Bradford Primary School

Bradford Primary School Bradford, Holsworthy, Devon EX22 7AB

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

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Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Requires improvement

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a school that requires improvement

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Improvements have not been secured since the previous inspection. Pupils’ outcomes remain too variable across the school and are not yet good, especially in writing.  Leaders have taken steps to create greater stability in staffing, but many changes have been out of their control and impacted on the outcomes for current pupils.  Pupils have been affected by a lack of consistency in teaching over time. As a result, many pupils, particularly boys and disadvantaged pupils, have not achieved the standards expected.  Teachers’ and leaders’ assessment of pupils’ learning is inconsistent and this holds back the achievement of the most able pupils.  The quality of teaching , including for children in the early years, is showing some signs of improvement but it is too early to judge the extent of the impact of changes being made.  The learning environment is not routinely used to help pupils to develop writing across other

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

subjects. Activities do not always challenge the most able pupils to reach the standards of which they are capable.  Pupils have a strong sense of what it means to be a good citizen. However, activities planned do not always develop their cultural awareness and prepare them for life in modern Britain.  Some weaknesses in record-keeping of behaviour incidents have limited leaders’ ability to follow up with actions and share these plans effectively with teachers and parents.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Leaders have worked hard to improve stability in staffing. Governors are dedicated to supporting school leaders.  Staff are keen to reflect on how they can improve teaching and they are provided with relevant training to help them to do so.  A greater proportion of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities currently in the school are now making expected progress because of the better help they are receiving.  Pupils behave well and are keen to learn. They work hard to improve their learning.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching, learning and assessment by: – improving the accuracy and consistency of assessment, particularly in writing, to ensure that work is sufficiently challenging, especially for the most able pupils – ensuring that teachers pay particular attention to boys and disadvantaged pupils, in lessons and through their marking and feedback, to help them sustain better progress – ensuring that the activities teachers plan develop pupils’ writing skills across a range of subjects.  Improve the effectiveness of leadership and management by ensuring that: – weaknesses in the quality of teaching, learning and assessment are followed up with sufficient rigour, to improve pupils’ progress – leaders increase the rates of attendance for disadvantaged pupils – the quality of record-keeping of behaviour incidents is strengthened so that parents are fully informed about the actions the school is taking to support their children

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

– the curriculum is developed further and builds pupils’ cultural awareness, so that they have a better understanding of the different faiths and cultures in Britain today.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

 Leaders have not improved the quality of education since the time of the previous inspection. Turbulence in staffing and leadership have hampered leaders’ ability to bring about the improvements necessary to ensure that pupils achieve well.  Current leaders are ambitious for the school to succeed and improve. Plans for improvements in leadership and staffing, including in the early years, are appropriately targeted at supporting pupils’ better progress in the future.  Occasionally leaders’ self-evaluation gives an over-inflated picture of the quality of teaching across the school, including in the early years. Judgements do not take enough account of the progress that pupils are making or how long this has been sustained. Over time, inaccuracies in self-evaluation have limited the extent to which leaders have been able to act to address issues in pupils’ progress, particularly for the most able pupils.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

 Well-targeted support from external sources is helping improve provision for pupils, for instance in mathematics and the early years. Staff comment that they feel well supported by leaders and are gaining the confidence and skills needed to improve their teaching of mathematics and early years. Leaders have not consistently followed this up for themselves and this has restricted the rate of further improvement.  Until recently, monitoring has not identified pupils’ academic needs quickly enough to intervene and halt any decline in performance. As a result, disadvantaged pupils have not always achieved as well as other pupils. Pupil premium funding is being used increasingly well to target adult support and intervention work in phonics in the early years and key stage 1. This funding has also provided other interventions across both key stages, such as work to help pupils improve their writing and mathematics.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

