Steeple Bumpstead Primary School

Stanley Drapkin Primary School Bower Hall Drive, Steeple Bumpstead, Haverhill, Suffolk CB9 7ED

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Requires improvement

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This is a school that requires improvement

 Although there have been many improvements to the school since the previous inspection, weaknesses remain in the quality of teaching, learning and assessment. As a result, the progress that pupils make varies too much between subjects and year groups.  There are weaknesses in the teaching of reading at key stage 2. Too few pupils read widely and often. Attainment in reading at the end of key stage 2 in 2016 was below the national average.  Teachers do not plan lessons effectively to meet the needs of the most able pupils. Consequently, these pupils do not make the progress of which they are capable.  The assessments that teachers make on pupils’ attainment at key stage 2 are too often inaccurate. As a result, not all teachers are able to plan accurately to meet pupils’ needs, and school leaders, including governors, do not have a sufficiently clear picture of the school’s strengths and weaknesses.  Leaders and governors do not use performance

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This is a school that requires improvement

management effectively to support and develop the role of teaching assistants across the school.  Pupils do not make good progress in geography, history or science. Too often, the work that teachers set in these subjects lacks challenge, and expectations around what pupils can achieve are too low.

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The school has the following strengths

 Personal development and welfare are outstanding. Children are proud of their school, they attend regularly, behave well and try hard in lessons.  Children get off to a good start in the early years. They are taught well, make good progress and are very well prepared for the next stage of their education.  The school ensures that disadvantaged pupils make good progress. As a result, the gap in attainment between them and other pupils nationally is narrowing.  The teaching of writing and mathematics has improved significantly over the past two years. Pupils across the school are now making good progress in these subjects as a result.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve leadership and management by ensuring that: effective systems are in place to ensure that teachers make accurate assessments of pupils’ progress the performance management of teaching assistants is rigorously monitored weak teaching is challenged and improved so that pupils make good progress in all subjects and all year groups.  Improve the quality of teaching, learning and assessment by ensuring that: all teachers use assessment information well to plan work which challenges pupils, particularly the most able reading is taught more effectively at key stage 2, so that pupils develop a love of reading and make better progress teachers provide more challenging work in geography, history and science, and have higher expectations of what pupils can achieve in these subjects.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvment

 The headteacher has secured improvements in the quality of teaching and learning in mathematics and writing since the previous inspection. These improvements are reflected in the quality of work seen in pupils’ books across all key stages. However, achievement in reading is less consistent. Although good progress is evident in the early years and at key stage 1, progress is slower across key stage 2. Attainment in reading, at the end of key stage 2 in 2016, is below the national average.  The assessments that teachers make on pupils’ attainment, and the progress that they are making, are not always accurate. School leaders have failed to ensure that appropriate checks are made to moderate assessment judgments. As a result, some of the school’s records of pupils’ achievement, particularly across key stage 2, are unreliable.  School leaders use appraisal effectively for teachers to improve teaching. They make regular observations

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvment

of teaching and scrutinise pupils’ work to look at the impact of teaching over time. They have taken action to challenge weak teaching and also ensured that training and support have been provided where necessary. However, the work of teaching assistants is not scrutinised as closely as it should be. Over the past 12 months there has been no formal process to review their work and the impact that it is having on pupils’ achievement. This means that individual strengths are not recognised and built upon and insufficient consideration is given to their training needs.  The school’s carefully planned curriculum ensures that pupils have opportunities to learn across a wide range of subjects. However, teachers do not have the same high expectations about the standard of pupils’ work in these subjects as they do in English and mathematics lessons. In too many lessons the work that teachers set is too easy and progress is limited. The most able pupils, in particular, are rarely

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvment

provided with work which challenges them. Progress in science, history and geography is weak as a result and, by the end of Year 6, pupils are not well prepared for the next stage of their education in these subjects.  The subject leaders for mathematics and English know their subjects well and have overseen some significant improvements in their areas of responsibility. This is reflected in the improved standards in writing and mathematics. The leadership of other subjects is less well developed though and, in some subjects, there are no regular checks made on the quality of teaching or the work that pupils produce.  There has been a focus on the progress of disadvantaged pupils over the past school year. School leaders regularly check on the impact of the additional support that these pupils receive in order to establish what is working well and what is not. Gaps between these pupils and others are closing rapidly.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvment

 The additional sports funding that the school receives is being used effectively to enhance both the curriculum and extra-curricular activities. For example, the school employs a coach from the local tennis club who teaches at the school and encourages pupils to engage in sport outside of school. Some pupils were playing in the finals of the school’s tennis competition during this inspection and some high-quality tennis was observed. New resources to support the teaching of physical education have also been purchased, and participation in after-school sports clubs and competitions with other schools has increased. These experiences have had a positive impact on pupils’ development and progress.  The school makes good use of its outdoor swimming pool. At the time of this inspection almost all of the Reception children could swim a length and many older pupils were highly competent swimmers.  The school’s work to promote pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is effective. Pupils

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvment

have a good awareness of British values, including democracy and respect and tolerance for those who have different views or beliefs. Displays in the corridors, and work seen in pupils’ books, support pupils’ understanding of British values and the school’s effective promotion of tolerance and respect for cultural diversity, other faiths and religions.  Parents and staff are highly supportive of you and your efforts to improve the school further. Staff who responded to the Ofsted questionnaire said that the school had improved since the previous inspection. One parent described Stanley Drapkin as, ‘A great village school where children make life-long friends.’  The local authority has provided effective support to the school over the past 12 months. It has provided a good level of challenge to senior leaders, and helped to ensure that the governing body has the necessary skills and abilities to provide strategic direction to the school.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvment

 The governance of the school  There have been improvements to governance at the school over the past 12 months. The local authority has supported governors well, by providing training and support, which has given governors a clearer understanding of their role in holding school leaders to account.  Governors now visit the school regularly to see for themselves how it is performing. They are involved in activities such as pupil progress meetings, with the headteacher and class teachers. This is helping them to gain a broad understanding of the school’s work to improve standards in English and mathematics.  Governors understand the link between pay and performance. They keep an overview of the appraisal of teachers and meet regularly with the headteacher to discuss her impact on the school’s priorities. However, they have not ensured that teaching assistants have been provided with a regular appraisal

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvment

of their work.  Governors are fully aware of their role in safeguarding pupils. They ensure that policies and procedures are up to date and reflect current guidelines. One governor met recently with pupils to discuss e-safety and was impressed with the knowledge that they demonstrated.  The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. School leaders place a high priority on keeping pupils safe and ensure that appropriate checks are made on all adults who work in the school. Children say that they feel safe while in school and parents and staff agree. The premises are secure and visitors are subject to appropriate checks. Staff have a good awareness of all relevant safeguarding procedures and policies, and those responsible for taking a lead role in safeguarding and recruitment are well trained to carry out their roles. When necessary, school leaders work closely with external agencies to ensure that

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvment

vulnerable pupils receive timely support.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

 Teaching has improved in mathematics and English since the previous inspection, and pupils’ achievement is rising in these subjects. However, this has not been the case in geography, history or science. Teachers do not have high enough expectations of what pupils can achieve in these subjects and provide too much work that gives too little challenge to pupils, particularly the most able.  Teachers’ assessments of what pupils are able to do are not always accurate, and school leaders have failed to ensure that these assessments are checked rigorously. Consequently, leaders and governors do not have a clear enough picture of achievement across the school so they are not always able to address weaknesses in a timely manner. In classes where assessment practice is weak, teachers are not able to use assessment information to inform their planning and provide learning activities that meet pupils’ needs. This results in pupils making slower progress.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

 Teachers’ planning for the most able pupils does not always deepen their understanding of a topic. For example, an extension activity in science asked most-able pupils to merely copy out definitions of key terms.  The teaching of early reading is a strength of the school. Children in the early years make rapid progress in learning the basics of reading and writing. This progress continues in Years 1 and 2, and pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education when they enter key stage 2. At key stage 2, pupils continue to make progress but teachers fail to teach and promote reading well enough, and too few pupils develop a love of reading. Progress, therefore, slows and not enough pupils read widely and often and make rapid progress.  School leaders have been successful in improving the teaching of writing. Teachers’ subject knowledge is strong and strategies for improving pupils’ vocabulary and grammar are effective. As a result, standards

