Bournmoor Primary School

Bournmoor Primary School Lambourne Close, Bournmoor, Houghton le Spring, Tyne and Wear, DH4 6HF

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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

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 School leaders have acted decisively to bring about rapid improvements in the school’s performance. The dip in standards in 2014 has been reversed.  Excellent leadership by the relatively new headteacher and effective support from other leaders has resulted in improved achievement and increased rates of progress throughout the school.  Well-targeted support and high-quality training is helping effective teaching to continue improving. Adults know pupils well. This, allied with their good subject knowledge, means that work is at the right level to stretch pupils’ learning.  Those who are disabled or who have special educational needs are provided with sensitive support to help them to make good gains.  Progress in the early years is good. Adults have warm nurturing relationships with children and so children’s confidence flourishes. Through well- structured tasks they are suitably prepared for the next stage in their education.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Behaviour is good. The school is a harmonious community. Pupils work and play well together. They willingly take responsibilities within school. They work carefully and diligently and want to do well.  Pupils say they feel safe and they understand how to keep themselves safe from harm. New starters are warmly welcomed and settle quickly. Procedures to ensure pupils are safe are thorough and regularly checked.  The effective curriculum enables pupils to learn through motivating and memorable first-hand experiences, visits and visitors to school. Pupils of all ages enjoy the good range of sporting opportunities they have.  Governors effectively challenged school leaders when performance dipped and provided appropriate support to enable improvements to be made. They know the school well and have clear ambitions for its future development.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Some aspects of teaching are not fully effective. Pupils are not always clear about the learning they should achieve in each lesson or about how to improve further. Sometimes they are not given time to make those improvements.  In the early years opportunities to provide number problems, to think more deeply, and to allow children to do things for themselves are occasionally missed.  Teachers new to leadership positions have not completely developed their roles. They do not monitor fully the difference their work makes to teaching and achievement in order to inform them better of subsequent action.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector observed teaching and learning in eight lessons, one of which was observed jointly with the headteacher. The inspector listened to pupils in Year 2 read.  The inspector held a meeting with a group of pupils to seek their views and talked informally with pupils at break and lunchtimes.  The inspector held discussions with members of the governing body, with senior leaders, middle leaders, teachers and a teaching assistant, the parent support adviser and a representative from the local authority.  The inspector observed the school at work and looked at a range of documentation including the school’s improvement plan, pupils’ records of achievement, documents relating to the checks made on the quality of teaching, attendance and safeguarding.  The inspector scrutinised pupils’ work in books.  The 15 responses to the online questionnaire, Parent View, were taken into account as well as the views

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Information about this inspection

of 16 parents who were spoken to informally during the inspection and parental views expressed in the school’s own survey.  Seventeen staff submitted their views via a questionnaire and the inspector took these into account.

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Inspection team

Susan Waugh, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 This is a smaller than average-sized primary school.  Most pupils are of White British heritage and nearly all speak English as their home language.  The proportion of disadvantaged pupils supported by the pupil premium funding is above average. The pupil premium is additional government funding to support pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and children who are looked after by the local authority.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs is above average.  Children attend school full time in the Reception class.  There have been a number of staff changes since the previous inspection. Both the headteacher and deputy headteacher have been appointed, as well as four of the six teachers and a higher-level teaching assistant.  A nursery on the school site is not managed by the governing body. A separate inspection report can be found on the Ofsted website.

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Information about this school

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

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching to outstanding by:  ensuring pupils are always clear about what they are learning in lessons  providing pupils with clear guidance about what to do next to improve and time to complete those improvements  consistently providing children in the early years with more opportunities to think deeply and do things for themselves  provide more challenge for children in the early years through opportunities to solve number problems.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Further improve the quality of leadership and management by enabling those new to leadership to develop their roles further so they can monitor the differences their actions make to better inform them of future actions.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher provides excellent leadership. Her calm, clear-sighted approach and commitment to improvement has resulted in rapid and effective change to all aspects of school life. Her approach is fully supported by all staff, whose hard-working enthusiasm, keenness and passion shine through. Their desire to do the very best for each pupil and their commitment to ensuring equality of opportunity is demonstrated in the good progress pupils make, their good behaviour and their support for individuals to overcome any difficulties they face.  All staff are appreciative of the opportunities they are given to develop their own expertise through the support of others and the well-planned training they receive. School leaders including governors do not tolerate underperformance and only reward those who fully contribute to pupils’ progress and school life. Procedures to manage the performance of staff are effective and contribute to the fast pace of

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The leadership and management are good

improvements in teaching.  Nearly all middle and senior leaders are new to their roles but all have a good grasp of the school’s strengths and areas for development. No time has been wasted in making changes and their actions have helped to make significant differences to teaching and the curriculum. For example, as a result of weaknesses in the teaching of mathematics the deputy headteacher provided training, demonstrated effective teaching to colleagues and provided new resources to improve teaching and pupils’ performance. Whilst the new leaders have implemented change the regular checking of these changes has been mainly undertaken by the headteacher. Leaders have already identified that they need to develop these skills to further develop their own effectiveness.  Leaders have identified the strengths in the early years, and their plans for improvement in this area are based on effective checking. However, they have not identified the need to always ensure that children