Funding is also helping some pupils to focus on their learning through effective emotional and social support work.  Leaders use the additional sports funding effectively. Sports coaches encourage pupils to attend sporting festivals, clubs and residential trips. Pupils try abseiling, climbing and archery, and access opportunities to take part in other activities, such as tri-golf and beach games. This is improving pupils’ competitive skills, confidence and sense of achievement.  The special educational needs coordinator is already bringing about much-needed improvement to the outcomes of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities. Additional funding is used effectively to provide training for teaching assistants to support these pupils. Leaders have forged strong links with their parents to help them gain a better understanding of how to support their children. Consequently, a greater proportion of pupils who have special educational needs

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

and/or disabilities are now making expected progress from their starting points.  In the past, there have been instances when school record-keeping and communication to parents have not been effective. This has meant that leaders and teachers have not been fully informed about behaviour issues, which has reduced parents’ confidence in the school.  Many parents are very happy with the support that the school provides for their children, commenting ‘my child loves it here’ and ‘it is a close-knit community, like one big family’. There are particularly effective links with parents of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities. As one parent said, ‘I cannot speak highly enough of the support the school has given my child.’ However, there are a few well- founded concerns from parents, especially linked to the instability in staffing over the last year. Leaders recognise that they need to continue to build strong links with all

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

parents and rebuild their confidence in the school.  The curriculum, including the curriculum for the early years, is preparing pupils for most aspects of the next stage in their lives. For instance, pupils have a good understanding of what it means to be a good citizen and demonstrate a good understanding of the rule of law and democracy. Pupils’ awareness of other cultures, however, is not well developed. Consequently they are not as well prepared for life in modern Britain as they should be.

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Governance of the school

 Governors are committed to the work of the school and are keen to improve the capacity of leadership. They have a good understanding of the school’s position and hold leaders to account in terms of recruitment, pay progression and financial spending. They also visit the school to find out about the work of leaders and teachers in improving outcomes for children.  Governors are reflective and keen to find out how they can improve. They share school leaders’ concerns about the impact of the turbulence from which the school has suffered. They undertake an annual review of governance, which helps them to establish the impact they are having and allows them to set targets for improvement.  Governors use their range of skills to support leaders effectively. They are proactive in recruiting suitable staff and leaders to ensure the future success of the school.

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Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.  The single central record of checks on all staff and governors is well managed and continuously reviewed and updated.  Leaders understand the importance of making sure that all staff know who to contact if they have concerns and ensure that all relevant and updated safeguarding training is undertaken. Staff can clearly state their responsibilities and recognise that safeguarding is everyone’s concern.  Health and safety audits, risk assessments and first aid training have been undertaken, which further helps school leaders to provide a safe environment for pupils to learn.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

 Changes in leadership and teaching staff over time have led to inconsistencies in the quality of teaching at this small school. This has had a detrimental impact on progress for several pupils, including children in the early years, boys and disadvantaged pupils, who have not achieved the standards expected of them. Some steps have been taken to rectify this situation. There are some striking examples of more rapid progress for pupils in key stage 1, but improvements are at an early stage and are not yet embedded.  Assessment, including for children in the early years, has been of variable quality and not consistently accurate enough, which has meant that leaders and teachers have not gained a full picture of how well pupils are achieving. As a result, support to help pupils catch up quickly or to challenge the most able pupils has not been put in place quickly enough.  Pupils’ books reveal that work can at times be too easy for pupils and they complete it

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

quickly, limiting the amount of effort that they have to put in. When adults do not pick this up early enough, it restricts the level of challenge for pupils. This results in pupils not achieving as well as they might.  Although the work in pupils’ books now shows improvements in literacy and mathematics teaching, teachers do not insist on the same standards in other subjects. As a result, pupils are restricted from applying the skills they have learned in writing and mathematics across other subjects.  Good relationships between staff and pupils help to create a purposeful working atmosphere where children are keen to learn. Additional adults are used well to support children in class, including in the early years. The high expectations of behaviour for all children mean that children usually know what is required of them and they quickly become involved in their learning.  Adults model tasks well, for instance when helping pupils to read new words by

