Bridgewater Primary School

BRIDGEWATER SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 1 st - 3 rd February, 2000

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BRIDGEWATER SCHOOL

Inspection number: 185122 Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 This report may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that all extracts quoted are reproduced verbatim without adaptation and on condition that the source and date thereof are stated.

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BRIDGEWATER SCHOOL

Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the School Inspections Act 1996, the school must provide a copy of this report and/or its summary free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. Bridgewater School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Bridle Way Billet Lane Berkhamsted Hertfordshire

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The Governing Body

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mr. R. Martin

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 12 th – 16 th June 1995 Bridgewater School - 4

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Team members

Ross Maden Registered inspector Elizabeth Forster Lay inspector Christopher Griffin Team inspector Michael Shaw Team inspector

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Team members

Grasshoppers 1 Anglesey Close Chasetown Burntwood Staffordshire WS7 8XA

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Team members

Any concerns or complaints about the inspection or the report should be raised with the inspection contractor. Complaints that are not satisfactorily resolved by the contractor should be raised with OFSTED by writing to:

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Team members

The Registrar Inspection Quality Division

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Team members

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Bridgewater School - 5

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 6

Information about the school How good the school is What the school does well What could be improved How the school has improved since its last inspection Standards Pupils’ attitudes and values Teaching and learning Other aspects of the school How well the school is led and managed Parents’ and carers’ views of the school

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL 10

High academic standards within the core subjects The consistently high quality of teaching and learning Pupils’ positive attitudes and behaviour and their welfare Successful leadership and management of the school The quality of music within the school

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED 14

Reporting to parents The implementation of the assessment policy Allocation of teaching time to subjects

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Bridgewater School is a mixed comprehensive school in the 9-13 age range with 383 pupils on roll. The school population is generally stable but there is a movement of some pupils, mainly girls, at the end of Key Stage 2 into neighbouring 11-18 schools. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals (3.9 per cent) is well below the national average. The majority of pupils come from the town of Berkhamsted. The number of pupils with English as an additional language is below most schools nationally. Nineteen per cent of pupils are on the school’s register for special educational needs, below the national average and four of these pupils have statements. Pupils’ attainment on entry is above the national averages. The school is popular with parents and over-subscribed.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

The school is achieving very high standards. Pupils have very good attitudes to school and are keen to learn. Teaching is very good. Behaviour and attendance are very good. The school is very well led. The senior management team and governors know where its weaknesses are and how to improve them. The school has made good progress since the last inspection and it provides good value for money.

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What the school does well

• Very high academic standards in the core subjects • The consistently high quality of teaching and learning • Pupils’ very positive attitudes to learning and their very good behaviour • Successful leadership of the school • The quality of music within the school

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What could be improved

• Reporting to parents • The implementation of the assessment policy • Allocation of teaching time to subjects The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school was last inspected in June 1995. The high standards at the time of the last inspection have been maintained. Improvement since the last inspection is good. The governors have effectively tackled most of the key issues since the last inspection. At the time of the last inspection there were weaknesses in teaching in Year 5, design and technology and personal and social education. These areas are no longer weaknesses. Strategic planning and the monitoring and reviewing of teaching are now strengths of the school. Effective job descriptions, risk assessments and special educational needs policy are now in place. Some progress has been made on the remaining issues but the indoor facilities for physical education still remain a weakness. The quality of teaching has improved significantly since the time of the last inspection. Bridgewater School - 7

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STANDARDS

The table shows the standards achieved by 11 year olds based on average point scores in National Curriculum tests.

