Chester Park Infant School

Chester Park Infant School Lodge Causeway, Fishponds, Bristol, BS16 3QG

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Good 2 This inspection: Requires improvement 3 Leadership and management Require improvement 3 Behaviour and safety of pupils Require 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

 Until recently, leaders, managers and governors have not taken swift enough action to tackle the decline in the school’s effectiveness.  Pupils’ achievement requires improvement. For the past two years, standards in writing and mathematics at the end of Year 2 have been below the national average. Too few pupils achieve the higher levels. This means that not all pupils are prepared well when they move to Year 3.  Teaching is not yet consistently good and does not help all pupils to make good progress. This is particularly so for the most able because they are often given work that is too easy for them.  Leaders do not make sufficient checks of the progress pupils make over time. This means that teachers do not pick up quickly on those pupils who need extra help, particularly in writing.  The early years provision requires improvement because teaching does not ensure that all children make good progress in acquiring basic skills in

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

writing.  Pupils’ behaviour requires improvement. Some pupils lose focus and become disengaged during lessons when they do not understand what they have to do or are not challenged.

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The school has the following strengths

 The headteacher and deputy headteacher are implementing appropriate plans for improvement and these are starting to have an impact on the teaching and the progress pupils make.  Reading standards are broadly average by the end of Year 2. Pupils enjoy reading and make good progress.  Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs make good progress.  The school is a nurturing and caring place. Pupils feel happy, safe and well cared for.  The school develops very positive relationships with parents and the local community.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspectors observed lessons or part lessons in all classes at least once. Six of these lessons were observed jointly with the headteacher or the deputy headteacher.  Discussions were held with the governors, senior and subject leaders. The inspectors had a telephone conversation with a representative from the local authority.  They listened to pupils read and spoke to a small group of pupils about their learning.  A range of evidence was checked by the inspectors, including the school’s improvement plan, policies and data related to pupils’ progress and attainment. Also taken into consideration were the school’s safeguarding procedures and practice, attendance and behaviour.  The inspectors took account of the 71 responses to the online questionnaire, Parent View, and 27 responses to the staff questionnaire.

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Information about this school

 The school is a slightly smaller than average-sized infant school.  Just over half of the pupils are of White British heritage and the others are from a range of ethnic backgrounds, with the largest group being Pakistani. The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is above the national average.  The proportion of pupils supported by the pupil premium (the extra funding for pupils looked after by the local authority and those known to be eligible for free school meals) is broadly average.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs is also broadly average.  There have been significant staffing changes since the end of last year with teachers, including members of the senior leadership team, retiring or moving on to other jobs. There is currently a number of staff on long term absence.  The school works with a group of local schools to moderate work and evaluate practice.

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Information about this school

 Children in the Reception classes attend full time.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Strengthen the impact leaders have on raising pupils’ achievement in mathematics and writing by: − checking pupils’ progress in lessons more rigorously − using a wider range of evidence, including the work completed over time, to identify ways for pupils to improve their learning.  Improve teaching by ensuring that: − teachers set appropriately challenging work, particularly for the most able pupils − all pupils know clearly what they have to do to achieve success − pupils persevere and complete tasks to increase their learning − all pupils stay focused and keep working consistently well in all activities.  Improve provision in the early years so that children are prepared well for Year 1 by: − making sure that individual children’s progress is monitored closely and the information available is used to plan learning activities − ensuring that teachers have high expectations of all children and organise tasks appropriate to their

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The leadership and management require improvement

 Leaders have accurately identified all the areas that need to be improved. They are implementing changes to teaching which are designed to improve pupil achievement; these are starting to have an impact. Nevertheless, the actions taken have been relatively recent and have not had time to fully take effect.  Pupils’ progress is tracked closely and regular meetings are held to discuss support for any pupils who are in danger of falling behind. However, checks in books are not always rigorous enough to spot those pupils who need further help or support with their learning.  Senior leaders have taken the important step of developing and extending the role of subject leaders. Teachers with leadership potential have been paired with experienced leaders to support them with this development. Subject leaders work well together and have begun to contribute more effectively to school improvement. By working closely with other local schools, they are now better able to identify effective