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

breaking them into smaller sounds and blending them back together. Children in the early years develop their letter formation securely, for example when practising writing on whiteboards and going on to the playground to draw letters with their fingers using shaving foam.  Teachers use recently developed targeted activities for pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities increasingly well. These activities are supported by effective questioning and demonstrations, helping pupils to make better progress. Other interventions are delivered in a calm and quiet environment with bright and engaging displays, which promote good learning and help pupils to stay focused.  The school’s marking policy is understood by pupils and used consistently well by teachers.  Teachers across the school, including in the early years, use effective questioning that helps pupils to build on what they already know. For example, in a mathematics lesson,

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

pupils were challenged when asked, ‘how can you find out the size of this angle?’ and ‘what do you know about angles on a straight line?’ Other pupils reflected on their learning and explained their mathematical thinking when using mirrors to check lines of symmetry. Teachers checked pupils’ learning carefully and stepped in when pupils were incorrect.  Pupils enjoy reading and are beginning to be able to use the strategies they have been taught to read accurately. They show a developing sense of fluency and an understanding of events in stories. The school is making a concerted effort to improve this area of the curriculum and early indications show a positive picture of progress for several pupils, especially those who need to catch up. However, the most able pupils are not challenged enough to extend these skills. Pupils, including children in the early years, say that they would like the chance to read more often in school. They know

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

that having more opportunities to read will help develop their confidence in both reading and speaking.  Homework is helping pupils to get better at reading and writing. Pupils have bookmarks containing regularly occurring words, which they take home to practise. The school also provides reading books to help parents support their children at home. Practising and reinforcing these skills are helping pupils to improve.  Teachers in the early years plan for a range of activities to develop children’s learning both indoors and outdoors. Effective steps have been taken to develop the outdoor environment into an inviting space to learn. Children develop their language and communication skills during role play and sound exploration activities, such as when they try to make different sounds using pots, pans and spoons. At times, children’s learning falters when activities planned do not spark their interest or absorb them in

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare across the school, including in the early years, is good.  Well-developed systems help leaders to identify pupils who need extra help and guidance, for example through provision of emotional, social and behavioural support and speech and language programmes. These interventions are having a positive impact on pupils’ confidence and ability to interact with others, as well as developing their learning.  Leaders and teachers, including those in the early years, are developing positive working relationships with families and building their trust. Parents appreciate the help they receive from teachers to locate additional support, such as for pupils’ behavioural and emotional needs.  Pupils say they enjoy coming to school. They show care for one another and across the school there is a culture of mutual respect. Older pupils show a thoughtful attitude to

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Personal development and welfare

younger children in the school.  Pupils, including children in the early years, mostly have positive attitudes to learning; they show a willingness to learn and are motivated to complete work that is more challenging.  Pupils say that they feel safe and know who they can turn to if they have any problems or worries. They understand different forms of bullying and know how to keep themselves safe. Pupils can talk with confidence about some of the risks of using the internet. They understand that they must not give out personal information when using the computer.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good.  Pupils have a strong sense of right and wrong and are very committed to supporting others to ensure they realise the consequences of their actions. Behaviour is well supported by consistent application of the school’s behaviour policy and when pupils do not behave appropriately, they say teachers are quick to step in to correct this. When there are ongoing issues with behaviour, support programmes are developed which meet pupils’ needs well. There is early evidence that some of these are working very effectively and pupils are delighted to win rewards, which help them to stick at tasks and stay focused on their learning.  Pupils follow clearly established routines in all classes. Transitions into and out of class, at breaktimes and during class sessions, are well managed and smooth.  Assemblies prompt pupils’ thoughts and reflections well, such as when they are asked

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Behaviour

to think about what gives us light or when they are asked to listen to calming music before moving into lessons. Such experiences help them to begin the day focused and ready to learn.  Lunchtimes are happy and sociable occasions and children behave well. Pupils of all ages, including those children who are in the early years, are polite and well mannered and they enjoy spending time with friends and adults who work in the school. Experiences such as having Christmas lunch together produce a real ‘buzz’ of excitement.  Most pupils attend school regularly and arrive punctually. There are no pupils who are persistently absent. However, the attendance of some disadvantaged pupils is lower than that of others and needs to improve.