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The leadership and management are good

are well challenged in all that they do.  The curriculum is good. Pupils are well-prepared for life in modern Britain. They learn about and understand the diversity of communities and families and are supported to tackle discrimination and prejudice. There are good opportunities for social, moral, spiritual and cultural development. These opportunities are enhanced by regular visits such as to places of worship or the local nature park to develop their appreciation of the natural world. The curriculum develops pupils’ basic skills year on year ensuring there is no repetition. Changes to the mathematics curriculum to ensure pupils have a deeper understanding of mathematical skills and concepts have been successful in raising achievement.  Parental partnerships are effective and improving. School leaders provide a good range of opportunities to inform parents about how to help with, and become involved in, their child’s learning. Regular newsletters

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The leadership and management are good

and text messages keep parents up to date. The vast majority of parents feel welcome, are in praise of the school and are keen to support its work. They recognise the positive changes which have taken place.  Sports funding has been used well to widen the range of sports and games on offer and to increase participation to all age groups. The chance to take part in competitions and in festivals is appreciated by pupils.  Safeguarding arrangements meet requirements and are effective. Staff training is up to date and staff understand what to do when they are concerned about a pupil’s welfare. Records are thorough and well organised.  The local authority has an accurate view of the school’s effectiveness. The appropriate challenge and support they provide have contributed to the fast pace of improvement in the school.  The governance of the school:  Governance is effective. Governors are very clear about the future direction of the school and the need

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The leadership and management are good

to build on the improvements which have already been made. They know the school well as a result of regular focused visits and the comprehensive information they receive from the headteacher. Consequently, they use their knowledge about performance and the quality of teaching to offer appropriate challenge when they have concerns, such as the need to address the decline that occurred in standards in mathematics in 2014.  Funding is used well to bring about improvements in the school. Additional funding to support disadvantaged pupils has been invested in employing extra teachers so that the curriculum could be reorganised to avoid any repetition and to provide targeted support to pupils where needed. As a result disadvantaged pupils are reaching higher standards than in the past, which are now closer to the national average.  Governors are committed to continually improving their effectiveness. Their expertise is well deployed

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The leadership and management are good

and they attend training to ensure they are up to date and understand their responsibilities.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good. The school is a calm and caring place to be. Staff and pupils form strong, trusting relationships. Pupils respect all staff and want to do well. They are encouraged to share their achievements from home as well as school. During assembly individual successes are applauded warmly.  Most pupils work diligently and are keen to get on, enthused by the interesting tasks set for them. The attention of some pupils wanders occasionally but they are quickly brought back on task by adults.  Pupils take pride in their work and respect school rules. They move around the school appropriately, care for books and equipment and deposit litter appropriately. The school and grounds are attractive and well cared for.  Pupils cooperate well together. In class they share ideas and listen to each other respectfully. In the playground they play well together. The good range of equipment and organised games keeps them

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Behaviour

interested and occupied. Pupils say disputes are rare and quickly dealt with.  Pupils enjoy taking responsibility and this contributes to the good behaviour in school. For example, the ‘school sports organising crew’ set out games for groups of children to participate in at lunchtime. Others are helpers at assembly time.  The school effectively supports pupils who struggle to manage their own behaviour. For example, the parent support adviser works with pupils and their parents to overcome difficulties.  Attendance is above average and pupils arrive to school on time. Very few pupils have high absence rates because they want to come to school and there are good procedures to ensure absences are followed up promptly.

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Safety

 The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good. Pupils can express their concerns in a variety of ways including the use of ‘worry boxes’ or by approaching a trusted adult in school.  Pupils who are new to the school say it is easy to settle and make friends. Their initial concerns are quickly allayed. Pupils say that name-calling and bullying are rare and always dealt with immediately School records confirm that incidents are infrequent and dealt with appropriately. Although a minority do not, the vast majority of parents agree that pupils are safe in school.  Pupils have a good understanding of how to stay safe. They are very well aware of the potential dangers when using social media and how to combat them. They are clear about dangers around the home and what might cause a fire. They know the rules of the road when cycling.  Procedures in school contribute well to ensuring pupils are kept safe. Absences are followed up promptly

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Safety

and regular checks are made to the school grounds and building to ensure it remains safe. Supervision of pupils is always at the right level.

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The quality of teaching is good

 In the past some disruption in staffing caused a lack of consistency in the teaching pupils received. This resulted in the dip in standards in mathematics. Now lessons are well-organised. Learning is built up logically step-by-step to help pupils’ understanding in reading, writing and mathematical skills. Opportunities to deepen their understanding of mathematical skills is provided through a good range of problem-solving activities and the need to select the most appropriate equipment to help find a solution. Writing skills are practised and further developed when studying other subjects such as history or religious education.  All adults have high expectations of pupils. This is demonstrated clearly in the quantity and quality of their work in books and in the respect pupils give to teachers. Relationships are good and classes are calm and purposeful.  Teachers know pupils well. Their assessments of what pupils can do and understand are accurate so that