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Key

English A A A C well above average above average A B mathematics A A B D average below average C D science A A A A well below average E

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Key

Between 1996 and 1999 the performance by pupils in the Key Stage 2 National Curriculum tests was well above the national average. In the 1999 Key Stage tests results the proportion of pupils gaining level 4 and above and level 5 and above in both English and science was well above the national average. It was above in mathematics. Standards by the end of Year 8 are above the standards expected nationally for pupils of this age. The school has set high but realistic targets for the proportion of pupils reaching level 4 and above for English (85 per cent) and mathematics (80 per cent) for the years 2000 and 2001. There are very high standards in the work seen for the core subjects and in music and art. Pupils read well and write accurately. Standards of speaking and listening skills are very high. Pupils display high levels of skill in mental arithmetic, calculating swiftly and accurately. Most pupils are making good progress during their time in the school as a result

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Key

of the good quality teaching they receive and the high levels of achievement in the core subjects.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Pupils display very positive attitudes to all aspects of the school. They are keen to participate actively at every opportunity. They respond maturely to the themes of high aspiration promoted in assemblies. In lessons they settle quickly, listen attentively, respond enthusiastically to questions and work very well together in small groups.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Very high standards of behaviour are maintained in and out of lessons. These contribute significantly to the standards achieved by pupils.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships The quality of relationships between pupils and teachers is very good. Pupils work together co-operatively and take a mature approach to their work. Pupils have high self-esteem, show respect for others and are confident and self-assured.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Attendance is very good and well above the national average. There is no evidence of any truancy from the school. Bridgewater School - 8

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Teaching of pupils: Aged 9–11 years aged 11-13 years

Lessons seen overall Very good Very good Inspectors make judgements about teaching in the range: excellent; very good; good; satisfactory; unsatisfactory; poor; very poor. ‘Satisfactory’ means that the teaching is adequate and strengths outweigh weaknesses.

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Teaching of pupils: Aged 9–11 years aged 11-13 years

Overall the quality of teaching is very good with 37 per cent of lessons being very good or excellent and 100 per cent of lessons being at least satisfactory. There was no unsatisfactory teaching. The quality of teaching in English, music, art and physical education is very good. In mathematics, science and all other subjects the quality of teaching was usually good and often better.

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Teaching of pupils: Aged 9–11 years aged 11-13 years

Teachers display sound subject knowledge and plan work thoroughly. Teachers set high expectations and foster good relations with pupils. All these factors combine to promote high standards of learning. Teaching meets the needs of all pupils, including those with special educational needs. Numerical skills are well taught as are the skills of literacy.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum The school provides a broad and balanced curriculum. There is some imbalance of teaching time to subjects. There is a very good range of extra-curricular activities especially in musical and sporting activities. The school has particular strengths in the development of literacy and numeracy and good opportunities to develop their skills in information and communications technology

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs The school effectively identifies pupils with special educational needs and makes good provision for them in lessons and on the occasions when they are taught in small groups. Teachers have a good knowledge of the pupils’ needs and how to help them make good progress.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development The provision for pupils’ moral and social development is good. The provision for spiritual and cultural developments are satisfactory but the provision for preparing pupils for living in a multi-cultural society is less successful than their moral and social development.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils The procedures for child protection and for ensuring pupils’ welfare are very good. The procedures for monitoring and improving attendance and for promoting good behaviour are particular strengths. Bridgewater School - 9

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and manage- ment by the headteacher and other key staff The leadership and management provided by the headteacher and his senior and middle management are a major strength of the school.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities The governors have a good understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the school. They provide good leadership but are failing to meet all of their statutory requirements in ensuring that all teachers receive their entitlement to appraisal and pupils do not always receive a daily act of collective worship.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance There is a very good system for accurately evaluating the work of the school. The detailed school development plan has effectively identified the priorities for raising standards even higher.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources The targeting of resources to meet the school’s priorities is good. Additional specific grants are effectively used. There is effective use made of the available, but restricted, accommodation. There are weaknesses in the facilities for indoor physical education. The principles of best value adopted in the school are good. Financial planning is well linked to educational priorities.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• Pupils achieve high standards in their work • Their children are making good progress • Children have very high standards of behaviour • The quality of teaching is good • The school expects children to work hard • The school is well led and managed • The provision of homework • More information on how well children are getting on. • The school working more closely with parents

