Glenfrome Primary School

Glenfrome Primary School Cottisford Road, Eastville, Bristol BS5 6TY

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Overall effectiveness Good

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

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Overall effectiveness Good

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

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Overall effectiveness Good

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

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Overall effectiveness Good

Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Requires improvement

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This is a good school

 The headteacher and deputy headteachers represent a strong senior leadership team. They are supported well by middle leaders who also share their ambition and have the skills to improve the school further.  Good leadership, including the work of the governing body, has improved the quality of teaching and pupils’ progress since the last inspection.  The achievement of all groups of pupils, including those who speak English as an additional language, is good. Pupils make good progress during their time in this school.  Pupils with disability and those who have special educational needs achieve as well as other pupils because adults support their needs effectively from an early stage.  Children in the Reception classes make good progress and are well prepared for Year 1.  Pupils’ behaviour is good. Staff and pupils have a strong sense of community which is reflected in their outstanding relationships.  The quality of teaching, learning and assessment

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This is a good school

is good. Staff value pupils’ contributions to learning and make sure they are well cared for. As a result, pupils enjoy school and feel safe.  Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is a strength. Teachers make full use of the pupils’ rich cultural backgrounds to promote British values successfully.  A very large majority of parents who responded to the online questionnaire (Parent View) would recommend the school to others.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Some teachers have not been in post long enough to avail themselves of the best practice in the school to ensure that pupils in their classes make the best possible progress.  At times, teachers do not extend pupils’ ability to improve their own work well enough and this restricts progress.  Too many pupils are absent during term time, largely because of holidays and visits abroad, and this impedes their progress.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Raise the quality of teaching and pupils’ learning from good to outstanding by ensuring that teachers:

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

share existing strengths in staff expertise so that their practice matches the best in the school consistently develop pupils’ ability to take responsibility for making their work as good as it can be and to think for themselves about how to correct and improve their own work.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Make greater use of the strong partnership with parents to raise pupils’ attendance.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

 The headteacher, well supported by governors, continues to provide strong leadership during a period of change.  Leaders have diligently addressed the issues identified during the previous inspection. This is especially the case in distributing and securing effective leadership at all levels. For example, the senior leadership team comprises headteacher and deputy headteachers, now joined by skilled middle leaders known as phase leaders. This united leadership team is successfully empowering new staff to secure good teaching and quicken pupils’ progress.  The whole school community is fully committed to this vision, accurately identifying areas to improve and immediately implementing plans to secure rapid development.  Currently, given the very recent changes in staff, leaders have not yet secured pupils’ best progress in all classes. Even so, the leaders’ skilled liaison with, and effective support from, the local authority and

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

partner schools provides additional impetus to school improvement.  Leaders are effective in specifically tackling the breadth of pupils’ needs through a range of innovative and carefully planned adult-supported activities in and out of classrooms. Specialist teaching of reading and the training and deployment of sixth form learners from a local independent school to help individual pupils are helping raise standards in reading.  Leaders’ checks on the quality of teaching are robust and effective. They provide good support for newly qualified teachers. Leaders manage the performance of teachers effectively so that staff are clear about what is expected of them.  Senior and middle leaders regularly check the work in pupils’ books and visit lessons. They have also introduced a new system that enables them to accurately check the progress that pupils make. Leaders ensure that actions taken lead to improvement. This is evident, for example, in the year-on-year increase

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

in the number of pupils achieving a good level of development at the end of Reception and in the phonics (letters and the sounds that they make) screening checks in Year 1. Leaders are also demonstrating effective use of additional government funding to ensure that disadvantaged pupils progress as well as others.  The work of the school in promoting equality of opportunity and in eliminating discrimination is very successful. For example, provision for pupils who speak English as an additional language is highly effective in helping new pupils to settle in school and advancing their ability to communicate in English successfully.  Leaders and staff are also effective in providing the additional support needed in and out of the classrooms to secure good progress for pupils with disability and those who have special educational needs.  The promotion of pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is strong. For example, the

