Bucklesham Primary School

Bucklesham Primary School Main Road, Bucklesham, Ipswich IP10 0AX

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Good

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

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Good

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

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Good

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

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Good

Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Requires improvement

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This is a good school

 The headteacher has created a firmly aspirational ethos in her school and has motivated her staff. The school has improved since the last inspection and has the capacity to continue to do so.  School leaders, with the active support and effective challenge of the governing body, have tackled key school priorities vigorously. They have improved the quality of teaching, learning and assessment and, consequently, outcomes for pupils.  Pupils make good progress and their attainment is above average at the end of Year 6.  There is a sharp and successful focus on pupils’ personal development. They are well cared for and procedures to keep them safe are effective. Pupils develop as confident, enquiring individuals and enthusiastic learners who behave well.  A strong grounding is given to children in the Reception class; they make good progress and enter Year 1 well equipped to continue doing so.  Pupils’ learning and development is enhanced by a

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This is a good school

varied and interesting curriculum. It is complemented by a good range of additional activities and visits.  School leaders work closely with the families of pupils. Parents speak highly of the involvement they are able to have in their children’s education.  The school successfully fosters pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Teachers do not always judge the level of challenge accurately. Not all pupils move on as quickly as possible in their learning.  Pupils are not always given opportunities to broaden and deepen their understanding of what they are studying.  Middle leaders do not yet contribute fully to improving the quality of teaching in the school.  Given their starting points, too few pupils achieve the highest levels at the end of Year 6.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching so that more pupils attain the highest levels by: – ensuring that the level of challenge in lessons is judged accurately so that all pupils move ahead in their learning at the optimum pace – developing the role of middle leaders so that they can effectively model best practice and support and monitor the work of their colleagues – ensuring that pupils have sufficient opportunities to broaden and deepen their understanding of what they are learning.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

 School leaders and governors reacted vigorously to the previous inspection report. Its requirements for improvement were fully taken into account in the school’s planning. Priorities were accurately identified and pursued with determination. The headteacher’s strong ambition to further improve outcomes for pupils informs all aspects of the work of the school. Parents confirmed that the school has improved since the last inspection and have confidence in it continuing to do so.  The school’s ethos is an aspirational one that motivates members of staff and is communicated well to parents.  Over recent years, the school has experienced – proportionately to its size – a high turnover of staff. This has been of concern to parents. School leaders have given detailed attention to recruitment and staff training in order to improve stability. Teachers and teaching assistants receive good-quality professional

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

training. The staff group has high morale and a clear sense of common purpose.  Senior leaders have a good understanding of their school. All school plans are kept under regular review.  Middle leadership is at an early stage of development and does not yet contribute fully to the direction of teaching. There is very good practice in teaching in the school which is not yet fully shared.  Teaching is managed well. Teachers are clear about what is expected of them and have a wide range of opportunities to develop professionally. School leaders have ensured that teachers and teaching assistants are able to support pupils with additional needs effectively because of the training they have received.  The work of teaching assistants is planned effectively, which enables them to support learning fully across the school. They take advantage of a wide range of training options which equip them successfully to

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

lead groups of pupils in activities. Pupils make rapid progress in phonics (letters and the sounds they make) as a result of the high-quality work of teachers and teaching assistants.  The school’s curriculum is broad and balanced. Reading, writing and mathematics are given suitable prominence but other subjects complement them and ensure that pupils receive an education that has breadth.  Safeguarding practice is good. Systems for keeping children safe are thorough and well maintained. Members of staff receive the safeguarding training they need and full account has been taken of all recent changes in advice to schools.  School leaders ensure that good relationships are the norm in the school. Equality of opportunity is fully embedded, countering discrimination. The cohesive nature of the school community and the extent to which the views of all its members are taken into account ensures that pupils are well prepared for life in

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

modern Britain.  Pupil premium funding is used well. The number of pupils receiving this additional support is very low but judicious choices in spending are made.  The primary physical education and sport grant is well used. Historically, one use of the funding was for initial enrolment of pupils in the ’golden mile’ community running project. This promoted such high levels of participation that it is now funded independently and continues as a club supervised by parents. Many pupils were introduced to athletics by this initiative and have sustained their interest. Other uses for the grant include funding a whole school trip to a specialist gymnastics facility. The purchase of new equipment and provision of coaching led to increased participation in the sport. This has been sustained.  The school has fostered close relationships with pupils’ families; this helps to keep attendance levels high.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