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

The inspectors’ judgements fully endorse the parents’ positive views about the school. The inspectors do not share some parents’ concern about homework. The amount of homework set and the type of homework and the procedures for monitoring homework are appropriate for pupils of these ages. The inspectors’ judgements are that there are sufficient opportunities and encouragement for parents to work closely with the school. There is scope for improving the quality of annual written reports. Bridgewater School - 10

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High academic standards within the core subjects

1. Standards in lessons reflect the high standards in the National Curriculum tests at the end of Key Stage 2. In the 1999 national tests at the end of Key Stage 2 the proportion of pupils reaching Level 4 and above in English and science was well above the national average as it was for the proportion reaching the higher standards of Level 5 and above. In mathematics the proportion of pupils reaching Level 4 and above and Level 5 and above was above the national average, but the results were not as impressive for mathematics as they were for English and science.

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High academic standards within the core subjects

2. Taking all core subjects together over the period 1996 to 1999 performance was well above the national average. This equates to pupils reaching standards which are nearly a year above the progress made by pupils of the same age nationally. There are no significant differences in the attainment between boys and girls. The performance of both boys and girls in science is very high.

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High academic standards within the core subjects

3. The trend in the school’s average National Curriculum points score for all core subjects was broadly in line with the national trend. There was a slight dip in the mathematics results in 1999. A detailed analysis of these results has led to changes in the schemes of work and a greater attention is being paid to developing pupils’ mental arithmetic skills.

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High academic standards within the core subjects

4. When the results are compared with schools with a similar proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals pupils’ performance in the English tests was close to the average. In mathematics pupils’ performance was below average but in science performance was well above average.

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High academic standards within the core subjects

5. At the end of Key Stage 2 and at the end of Year 8 pupils’ standards in English lessons match the high standards of the test results. Pupils read well and write accurately. The quality of written work and presentation of work in all subjects are good. The standards in speaking and listening are very high. When discussing an essay on the advantages and disadvantages of home computers Year 6 pupils made articulate and well expressed suggestions about the phrasing and points to be included in a final paragraph.

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High academic standards within the core subjects

6. In mathematics pupils display a high level of mental arithmetic skills, calculating swiftly and accurately. Well-constructed mathematical investigations develop their ability to think mathematically to levels considerably beyond those which would be expected by pupils at the ages of 11 and 13.

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High academic standards within the core subjects

7. In science, pupils use scientific terminology naturally and have high levels of understanding of the scientific process. They appreciate the connection between experimental and theoretical work.

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High academic standards within the core subjects

8. There are many factors as to why these standards are high. There are particular strengths in the strategies for developing literacy and numeracy skills. The schemes of work for English, mathematics and science are well planned, detailed and challenging. The time allocation for these subjects is above that found in most schools. Of more significance is that there is a consistently high standard of teaching for English, mathematics and science from teachers who have a good subject knowledge and high expectations of the Bridgewater School - 11 pupils. The curriculum co-ordinators are pro-active in monitoring and evaluating the work in their areas.

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High academic standards within the core subjects

9. Combined with high levels of good teaching are the very positive attitudes that pupils have to learning. Pupils respond positively to good teaching. They enjoy their lessons, concentrate well and try hard. Year 8 pupils have already completed a great deal of writing in English, showing enthusiasm and skill in writing in a range of formats. The pupils have well developed skills for learning. They are inquisitive and want to learn.

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High academic standards within the core subjects

10. The quality of planning and the development of curriculum plans for all year groups contribute to ensuring that the high levels of basic skills that most pupils have acquired are effectively recognised and built upon in their other lessons.

