Buswells Lodge Primary School

Buswells Lodge Primary School Beauville Drive, Beaumont Leys, Leicester, LE4 0PT

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Requires improvement 3 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’s drive and rigorous and decisive approach have been key to bringing about the improvements made since the previous inspection.  Staff at all levels and governors support the headteacher very effectively. Working together, they have successfully improved teaching and achievement.  Improved leadership since September 2014 has supported the drive for improvement.  The teaching of reading, writing and mathematics has improved significantly over the last eighteen months. Pupils are proud of their work and enjoy talking about what they are learning.  Pupils are keen to learn because their lessons are exciting and most teaching engages them fully. Teachers build on the knowledge pupils already have to help them make new discoveries and enjoy learning.  Well-targeted support for disadvantaged pupils, disabled pupils, those who have special educational needs and those who speak English as an additional

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

language, ensures that they achieve well.  Attainment at the end of Year 6 was below average in 2014, but attainment is rising and progress has accelerated to become good throughout the school.  The varied and interesting curriculum promotes pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development effectively. Pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain.  Behaviour and safety are good. The care for the emotional well-being of pupils is exemplary, particularly for those pupils whose circumstances make them vulnerable.  Children in the early years make good progress thanks to stimulating, well-taught activities.  School leaders and governors know the school well. Governance is much more effective than at the last inspection. Governors have completed a skills audit and now use their knowledge and skills to support and challenge the school effectively.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Subject leaders are not given enough opportunity to observe lessons so they can make well- informed judgements about the quality of teaching in their subject.  Teachers sometimes provide pupils with work that lacks enough challenge, particularly for the most able.  Pupils’ attainment in writing is much improved, but weaknesses in spelling and grammar are hindering their progress in the subject.  Pupils are not being given enough opportunity to use and apply their mathematical skills in real-life problem-solving situations.

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Information about this inspection

 Pupils’ learning was observed in 17 lessons covering all the school’s classes. Six lessons were seen jointly with the deputy headteacher.  Pupils’ work from a range of subjects was scrutinised, and inspectors spoke to pupils in their lessons and during their free time.  Inspectors observed the teaching of phonics (letter patterns and the sounds they represent) and heard pupils from Year 2 read.  Meetings were held with the headteacher and other senior leaders, the special educational needs leader, and teachers responsible for literacy and numeracy across the school. Inspectors spoke to groups of pupils, a group of governors, and a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors took account of a wide range of documentation, including the school’s improvement plan and self-evaluation, as well as information about the progress and attainment of individual pupils and specific groups. They considered the school’s documents regarding the targets for teachers and other staff, and

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Information about this inspection

leaders’ checks on the quality of teaching. They looked at attendance records, safeguarding information, how the primary sport premium funding is being used, records of behaviour, minutes of governing body meetings, and the school’s checks on how well it is doing.  The inspectors took into account the 19 responses to the online questionnaire, Parent View. They also spoke with parents and carers of pupils at the school. They analysed the responses to an inspection questionnaire returned by 35 staff.

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Inspection team

David Edwards, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 Buswells Lodge is much larger than the average-sized primary school.  Over half of the pupils come from minority ethnic backgrounds and the proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is much higher than the national average.  Children start school in the Nursery during their early years and attend part time. When they transfer to the Reception Year, they attend full time.  The proportion of disadvantaged pupils supported through the pupil premium funding is well above average. The pupil premium is additional government funding to provide extra support for pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and for children in the care of the local authority. Over half of the pupils in the school are eligible for this funding.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs is average.  Many pupils have attended a number of primary schools before arriving at Buswells Lodge Primary School

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Information about this school

and join the school partway through the school year.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which are the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in English and mathematics.  The school has a breakfast club for which the governors are responsible.  There have been a number of changes of staff since the last inspection, including among teaching staff and senior leaders. A new deputy headteacher was appointed in September 2014.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching so that, throughout the school, pupils’ achievement continues to rise in English and mathematics by:  creating more opportunities for pupils to use and apply their mathematical skills in real-life problem- solving situations.  ensuring that pupils use and apply the skills they learn in grammar and spelling lessons in their extended writing tasks.  making sure that work is always hard enough in all lessons to challenge pupils to think more deeply and to accelerate their progress, particularly for the most able.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Give subject leaders more opportunities to observe the teaching of their subject, so they can more accurately judge the impact of teaching and take appropriate action to bring about further improvements.

