Bretforton First School

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T 0300 123 4234 www.gov.uk/ofsted

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Mrs H Brambani Bretforton First School New Street Bretforton Evesham Worcestershire WR11 7JS

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Special measures monitoring inspection of Bretforton First School

Following my visit to your school on 10–11 May 2017, I write on behalf of Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills to confirm the inspection findings. Thank you for the help you gave during the inspection and for the time you made available to discuss the actions that have been taken since the school’s recent section 5 inspection.

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Special measures monitoring inspection of Bretforton First School

The inspection was the first monitoring inspection since the school became subject to special measures following the inspection that took place in July 2016.

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Special measures monitoring inspection of Bretforton First School

Having considered all the evidence I am of the opinion that at this time:

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Special measures monitoring inspection of Bretforton First School

Leaders and managers are taking effective action towards the removal of special measures.

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Special measures monitoring inspection of Bretforton First School

The local authority’s statement of action is fit for purpose.

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Special measures monitoring inspection of Bretforton First School

The school’s action plans are fit for purpose.

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Special measures monitoring inspection of Bretforton First School

The school may not appoint newly qualified teachers before the next monitoring inspection.

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Special measures monitoring inspection of Bretforton First School

I am copying this letter to the chair of the governing body, the regional schools commissioner and the director of children’s services for Worcestershire. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

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The areas for improvement identified during the inspection that took

 Improve the effectiveness of leadership and management by ensuring that: 

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The areas for improvement identified during the inspection that took

sustainable leadership and teaching are urgently put in place   previous relationship issues, disharmony and loss of parents’ trust are not allowed to continue   the capacity of leadership and governance is developed, by increasing the focus on teaching and learning and distributing leadership roles   training and support are put in place to develop the leadership of the early years and special educational needs and/or disabilities  leaders and managers work closely with parents to improve trust, confidence and pupil numbers  improvement plans are more detailed and sharply focused on longer-term developments  the latest national curriculum and assessment changes are fully developed   an effective monitoring and evaluation system for leaders and governors is used to help rapidly improve teaching, learning and assessment  effective support is provided for vulnerable pupils, including those who have

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The areas for improvement identified during the inspection that took

special educational needs and/or disabilities, less-able and disadvantaged pupils  the statutory Department for Education requirements are kept up to date and available for parents on the school’s website.  Improve the quality of teaching, learning, assessment and pupils’ outcomes by:   providing consistent, high-quality teaching and pupil support   increasing the expectations of all pupils, especially the most able, to ensure that they are consistently challenged to make the progress they are capable of  using assessment information to target teaching and ensure that the needs of all groups, including vulnerable pupils, are fully met  ensuring that the school’s marking and feedback policy is consistently followed and effective in supporting pupils’ progress  improving pupils’ attitudes to learning and producing good-quality work  sustaining and utilising the improvements started in Reception and Year 1. 

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The areas for improvement identified during the inspection that took

An external review of the school’s use of pupil premium funding should be undertaken in order to assess how this aspect of leadership may be improved.

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Evidence

I met with parents at the start of both days and spoke to pupils throughout the inspection. I observed learning in every classroom. My observations were undertaken jointly with school leaders. During observations, I reviewed the quality of learning in books.

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Evidence

A meeting was held with the acting headteachers to evaluate the school’s actions towards the removal of special measures. At this meeting we agreed a timetable of inspection activities. Meetings were held with three members of the governing body, including the chair of governors, the early years leader, the special educational needs leader, the reading leader and the local authority’s commissioned school manager.

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Evidence

I scrutinised a range of documentation including assessment information, the single central record, child protection files, minutes of governors’ meetings, the most recent local authority review, the pupil premium review, the governance review, the local authority’s statement of action, subject action plans and evidence of the school’s monitoring and evaluation of provision.

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Context

Since the previous inspection, the headteacher has left the school. A headteacher of a local school and an adviser commissioned by the local authority have been in post since September 2016 as acting headteachers.

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Context

The governing body has reorganised meetings so that all governors are able to meet with greater frequency. Instead of committees, governors meet as a whole group every month. Four new governors have joined the school, one of whom was appointed by the local authority with a background in education.

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Context

Given changes to pupil numbers, the structure of classes was altered at the start of the academic year. The school has a Reception class, a mixed Year 1 and 2 class and a key stage 2 class with pupils from Years 3, 4 and 5. One full-time and two part-time teachers joined the school in September 2016. One teacher, based in key stage 2, left the school in December 2016. A temporary appointment has been made to provide cover for the key stage 2 class until the end of the school year.

