Brockholes Wood Community Primary School and Nursery

Brockholes Wood Community Primary School and Nursery Brant Road, Preston, Lancashire, PR1 5TU

p.1

Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Outstanding 1 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

p.1

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Pupils throughout the school make good progress and achieve well from their different starting points.  Children get a good start to their learning in the early years provision. They are well prepared to enter Key Stage 1.  Teaching is good across the school. Staff set work that engages pupils in their learning and use questioning skilfully. This enables pupils to make good progress. By the end of Year 6, most pupils reach the standards expected of them from below typical starting points.  Disadvantaged pupils supported through the pupil premium, disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs make good progress and achieve well.  Pupils’ behaviour is good. They enjoy coming to school and are keen to learn. They say they feel very safe and are well looked after in school.  School leaders and governors have a clear view of how well the school is performing and where it can do better. They have worked well to improve the

p.1

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

quality of teaching and raise pupils’ achievement.  Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good.

p.1

It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Expectations of what pupils can achieve are not always high enough. Pupils are not always given work that is hard enough to enable them to make the best possible progress and reach the highest levels.  Pupils’ achievement in writing is not as strong as it is in reading and mathematics, particularly in Key Stage 1. Pupils have too few opportunities to write at length in different subjects, and insufficient attention is paid to accurate spelling, grammar and punctuation.  Children in the early years have too few opportunities to develop their writing skills.  Pupils are not always given clear enough guidance about what they need to do to improve their work, and there are too few checks that pupils respond to this advice when it is given.  Middle leaders are not yet fully accountable for the quality of teaching and pupils’ progress in their areas of responsibility.

p.1

Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed teaching and learning in 19 lessons, or part lessons. One lesson was observed jointly with the deputy headteacher.  Meetings were held with school leaders and with four governors, including the Chair of the Governing Body. Inspectors also met a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors met two groups of pupils and also spoke informally to other pupils in lessons and during break and lunchtimes.  Inspectors looked at the work pupils were doing in lessons and in their books over time. They listened to pupils read and talked to them about their enjoyment of reading.  Inspectors observed the work of the school and examined a number of documents concerning pupils’ current achievement and progress, development plans and information about teachers’ performance. They also looked at records relating to behaviour, attendance and safeguarding arrangements. Minutes of governing body meetings were also considered.

p.2

Information about this inspection

 Inspectors took account of 11 responses to the online Parent View questionnaire and also spoke to parents informally. They also considered 22 responses to the staff questionnaire.  The headteacher was absent from school during the inspection due to illness.

p.2

Inspection team

Robert Birtwell, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

p.2

Information about this school

 The school is an average sized primary school.  Pupils are taught in nine classes from the Nursery to Year 6, including some mixed year group classes in the early years and Key Stage 1. The early years provision includes part-time morning and afternoon Nursery classes and a full-time Reception class.  A large majority of pupils are from White British backgrounds and speak English as their first language.  The proportion of disadvantaged pupils is well above average. These are pupils supported by the pupil premium which is funding for pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and children looked after by the local authority.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs is below average.  The headteacher joined the school in 2013, and the deputy headteacher in January 2015.  The school site is shared with Sunshine Children’s Centre and Brockholes First Foundations Nursery. These

p.3

Information about this school

are inspected separately by Ofsted.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which are the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 6.

p.3

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Further improve the quality of teaching and raise pupils’ achievement so that more pupils make better than the progress expected of them and achieve higher standards, especially in writing in Key Stage 1, by ensuring that:  teachers’ expectations of what pupils can achieve are always high enough and the work set is always hard enough so that pupils are consistently challenged to make the best possible progress and reach the highest standards  pupils are always given clear guidance about what they need to do to improve their work, and checks are made that pupils respond to this advice  pupils have more opportunities to write at length across different subjects with a clear focus on accurate spelling, punctuation and grammar  children in the early years have more opportunity to develop their writing skills.

p.3

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve leadership and management by making sure that middle leaders become more involved and are more accountable for making checks and improving the quality of teaching and learning in their areas.

p.3

The leadership and management are good

 Although the headteacher was absent during the inspection, and the deputy headteacher is very new to the school, it is clear that senior leaders provide effective leadership, and that they are well supported by all staff and governors. Their actions are improving the quality of teaching and raising pupils’ achievement.  The school’s systems for checking how well pupils are doing are robust and school leaders at all levels make good use of information about pupils’ achievement and progress. Consequently, they have an accurate view of how well the school is performing and where it could do better. Improvement planning is clearly focused on further improving teaching in order to raise achievement.  School leaders closely monitor the quality of teaching and effectively evaluate pupils’ performance. If any underachievement is identified, it is addressed by providing pupils with extra support. As a result, all