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

whole school community is united in celebrating and making full use of the richness of the pupils’ cultural and religious backgrounds.  The school’s core values of respect, fairness, aspiration, courage and joy are firmly embedded throughout the curriculum. These are seen in pupils’ daily interactions with each other and adults. Pupils demonstrate excellent relationships and their secure understanding of modern Britain and its values.  The primary sports funding is used effectively to increase opportunities for pupils to engage in competitive sport and extend the range of sporting activities available. Qualified sports coaches provide high-quality training for teachers and develop pupils’ skills effectively.  Over the past year, for example, the number of sports clubs provided for the pupils has been trebled. There has also been a 25% increase in the number of girls, disadvantaged pupils and those who speak

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

English as an additional language participating in these clubs.  The school provides a broad and well-balanced curriculum that covers the required subjects of the National Curriculum. Teachers stimulate pupils through interesting topics such as ‘The Rain Forest’. They place a strong emphasis on learning outdoors and during extra-curricular clubs. This underpins the pupils’ much improved engagement in learning.  A very large majority of parents who responded to the questionnaire, Parent View, would recommend the school to other parents. Leaders are tireless in maintaining the confidence of parents and in working in partnership with them. However, this has not yet secured the best possible attendance rates for pupils.  The governance of the school Governors provide strong leadership. They work closely and effectively with the headteacher and have contributed strongly in driving the school forward since the previous inspection. The governors’

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

efficient management of finance has been a key aspect in the successful move to two-form entry. Governors sustain value for money in using additional government funding to accelerate the progress of disadvantaged pupils. Governors also play a full part in securing sufficiently skilled staffing to meet the pupils’ wide-ranging needs, including those of the high numbers of pupils who speak English as an additional language. The governing body is well led and, by undertaking regular training, for example in safeguarding and checking school performance, ensures full adherence to statutory requirements. Governors visit the school regularly and share their findings with each other at their meetings. Governors also receive detailed reports from senior staff and middle leaders. As a result, they are astute in holding the headteacher to account and swift and accurate in identifying and tackling areas in need of improvement. By these means, governors have supported sustained improvement in the

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

quality of teaching and pupils’ progress in recent years.  The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. All staff are well trained and are clear and skilled in implementing the school’s comprehensive policies and procedures. Leaders and staff are diligent in getting to know the pupils and in meeting their individual needs. The school works particularly effectively with outside agencies to keep pupils safe, especially those considered vulnerable. A high proportion of the significant number of parents who responded to the questionnaire have full confidence in the way the school cares for their children.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

 All teachers, including several new to the school, value pupils’ contributions and work diligently to promote warm and encouraging relationships with pupils. Support staff are similarly consistent in demonstrating to pupils that they really do care for them.  Staff are also effective in managing pupils’ behaviour and ‘go the extra mile’, for example in settling pupils into the school and in helping those with emotional and behavioural needs. This consistent appreciation of the pupils’ needs and efforts in learning leads to pupils trying hard, paying attention and listening to their teachers and almost always concentrating well in lessons. Pupils say ‘Teachers are really kind and we enjoy being challenged, especially in mathematics.’  On occasion, a few pupils lose concentration but teachers and teaching assistants are quick to manage the behaviour successfully so that it does not disrupt the learning of others.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

 Teachers ensure that their classrooms present a welcoming learning atmosphere. They use displays innovatively to celebrate pupils’ work and to provide information so that pupils can find and use what they need to help them if they are stuck in their learning.  Pupils who find learning difficult or who are disadvantaged benefit from the expertise of their teachers and from highly trained teaching assistants who give them just the right amount of support. The large number of pupils who speak English as an additional language also make rapid gains in their communication skills because of the skilled and well-timed support from specialist staff .  Many teachers throughout the school demonstrate good subject knowledge and their well-developed questioning skills enable them to probe pupils’ understanding and check their progress during the lessons. This was seen to good effect during English in Year 4 where pupils were enabled to enrich their writing by

