Bridgtown Primary School

Bridgtown Primary School North Street, Bridgtown, Cannock, WS11 0AZ

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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

 Senior leaders and governors are highly ambitious for the school. Their recent actions have ensured that pupils’ achievement is good and improving.  Leaders have monitored the quality of teaching rigorously; it has improved since the last inspection and is now consistently good.  Pupils achieve well. They make good progress from low starting points, particularly in language, communication and number, so that, by the end of Year 6, they reach average standards in reading, writing and mathematics.  Children make good progress in the early years, where they thrive and rapidly develop new skills and knowledge. They are well taught.  Pupils continue to achieve well in Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2, where good teaching enables them to make good progress in reading, writing and mathematics.  The school has worked remarkably well with parents to improve pupils’ attendance, which is currently above the national average and rising.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 The school promotes pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development well. There is a very strong sense of community throughout the school.  The curriculum is broad and balanced and makes a significant contribution towards the development of pupil’s skills, knowledge and understanding.  Pupils behave well. They are usually eager to learn, and are very proud of their school. Adults have high expectations of pupils’ attitudes to learning and behaviour.  Positive relationships generate trust and respect among pupils and towards adults.  Pupils are kept safe in this inclusive and harmonious school. Parents value highly the friendly environment in which their children learn well.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Teaching does not fully challenge all pupils or hold their interest, especially in mathematics.  Teachers’ marking is not always sufficiently detailed to guide pupils towards better standards. Pupils do not consistently take sufficient notice of teachers’ comments and use them to improve their work.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 17 lessons, two of which were seen jointly with the headteacher.  Inspectors looked at pupils’ books during lessons and scrutinised their work in their exercise books. They heard pupils read and talked to them informally at break and lunchtime.  The inspection team held meetings with the headteacher and senior leaders, staff, a group of pupils and three members of the governing body. A telephone conversation was held with a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors took account of the 11 responses to the online questionnaire, Parent View, and the results of the school’s most recent parental survey.  The inspectors heard parents’ views of the school as they dropped their children off at the start of the school day.  Inspectors considered the 16 responses to the staff questionnaire.  Inspectors examined school documentation including: data on pupils’ current progress and records of

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Information about this inspection

governing body meetings; the system used to check teachers’ performance; behaviour; attendance and safeguarding. Documentation relating to the care of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs was also reviewed.

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Inspection team

Andrew Stafford, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Inspection team

Christopher Mansell Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 Bridgtown Primary School is smaller than average. There is one class in each age group from Nursery to Year 6. Children in the Nursery attend for mornings only and children in Reception attend full time.  Most pupils are of White British heritage.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs is well above the national average. A few pupils have an Education, Health and Care Plan.  The proportion of pupils eligible for the pupil premium (additional government funding for pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and those looked after by the local authority) is well above average.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics by Year 6.  There has been one newly qualified teacher appointed since the last inspection.  The school works with the local cluster of school to share training to improve the quality of teaching.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching so that pupils’ progress and attainment improve further by:  providing work that is consistently challenging for all pupils in mathematics and ensure that it fully engages their interest  making sure that teachers’ marking of pupils’ work always helps them to understand how to improve it, and that they act on the guidance provided by the school.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher provides determined and focused leadership that has helped all staff to improve the quality of their teaching. She is supported by an effective team of teachers and governors. All are ambitious for the school and determined to raise standards further. Strong leadership has created an ethos in which good behaviour is the norm and teaching is consistently effective.

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The leadership and management are good

 Senior leaders know the school well and maintain a rigorous focus on improving the quality of teaching and learning. Improvements are ensuring that pupils are making good progress and reaching higher standards of attainment, including in the early years.

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The leadership and management are good

 Leaders manage teachers’ performance well. Leaders’ highly effective system enables them to identify teachers’ training needs and provide relevant training of high quality. They make the professional development of staff a high priority and ensure that teaching quality is measured by the progress that pupils make. Newly qualified teachers and those in the early stages of their career are well supported. Leaders’ effective action has led to teaching that is consistently good and reflects the school’s high expectations.

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The leadership and management are good

 Leaders have made changes to the way key subjects are taught. Consequently, most teaching succeeds in engaging pupils’ interest and improving their skills and knowledge. However, occasionally, teachers set pupils work that does not challenge or interest them enough and they do not make the progress they should.

