ensure the school fully implements new national requirements. The school appropriately places strong emphasis on developing pupils’ basic skills and ensuring all are able to progress well in literacy and numeracy. This is not at the expense of other subjects and many pupils commented on how much they enjoy their interesting lessons, for example pupils enjoy their weekly French lessons. However, there are limited opportunities for pupils to practise and apply their literacy skills in a range of subjects.  Pupils in Year 3 spoke enthusiastically and animatedly about what they had learned about prehistory and the work of archaeologists. Learning in many subjects from the early years to Year 6 is enhanced by a good programme of visits and visitors to the school, which help extend the experiences provided for

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The leadership and management are good

pupils.  Strong attention is paid in the curriculum to ensuring pupils learn and adopt British values and to prepare them for life in modern Britain. For example, Year 3 pupils were learning to respect the views of others and understand about democratic decision making.  The curriculum is effectively modified to meet the learning needs of all pupils. Pupils at risk of falling behind or those with disabilities or special educational needs are given regular additional support by teachers and teaching assistants and this helps pupils to achieve well. The most able are also given additional support. For example, the most able Year 6 mathematicians visit the local secondary school to do more challenging mathematics lessons each week.  The school has worked in close partnership recently with the local authority in evaluating the quality of teaching and learning. The local authority in October 2014 provided a report confirming the quality of

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The leadership and management are good

teaching and learning in the school is good.  The governance of the school:  Governance is good and improving. Governors are trained well in checking the school’s performance and using data to compare the school’s performance with that of other schools. Governors are very clear about which groups of pupils are doing best and where a changed approach may be needed. Governors carefully check that funding is used effectively. For example, the governing body carefully checks that spending decisions on additional funding for disadvantaged pupils are having the desired effect on improving the achievement of these pupils.  School leaders are continually supported and challenged by the governing body, and senior leaders welcome the insight and involvement of governors in checking the performance of the school.  Governors know how good teaching is at the school and understand and check the arrangements for

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The leadership and management are good

improving teaching. They know how effective teaching is being rewarded and what steps are taken to support any weaker teaching that comes to light.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good. Pupils are polite and behave in a mature fashion. They thrive on being given responsibilities and helping others. Older pupils take their responsibilities for caring for the younger ones or sometimes disabled pupils very seriously. They listen carefully to the guidance they receive during collective worship. Consequently, their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good.  Parents and pupils agree behaviour is good. Pupils were proud to tell inspectors that behaviour was always as good at their school as it was during the inspection. Behaviour around school, in the dining room, on the playground and in assembly is always at least good and sometimes exemplary.  Good behaviour in lessons, due to consistently implemented behaviour management by all adults, helps pupils enjoy their learning and make good progress throughout the school.  Pupils’ enjoyment of school is reflected in much improved rates of attendance which since September

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Behaviour

2013 has been above average. Leaders have high expectations of attendance and parents and pupils have responded well.

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Safety

 The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good. Parents and pupils are very positive about the care provided by staff and the way that pupils are kept safe.  The vast majority of parents recognise that bullying is not tolerated and even minor incidents of unkind behaviour are taken seriously by staff and nipped in the bud. Pupils understand what constitutes bullying and are proud to tell inspectors that they feel safe from bullying in their school.  Staff training and school procedures in health and safety matters are robust. Pupils are taught to use the internet safely and know exactly what to do if they come across anything that worries them.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Throughout the school teaching is good. Teaching is effectively modified throughout the school to meet the needs of the full range of learners. In most lessons, pupils work in three or four groups, on tasks that are carefully tailored to be just hard enough to enable all pupils to make good progress and do their best.  In all classes, teachers manage behaviour well and ensure pupils work hard, concentrate and cooperate.  Reading, writing and mathematics are taught well and where weaknesses in teaching come to light, they are quickly addressed. For example, leaders recognised that pupils were making less progress in mathematical investigations and problem solving than they were in number work and other aspects of mathematics. Staff training and improvements to teaching were made and pupils are now achieving much better in these aspects of mathematics.  Lessons are often interesting and exciting and pupils are, therefore, well motivated not only in English and

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The quality of teaching is good

mathematics lessons but also in other subjects. For example, pupils say that history is ‘exciting’. They are convinced of the importance of learning about the past because, in the words of an older pupil, ‘we should know about how things have changed over time’.  Teachers celebrate pupils’ achievements in history through colourful displays of their work. Pupils enjoy learning in history and are keen to know more. Pupils in Year 6, for example, were fascinated by the spread of the plague in the 17th century to mid Derbyshire. However, the development of their historical understanding is sometimes inhibited by the limited range of historical resources they use.  The teaching of literacy and numeracy is good but opportunities are missed to develop pupils’ writing and mathematics skills in other subjects.  Teachers often mark pupils’ work well and provide clear guidance and sound challenge to help them