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The leadership and management are good

 In the successful drive to improve the school and eliminate weaknesses, the headteacher has led the school with tenacity and passion. He has forged the staff into an effective team. Together with the deputy headteacher and a supportive and resolute governing body, he has greatly added to the school’s strengths since the previous inspection.

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The leadership and management are good

 Leadership has been strengthened with the appointment of the new deputy headteacher. This has led to strong improvements in the quality of teaching, pupils’ behaviour and academic achievement. These improvements underpin the school’s strong capacity to improve further.

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The leadership and management are good

 Subject and other leaders are increasingly growing in confidence in using their expertise to check pupils’ performance analytically and address any gaps or inconsistencies. They play a leading role in developing the new curriculum and checking how well it is being implemented. However, subject leaders do not have enough opportunities to check the quality of teaching in their subject first hand to inform appropriate planning for further improvement.

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The leadership and management are good

 Senior leaders check the quality of teaching across the school rigorously. They use their excellent mentoring and coaching skills to give constructive advice, and use their most effective teachers very well to share and extend their good practice with other colleagues. The quality of teaching and learning is consequently going from strength to strength.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school has worked well with other schools and external providers in order to share expertise and develop the skills of staff. This has resulted, most notably, in improvements to the teaching of mathematics.

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The leadership and management are good

 Performance management is well established. It ensures that teachers’ pay progression is not automatic but that it rewards good teaching.

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The leadership and management are good

 Pupil premium money is used wisely and assiduously to provide well-targeted additional support for disadvantaged pupils. It has been used to enable them to participate in out-of-school activities and courses carefully selected to advance their education. This reflects the school’s determination that all pupils should have access to the best available opportunities. Consequently, the attainment of disadvantaged pupils is better than that of their classmates in most classes, and gaps between them and other pupils nationally are closing quickly.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school’s strong and successful commitment to ensuring that all pupils have equal opportunities to succeed is demonstrated by the good progress that all groups of pupils in the school are making.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school does not tolerate discrimination. Pupils celebrate each other’s faiths and cultures. Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs are treated equally. They make good progress because they receive effective support which is tailored to their individual needs.

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The leadership and management are good

 The primary school sports funding is successfully used to increase pupils’ participation in out-of-class sport. Specialist coaches have been used to improve the skills of staff. This has, in turn, greatly boosted pupils’ enjoyment of sport, leading to an increase in competitive events. It has also encouraged the development of higher skills in a number of new physical activities such as street dancing and an aerobic fitness programme.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school has planned well for the new curriculum, developing pupils’ skills and knowledge over a wide range of areas. This has helped to develop pupils’ writing and numeracy skills effectively, as well as ensuring that they have ample opportunities to experience the full range of subjects. Pupils also have good opportunities to develop their interest in activities such as sport and music.  The school promotes pupils’ social, moral, spiritual and cultural development well through the harmonious atmosphere of the school and the positive role models provided by staff. Pupils have many opportunities to reflect on their learning. Their relationships with each other and their teachers are excellent. Being part of a diverse community, pupils are keen to celebrate the similarities and differences between their own lifestyles and traditions and those of others. The British values of free speech, democracy and respect for

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The leadership and management are good

our institutions are actively promoted through assemblies and class events.

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The leadership and management are good

 The local authority has supported the school well, particularly in improving teaching. Following the last inspection, it had concerns about the school but now correctly judges the school to be good. It is well aware of the strengths the school.