p.4

The leadership and management are good

groups of pupils in the school are making good progress. This shows the school’s successful commitment to equal opportunities for all pupils.  School leaders also use information about pupils’ achievement and progress to check how well teachers are performing and to identify where further support or training is needed. This information is also used when making recommendations about teachers’ pay.  The role of middle leaders is developing and they are improving their knowledge and becoming more skilled. However, they do not yet have enough involvement or accountability for checking the quality of teaching and learning in their areas of responsibility, including in the early years.  The curriculum is well planned, engages pupils effectively in their learning and promotes good behaviour. It is enriched by a range of activities, clubs, trips and visits including music, drama, sport and culture. Year

p.4

The leadership and management are good

6 pupils were greatly looking forward to a forthcoming residential outdoor activities trip, and others spoke enthusiastically about visiting a Blackpool theatre.  The curriculum is focused around a set of core values which are well understood by pupils. This contributes to pupils’ good spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Pupils understand the difference between right and wrong, and a variety of assemblies, visits and visitors cover a range of issues, including other cultures and religions, as well as promoting British values. As a result, pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain.  The school uses the pupil premium funding very successfully to provide additional support for disadvantaged pupils either in the classroom, in small groups or individually. In addition, it is used to provide extra support for vulnerable pupils and to improve relationships with parents through the work of

p.4

The leadership and management are good

the learning mentor. As a result, attendance has improved and any gaps in the achievement of disadvantaged pupils have closed.  The school is using the additional primary school sport funding successfully. Specialist coaches take lessons, run activities and train staff, and there is a growing partnership with a local high school to participate in sports competitions. Consequently, the range of sporting activities has widened and more pupils participate in sports and competitions.  Arrangements and procedures for the safeguarding of pupils are fully in place and effectively followed.  The local authority has provided light touch but effective support for the school in areas such as improving the early years provision and training for governors.  The governance of the school:  Governors are well informed about the quality of teaching and pupils’ achievement. They have a good understanding of the use and analysis of data about pupils’ achievement and progress and how this is

p.4

The leadership and management are good

linked to the quality of teaching. They have a very clear knowledge of how the pupil premium funding is spent and the impact it is having on raising the achievement of disadvantaged pupils.  Governors are very supportive of the school and visit regularly in a variety of roles. There is an effective committee structure and governors ensure that school leaders are effectively held to account by asking probing questions and by setting challenging targets as part of the headteacher’s appraisal. They also make sure that pupils’ achievement and progress are taken into account when making decisions about teachers’ pay and that the school’s finances are sound and well managed. They undertake regular training to keep themselves up to date and to improve their skills. Governors make sure that policies, including those relating to safeguarding, are reviewed, meet requirements and are implemented effectively.

p.4

Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good.  Pupils typically have positive attitudes to learning and are keen to do well. They are considerate and polite and get on well with one another and with adults in the school. Pupils behave well in lessons and learning usually proceeds smoothly and without interruption.  School records and discussions with pupils show that there are relatively few instances of poor behaviour, including racist or discriminatory incidents. Pupils know how they are expected to behave and say that if pupils misbehave, staff sort it out quickly and fairly.  A small number of pupils sometimes show challenging behaviour but staff manage this consistently and well. These pupils are supported in a very caring and nurturing way, usually involving the learning mentor, and there is evidence that this leads to improved behaviour by these pupils.  Inspectors observed good behaviour in lessons, in assemblies and around the school. Pupils play

p.5

Behaviour

enthusiastically and safely together during break times and behave responsibly in the hall at lunchtime. Pupils readily take on responsibility, as ‘values champions’ or as members of the school council for example, and older pupils enjoy acting as ‘buddies’ for younger children.  Pupils enjoy coming to school and speak positively about their experiences. Attendance has improved and is now above average.

p.5

Safety

 The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good.  Pupils say that they feel very safe in school and are looked after well. They know how to keep themselves safe in different situations, including personal safety, when on roads, when cycling and when using the internet. Older pupils have a good awareness of issues linked to child abuse.  Pupils have a good knowledge of different forms of bullying and understand the difference between bullying and falling out. They say that bullying is very rare and that there is none in school at the moment. They are confident that the school would deal with it quickly if it happened.  Almost all parents who responded to the Parent View survey think that their children are happy, safe and well looked after at school. Inspection evidence supports this view.

p.5

The quality of teaching is good

 The quality of teaching is good across the school and sometimes it is outstanding. This was confirmed by the work in pupils’ books and the school’s records of pupils’ progress and checks on the quality of teaching. As a result, pupils in all classes learn well.  Staff know pupils well and there are good relationships between pupils and teachers and teaching assistants. Staff typically set work that motivates and engages pupils so they learn well. Pupils say they enjoy lessons because they are interesting and they ‘learn new things every day.’ Pupils say they enjoy using computers to help them to learn and they get ‘a lot’ of homework to support their learning in class.  Questioning is used effectively to check and reinforce pupils’ knowledge and to extend their learning. In art, Year 5 pupils were investigating and illustrating the journey of a leaf using abstract painting. Questioning was used very effectively to develop their understanding and to challenge them to think