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The quality of teaching is good

improve their work. In some classes, however, pupils are not required to follow up mistakes they have made or to correct errors.  Teaching assistants are deployed well and have a particularly strong impact on the good progress made by disabled pupils, those with special educational needs or those who find learning more difficult.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The majority of children are working below the levels typically seen for their age when they join the school in the nursery. They start Year 1 a little below typical levels in writing and mathematics. Because standards of reading are improving so well in the early years, this year pupils started in Year 1 with average attainment in reading.  Results in the national screening of phonics (letters and the sounds they make) improved well in 2014, and pupils did a little better than other pupils nationally. The school’s good work to support disadvantaged pupils resulted in this group of pupils doing just as well as other pupils in the school in the Year 1 national screening.  In the Year 2 national assessments in 2014, pupils’ attainment rose well compared with the previous year’s results from average to significantly above average in reading, writing and mathematics. The strongest improvement was made in writing where more pupils attained at the higher Level 3. The most

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The achievement of pupils is good

able pupils are challenged well.  Pupils throughout the school achieve well and are prepared well for the next stage of their education. Standards in 2014, by the end of Year 6 were average in reading, writing and mathematics, which represents good progress from these pupils’ starting points. However, national data indicated overall pupils at the school made less progress between Year 2 and Year 6 than that made on average by pupils in other schools. Inspection evidence indicates that the vast majority of pupils made good progress but the school data was depressed in this year group because too many lower and middle attaining pupils fell unexpectedly short of the nationally expected Level 4, representing a blip from the norm.  The school’s accurate records and pupils’ work indicate that pupils in all year groups are now making good progress. Many Years 5 and 6 pupils are on track to attain average or above average standards by the

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The achievement of pupils is good

time they leave the school and rates of progress and pupils’ attainment are improving well.  The school has used additional funding well and disadvantaged pupils are given regular, good quality additional support to enable them to achieve well. This resulted in both Year 1 and Year 2 pupils eligible for additional funding doing just as well as other pupils in the school and nationally in 2014. School records indicate that pupils in Years 3 to 5 also did well. However, Year 6 pupils did not do as well as similar pupils nationally last year and left the school around two terms behind other pupils. Currently in Year 6, disadvantaged pupils are doing much better and are currently around a term behind other pupils in the school. The gap between the attainment of these pupils and other pupils in the school and nationally is narrowing quickly in reading, writing and mathematics.  Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs make good progress throughout the school due

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The achievement of pupils is good

to the good quality, regular additional support they receive both in lessons and in small groups outside the classroom.  The most able pupils make good progress and the proportions of pupils attaining above average standards expected for their age or better than expected progress is rising throughout the school.  In history, pupils’ writing focuses upon creative and imaginative tasks. As a result, not enough attention is paid to developing and recording historical information, especially in upper Key Stage 2.

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The early years provision is good

 When they enter school, children’s skills are often below those typical for their age in numeracy and literacy. Due to good provision, both indoors and outdoors, children make good progress from their starting points and are prepared well for Year 1.  As well as focusing on promoting children’s literacy and numeracy skills, the school appropriately concentrates on promoting their personal, social and emotional development. They soon settle into school and grow in confidence and enjoy the wide range of exciting learning activities provided. Visits, such as the visit to Normanby Park on the first morning of the inspection and the involvement of many parents enhance children’s learning well. Staff ensure children’s safety both in school and on visits out of school.  Reading is taught well and daily lessons to help children learn letters and their sounds helps them grow in confidence as readers and enjoy books.

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The early years provision is good

 Children sit and listen carefully and politely and behave well both when working as a class and when they are engaged in independent work. An average proportion attain at least a good level of development in their personal, social and emotional development by the end of the early years. In other areas of learning, including their language and mathematical development, although children have made good progress from their starting points, a slightly smaller proportion of pupils attain at least a good level of development. The proportion of children attaining a good level of development in their reading is growing due to improvements in the school’s teaching of letters and their sounds.  Disabled children and those with special educational needs are given expert sensitive support and this helps them enjoy school, get on with other children and enjoy their learning.  The most able children receive their share of attention and make good progress. All children are treated as

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The early years provision is good

individuals and regular assessments of the progress of each child, in each area of learning, enables adults to tailor their work with each child to best meet his or her needs.  Parents are very pleased with all aspects of provision and the progress their children make in the early years. Good ways of involving parents have been developed and many parents usefully participated in the termly festival day which took place on the second day of the inspection.  Leadership and management in the early years are good. Leaders know what needs to be worked on to continually improve what is offered to children and all adults work together as an effective team.

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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 117728 Local authority North Lincolnshire Inspection number 443968

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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 3–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 403 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Jackie Rae Headteacher Beverley Gowers Date of previous school inspection 19 November 2009 Telephone number 01652 652155 Fax number 01652 656522 Email address admin.briggprimary@northlincs.gov.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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