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Outcomes for pupils Require improvement

 Pupils’ attainment and progress are too variable. Boys and disadvantaged pupils have performed less well than others and too few of the most able pupils are exceeding expected standards.  Not enough children leave the early years having met the standards that are expected of them. This means they are not well prepared for Year 1.  In 2015 outcomes at key stage 1 and 2 were above average, with all pupils meeting expected standards and some pupils achieving higher levels. All pupils made expected progress from their starting points.  However, in 2016 too few pupils in key stage 1 and 2, including disadvantaged pupils, met expected standards in reading, writing and mathematics. Those who were capable of achieving higher standards did not do so.  In 2016 many pupils did not make the progress of which they were capable. Progress in writing was markedly lower than progress in reading and mathematics.

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Outcomes for pupils Require improvement

 The school’s attainment and progress information for current pupils shows that too many pupils are not working at standards expected for their age. From their different starting points, several pupils, particularly disadvantaged pupils and boys, are not making sufficient progress.  There is inconsistent challenge for all pupils, especially the most able pupils. This means that too few pupils in the school go on to reach the higher standards.  Teaching is now beginning to improve, especially in developing pupils’ early reading skills. The school is helping pupils who have not previously met expected standards to catch up with where they should be. Teachers’ higher expectations are supporting pupils to have positive attitudes to learning and gain the resilience needed to help them make better progress.  Pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities are gaining the confidence and determination to succeed and so their progress is improving. Because

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Outcomes for pupils Require improvement

of this, some pupils do not now need extra support and others have made better than expected progress. Some support programmes have only recently been put in place and it will take time to see the long-term impact of these for all pupils.

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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

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Email address admin@bradford.devon.sch.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 7–8 October 2014

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Information about this school

 Bradford Primary School is much smaller than the average primary school with 39 pupils on roll. Pupils are taught in two mixed-age classes; one class has pupils who are in the early years to Year 2; the other class includes pupils who are in Years 3 to 6.  The work of the school is overseen by the head of primary phase. Since September 2014 several people have held this role.  There are currently no pupils attending this school who are from minority ethnic backgrounds or who speak English as an additional language.  The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is much higher than national figures. Almost half of the pupils at the school have special educational needs. This figure has risen in recent months. There are currently no pupils who have a statement of special educational needs or an education, health and care plan.  The proportion of disadvantaged pupils supported by the pupil premium is lower than

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Information about this school

the national average.  A higher-than-average proportion of pupils join the school other than at the normal times; this figure has grown in recent years.  The school is part of a hard federation with Black Torrington, Bridgerule and Holsworthy Community College. One executive headteacher leads the federation and a single governing body serves all schools.  The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector conducted lesson observations and learning walks to observe learning in both classes.  Two joint observations were undertaken with the head of primary phase and a learning walk was conducted with the special educational needs coordinator. The inspector reviewed pupils’ work during lessons and a joint analysis of work was also carried out with the head of primary phase.  The inspector conducted a formal discussion with pupils to gain their views of learning, spoke with pupils in class and listened to readers.  Due to the small number of pupils at the school, the inspection report refers to pupils in the early years, key stage 1 and key stage 2, in order to avoid the identification of individual pupils. There is not a discrete early years section in the report due to small numbers of pupils.  Discussions were held with the executive headteacher, the head of primary phase, the special educational needs coordinator and governors. The inspector also had a

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Information about this inspection

conversation with a representative from the local authority.  A range of school documents and records were reviewed, including behaviour and attendance records, safeguarding information, the school’s evaluation of its work, governors’ minutes and the latest review of governance. The school’s assessment of attainment and progress was also reviewed.  The inspector reviewed the school’s recent parent questionnaire and seven responses to the online parent questionnaire (Parent View). Parents’ views were also gained during discussions when they brought their children to school or collected them at the end of the school day.  The views of staff were considered during formal and informal discussions and through responses to the online staff questionnaire.

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Inspection team

Catherine Beeks, 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

In the report, 'disadvantaged pupils' refers to those pupils who attract government pupil premium funding: pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years and pupils in care or who left care through adoption or another formal route. www.gov.uk/pupil-premium-information-for-schools-and- alternative-provision-settings .

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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

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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