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The leadership and management require improvement

teaching and progress of all pupils by looking at their work over time.  The promotion of equal opportunities is an integral part of the school’s ethos, and leaders ensure that there is no discrimination.  Procedures to safeguard pupils are thorough and meet all requirements.  The school has made good use of its allocated sport funding. The focus is on developing the skills of the teachers and raising pupils’ achievement. The funding provides pupils with a wider range of opportunities, for example to learn tennis, country dancing and a range of multi-sports. Recently, Chester Park took part in a sporting competition with another local infant school and won.  Pupil premium funding is used well and this enables eligible pupils to make good progress, effectively narrowing the gap between their achievement and that of other pupils in writing and mathematics.  The new curriculum has been adapted and based more closely on pupils’ needs and interests. The

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The leadership and management require improvement

curriculum offers broad opportunities, such as visits to places of art and culture, which enrich pupils’ knowledge of the world around them. However, this has not yet been fully effective in improving achievement in writing and mathematics. This is because follow-up activities are too easy for some of the pupils.  Social, moral, spiritual and cultural aspects are promoted well through lessons, assemblies and good links with a local film company. Pupils develop a good understanding of diversity and the importance of British values through their strong links with a local church and two mosques. They are prepared well for life in modern Britain and gain experience of democracy through the use of their school council which gives them opportunities to express opinions and make decisions. One of the pupils informed inspectors that ‘it was very important to be kind and respect other people’.  The school appreciates the regular support that it receives from the local authority. It has begun to

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The leadership and management require improvement

implement suggestions made by them to improve teaching and raise attainment.  The governance of the school: − The governing body has not acted swiftly enough to ensure that leaders have addressed the decline in pupils’ achievement. However, governors now have a good understanding of the school’s performance and know where further improvements are required to move the school’s effectiveness to previously good levels. − Governors play a strong part in developing the school’s improvement plan. They monitor its implementation and evaluate its impact. Leaders are held to account and supported in equal measure. − Governors have set ambitious targets for the headteacher. They are fully aware of the quality of teaching and ensure that pay rises are only awarded to teachers if pupils in their class perform well. − Governors check closely the progress of pupils eligible for the pupil premium to ensure that funds are

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The leadership and management require improvement

being used wisely to reduce gaps in attainment. They make sure that the sport fund is used to raise achievement in physical education. − A governor is specifically responsible for ensuring that safeguarding requirements are met. She regularly checks that procedures comply with current regulations and pupils are kept safe.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils requires improvement. Most pupils are keen to learn, but sometimes a few pupils lose focus in lessons when they do not know what they have to do. This slows their learning. Some told inspectors that a few pupils are not always kind to others in the playground. However, pupils were confident that staff help them if there are any problems.  Pupils generally behave well around school and low-level disruption in lessons is very rare. Pupils are polite, welcoming and friendly. Parents are positive and think that pupils behave well in school.  All groups of pupils, including those from different ethnic backgrounds, play and work happily together.

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Safety

 The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good. All relevant policies are in place, such as safer recruitment, and systems are followed through carefully.  Instances of bullying and racism are very rare. Pupils expressed confidence in staff helping them if they were worried or sad about something like bullying. One pupil said, ‘I like that we have nice teachers because they look after people who hurt themselves.’  Pupils have learnt about road and internet safety. They told inspectors to press the ‘home button’ if something unpleasant or unknown comes up on the screen.  Attendance is above average. Pupils like coming to school because they feel safe and well looked after.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Inspectors’ lesson observations and pupils’ books showed that the most able pupils are sometimes given tasks which are too easy for them and which do not challenge their thinking. For example, in one exercise, all pupils had to complete the same tally and bar charts. This was done easily by the most able pupils and did not extend their learning. Although most pupils made good progress, the more able pupils did not make the progress of which they were capable.  Occasionally, pupils lose concentration when they are unsure of what they have to do. This is because the teachers have not explained clearly what they require them to do. Time is wasted and this hampers their progress. This results in pupils not completing their work and failing to make the progress of which they are capable.  Relationships are positive and this enables pupils to learn when they understand the work and find it interesting. Questioning is used well by teachers to probe and develop pupils’ understanding.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 The teaching of reading is good. There is a strong emphasis on helping pupils learn to read and develop ways to work out different texts. Pupils have a secure knowledge of phonics (relationships between letters and sounds) and this enables them to correct their own mistakes. They read with expression and are able to answer questions about the book they are reading. For example, one pupil said, ‘I am using expression and I break up the word if it is hard to read.’  Sometimes teachers miss opportunities to develop pupils’ skills in writing because they do not make it clear what they expect pupils to do. This means that not all pupils make good progress, especially the most able. For example, although clearly capable of writing much more, more able pupils complete a very small piece of work.  Teachers ensure that the pupils’ basic mathematical skills are improving by giving pupils lots of opportunities to practise them. Nevertheless, they are not given sufficient opportunities to apply the skills