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Context

Governors have worked with the local authority to secure sponsorship for the school’s transition to academy status. Progress has been made with this work but has been temporarily suspended following the announcement of a general election.

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The effectiveness of leadership and management

The two acting headteachers have established a clear programme of support and development. The programme is linked directly to the areas for improvement established at the previous inspection. Leaders regularly evaluate the progress that they are making. The school is actively exploring arrangements that will secure permanent leadership in the near future. However, no formal agreement has yet been finalised.

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The effectiveness of leadership and management

The acting headteachers are enthusiastic, driven people. They are keen to secure improvements and improve outcomes for pupils.

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The effectiveness of leadership and management

The local authority’s statement of action and school action plans respond comprehensively to the areas for improvement identified at the last inspection. Work is well underway to address key issues and secure improvements.

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The effectiveness of leadership and management

Leaders are honest and frank about what they must do. There has been a staged approach to development. The programme of training and support for staff is based on high expectations. Training is carefully planned to ensure that staff have time to implement and embed effective practice.

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The effectiveness of leadership and management

Leaders and governors are committed to improving teaching and learning. The impact of staff training is monitored within a three-week cycle. As a result of this rigorous and well-planned approach, the quality of teaching and the overall impact on learning have improved. However, progress has been more marked in reading, writing and mathematics than in other subjects within the curriculum.

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The effectiveness of leadership and management

While leaders evaluate the impact of their work by annotating action plans and evaluating progress, they have not brought together their evaluations into one document. Leaders identify that this is something they plan to implement to allow governors to have greater oversight of progress at a whole-school level.

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The effectiveness of leadership and management

Leaders have worked with parents to establish a focus group called ‘Together at Bretforton’. This group meets frequently to openly discuss the progress of the school. Many parents express confidence in the school. Parents appreciate the workshops that have been delivered and enjoy attending the weekly achievement assembly on Fridays.

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The effectiveness of leadership and management

The vast majority of parents speak positively about the improvements. Parents of children in the early years and key stage 1 are particularly pleased. They appreciate the support that children receive and the learning that takes place.

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The effectiveness of leadership and management

Some parents of pupils in key stage 2 expressed concerns about the ongoing changes to teaching. Pupils in the key stage 2 ‘Zebras’ class have had several teachers over the last year. While these changes have often been unavoidable, they continue to hamper the progress pupils are able to make over time. Leaders and governors have identified staff to take on additional responsibilities. New middle leaders have been established with responsibility for early years, special educational needs and reading. These leaders have been well supported and have quickly grown in confidence. They receive support from colleagues at other schools and have developed effective action plans to improve their respective areas of responsibility.

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The effectiveness of leadership and management

Systems for identifying the needs of vulnerable pupils have developed considerably. Pupils eligible for the pupil premium, and those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities, receive regular support. Pupils’ progress is also reviewed in regular meetings between teachers and leaders. However, leaders recognise that the impact of additional support now needs more rigorous monitoring. It is not fully clear which strategies have the most impact and why.

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The effectiveness of leadership and management

Governors have sought to achieve greater stability for the school. They have worked with the local authority to broker the support of skilled leaders and advisers. Governors have also commissioned reviews of their work and the use of the pupil premium.

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The effectiveness of leadership and management

Some parents have raised concerns about the frequency and timeliness of updates on key issues from leaders and governors. Governors acknowledge the importance of ensuring that they continue to keep parents fully abreast of developments within the school. While aspects of the school’s website have been developed, some key information remains incomplete and is due for review. Governors also recognise that they must now act upon the recent findings from the governance review, and upon matters relating to the website, with greater urgency.

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The effectiveness of leadership and management

The pupil premium review was conducted in November 2016 and identified a number of development areas. Leaders and governors have prioritised key issues and have devised a new pupil premium strategy for the school. This strategy clearly sets out the barriers that eligible pupils may face. Leaders have also developed assessment systems to take account of the progress of this group of pupils. Assessment information shows that disadvantaged pupils are making similar rates of progress to their peers. New systems and procedures are ensuring that pupils’ needs are better met.

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The effectiveness of leadership and management

The curriculum and assessment systems have been developed to reflect the latest changes at a national level. Changes to the curriculum are appropriate but require further development in areas such as history, geography and science. Curriculum plans are not yet ensuring that pupils are adequately challenged in some subjects.

