Broadmere Primary Academy

School report Broadmere Primary Academy and Nursery Devonshire Avenue, Woking, Surrey, GU21 5QE

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Not previously inspected This inspection: Requires improvement 3 Leadership and management Requires improvement 3 Behaviour and safety of pupils Requires improvement 3 Quality of teaching Requires improvement 3 Achievement of pupils Requires improvement 3 Early years provision Requires improvement 3

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a school that requires improvement.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Pupils do not achieve as well as they should in reading and mathematics. Although they reach standards that are broadly average by the end of Year 6, they do not make enough progress across the school.  The most able pupils do not achieve as well as they should. Too few reach the highest levels by the end of Year 2 and Year 6.  There is not enough teaching that is consistently good. Some teachers do not have high enough expectations of what pupils can do. They provide work that is too easy for pupils.  Behaviour requires improvement. Sometimes lessons do not motivate and engage pupils, who then become restless and bored.  The early years provision requires improvement because children do not progress as well as they should.  Middle leaders are new to their roles and have not had sufficient time to support other teachers.  Although school leaders know what needs to be improved, their plans for improvement do not

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

reflect the aspects of work most in need of improvement.  Targets for improvement in the school plan are too broad and general and do not show how the school is to improve teaching or to raise standards.

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The school has the following strengths:

 The curriculum is well planned and promotes pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development very well.  Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs achieve well. The inclusion leader ensures they receive the help they need.  School leaders acted promptly to address the disappointing results in 2014. They implemented new systems to track pupils’ progress and hold teachers to account for raising standards.  Pupils are safe at this school. Their attendance has improved and is broadly average.  Governors provide a good level of challenge to school leaders. They visit school regularly to check for themselves how well school leaders are improving teaching.  Standards of pupils’ writing have improved. Pupils’ writing is lively and engaging. Pupils’ handwriting is neat and their work is well presented.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed pupils working in 14 lessons, eight of which were observed jointly with school leaders. They looked at work in pupils’ books and they listened to pupils read in Year 2 and Year 6. They attended two assemblies and they observed pupils in the playground and when moving around the school.  Meetings were held with school leaders, groups of pupils and governors, including the Chair of the Governing Body. An inspector held a meeting with a representative from the local authority.  Among the documents scrutinised were plans showing how the school is to improve, the school’s own view of its performance, minutes from governors’ meetings and records relating to pupils’ progress. Inspectors also looked at documents showing how the school keeps pupils and staff safe.  There were too few responses to the online survey, Parent View, to consider. However, inspectors spoke informally to parents and carers during the inspection to gather their views. The views of staff were

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Information about this inspection

considered by analysing the 17 responses to the staff survey.

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Inspection team

Joy Considine, Lead inspector Kanwaljit Singh Sharona Semiali Additional Inspector Additional Inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 Broadmere Primary Academy is similar in size to the average-sized primary school and pupils are taught in single-age classes.  There is provision for children in the early years in the Nursery and the Reception class. Children attend the Nursery part time and become full time when they start Reception.  Most pupils are from minority ethnic groups and a higher proportion than usual speak English as an additional language. Most pupils are of Pakistani heritage. Few pupils are at the early stages of learning English.  The proportion of pupils who are eligible for pupil premium funding is above average. This is additional funding provided by the government to support those pupils who, in this school, are eligible for free school meals.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs, at 6%, is below average.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards which set the minimum expectations for

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Information about this school

pupils’ learning and progress by Year 6 in reading, writing and mathematics.  Broadmere Primary Academy became an academy on 1 April 2013. When its predecessor school, Broadmere Primary School, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be good.  Broadmere Primary Academy is part of the Multi Academy Trust consisting of this school and New Monument Primary Academy and Nursery. The Principal is responsible for leading and managing both schools. The bursar, deputy headteacher and the inclusion leader all have responsibilities over both schools.  The school has been through significant changes of staff since the previous inspection. A new headteacher joined the school in April 2014 and long-term supply teachers are currently teaching three classes. Three classes are each taught by two teachers in a job-share arrangement.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching so that pupils make more rapid progress by ensuring that:  teachers have higher expectations and plan work that is at the right level of difficulty for all pupils, including those who are the most able  pupils learn more quickly and that all pupils are suitably challenged so that they behave well and make more progress  pupils are clear about what it is they are expected to learn  all lessons start promptly so that pupils get off to a rapid start.  Improve leadership and management by:  setting school improvement targets that show how the school is to improve teaching so that it is consistently good enough to raise pupils’ achievement in reading and mathematics  establishing a more rigorous system to check the work of teachers  providing training for those subject leaders who are new to their roles so that they can provide better support to other teachers.  Improve the quality of provision in the early years so that children make rapid progress.