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The leadership and management are good

 Safeguarding and child protection procedures meet requirements. Procedures are clearly established and much good practice is adopted in the day-to-day management, care and protection of children. Parents appreciate the way the school cares for their children.

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The leadership and management are good

 The governance of the school:  The work of the governing body has improved since the previous inspection. Governors are knowledgeable, astute and committed. They share the headteacher’s ambitions for the school and make sure that the right things are being done to bring about improvement. Governors have a good understanding of the information they receive about pupils’ progress and of how the school is doing compared with schools nationally. Using national, local and school information, governors establish a clear view of how well different groups of pupils are achieving. They check that disadvantaged pupils get the best support possible, and know that this has resulted in gaps closing. They also ensure that primary sport funding is creating more opportunities to enhance pupils’ physical skills, health and well- being. Governors have a very clear picture of the quality of teaching and ensure that pay increases for

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The leadership and management are good

teachers and the headteacher are linked only to good or better performance. Governors ensure that all requirements in relation to safeguarding are met.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good. At times, their conduct is exemplary. Pupils of all ages prosper in the warm, happy and caring school atmosphere. They show respect for each other, and to adults and visitors.

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Behaviour

 Pupils behave well around the school. Playtimes are happy and harmonious, and pupils from all backgrounds get along together.

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Behaviour

 The school’s behaviour policy is clear, and staff implement it consistently. Pupils know what the expectations are and often help each other to make sure these expectations are met. Pupils who find school challenging are well supported by staff and the learning mentor, so they can take a full and active part in school life.

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Behaviour

 Pupils enjoy learning and are keen to do their best. Their work is well presented and they listen carefully to adults and to one another. They work well, in both groups and pairs in all lessons.

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Behaviour

 In lessons pupils are willing to answer questions even if they are unsure that their answer is totally correct. They are confident enough to take risks and know that they will be encouraged by adults.

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Behaviour

 The school follows up any absence rigorously. Pupils want to attend because they enjoy school. The work of the learning mentor has ensured that attendance has improved significantly and is now in line with national averages. Pupils are invariably punctual because they are keen to be in school for early morning activities. The well-attended breakfast club has had a positive influence on both punctuality and attendance. It gives pupils a good start to the day.

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Behaviour

 Pupils are hard working and eager to learn. They are attentive and respond extremely positively to classroom routines and the learning activities arranged for them. However, on the small number of occasions when learning does not fully capture their attention, a few pupils lose interest and can become restless.

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Safety

 The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good. There are good systems and routines in place to keep pupils safe and these are reviewed regularly. Pupils say they feel safe both in school and in the school grounds. Staff receive regular update training. The school’s work to support and care for its most vulnerable pupils is exemplary.

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Safety

 Pupils say that everyone gets on well and that bullying and racism are very rare. They say that, if these do happen, they are dealt with firmly and promptly by senior leaders. Pupils do not have any concerns about name-calling. Almost all parents agreed with them. A very small minority expressed concerns on the online questionnaire, Parent View, but parents spoken with during the inspection agreed with pupils and said they had no concerns about behaviour.

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Safety

 Pupils know how to keep themselves safe in all aspects of daily life. The school helps pupils to protect themselves from the dangers of internet abuse and cyber-bullying.

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Safety

 Children who attend school for the breakfast club are well cared for. Staff are trained and all appropriate checks on them are made, as well as for staff in school.

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Safety

 The school site is safe. Visitors are checked thoroughly before they are allowed into the school.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers use the school’s exciting curriculum to enthuse and motivate pupils. They link subjects well and build on the knowledge and skills pupils already have. They use their good subject knowledge and visual aids to engage and enthuse pupils to learn effectively. Activities make good use of the many opportunities teachers provide for visits and visitors. Teachers provide activities specifically designed to meet the needs of disadvantaged pupils, those who speak English as an additional language, and disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching is now more inspiring and imaginative. As a result, it is having a very positive impact on the quality of pupils’ learning in all groups throughout the school.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The staff have warm, nurturing relationships with pupils which generate a positive atmosphere for learning. Pupils’ good behaviour and attitudes to learning help them to make the most of the opportunities provided to work together and help each other learn. This, in turn, successfully promotes their language development and social skills, which have resulted in improved achievement.