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The leadership and management are good

 Middle leaders are well organised and check standards in their subjects systematically. They provide class teachers with helpful guidance and practical support to improve their teaching. They help set targets for pupils and make sure every pupil knows how to reach the higher standards aimed for. As a result, the targets set in all subjects help accelerate pupils’ progress.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school‘s newly established curriculum is broad and balanced and meets most pupils’ needs well. The curriculum prepares all pupils very well for life in modern Britain. For example, pupils met the local member of parliament to learn about parliamentary elections and the legal system so that they can then carefully consider wider issues, such as democracy and justice. Many children sing in the school choir and, as ‘Young Voices’, enjoyed performing at the LG Arena recently. Others work effectively for the school council, successfully encouraging pupils to read, reflecting their commitment to the school as well as their love of books. These opportunities enrich their experiences in school.

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The leadership and management are good

 The curriculum is enriched through science weeks and through ‘Festival’ weeks that celebrate a range of religions and different traditions. There are opportunities for pupils to take part in trips that are designed to broaden their horizons and help them aspire to high achievement. For example, pupils recounted how much they had enjoyed their creative arts residential visit to Ingestre.

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The leadership and management are good

 Provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. Assemblies are highly positive experiences that give pupils the opportunity to reflect on the school’s values, including how the school operates within the international community. Pupils are genuinely pleased for each other when academic or sporting achievement is celebrated. The topics and themes explored, as part of its programme to support pupils’ social development, are very well planned and taught. They help pupils to develop a strong understanding of different beliefs and lifestyles from around the world from the moment they enter the school.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school supports disadvantaged pupils well through its careful use of the pupil premium. Leaders promote equality of opportunity very well and give every pupil the chance to succeed and benefit from all aspects of school life. The evidence from pupils’ books and the school’s information about their progress show that variations in the rates of progress between eligible pupils and others are being reduced quickly. Discrimination of any kind is not tolerated and the school makes every effort to ensure all pupils feel equally valued by the whole school community. As a result, pupils with significantly different backgrounds are wholly at ease with one another in their work and play.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school makes good use of the primary sports funding to provide extensive opportunities for pupils to engage in sport and to promote their physical development and well-being. Sports coaches work regularly with teachers to improve pupils’ skills, and pupils frequently participate in a range of activities, including swimming, tag rugby and gymnastics, that were not previously available.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school’s child protection and safeguarding systems are very thorough, fully meet statutory requirements and make sure that all pupils are safe at the school.

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The leadership and management are good

 Links with local schools and representatives from the local authority have been very supportive of the school. These connections have been instrumental in helping it to improve teaching and raise standards.

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The leadership and management are good

 The governance of the school: – The governing body is well informed about the work of the school and contributes very effectively to the school’s monitoring and evaluation programme. Governors make good use of the available data on pupils’ achievement to compare their performance with that of other schools. The governors’ robust questioning of senior leaders gives them an accurate picture of teaching quality and other aspects of the school’s work. Governors provide both support and challenge for senior leaders and ensure that they are held to account for pupils’ progress. For example, they monitor carefully the management of teachers’ performance ensure that there is a clear link between teachers’ pay and the impact of teaching on pupils’ progress. Governors carefully check the use of the pupil premium funding and are aware of the highly positive impact it has had upon learning for eligible pupils. Governors are similarly

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The leadership and management are good

diligent in ensuring that the additional sports funding is used well. Together with school leaders, governors ensure that all statutory requirements are met, including those for safeguarding.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good. Staff set high standards for how they expect pupils to behave, to which pupils readily respond. Pupils show respect and friendliness to adults, visitors and their classmates. Pupils have a good understanding of the school’s behaviour policy and show that they respect its aims.

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Behaviour

 Inspectors witnessed individual pupils helping other pupils to resolve difficulties they had with their work, without being prompted. This ensures the school is a happy, welcoming, caring and harmonious place, which has a very positive effect on the rate at which pupils learn.

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Behaviour

 Parents who responded to Parent View and the school’s own parental survey state that the school makes sure that pupils are well behaved. Parents indicate that staff deal quickly and effectively with any rare instances of bullying. All parents who responded to the surveys said their children were happy, safe and well looked after at school. One parent declared, ‘The school is at the heart of the community.’

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Behaviour

 The school uses its wide range of rewards to promote its vision of ‘Building for the Future’. The school regularly celebrate pupils’ good attendance and behaviour, as well as the quality of their work, particularly in reading. Pupils take pleasure in the success of others.

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Behaviour

 The views of all pupils are valued and nurtured, so that all feel special. Pupils enjoy the responsibilities they are given. The school council’s promotion of reading for younger children has improved achievement.