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The consistently high quality of teaching and learning

11. Overall the quality of teaching was very good with 37 per cent of lessons being very good or excellent and 100 per cent of lessons being at least satisfactory. There was no unsatisfactory teaching seen during the inspection. What makes teaching such a major strength of the school lies in the fact that during the inspection 85 per cent of lessons were judged to be good or better. It is the consistency of good teaching which is the dominant feature. In most of their lessons pupils are being effectively challenged. The tasks they are set are clearly explained. In the best lessons teachers demonstrate a real enthusiasm in their teaching and this enthusiasm is infectious and pupils respond and it is obvious they enjoy their lessons. They want to do well for themselves and for their teachers. In most lessons there is a skilful use of questioning by teachers to test pupils’ understanding. Even when pupils give the wrong answer the teachers’ response encourages pupils to try again.

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The consistently high quality of teaching and learning

For example, in a religious education lesson the teacher’s response was ‘great answer but not the one I was looking for’. The same child after two more unsuccessful attempts arrived at the right answer to what was a very demanding question. One weakness, which needs to be tackled, is to ensure that the good marking procedures are used consistently by all teachers.

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The consistently high quality of teaching and learning

12. Planning for lessons is thorough. Teachers provide an appropriate range of varied activities during lessons and these ensure a good pace to learning. Teachers’ expectations are high. They often set demanding tasks, provide good support and are rewarded by pupils who maintain concentration till the end of the lesson. When tasks are achieved pupils rightly receive generous praise from their teachers. Teachers do not waste time in maintaining discipline. Standards of behaviour are high so that teachers can devote their energies to providing encouragement and support to pupils, including those with special educational needs, during lessons which again helps in maintaining a good pace to lessons.

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The consistently high quality of teaching and learning

13. The quality of learning matches the high quality of teaching. At the end of lessons pupils’ understanding of what they have learnt is tested. For example, a group of lower attaining pupils were asked what they had learnt at the end of one lesson using a CD ROM. They were articulate and confident in their replies and one pupil’s detailed answer provoked the teacher to respond ‘Well done - I learnt that too during the lesson’.

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The consistently high quality of teaching and learning

14. The main reason why pupils are making good gains in their learning is because they show a clear interest in their lessons. They listen carefully to what teachers say and then maintain their concentration on the tasks. Most pupils are very well-motivated. They do not need constant guidance or support from teachers. Most pupils have the confidence to work independently but when they need help they have no hesitation in asking for it. A further Bridgewater School - 12 contributory factor in why teaching is effective and learning is good is the high levels of basic literacy skills that pupils have. Reading and writing skills are good. Speaking and listening skills are good and these four skills are being effectively used and developed across all subjects.

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The consistently high quality of teaching and learning

15. The detailed programme of monitoring and evaluation of lessons conducted by the headteacher and deputy headteacher also makes a contribution to raising standards of teaching and learning. The detailed feedback and guidance provided to teachers after being observed by the senior management team has led to improvements in the standards of teaching. Teachers’ strengths have been recognised and that provides them with the confidence to help eradicate any weaknesses. A group of Year 8 pupils when asked what they would remember positively about the school when they left at the end of the year replied - ‘The teachers.’ There has been a significant improvement in the quality of teaching since the last inspection.

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Pupils’ positive attitudes and behaviour and their welfare

16. Pupils of all ages display very positive attitudes to their schooling. They participate enthusiastically in class and are keen to answer questions and to ask questions. They are well-organised and move without fuss from one activity to another. Further evidence of their positive attitudes to lessons is the fact that work is rarely left unfinished and the very high standards of presentation of their work. Pupils respond well to the high levels of trust they are provided with by teachers.

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Pupils’ positive attitudes and behaviour and their welfare

17. There is a high level of response to the wide range of extra-curricular opportunities offered by the school. There is clear pride in representing their school whether it be in sporting activities or competitions. Pupils value the environment of their school. There is a complete absence of vandalism, graffiti and litter.

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Pupils’ positive attitudes and behaviour and their welfare

18. The behaviour from pupils in lessons is of a very high standard. Teachers rarely have to spend time on dealing with issues of behaviour. There is an effective behaviour policy which is consistently implemented. Pupils regard the rules as being fair. Behaviour around the school is also good. In the dining room at lunchtimes pupils queue quietly and patiently. They don’t push or try to jump the queue. They act in a very mature and responsible way and are helpful to visitors.