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

across the school are improving. Pupils are regularly given the opportunity to write at length and teachers provide good feedback about how pupils can improve their work.  The teaching of mathematics has improved considerably over the past 12 months. Effective training and support have been provided for teachers and this has had a positive impact on their teaching and on pupils’ learning. Over the course of the year, pupils have increasingly been given opportunities to use and apply their knowledge and understanding of mathematics to solve problems. This is helping to improve their understanding of how mathematics works and is giving pupils a sense of enjoyment and curiosity about the subject.  Teachers check pupils’ work in mathematics and English, in line with the school policy, and accurately pick up misconceptions and explain to pupils how to improve in their learning. Teachers actively engage

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

pupils in their feedback by giving them time each day to respond to the comments. Pupils are well trained in this activity and understand how it improves their learning.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is outstanding.  Pupils and parents are very positive about the school. Pupils enjoy school and, as a consequence, attendance is above the national average.  Pupils in all year groups demonstrate care for each other. This stems from the school’s strong, positive ethos which encourages respect and tolerance. Pupils talk about how supportive they are of each other and say that the school is a happy and safe place in which to learn.  Teachers are highly effective in developing pupils’ confidence and positive attitudes to learning. As a result, pupils enjoy the extra responsibilities that they are given and are prepared to take risks, for example in their use of vocabulary when writing.  Pupils say that they feel safe in school. Parents overwhelmingly agree. Through the school’s curriculum, pupils are taught various ways of keeping themselves safe and avoiding situations that may pose a risk to

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Personal development and welfare

their welfare, for example when using the internet. Pupils say that bullying is rare and that the headteacher monitors this closely and acts promptly to address any issues of bullying or poor behaviour that occur.  The school provides many opportunities out of school that support pupils’ personal development. There are after-school clubs and regular trips to places of interest, including a Year 6 residential visit.  Pupils learn to contribute to the school community in a positive way. Good systems are in place to support their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. There is an active school council and older pupils enjoy helping out with routine jobs around the school. When adults visit classrooms, class representatives welcome them and explain, with pride, what the class is learning about.

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Behaviour

 Pupils’ behaviour is good.  Pupils form good relationships with one another. This is evident at playtimes and lunchtimes as well as during lessons. Pupils arrive at lessons well prepared to learn because of the strong routines established by school leaders which their teachers endorse well.  Leaders have ensured that the school environment is safe and well organised. Displays of pupils’ work both celebrate and support learning. Teachers regularly refer pupils to wall displays and resources that help pupils to develop independence when meeting challenge in lessons. For example, older pupils have been trained to use a thesaurus to find more exciting descriptive words to use in their writing.  Pupils do not show enough pride in the quality of their work. Although there are many displays showing beautifully produced work on display boards around the school, the work that pupils complete in their books is not of the same standard. Too often pupils’ work is untidy and they fail to take care with their

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Outcomes for pupils require improvement

 Pupils’ progress and attainment are too variable across the school. In most classes pupils now make good progress and are attaining well. However, there is still weak teaching in some year groups and this limits the progress that pupils make across the school.  Children get off to a good start in the early years. From starting points that are at least in line with those typically found they make good progress in all areas of learning, particularly reading, writing and mathematics. They are well prepared for the next stage of their education when they move into key stage 1.  In 2014 and 2015, the proportion of pupils passing the phonics check was above the national average. Provisional results for 2016 show that this trend is set to continue. Good progress, in both reading and writing, continues across key stage 1. Provisional results, for the end of key stage 1 tests in 2016, show that attainment in reading and writing is likely to be above the national average.