p.5

The quality of teaching is good

creatively. As a result, they made excellent progress.  Pupils’ work is marked regularly. Staff use praise effectively but they do not always give pupils enough guidance on what they need to do to improve their work, nor do they always check that pupils respond to this advice when it is given.  Although staff generally have high expectations of what pupils can achieve, they are not always high enough. Staff do not always make sure that the work set is challenging enough to enable pupils to learn as well as they could, especially in writing. Pupils are not always given work that is difficult enough to enable them to make the best possible progress and reach the highest standards.  Teachers and teaching assistants work effectively together to support pupils who find learning more difficult. This includes pupils who are disadvantaged and those who are disabled or have special educational needs. As a result, these pupils make good progress and achieve better than their classmates

p.5

The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils make good progress during their time in the school. From starting points in the Nursery or Reception Year that are generally below those typical for their age, they reach standards that are broadly average by the end of Year 6.  Standards at the end of Key Stage 1 have been rising. In 2013, they were above average in reading, writing and mathematics. However, preliminary results for 2014 show a dip to below average. This was due to particular issues linked to this group of pupils. Inspection evidence confirms that pupils currently in Year 1 and Year 2 are making good progress.  Standards at the end of Key Stage 2 have also improved. In 2013 they were below average in mathematics and reading, and well below average in writing. Preliminary results for 2014 show that they are above average in writing and mathematics, and below average in reading. All pupils made the progress expected of them in mathematics, almost all in writing, and the proportion in reading was close

p.6

The achievement of pupils is good

to average. The proportion of pupils that made more than expected progress was above average in mathematics, and close to average in reading and writing. This group of pupils achieved well from their starting points at the end of Key Stage 1.  Inspection evidence and the school’s most recent data show that all groups of pupils are making good progress and achieving well.  Pupils make good progress in reading because they are well taught and have opportunities to read regularly. They have a good knowledge of phonics (letters and the sounds they make). The proportion of pupils who reached the expected standard in the Year 1 national phonics check has been above average for the last two years.  Pupils are taught mathematics effectively. Consequently, they make good progress and achieve well. They have securely developed basic numeracy skills, and can apply and use their knowledge to solve practical

p.6

The achievement of pupils is good

problems.  Although pupils make good progress in writing, the standards they achieve are typically lower than in reading and mathematics, particularly at Key Stage 1. Pupils have too few opportunities to write at length in different subjects across the curriculum, and there is insufficient focus on spelling, punctuation and grammar.  Disadvantaged pupils eligible for support through the pupil premium achieve well. They receive effective support if they need it and make good progress. Gaps in their achievement have closed rapidly. In 2014, the standards reached by Year 6 pupils known to be eligible for the pupil premium were equal to those of other pupils nationally in mathematics and writing, and about half a term behind in reading. In comparison with other pupils in the school they were around a term ahead in reading, and half a term ahead in writing and mathematics.  The most able pupils achieve well and make good progress because they are increasingly being given

p.6

The achievement of pupils is good

more difficult work. However, in common with other pupils, they are not always given work that is demanding enough to enable them to reach the highest levels and make the best possible progress.  There are few disabled pupils and those with special educational need in any year group. Some parents of these pupils think that their children do not receive enough support. However, inspection evidence shows that they are well supported, achieve well and make good progress in line with their classmates.

p.6

The early years provision is good

 Most children join the early years with skills and knowledge below those typical for their age. They make good progress, catch up rapidly, and are well prepared to enter Key Stage 1.  The quality of teaching is good. Staff make sure that learning activities are purposeful and well focused, that children are fully involved in their learning, and that the indoor and outdoor environments are used effectively. However, there are too few opportunities for pupils to develop their writing skills.  There are strong links with parents, local nursery schools and the children’s centre. These ensure that children settle quickly in the early years provision.  Children behave well and show good attitudes to learning in a very safe and caring environment. They listen carefully to adults, concentrate well on tasks, and work effectively together sharing and showing concern for others.  Staff work well to meet the needs of individual and different groups of children. They check children’s

p.6

The early years provision is good

progress regularly and use this information to plan tasks and activities to further challenge and extend them.  There are good links with external agencies and providers. Vulnerable children, including those who are disabled, have special educational needs and those for whom the school receives additional funding, are well supported and make good progress from their starting points.  The early years provision is well led. Staff are well trained and know how well children are doing. However, the early years leader, in common with other middle leaders, is not yet fully involved or accountable for checking the quality of teaching and learning in the provision. Nevertheless, the quality of provision is improving and children’s achievement is rising as a result.

p.6

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

p.8

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.

p.8

School details

Unique reference number 119230 Local authority Lancashire Inspection number 453357

p.9

School details

This inspection was carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. The inspection was also deemed a section 5 inspection under the same Act.

p.9

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 269 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Jane Baxter Headteacher Amanda Sinker Date of previous school inspection 14 November 2008 Telephone number 01772 792302 Fax number 01772 795523 Email address bursar@brockholeswood.lancs.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 .

p.9

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.

p.10

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

p.10

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

p.10

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’.

p.10

School details

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

p.10