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Behaviour

 Pupils’ attitudes to learning are good across the school. However, very occasionally, a few pupils lose interest when they are given a task that they find too easy.

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Behaviour

 Attendance has improved because the school has worked hard with pupils and their families to help them understand how important it is to come to school regularly. The friendly way staff welcome parents and children every morning has made a significant contribution towards achieving above-average attendance and improving pupils’ punctuality.  Pupils with particular behavioural needs are helped to learn to manage their behaviour through a robust system of rewards and sanctions. Exclusion is used very sparingly and only as a last resort.

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Safety

 The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good. Procedures for identifying and reporting any safeguarding concerns are very thorough. The school liaises well with other agencies in order to provide the best possible support for pupils whose circumstances make them vulnerable, as well as for their families.

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Safety

 Staff are trained very well to ensure pupils’ safety. Pupils themselves are conscious of the need to keep themselves safe. They understand the roles of the emergency services and know, for instance, that the police, ambulance and fire services are there to help and how they can be accessed.

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Safety

 Pupils are safe in school at all times. They are very clear about what constitutes bullying and the various forms in which it can take place. They say that bullying occurs only very rarely in school, and explain that this is because lessons and assemblies teach them to be kind and respectful of different lifestyles, faiths and ethnic groups.

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Safety

 The school provides good opportunities for pupils to develop their social, sporting and other skills in a safe and stimulating environment. Pupils are fully involved in sporting activities, both at the beginning and end of the school day and in after-school activities and clubs.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The quality of teaching is good overall and has improved since the last inspection. Inspectors witnessed some examples of outstanding teaching. Their discussions with pupils and their scrutiny of the work in the pupils’ books both confirm that teaching is good.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The strategies teachers use to improve pupils’ progress are effective. For example, the teaching of reading and writing is based on giving pupils a strong, basic grasp of phonics (the links between letters and the sounds they represent). Pupils are encouraged to read at home, and this stimulates their love of reading and their progress across the school. The school is especially effective in supporting pupils who arrive at the school with weak skills in speaking and listening, reading and writing.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers encourage pupils to use correct mathematical vocabulary at all times, and this has meant that most pupils make consistently good progress in mathematics lessons. For example, Year 6 pupils were able to clearly understand the properties of different triangles because they were given a clear explanation.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers and teaching assistants work very well together to ensure that disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs have the support and challenge that they need to make good progress.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Pupils appreciate the good teaching they receive and report that they enjoy learning and that teachers make lessons fun. Parents say that their children are taught very well.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Inspectors’ observations of teaching and the work in pupils’ books show that most of the work undertaken challenges all abilities and moves their learning forward. Occasionally, teachers do not move pupils on to more challenging activities quickly enough. For example, inspectors saw a small amount of teaching in mathematics when the need to provide harder work to move pupils’ learning forward was not recognised soon enough. At such times, pupils do not find the work interesting and do not concentrate as hard as they could, and their learning slows.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching, particularly in reading, writing and mathematics, is good and improving and enables pupils to raise their attainment and make better progress. This improvement is particularly evident in writing, but these improvements are also present across a wide range of other subjects.  Staff report they get good opportunities to develop their expertise in areas in which they were once less confident. Productive links with local primary schools provide good opportunities for joint staff training. Consequently, teaching and pupils’ achievement have considerably improved.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers’ marking shows pupils where they are successful but does not consistently show them what they need to do next to improve their work. Not all pupils act on the guidance they are given and so do not make as much progress as they could.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 By the end of Year 6 in 2014, pupils reached at least expected standards in reading, writing and mathematics. A higher proportion than is seen nationally achieved better-than-expected progress in reading, and were close to exceeding the national average in mathematics. This represents good progress from pupils’ low starting points in language and number. The standards of current pupils are rising across the school, confirmed by publication during the inspection of the unvalidated test results for Years 2 and 6.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The school’s focus on raising standards has given greater emphasis to the teaching of basic number and calculation skills. These are regularly reinforced in mathematics lessons and in other subjects. Teachers frequently set pupils in Year 6 problems related to actual events. For example, pupils calculated the differences in rainfall between Egypt and England and gained a more secure understanding of number. However, not all pupils are always challenged sufficiently in mathematics and, as a result, their progress is sometimes slower.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The school’s results in the 2015 Year 1 phonics screening check showed that nine out of ten pupils reached the expected standard. This is higher than those seen in previous years. Standards in the use of phonics, and children’s early reading skills, have improved rapidly following the effective training the school has arranged for staff in the teaching of phonics. The school is especially effective in the way in which it teaches the youngest pupils to read. As a result, standards in reading and writing are improving across the school.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Disadvantaged pupils receive effective additional support that is helping to close the gaps between their progress and attainment and that of their classmates. In 2014, the Key Stage 2 test results showed that disadvantaged pupils were behind their classmates by nearly three terms in writing and mathematics, and one and a half terms in reading. In comparison with other pupils nationally, disadvantaged pupils were nearly three terms behind in writing and mathematics, and behind by one and a half terms in reading.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Teachers have made good use of the pupil premium funding to purchase well-used resources, and with well-targeted intervention by skilled support assistants are helping disadvantaged pupils catch up with, and in several cases overtake, their classmates. Across the school, eligible pupils are making at least good progress from their starting points, reflecting the school’s effective use of the pupil premium.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The achievement of the most-able pupils is good. In 2014, an above-average proportion of the most-able pupils in Year 6 achieved the higher levels in mathematics, writing and English grammar, punctuation and spelling. For the most-able pupils in the current Year 6, the school’s information on their progress and this year’s test results indicate that above average standards have been maintained.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs are making good progress in reading, writing and mathematics as a result of the effectively targeted support they receive. These pupils make at least expected progress, and many exceed expected progress in all three subjects. Early identification of their needs and increasingly effective support and guidance from teachers and teaching assistants ensure that the work they are given meets their needs and helps them to achieve well.