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The leadership and management require improvement

 School leaders have not been able to ensure that all teaching is consistently good enough to secure good progress for pupils. This is partly because there have been significant changes to the teaching team in recent years. Short and long-term supply teachers have filled some posts.  Leaders are ambitious for the school and know that they need to raise pupils’ standards. However, their current plans for improvement are too vague and do not give a clear view of how this is to be done.  School leaders check the work of teachers through ‘drop in’ visits to classes. They provide feedback to staff but sometimes this does not identify how teachers can accelerate pupils’ progress. Consequently opportunities to improve teachers’ skills are sometimes missed. The management of teachers’ performance is now closely linked to pupils’ progress. Staff know that only the best teaching is rewarded.  Leaders for English and mathematics are new to their roles. They are enthusiastic and knowledgeable.

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The leadership and management require improvement

They received training but have not yet had time to make a difference by improving the work of other teachers. They have not been involved enough in the monitoring and do not have a clear enough view of the strengths and weaknesses of their subject.  Until recently, school leaders have not held teachers to account for the progress pupils make. However, they have put into place a new system to record and track pupils’ attainment and progress. School leaders meet regularly with staff to discuss pupils’ progress and to put into place actions to support those who are at risk of falling behind. Consequently, rates of progress are beginning to increase in some year groups.  The school works in close cooperation with local schools to share best practice to help staff to develop their skills. Together, they are developing new systems to assess pupils’ progress following the removal of National Curriculum levels.

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The leadership and management require improvement

 School leaders have successfully implemented the new National Curriculum. Subjects are taught under an overall theme or topic with a stimulating range of activities. This is successfully promoting pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development through their study of subjects such as religious education, art and music.  Equality of opportunity is promoted through the school’s values that all pupils understand. Pupils say they are all treated fairly and that there is no discrimination. Leaders ensure that pupils develop their understanding of different cultures, religions and lifestyles. They foster core values including honesty, democracy, respect and tolerance to prepare pupils for life in modern Britain.  The additional funding the school receives for sport is used effectively. Sports coaches provide support to staff to develop their skills and pupils enjoy an increased range of activities that promote their health and

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The leadership and management require improvement

well-being. Pupils actively participate in the wide range of inter-competitive sports within the local schools’ network.  The school uses additional funding to support disadvantaged pupils effectively to provide more adults who help these pupils in class make more progress. It has also been used to subsidise school visits and so these pupils do not miss out.  The school’s arrangements to keep pupils safe are good. All adults are carefully checked and there are robust systems for protecting children.  The local authority provides light touch support for the school although leaders buy in additional support according to need. For example, the local authority is currently supporting the school to improve provision in the early years but it is still too soon to see the impact of this work.  The governance of the school:  Governors are enthusiastic and visit school regularly. They use published information about pupils’

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The leadership and management require improvement

performance and so they know how well the school performs in comparison with schools nationally. However, their view of the school’s performance is overgenerous. Consequently, their plans for development do not focus clearly enough on the aspects of the school that are most in need of improvement. Governors challenge school leaders and they want to know what leaders are doing to raise standards. They know that not enough teaching is good or better and work with leaders to employ staff with the right sort of skills to secure the required improvements. Governors have robust systems in place to ensure that only the best teaching is rewarded. They will not sanction increases in teachers’ pay unless there is clear evidence that their targets have been met. Governors have a wide range of professional skills that they use to support the school. Consequently they manage all resources, including finances, well.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils requires improvement. Pupils often behave well in lessons but there are occasions when the lesson gets off to a slow start. This is because some pupils take too long to settle after break times and this reduces the time spent learning. Low-level disruption is rare.  When work is too easy or if pupils have finished and do not know what to do next, they begin to chat among themselves and lose focus on learning. This slows their progress.  Although pupils feel that most behave well, they say that there is a very small group who can be boisterous in the way they play. However, they say that there are usually adults on hand to help. They trust adults and are confident that their concerns are dealt with promptly.  Most pupils want to learn and they are very positive about school. They get on very well together regardless of background. They are friendly and polite and chat to visitors enthusiastically about school.

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Behaviour

Attendance has improved and is now above average.  Staff implement the school’s policy for behaviour consistently and so all pupils understand the expectations. They have a good understanding of right and wrong, reflecting the school’s provision for their moral and social development, but do not always carry this out in practice.  Pupils enjoy healthy meals at lunchtime. They eat sensibly while chatting to friends in a calm and orderly atmosphere.