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

using adverbial clauses.  Leaders at all levels support teachers effectively. However, occasionally a few inexperienced teachers and some new to the school are less skilled at adjusting tasks so that pupils make as much progress as possible.  Since the last inspection, teachers have strengthened the way they check and record pupils’ progress. They use this information effectively to set suitably challenging and engaging tasks to capture pupils’ interest in learning. Teachers are also skilled in responding to pupils’ ideas. Pupils particularly enjoy sharing ideas with others.  In recent terms, teachers have introduced a new marking policy which encourages pupils to think about the written guidance and to take more ownership of their learning. The pupils’ ability to reflect about and advance their own learning is well established in some classes, especially in Years 5 and 6. It is not yet consistently strong in all classes.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

 Staff promote good links with parents, especially to welcome newcomers warmly into the school community and to support them at times of family crisis and with their children’s emotional needs. From the moment pupils start school, parents are encouraged to support their children’s learning, for example recording aspects in learning diaries.  Parents are encouraged to support pupils’ reading at home and to assist with topic work as, for example, in Year 4 by helping to make impressive models of the Eiffel Tower. As a result, pupils value their learning and show pride in school work. Pupils’ well-presented work in books and eager responses to teachers’ questions demonstrate their good attitudes to learning.  Pupils’ work also shows that they are given good opportunities to practise their literacy and numeracy skills, including across a range of topics.  The many opportunities for pupils to learn through practical investigation outdoors are boosting their joy

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

in learning and supporting their good progress and ability to learn into the future.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.  The relationships between adults and pupils, and between the pupils themselves, are outstanding and contribute greatly to the pupils’ full enjoyment of school.  Pupils undertake various roles of responsibility very sensibly. They take particular pride, for example, in suggesting and setting up their own activities such as a ‘run’ to raise funds for the ‘Race for Life’ charitable appeal.  The pupils’ much improved and more positive attitudes to learning represent significant improvements since the previous inspection.  Across the school, pupils respect their teachers and, by willingly expressing and sharing their ideas, they contribute well to their improved and now good progress.  Older pupils, in particular, respond eagerly to the teachers’ high expectations and challenge and, by taking greater ownership of learning, are making rapid progress.

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Personal development and welfare

 At times, a few pupils in some classes still need reminders to pay attention and work harder, but they respond well to guidance from adults.  Staff are very skilled in addressing pupils’ personal and emotional needs. They know the pupils very well and are quick to respond sensitively and effectively to support pupils’ specific needs, especially of those pupils who are considered vulnerable.  Several parents expressed appreciation of the caring support given to them by staff at times of family crisis.  The arrangements for keeping pupils safe are strong. Staff and governors undertake regular safeguarding training and diligently liaise with outside agencies whenever the need arises to secure pupils’ welfare. As a result, when questioned, pupils adamantly say that they feel safe.  Pupils have a good understanding of how to keep themselves and each other safe. For example, pupils using hand-held computers during breakfast club talked knowledgeably about e-safety and how rules help

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Personal development and welfare

them to use computers safely. Pupils are also clear about how to stay safe when approached by strangers or crossing roads.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good.  Pupils throughout the school are polite to visitors, move around the school sensibly and treat and use the school’s equipment respectfully.  When questioned, pupils swiftly expressed their appreciation of the school’s facilities, which have been improved since the previous inspection. This includes the outdoor learning facilities for children in the Reception classes.  The school’s records show that incidences of unacceptable behaviour, including bullying and those leading to fixed-term exclusions, have been greatly reduced in recent terms. Most parents and staff who responded to the Ofsted questionnaires support this finding and express the view that staff deal with misbehaviour effectively.  Pupils understand that a few of their classmates need extra help and appreciate the sensitive way that adults offer support so that learning in lessons is not disrupted.