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The quality of teaching is good

 There is a clear progression in key mathematical skills throughout the school and a greater emphasis on calculation skills which has resulted in improved achievement. However, pupils do not have enough opportunities to use and apply their mathematical skills to real-life problem-solving situations.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The teaching of writing is increasingly effective throughout the school. Pupils learn well in writing because teachers provide effective guidance and support. Consequently, they gain confidence, practising their writing in varied and lengthy pieces across a wide range of topics. However, pupils do not consistently apply the skills they learn in spelling and grammar lessons to their writing and this hampers their progress in the subject.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Pupils enjoy reading and staff ensure that they are guided to read a range of different texts. More pupils read at home regularly now. During the last year, the school put in a lot of time and support for families to encourage this to happen. Pupils’ love of reading was apparent during a guided reading session in Year 6, where they were using their skills of inference and deduction, and extracts from the text, to support their judgements about characters in the book they were reading.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The development of pupils’ reading skills is being supported by improved teaching of phonics (the sounds letters make). Good teaching of phonics means that pupils are now making good progress in reading.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The work provided in lessons is mostly well matched to pupils’ different abilities, challenging them to do well. However, this is not always the case and the work set is sometimes not hard enough or fails to build effectively on what pupils can already do. This sometimes limits pupils’ progress, especially that of the most-able pupils.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Pupils who are learning English as an additional language, disadvantaged pupils and pupils who join the school partway through a key stage have their needs quickly assessed and additional support provided to help them to make good progress. The school has a skilled group of teaching assistants who make a significant contribution to these pupils’ good progress when teaching small groups and during whole-class sessions. The school carefully tracks the impact of the additional work that these pupils received to ensure that it having a positive impact on pupils’ learning and progress.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The school uses effective systems to check on and improve pupils’ progress. Teachers’ marking of writing, in particular, is thorough and indicates precisely what pupils have to do next to improve their work. Targets are used effectively to guide pupils’ progress. Pupils are increasingly responding to the comments that teachers make to improve the quality of their work.

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The quality of teaching is good