Parents confirmed that they felt able to approach members of staff at any time to discuss their child’s progress. School events are strongly supported by parents. Parents’ views of the involvement they have in their child’s education, expressed via the Parent View online survey and in conversations during the inspection, were extremely positive.  The local authority has provided appropriate support to the school, helping to draw up and implement plans for improvement. It helped the school to engage with others in a mutually supportive group.  The governance of the school – Governance is good. Governors are ambitious for the further development of their school. Members have a good range of experience and skills. Through a comprehensive programme of training, governors have ensured they have the skills necessary to interpret pupils’ performance information accurately. They draw on this to check on the success of the school, holding leaders fully to account.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

They have thorough knowledge of performance management procedures for teachers and maintain an informed oversight of the headteacher’s decisions. They check that teachers’ progress on pay scales is directly linked to pupil progress. They have been robust in their support of the headteacher where any decisive action to correct underperformance has been necessary. – Individual governors have specific responsibilities; they visit the school frequently and check on progress in their areas. This includes careful scrutiny of the school’s arrangements for keeping pupils safe. – Governors ensure that the school’s spending reflects agreed priorities and that funds intended to support disadvantaged pupils, and to promote involvement in sport, are allocated properly and have a positive impact.  The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

 Teaching ensures that pupils make good progress in reading, writing and mathematics.  Teaching is well planned. In most lessons, teaches assess what pupils can do accurately and use this information to plan the next steps in their learning.  Teachers create a constructive working atmosphere in their classrooms, aided by skilled teaching assistants who contribute strongly to pupils’ progress. In a large majority of lessons, pupils are carefully guided in what they have to do and receive timely, well-judged support when they need help. Occasionally, expectations are not entirely clear and pupils do not move on as quickly as they could, either because the level of challenge is too low or because they need further help.  Teachers’ subject knowledge is good and in the majority of lessons they draw on this to frame questions that prompt pupils to think more deeply and to extend their understanding. Occasionally, pupils are not

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

required to do this. In mathematics, calculation strategies and other basic skills are taught well. However, teachers do not always provide pupils with opportunities to use and apply these basic skills and calculations. Pupils’ skills of enquiry are not always successfully extended.  Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs are taught well. Teachers are well trained and planning draws fully on a wide range of professional advice, including that of visiting specialists.  Phonics is taught well across the school. Weaker readers show confidence in breaking down an unfamiliar word so that it can be read.  Teachers ensure that pupils write at length in a wide range of contexts. They are familiar with the requirements of writing for different purposes and audiences and learn to adapt their style accordingly. For example, pupils in Year 5 and Year 6 had drafted ideas for a sculpture. Work in their books shows

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

how they were able to record the views of their partner and create an effective plan with instructions.  Teachers’ marking is detailed and helpful. Pupils’ books show that over the past year, they have become more accustomed to having a dialogue with their teacher. This good-quality marking and feedback enables teachers to check understanding and indicate what pupils need to do to take the next steps in their learning.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good. From the Reception class upwards, pupils increasingly become well-motivated learners. Even amongst the youngest in the school, self-confidence and a willingness to talk about their learning is typical. Pupils have a good understanding of school expectations; they were particularly clear that the responsibility to help new children settle into Bucklesham Primary School was something that applied to everybody.  There are good levels of participation in sport and in other after-school activities. This helps to build pupils’ resilience and confidence in tackling new things.  Pupils feel very safe and secure in school. Appropriate to their ages, pupils have a good understanding of how to keep safe, including being sensible and cautious when using the internet. Pupils clearly understand the different forms that bullying might take. Their confidence in being able to approach adults

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Personal development and welfare

in the school if a problem ever occurred and to have it resolved was absolute.  Pupils enjoy visits from outside speakers and speak positively about how such sessions help to improve their understanding of personal safety. Pupils demonstrate a good understanding of how to report any problems they may have, both at home and in school. A recent visit from a charity made a positive impact on their learning.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good. Pupils are unfailingly polite and keen to share their work with visitors.  There is no disruption of learning by poor behaviour. Pupils are only inattentive where the challenge in lessons is not well planned or when they are unsure of the next steps they need to take to move on in their work.  Attendance is above the national average and has been consistently so; persistent absence is low. On the first of the two inspection days, every pupil was in school.