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Behaviour

 Leaders, in particular, are rigorous in stressing the importance of good attendance in helping pupils to learn and this is helping to improve the attendance rate. Even so, too many parents are still taking pupils on extended holidays and family visits abroad and this is keeping the overall rate of attendance at a below-average level.

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Outcomes for pupils are good

 Pupils’ skills and needs on entry to the school are subject to wide variations.  The increasing and above-average percentage of children achieving a good level of development at the end of their year in Reception shows that they make a successful start to school.  The year-on-year improvement and now above-average proportion of pupils achieving national expectations in Years 1 and 2 phonics screening checks also reflects rising standards in response to good teaching. This also shows that pupils are making a better start now than at the time of the previous inspection.  Although pupils’ levels of attainment at the end of Years 2 and 6 remain below average, they are rising rapidly and moving close to levels expected for their age.  Pupils’ improving performance, and inspection checks of their work across Key Stages 1 and 2, also reflect rising standards and good progress during their time in this school.

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Outcomes for pupils are good

 Improved teaching and the development of different types of effective adult support in and out of class have significantly improved pupils’ early reading and phonics skills since the previous inspection. Pupils continue to extend their reading skills well as they move through the school. They benefit from plentiful opportunities to read with adults and visiting secondary school pupils and from regular reading in class and at home.  School and inspection checks of pupils’ developing skills show increasing proportions rapidly quickening their progress as they move through the school. Checks of pupils’ responses in class and work in books show that they continue to benefit from close adult assistance as they move through the school.  The good progress made by the most-able pupils is evident in their well-presented work in books. Older pupils in Years 5 and 6 classes, for example, enjoy showing their good understanding in carefully

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Outcomes for pupils are good

considered explanations of their work recorded in ‘thought bubbles’ or when answering ‘star questions’.  A large and rising number of pupils arrive from a wide variety of backgrounds later than the normal time of entry. Some enter having experienced little or no previous schooling and many speak English as an additional language or are still at an early stage of communicating in English. They respond well to skilled teaching and specialist support and make good progress during their time in the school.  Pupils make good progress in extending their writing skills. Many are supported well by the rapid widening of their vocabulary through class discussions and by sharing ideas.  Pupils respond well to improved teaching in mathematics. They say they enjoy mathematics now. This was evident in Year 2, for example, where the pupils’ thoughtful responses to the teacher’s questions showed their good understanding of the place value of number.

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Outcomes for pupils are good

 Disadvantaged pupils are supported well by pupil premium funding. Staff identify and address their learning needs at an early stage. For example, most benefit from additional adult support and many have their confidence in learning boosted by being fully included in school activities, such as outdoor learning and the breakfast club. As a result, they make at least the same good progress as their classmates in reading, writing and mathematics. Consequently, gaps between their attainment and that of other pupils nationally are closing.  Increasingly, the large proportion of pupils in receipt of pupil premium support who also have English as an additional language make even better progress as their skills in English develop.  Pupils with disability and those who have special educational needs also receive well-planned extra adult assistance. Staff work closely with parents and outside specialists to lift their confidence and promote

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Early years provision is good

 Leadership of the early years is good. Provision in both the Reception classes has been improved since the previous inspection. Most notably, the learning opportunities for the children have been greatly enhanced by the expansion of the outdoor learning facilities.  The strong leadership and aspiration for further improvement are also underpinned by skilled and committed support from the headteacher and governing body.  The teachers and teaching assistants in the Reception classes collaborate effectively to sustain a consistently stimulating learning atmosphere both indoors and outside. As a result, the children are motivated to participate fully in joyful learning. For example, during the inspection children were observed excitedly challenging each other to complete complex movements on the climbing apparatus.  Adults are well deployed to keep pupils safe and to maintain the legally required welfare procedures. For