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The effectiveness of leadership and management

Assessment systems are providing leaders and teachers with valuable information about pupils’ achievement. Information is used effectively to respond to any specific needs or underachievement in the core areas of reading, writing and mathematics.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment

Teachers have received a rigorous programme of training and support. Key developments have been secured in core subjects. Teachers’ planning and marking have improved considerably.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment

Relationships between staff and pupils are strong. Given the size of some classes, pupils are well known to staff. As a result, staff are able to respond directly to individual needs and ensure that progress is carefully monitored.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment

Due to very recent changes in staffing, the current standard of teaching is more consistent and of a higher quality in Reception and key stage 1.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment

Assessment information is used well to track progress and respond to any trends. Teachers carefully assess pupils’ knowledge, skills and understanding at the start of different programmes of work. These assessments are used to plan subsequent lessons and address any weaknesses. Pupils’ work in books demonstrates that this strategy is having a positive impact.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment

Teaching in the wider curriculum is not as well developed as that found in reading, writing and mathematics. For example, in history and geography, pupils, particularly the most able, sometimes undertake learning that is too easy for them. As a result, pupils’ reading, writing and mathematical skills are not routinely well developed across the wider curriculum.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment

A marking policy has been devised by staff to develop a consistent approach to feedback across the school. The policy is consistently applied in reading, writing and mathematics but not as rigorously in other subjects.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare

On the whole, pupils are inquisitive and enthusiastic learners. Changes to the curriculum and improvements in teaching are ensuring that pupils remain engaged in their learning.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare

Pupils are keen to share what they are doing and say that they feel safe in school. During the inspection, children from the Reception class were anxious to share their writing and discuss the special plants that they were growing. They were delighted to welcome ‘Archie’, the school’s mascot, to their classroom. Children were writing to ‘Archie’ to explain how their plants were growing, what they like to learn about and the latest adventures of ‘Doctor Who’.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare

Older pupils have a strong awareness of British values. Pupils are able to talk about different religions with confidence and say that it is OK to be different. One pupil commented: ‘It doesn’t matter if you are from a different religion, if you are big or small, we can all be friends.’ All pupils that I spoke to know how to stay safe online. Incidents of poor behaviour are very rare. I did not find any incidents of poor behaviour at social times or as pupils moved around the school.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare

While attitudes to learning have improved in key stage 2, pupils are having to manage further changes in teaching. Equally, some aspects of learning do not adequately challenge pupils in key stage 2. As a result, some pupils can lose concentration and become distracted.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare

The majority of parents that I spoke to during the inspection are happy with the quality of education. They appreciate the support and advice that they receive.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare

Rates of attendance can vary, given the small number of pupils on roll. Attendance is currently below the national average but the reasons for this are well known to leaders. Appropriate action is taken to support any pupils and families who do not regularly attend.

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Outcomes for pupils

Pupils’ progress is broadly in line with the targets and expectations established by the school. Pupils’ work in books shows that teachers’ judgements are secure. Progress in reading is currently not as strong as that found in writing and mathematics. This is as a result of the leaders’ decision to focus initial training and support in specific areas.

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Outcomes for pupils

Vulnerable pupils, including those who are disadvantaged or who have special educational needs and/or disabilities, are increasingly well supported. Pupils’ needs are identified and appropriate support is established. Leaders recognise that a greater focus on the full impact of support and more regular reviews of progress against specific targets are now required.

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Outcomes for pupils

Outcomes in the wider curriculum are not as strong. Leaders and governors are fully aware of the variation in achievement across different subjects. Improvement plans have rightly prioritised learning in specific areas to address pupils’ needs and any gaps in learning, but leaders acknowledge that greater consistency is now required.

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Outcomes for pupils

Standards in writing are a growing strength of the school. From Reception through to key stage 2, writing in books demonstrates strong progress from pupils’ different starting points.

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Outcomes for pupils

The teaching of phonics is also strong. Phonics is taught skilfully and ensures that pupils are fully engaged in their learning.

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Outcomes for pupils

In the early years, learning journeys show that children are making at least typical rates of progress. The rich and purposeful indoor environment supports children’s learning in Reception. Staff have also developed the outdoor environment to promote children’s early literacy and mathematical skills. Historically, there were some marked differences between the proportion of boys and girls that achieved the early learning goals. Staff have altered provision to further engage and interest boys and know that any gaps between different groups must be monitored carefully.

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External support

The local authority’s commissioned advisers and managers have developed a detailed and effective statement of action that fully responds to the findings of the last inspection.

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External support

Brokered support has been instrumental in bringing about improvements to the quality of teaching and pupils’ outcomes.

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External support

The pupil premium review has accurately identified the position of the school and has been used to develop provision. A recently commissioned review of governance also accurately identifies strengths and areas for development but has not been fully acted upon at this stage.

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