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Outcomes for pupils require improvement

 Progress in reading slows across key stage 2. By the end of Year 6 not enough pupils have made good or rapid progress from their high starting points at the end of key stage 1. Provisional results show that attainment in reading will be below the national average in 2016.  The strong focus on improving pupils’ writing has had a positive impact across the school. The work seen in pupils’ books shows that progress is accelerating across year groups. Provisional results, for the end of key stage 2, show that attainment at the end of key stage 2 in 2016 is likely to be above the national average in writing.  Pupils’ progress and attainment in mathematics are improving, reflecting the improvements that have been made to the quality of teaching. Attainment at the end of key stage 1 has been above the national average for the past two years and will be again in 2016. Provisional test results for mathematics at the

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Outcomes for pupils require improvement

end of key stage 2 show that progress has been good and attainment will be above the national average.  The progress that the most able pupils make is uneven across the school and in different subjects. Some teachers provide good levels of challenge, in mathematics lessons, that allow pupils of higher ability to think more deeply and apply their knowledge and skills to investigate and solve problems. However, in subjects such as geography, the most able are rarely challenged and progress is limited as a result.  Pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities generally make at least as much progress as other pupils in their class as a result of well-targeted support.  The small number of disadvantaged pupils have been a priority for the school. The work seen in pupils’ books indicates that the additional support provided by the school is having a positive impact, and the gap between them and their peers is narrowing.

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Early years provision is good

 Children start at the school with skills and abilities that are at least in line with those typically found, and often above. During their time in the Reception class, they make good progress. The proportion of children achieving a good level of development at the end of the Reception class will once again be higher than the national average this year.  Children settle very quickly into the Reception class. This is because school leaders provide both children and parents with the support that they need. Staff encourage parents to act as partners in their children’s learning. Parents are encouraged to contribute to the initial assessments that are made on children’s development. They are also kept well informed about the progress that children are making. Parents spoke positively about the early years and the way in which their children are introduced to life in the school.  Children are taught well in the Reception class. They make good progress in developing their knowledge

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Early years provision is good

and understanding of the world. Children read and write regularly, and activities are planned each day to develop their understanding of number and other aspects of mathematics.  Children are provided with a wide range of activities to choose from each day, both in the classroom and outdoors. They quickly learn and understand the school’s routines and develop very positive attitudes to learning.  Staff make regular observations of children and record their progress in each of the different areas of learning. This information is generally used well to plan activities which help children to consolidate and move on in their learning. However, insufficient attention is paid to the progress of those children who are most able. Consequently, not enough activities are planned which challenge this group of children and move their learning on at a greater pace.  The school provides a safe learning environment. Safeguarding is effective and children are taught how to

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Early years provision is good

keep themselves safe. They behave well and develop positive attitudes to learning. They enjoy the company of other children, and work and play well together, showing that they can take turns and share. Children learn how to make choices about their learning and develop high levels of independence.

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School details

Unique reference number 114728 Local authority Essex Inspection number 10011815

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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 196 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Chris Cadman Interim headteacher Mary Nicholls Telephone number 01440 730220 Website www.stanleydrapkin.schooljotter2.com Email address admin@steeplebumpstead.essex.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 17−18 June 2014

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Information about this school

 This school is smaller than the average-sized primary school.  The proportion of disadvantaged pupils, for whom the school receives additional government funding through the pupil premium, is well below average.  The majority of pupils are White British, with a smaller proportion than average being from minority ethnic backgrounds or speaking English as an additional language.  The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is around the national average. The proportion of pupils who have an education, health and care plan is also around the national average.  The school met the government’s current floor standards, in 2015, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress by the end of Year 6.  The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed teaching and learning in 14 lessons. Three lessons were observed jointly with the headteacher. Inspectors also observed other aspects of the school’s work, including an assembly.  Inspectors met with the headteacher, the special educational needs coordinator and subject leaders for mathematics and English.  The lead inspector spoke with three governors, including the chair of the governing body, and a representative from the local authority.  Inspectors met with different groups of pupils to discuss their experience of school and behaviour. One inspector listened to pupils read, and discussed their attitudes to reading.  Inspectors spoke with parents before school and scrutinised the 29 responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View. They also considered six questionnaires completed by staff.  Inspectors scrutinised documentation relating to the school’s safeguarding arrangements, and records

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Information about this inspection

relating to behaviour, attendance and the quality of teaching and learning.

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Inspection team

Paul Tomkow, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Simon Webb Her Majesty’s 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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