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Early years provision is good

example, skilled staff ensure that disabled children, those who have special educational needs and others considered vulnerable, have their needs supported very carefully.  Children with little or no knowledge of English and the large proportion who speak English as an additional language also benefit from having their needs closely met from an early stage.  Children appreciate the welcoming atmosphere and consequently feel very safe, behave well and enjoy school. Parents also acknowledge the encouraging sense of community engendered at school and work well with staff in support of their children’s learning. For example, parents share books at home with their children and visit the school regularly to enter supportive comments in their learning diaries.  Staff use learning diaries and other books to record and check children’s developing skills effectively and to plan suitable activities so as to accelerate children’s learning.

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Early years provision is good

 Teaching is good and staff make full use of the well-equipped and spacious facilities. As a result, children make at least good progress across all areas of learning and many excel in their personal, social and emotional development.  Children benefit from well-planned adult-led teaching, including in phonics, which underpins early reading skills successfully. Children also learn well by choosing their own activities, but very occasionally opportunities for additional adult questioning to deepen their learning are not provided.  By the end of their Reception Year, the proportion of children reaching a good level of development exceeds that found nationally. This represents good progress from varying, but typically low, levels of skills on entry and means that children are well prepared for Year 1.

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School details

Unique reference number 108931 Local authority Bristol Inspection number 10002446

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School details

This inspection was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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School details

Type of school Primary School category Maintained Age range of pupils 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 355 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Jon Symonds Headteacher Inger O’Callaghan Telephone number 0117 377 2247 Website www.glenfrome.bristol.sch.uk Email address glenfrome@bristol.gov.uk Date of previous inspection 1–2 October 2013

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Information about this school

 This school is larger than the average-sized primary school.  The majority of pupils attending the school are from minority ethnic backgrounds. A well-above-average proportion of the pupils speak English as an additional language.  An above-average proportion of pupils join or leave the school other than at the normal times.  The proportion of pupils with disability or those who have special educational needs is below average.  The proportion of pupils supported by the pupil premium (additional government funding for pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and children who are looked after by the local authority) is well above average.  Children experience early years provision on a full-time basis in the two Reception classes. Other pupils are also taught in single-age classes.  The school is a member of a learning partnership with three other primary schools.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which are the minimum expectations for

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Information about this school

pupils’ attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics.  The school has experienced significant changes in staffing since the previous inspection.  The school provides its own breakfast club.  An after-school club operates on the same site as the school. It is managed independently from the school and so is not included in this inspection.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspectors observed 19 lessons and saw the work of 16 teachers. They were accompanied by the headteacher and deputy headteachers during most of these visits to lessons.  A wide range of documents was scrutinised, including records relating to pupils’ behaviour and attendance, safeguarding procedures and the school’s analysis of how well it is improving. The inspectors examined the school’s systems for checking progress and records of checks on the quality of teaching.  The inspectors talked to individual pupils and a representative group of pupils about the school and their work. They listened to individual pupils read and attended two assemblies and the breakfast club. The inspectors also looked at samples of pupils’ work across a range of subjects and classes.  The lead inspector held a meeting with members of the governing body. Inspectors also held meetings with school staff, mainly senior and middle leaders. The lead inspector met with a representative from

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Information about this inspection

the local authority.  The inspectors took account of the views expressed in the 87 online responses to Ofsted’s Parent View questionnaire and in 34 staff questionnaires. They gathered the views of several parents during informal meetings at the school during the inspection.  The inspectors considered the school’s use of the primary physical education and sport funding and the pupil premium.

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Inspection team

Alex Baxter, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector Dawn Breeze Ofsted Inspector Faye Bertham Ofsted Inspector guidance 'Raising concerns and making a complaint about Ofsted', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.gov.uk/government/publications/complaints-about-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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Inspection team

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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Inspection team

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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Inspection team

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, further education and skills, 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. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team,

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Inspection team

The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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Inspection team

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

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Inspection team

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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