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The early years provision is good

 Children make good progress from starting points which are broadly typical for their age, but significantly weaker in language, communication and number. In 2014, the proportion of children reaching a good level of development was below that of others nationally by the time they left the Reception Year. Moderated assessments of current children, and inspection evidence, show that attainment has improved and three quarters of the children are attaining a good level of development. Children are well prepared for the next stage of their education and are set to enter Year 1 at levels above those from 2014.

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The early years provision is good

 Teaching in the early years is good. It is improving children’s speaking and listening skills and ensures their physical, personal and social development. Staff make considerable efforts to develop excellent relationships with children. Consequently, children rapidly feel secure, gain in confidence and become self- assured learners.

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The early years provision is good

 Staff use questions very successfully to encourage children to think and to respond positively to the tasks they are set. Staff and children communicate freely so children learn new vocabulary and use it appropriately.

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The early years provision is good

 From the start, children learn to do things for themselves and make choices about what to learn. They regularly decide what they want to do and choose their resources accordingly. For example, children chose to use skewers and made patterns from slices of fruit. They concentrated very well for some time on choosing different colours and textures, shaping and threading them before talking about the patterns with an adult, revealing their good understanding. Children were delighted to describe the patterns in their own words. The activities in the ‘Forest School’ stimulate children to be imaginative, especially when making patterns with the materials they find, and learning to talk about the qualities of the stones, twigs and feathers.

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The early years provision is good

 Children are encouraged to play and learn safely. They are kept safe at all times because staff are vigilant and plan activities carefully to minimise risk. Staff remind children frequently about the importance of keeping themselves safe in a variety of situations. For example, simple hygiene, such as the washing of hands at certain points of the day, is well established.

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The early years provision is good

 Teachers are very well supported by highly skilled assistants who help to focus support where it is most needed. This further encourages and supports the learning of the children.

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The early years provision is good

 Assessment is systematic and extremely effective. At the regular lesson planning meetings for all staff, adults consider carefully what children have done well, what they have individually achieved and where learning needs to move to. This ensures that progress is at least good for all children.

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The early years provision is good

 Good early years leadership is recognised by the local authority for the effectiveness of assessment. The assessment system has reinforced development of her knowledge and skills and is making a significant impact upon the setting. Leaders have a very clear idea of what is needed and ensure actions to bring about improvement are successful. Staff are supported very well through the system of target-setting and the opportunities available for further training; consequently, this highly inclusive team are very effective in their work together.

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The early years provision is good

 Partnerships with parents are very successful. They are welcomed into classrooms so that they can help their children feel at ease. The school provides effective sessions for parents, for example, to help them support their children’s reading. This means children settle quickly into the early years and parents become joint partners in the children’s learning.

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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 124067 Local authority Staffordshire Inspection number 462560

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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 170 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Amanda Evans Headteacher Joanne Raybould Date of previous school inspection 9 July 2013 Telephone number 01543 510201 Fax number 01543 510202 Email address office@bridgtown.staffs.sch.uk guidance ‘raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted . 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.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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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.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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