 During lessons, pupils use learning prompts to help them to check the quality of their work to help them to improve it and to accelerate their learning and progress.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Achievement has improved since September 2014. All groups of pupils, including those from minority ethnic groups and those who speak English as an additional language, now make good progress throughout the school in reading, writing and mathematics. Standards across the school are rising, particularly in English and in mathematics.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 After a good start to their education in the early years, pupils continue to do well in Key Stage 1. In 2014, by the time they reached Year 2, all groups of pupils had made good progress in reading, writing and mathematics from their various starting points. They reached standards that were below those expected of all pupils across the country.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Good progress is now evident throughout Key Stage 2. Attainment at the end of Year 6 in 2014 was below the national average. The proportion of pupils making expected progress was below to that found nationally, although it was stronger in writing than mathematics or reading. Not enough pupils made better than expected progress compared to other pupils nationally.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 A significant number of pupils had joined the 2014 Year 6 cohort in the latter part of the key stage. This limited the time available for staff to bring about the desired improvements in pupils’ progress. In the rest of the school all pupils made at least expected progress and much that was better than expected in reading, writing and mathematics.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The school is working effectively to accelerate pupils’ progress and raise attainment. Current school data demonstrate the rapid improvement that has taken place. The current Year 6 pupils are making progress in line with that expected nationally in reading, writing and mathematics. The proportion of pupils making better than expected progress in these subjects is also in line with the national average for 2014. Attainment has risen and is set to be in line with the current national averages by the time the pupils leave school.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 In recent years, pupils have not made the progress expected of them in their reading because they have not always had the opportunity to read widely and often. The well-stocked and attractive library, careful tracking of pupils’ reading choices for both the most able and also the reluctant readers have been effective in the drive to accelerate progress. As a result, pupils are now achieving well in reading.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 In 2014, pupils did not reach the expected standards in the Year 1 check on their phonics skills. However, school performance information and inspection evidence show that their phonic skills are much improved and that pupils can apply these skills to their reading.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils’ writing across the school is good overall and in some classes pupils are making rapid gains. This is because they have many opportunities to undertake extended writing tasks. They are also given very clear pointers as to how to improve their work and provided with stimulating and exciting writing tasks which prompt then to compose well-crafted and lively prose. However, the school recognises that weak spelling and grammar is hindering some pupils’ progress in the subject.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The achievement of the most able has also improved. Their progress is usually good; however, in some lessons, a few find the work too easy. The attainment of the current Year 6 is set to match the national average at the expected level. However, the proportion on track to reach the higher levels of attainment at the end of Year 6 is still likely to be slightly below the national average.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs make good progress. Their individual needs are met well through good teaching, and the good and effective support provided by teaching assistants.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils who speak English as an additional language achieve well, sometimes outstripping similar pupils nationally. This is because a strong focus on learning language and communication skills provides pupils with a good grounding in how the English language is structured.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils who join the school partway through Key Stage 2 have their learning needs quickly assessed and effective teaching strategies are put into place to support their learning and progress. This is helping them to make the same good progress as their classmates.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Disadvantaged pupils achieve as well as, and often better than, their classmates. By the end of Year 6 last year, gaps between their attainment and that of other pupils nationally were a year in mathematics, two terms in reading and just over a term in writing. There were no gaps within the school. In Key Stage 1 disadvantaged pupils did better than other pupils in school, demonstrating that the extra funding they receive is used effectively to support their learning needs.

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The early years provision is good

 The knowledge and skills of children on entry to the Nursery are lower than those typical for their age. A significant number of children have weaknesses in their language and communication skills, personal and social development and their understanding and use of numbers. Children settle quickly into school and become confident because routines are clear and firmly established. They make good progress, achieving well in both the Nursery and Reception classes, and are well prepared for joining Year 1.

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The early years provision is good

 The quality of teaching is good. Staff think carefully about how to make sure that activities effectively support children’s learning and progress. They ensure that they provide interesting activities for them, helping them to develop the ability to concentrate and focus on their work. There is a strong emphasis on teaching new words. This particularly helps children who speak English as an additional language to access all aspects of learning.

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The early years provision is good

 Disabled children and those who have special educational needs do well because teaching is matched effectively to their specific learning needs. They are supported well so that they can fully take part in all activities.

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The early years provision is good

 Staff plan well to cover all areas of learning and work together effectively. Children benefit from opportunities to work indoors and outdoors and to undertake tasks that they choose for themselves. The learning environment is bright, stimulating and well resourced.

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The early years provision is good

 Children feel safe at school. They know that members of staff will take good care of them.  Behaviour in the early years is good. Children respond very well to the instructions they are given. Teachers know that many children have had little or no experience of pre-school provision other than their time in nursery. Staff make a point of reinforcing classroom rules and routines so that children quickly understand what is expected of them.

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The early years provision is good

 A strong feature of the early year’s provision is good teamwork, and constructive links have been made with the children’s parents. Children’s learning is checked frequently. Parents have many opportunities to be involved in their children’s learning, so they can be clear about how well they are doing.

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The early years provision is good

 Good leadership has improved the quality of teaching, and therefore children’s achievement, across the early year’s provision since the previous inspection. More children are now reaching a good level of development.

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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 120040 Local authority Leicester Inspection number 453615

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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 462 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Lee Baines Headteacher Ken Judd Date of previous school inspection 12 March 2013 Telephone number 0116 235 2129 Email address office@buswellslodge.leicester.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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