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The quality of teaching is good

the work they provide is well-matched to their learning needs. For example, the most able pupils are given work which stretches their capabilities: some younger pupils had to decide which methods of calculation to use to buy items for a party bag up to a certain value.  Adults demonstrate good subject knowledge. This means explanations of new learning are accurate and easier for pupils to understand. Adults encourage pupils to use the correct vocabulary in lessons so their knowledge is extended.  Reading is taught well. Pupils learn letters and sounds quickly and confidently so that they can read an increasing range of books, chosen to appeal to their interests and imagination.  Pupils with disabilities and/or special educational needs are taught effectively. The resources and equipment which adults prepare for them are well thought out and help pupils to become increasingly confident and willing to tackle work without support.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Good questioning in lessons develops, extends and improves pupils’ learning. This checking is not of the same quality in pupils’ marked work. Pupils are not always clear about what they have learned and information about how to improve is inconsistent. Sometimes where there are points for improvement they are not acted upon.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 In 2014 standards in mathematics for Year 6 pupils dipped below average. Since then concerted action by new school leaders has led to rapid improvements in the quality of teaching and of pupils’ achievement. Inspection evidence confirms that Year 6 pupils are now reaching average standards in writing and above- average standards in mathematics and reading. An increasing proportion is making more than the progress expected of them, not only in mathematics but also in reading and writing.  Evidence from pupils’ current work and the school’s achievement information confirms that progress in all subjects is good across the school as a result of improvements in the quality of teaching. More pupils are reaching higher than expected levels at the end of Year 2 than in the past and the majority of pupils in Year 5 have reached standards above those expected for their age.  In Year 1 the proportions who reached the expected levels in the phonics screening checks (knowledge of

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The achievement of pupils is good

letters and the sounds they represent) in 2014 were above average and have continued to increase. Inspection evidence shows that younger pupils use their phonic skills well to support their reading and writing.  The most able pupils achieve well because they are given work which stretches their capabilities. In Year 2 increasing numbers are reaching higher than expected standards in reading, writing and mathematics. These are similar to the proportions who reach this level nationally. By the end of Year 6 the proportion of pupils who reach a higher standard than expected for their age in reading and mathematics is greater than the proportion nationally. Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs are effectively supported to make good progress from their different starting points. Their individual needs are identified quickly and their progress is monitored carefully to ensure the support they receive is making a

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The achievement of pupils is good

difference to their learning. There is a strong emphasis on ensuring these pupils develop high levels of resilience and self-confidence so they are well-equipped to persevere with work they find difficult.  The effective use of additional funds to support disadvantaged pupils ensures that they make the same good rates of progress as other pupils in school and other pupils nationally. Although the gap between disadvantaged pupils and others nationally was closing, in 2014 disadvantaged pupils in the school were nearly four terms behind in mathematics, two terms behind in reading and just over half a term behind in writing. Disadvantaged pupils currently in school are now reaching higher standards than in the past and are close to the national average overall. This fact, together with current school data and other inspection evidence indicates that the gap is closing quickly again.

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The early years provision is good

 Children settle quickly into school because of the carefully planned programme of visits to help them get to know the indoor and outdoor classroom and their teachers. Once in school full time they quickly learn rules and routines. They tidy up quickly when prompted, putting resources and equipment in the correct place. They learn to be increasingly independent.  Adults are warm and caring. They are good role models who help children behave well. Children develop good manners, take turns and cooperate with each other. For example, during the inspection children listened carefully and waited patiently for their turn when they were playing musical instruments.  Most children begin school with knowledge, skills and understanding which are below those typical for their age. They progress well so that most reach the expected level and are well-prepared for their next stage of education in Year 1. For example, the effective teaching of phonics successfully helps children to

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The early years provision is good

rapidly develop their writing so they can write sentences unaided.  The quality of teaching in the early years is good. Adults are adept at developing children’s language and communication skills. Resources in the role-play area, such as a stethoscope and thermometer, encourage children to develop their vocabulary well. In small group activities adults provide examples of sounds they can hear and then encourage children to describe the sounds themselves.  Adults’ questioning extends children’s play and deepens their understanding. For example, when making potions children were prompted to observe carefully and describe the changes they could see happening to their potions. However, this is not always the case. Sometimes children are not asked to think more deeply about something and are given the answer by adults.  Observations of children’s learning are used well to inform adults about what to do next to help them

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The early years provision is good

progress.  Sometimes adults miss opportunities to challenge children to extend their thinking and skills. Some children are not encouraged to try to write for themselves and instead copy what an adult has written.  The early years is led and managed well. The early years leader is thoughtful and keen to develop further the quality of what is offered. For example, she has identified the limitations to the outdoor classroom and plans are in place to address this. Assessments are used to identify priorities each year and to ensure children are supported to make good progress. Procedures to keep children safe are thorough and effective.

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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 114018 Local authority Durham Inspection number 461573

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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.

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School details

Type of school Primary School category Community Age range of pupils 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 111 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Tracy Bell Headteacher Laura Snowdon Date of previous school inspection 14 November 2011 Telephone number 0191 385 4291 Fax number Not applicable Email address bournmoor@durhamlearning.net 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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