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Safety

 The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good. Pupils say they feel safe and well cared for in school.  A very few pupils reported that bullying does happen but could not recall any recent examples. They have a good knowledge of different types of bullying, including persistent name calling, physical bullying and that related to the internet. Owing to the school’s work to prevent bullying, they know about cyber bullying and that no personal information should be given out when using computers.  Pupils know how to keep themselves safe both in school and out of school. They have received training on how to stay safe on roads and railways. They know that tobacco and some non-medicinal drugs can be dangerous.  The school meets all safeguarding requirements. Arrangements to check adults are rigorous. All staff are fully aware of the school’s procedures for keeping pupils safe.  Parents and carers who spoke to inspectors say that their children are happy and safe in school.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Teaching requires improvement because pupils’ progress is too variable across the school. Records kept by school leaders show that some teaching is good or better but it is inconsistent over time so pupils do not achieve as well as they should.  Teachers’ expectations are not consistently high enough and pupils’ work is too easy, particularly for the most able pupils. There are times when pupils have too long a list of what they need to include in their work and so they are not always clear about what they are expected to learn.  The teaching of phonics (letters and sounds) and reading both require improvement because pupils are currently not doing well enough in these areas. There are times when reading books provided for pupils are too easy and this slows their progress, especially at Key Stage 1.  Teaching of mathematics is less effective than that in writing. This is because there are too many times

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

when all pupils have to complete the same work regardless of ability. This means that for some the work is too easy and for others it is too hard. Just occasionally teachers do not move pupils on fast enough and this slows their progress.  One stronger aspect of teaching is the quality of marking and feedback teachers give pupils, particularly in writing. Teachers mark pupils’ work thoroughly and provide them with helpful guidance about what they need to do to improve their work. Pupils respond to teachers’ advice by correcting and improving their work and this has improved their rates of progress in writing.  Teachers provide plenty of opportunities for pupils to talk about their work and to share their ideas. This helps them to develop their confidence and to learn from each other. This was particularly effective in a Year 5 writing lesson in which pupils discussed the difference between metaphors and similes. They then

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

created their own metaphors and similes in preparation for writing a poem about time.  Most teaching assistants provide good support to both pupils and teachers. They support disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs by breaking activities into smaller steps so pupils understand what they are to learn. As a result, they make good progress. Just occasionally, in some classes, teaching assistants take on a more supervisory role and do not contribute enough to pupils’ learning.

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requires improvement

 Pupils’ achievement requires improvement because they do not make enough progress across the school. Although their standards are broadly average in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of Year 6, many should be doing better. Pupils’ attainment and progress in reading and mathematics is weaker than in writing. However, their attainment is such that they are now better prepared than before for the next stage of their education.  Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs achieve well from their relative starting points. Staff are skilled at pinpointing their specific needs and they provide the right support to enable them to make good progress. Pupils who speak English as an additional language reach standards that are above those of other pupils.  Work provided for the most able pupils is often at too low a level and consequently they do not reach the higher levels of which they are capable. According to the national tests and assessments in 2014, fewer

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requires improvement

pupils than average reached Level 3 in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of Year 2. Although the proportion of pupils reaching Level 5 in writing was broadly average, fewer pupils reached this level in reading or mathematics.  In the national tests in 2014, the attainment of disadvantaged pupils was similar in writing and mathematics to that of other pupils nationally but they were about a term behind in reading. In comparison with their classmates, their attainment was similar in mathematics and they were about two terms behind in reading. In writing they were about a term ahead of other pupils. The gap has closed significantly in all subjects. The school’s most recent assessments show that the gap continues to close, particularly in reading.  By the end of Year 6, pupils have a secure grasp of basic skills that help them to write well in all subjects. They have acquired a good vocabulary and express their ideas imaginatively and with a clear sense of

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requires improvement

purpose. There are plenty of occasions when they write at length when learning other subjects. For example, pupils wrote biographies about famous people in history such as Florence Nightingale. Their handwriting is neat and legible and their work is presented to a good standard.

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requires improvement

 Children do not achieve as well as they should in the early years. This is because staff do not all provide rich experiences that stimulate and engage them. In the Nursery in particular, staff miss opportunities to develop children’s language skills because they spend too much time with individual children.  Although both the Nursery and Reception classes are well staffed, not all adults are skilled in providing experiences that fully engage children and develop their understanding. Consequently there are times when children spend too long on activities, such as riding bicycles, with little purpose.  Teaching is stronger in the Reception class and so children make good progress. For example, in a phonics session, children used their sounds to read words and match them to pictures. The teacher helped them by pointing out individual letters and this helped them to progress well.  Adults have established warm relationships with children so they feel safe and happy at school. Children

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requires improvement

get on well together and enjoy sharing and taking turns when learning and playing. Children settle into routines and expectations quickly and develop their confidence to try new things.  Children behave well and they have positive attitudes towards school. They listen to staff and respond to what they say. Just occasionally when they do not have enough to do, they lose concentration and start to wander around and chat among themselves.  The new leader has a good understanding of the strengths and areas for development. She has asked for external support to help her to develop the learning environment which she knows to be a weakness. She has also identified that some staff are not secure with their assessment of children’s learning. She has worked with local schools to ensure that teachers’ judgements are accurate. Despite this good start, she knows more needs to be done to ensure that provision in the early years is good and that children are

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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 139479 Local authority Surrey Inspection number 449949

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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 Academy converter Age range of pupils 3–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 277 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Julie Patterson Headteacher Judy Hall Date of previous school inspection Not previously inspected Telephone number 01932 343747 Fax number 01932 352120 Email address info@broadmere.surrey.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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