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

they have learnt to solve problems. For example, pupils in Year 2 were able to complete basic money calculations confidently. However, they could not transfer these skills to solve money problems.  Skilled teaching assistants provide well-organised and well-targeted support for disabled pupils, those with special educational needs and disadvantaged pupils. This helps their learning and, as a result, these pupils achieve well.  Pupils who speak English as an additional language acquire language skills quickly. However, their achievement also requires improvement because the most able within this group are not consistently challenged.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 For the past two years pupils’ attainment in the Year 2 national assessments has been broadly average in reading but below average in writing and mathematics.  Children start school with skills in speaking and listening, personal, social and emotional development and knowledge of the world that are well below what are typically found. Those pupils of average ability, those who are disadvantaged, those who use English as an additional language, are disabled or have special educational needs generally make good progress, especially in reading. This is because teachers plan lessons well to meet their specific needs.  However, the more able pupils do not always achieve as well as they should. This is because they are not set suitably challenging tasks which deepen and challenge their knowledge. This is especially so in mathematics and was reflected in the 2014 national assessment tests when, despite more pupils achieving

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

the expected level, the proportion attaining the higher level was below the national average.  Pupils’ attainment in writing has been a little below the national average for over three years. However, inspection evidence and the school’s information on current pupils’ progress indicate a rising trend. As a consequence, attainment is now broadly average.  The attainment of minority ethnic groups and pupils with English as an additional language varies from year to year. Although the attainment of this group was below that of their peers nationally in 2014 in all subjects, these pupils are well supported and make good progress.  Disadvantaged pupils achieve as well as their peers nationally. Within school, gaps in attainment are closing and in mathematics these pupils performed better than their classmates in 2014.  Pupils make good progress in reading and this reflects the effective teaching of basic skills to support their

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

development. They say they enjoy reading and the school has worked hard to involve parents by encouraging them to read with their children. Initiatives such as a reading challenge have helped to motivate and increase pupils’ appetite for reading. The proportion of pupils who reached the required level in the 2014 phonic screening check was broadly in line with the national average and this was an improvement on the previous year.  Those pupils who are disabled or have special educational needs make good progress because their individual needs are well met. Pupils develop confidence and skills through well-focused support. There is a gap in the attainment of these pupils compared to their peers in school, but this is due to the complexity of the specific needs of this group.

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The early years provision requires improvement

 Most children begin school with poorly developed skills in all areas of learning, particularly speaking and listening skills and personal, social and emotional development. They make good progress from these low starting points, but too few children are well prepared to start in Year 1. This is particularly so in writing because teachers do not always plan activities that build well on the children’s existing knowledge and skills.  The early years leader, who is also the deputy headteacher, is well aware of what needs to be done and has already begun work on improving provision. Her support for the teachers has been effective, and teaching, although requiring improvement, is getting better. Teachers are making better use of information about children’s prior learning to plan lessons, so that progress is improving.  Early reading is taught well and the proportion of children reaching a good level of development is

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The early years provision requires improvement

improving. Children make secure connections with letters and sounds. The range of mathematical activities on offer is well organised. This enables children to recognise, recall and complete basic operations with numbers. Children’s writing skills, such as spelling and letter formation, are improving, but not fast enough.  Children behave well and they enjoy their learning. They are engaged in a wide range of suitable practical activities and use their imagination and creativity. However, the most able children’s learning is not extended sufficiently and their progress is not as good as it could be. For example, when two children threw balls into hoops to find numbers up to five, they did this quickly and easily and could have handled a more challenging task.  Staff are well trained and keep children safe and secure.

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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 108921 Local authority City of Bristol Inspection number 449555

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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 5–7 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 216 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Tony Davies Headteacher Susan Tyte Date of previous school inspection 9–10 June 2010 Telephone number 0117 3773047 Fax number 0117 3773047 Email address chesterparki@bristol.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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