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Outcomes for pupils are good

 Pupils make good progress through the school and achieve well. In the 2014 national tests, Year 6 pupils achieved better than the national average in reading, writing and mathematics. There were very few eligible pupils in Year 6 in 2014, so their progress and attainment are not reported in detail. Published data about pupils’ progress and achievement and the school’s information were checked against observations made during the inspection. The 2015 outcomes show further improvement. Current pupils are progressing at a good rate.  Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs make good progress.  The number of disadvantaged pupils is low. However, the analysis of school information and checks made during the inspection confirm that there are no gaps in school between disadvantaged pupils and others in the progress that they make from their starting points. The information provided by the school shows

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Outcomes for pupils are good

progress of disadvantaged pupils to be at least as good as their peers, who in turn attain higher than national averages.  Pupils in Key Stage 1 make good progress. All pupils achieved the expected standard in the Year 1 phonics check in 2014 and 2015. Pupils in Year 2 achieved a little above the national average in reading, and significantly so in writing and mathematics.  The school’s analysis of pupils’ progress indicates that at Key Stage 2 the proportion of pupils who make more than expected progress should be higher; last year, pupils in Year 5 and Year 6 made more rapid progress than those in Year 3 and Year 4. Leaders have acted to tackle these inconsistencies but it is too early to establish the impact of the very recent changes they have made.  Current school information shows Year 5 and Year 6 pupils to be progressing at a quicker rate than previously, which is consistent with the attainment of Year 6 pupils in all subjects in the 2015 national

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Outcomes for pupils are good

tests. Scrutiny of pupils’ work confirms this.  Pupils typically read widely. The school’s well-stocked library is valued by pupils and frequent use is made of it. Relatively weak readers still attempt books that are demanding for them because the subject matter interests them and they are not deterred by challenges in the vocabulary. Pupils speak enthusiastically about reading their books at home and their use of local libraries.  Pupils write well in a number of contexts. Work in books shows that pupils regularly write longer pieces of writing and that pupils in Year 3 and 4 begin to use devices such as similes and metaphors with confidence as part of their imaginative written work.  Pupils steadily gain security in using calculation skills in mathematics as they move through the school. Many pupils advance to the most efficient methods at a fast rate.

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Early years provision is good

 The early years provision is well led and managed. Children arrive with knowledge and skills broadly in line with those typical for their age. They make good progress and most leave with a level of development above the national average.  Teaching is good. Phonics is skilfully taught and the very high level of success achieved in the Year 1 phonics check is one consequence of the grounding given in the Reception class.  The environment is stimulating, with a good balance between indoor and outdoor facilities. The relative proportions of adult-directed and child-initiated activities are well judged. Creative play and learning are entirely intertwined.  The headteacher and the early years leader have a firm grasp of the strengths of the provision and of further developmental priorities. Their analysis identifies personal, social and emotional development as an area which is, relative to other areas, weaker in children joining the Reception class. This deficiency is

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Early years provision is good

addressed and quickly improved through a programme that illustrates essential skills using stories. Children quickly understand expectations in the Reception classroom and behave well.  Leaders have identified that there is a gender imbalance in participation in some activities. Girls often predominate in the reading area in the classroom while boys play with construction toys and materials. Leaders have plans in place to address this.  Children are secure and safe in the Reception class because procedures are maintained to the same good standard as in the rest of the school. This contributes to children developing confidence as learners. Most children were able to talk about their activities to the inspector. The more-able children benefit from the presence of Year 1 pupils in the shared classroom and have the opportunity to join in with more advanced activities when they are ready.  Teachers use comprehensive systems to take full account of information from preschool settings and from

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Early years provision is good

children’s families. By the time children begin in the Reception class, staff have a very clear picture of the knowledge and skills of each child so that carefully planned activities can begin immediately.  Children are well prepared for their move to the Year 1 class.

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School details

Unique reference number 124572 Local authority Suffolk Inspection number 10001876

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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 Community Age range of pupils 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 94 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Victoria Finch Headteacher Susan Todd Telephone number 01473 659389 Website http://www.bucklesham.ik.org/ Email address ad.bucklesham.p@talk21.com Date of previous inspection 18–19 September 2013

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Information about this school

 Bucklesham Primary is a school much smaller than average.  The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals is very low.  The proportion of pupils from ethnic minorities is average.  The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is low.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector observed teaching in all classes across the school as well as in small group sessions. These observations were conducted jointly with the headteacher.  The inspector looked at school information about pupil progress.  The inspector looked at school records, including those for safeguarding, attendance and behaviour. There was also scrutiny of the minutes from full governing body and committee meetings.  The inspector held meetings with teachers and teaching assistants. There was a meeting with the vice- chair of the governing body and a telephone discussion with the Chair of the Governing Body.  The inspector met with a representative from the local authority.  The inspector took account of the 27 responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Parent View. He also spoke to parents informally at the start of the inspection.  The inspector met with groups of pupils and spoke to individual pupils over the course of the inspection.

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Information about this inspection

 Teachers’ views, expressed via the Ofsted questionnaire, were also considered.

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Inspection team

Paul Copping, lead inspector 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

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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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