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Pupils’ positive attitudes and behaviour and their welfare

19. Pupils treat each other with courtesy and respect at all times. They work supportively when working in pairs and in groups and help each other learn. They are keen to recognise the success of others. There was genuine pleasure from pupils in assembly when they were informed of the school’s success in a recent cross-country competition. During the Year 6 inter-house cross-country race pupils acknowledged the success of other pupils and not just the winners but also those who had improved on their previous efforts. They were equally keen to show concern and provide support for a pupil who was experiencing difficulties in breathing.

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Successful leadership and management of the school

20. One of the key factors explaining the successful leadership within the school is the strength of leadership at all levels. The governing body plays its part in shaping the school development plan and setting the priorities for future action. The governors do this from a position of strength in that they are extremely well-informed on what is happening in the school. The quality of information they receive is good. They are very knowledgeable about the school’s strengths and weaknesses and they give freely of their time to support further Bridgewater School - 13 developments.

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Successful leadership and management of the school

21. The headteacher provides the school with confident leadership. He has an effective management style which allows maximum participation in the decision making process and in providing support and encouragement to middle managers. In this he is ably supported by his deputy headteacher. They each have quite different strengths and skills but the combination of these skills provides the school with a very strong senior management team.

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Successful leadership and management of the school

22. The central feature of the importance of evaluation is further evidenced at middle management level. For example, a detailed evaluation of the Key Stage 2 test results in mathematics, resulted in changes to the curriculum and raised the importance of mental arithmetic within the scheme of work. There are no weaknesses in middle management. Heads of year and curriculum co-ordinators including the special needs co-ordinator provide effective leadership and support for members of their teams.

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Successful leadership and management of the school

23. A further strength of the school is the detailed programme for monitoring and evaluating the work of the school. For example, the decision to increase the length of lessons from 30 minutes was arrived at following detailed research from the monitoring of lessons. The programme for monitoring the work of the school is extensive. It is well thought out with clear objectives so that all teachers are aware of the focus for monitoring. Curriculum co-ordinators tend to use work sampling as their main tool for evaluating the work of the department. Classroom observation on a particular set of criteria is mainly carried out by the headteacher and deputy headteacher. The feedback to teachers from classroom observation is perceptive and judgemental and there is within the school a genuine commitment in using evaluation to raise standards. One of the reasons why the governors are so knowledgeable about the school is that they regularly receive the findings

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Successful leadership and management of the school

from monitoring and evaluation exercises.

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The quality of music within the school

24. One of the school’s most prominent features is the strength of music. Nearly half the pupils play instruments. There are so many pupils playing music that the school runs three bands. The ‘bandits’ which is the band for those pupils who have been learning an instrument for less than a year had 59 pupils attend a lunchtime rehearsal.

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The quality of music within the school

25. There is a comprehensive programme of support for individuals learning instruments provided by a large team of peripatetic musicians. Sensitive timetabling ensures that pupils receive their full entitlement to National Curriculum subjects and they attend their lessons with the peripatetic musicians at different times during the term.

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The quality of music within the school

26. Within music lessons standards are high. Lessons are taught by two enthusiastic and talented musicians. They demand from pupils very high standards of performance and high levels in their composing. Pupils respond enthusiastically to their teaching. They enjoy performing, and concentrate hard to improve. They enjoy singing and have a keen sense of rhythm. When given the opportunity, as in a Year 7 lesson, to improvise pupils respond with determination and their efforts are appreciated by the rest of the class. In Year 6 pupils working in groups composed their own music and were eager to share their endeavours with the rest of the class. Bridgewater School - 14 27. Singing is a particular strength within the music provision. In lessons pupils clearly enjoy singing and they sing to a high standard. This love of singing is reflected in assemblies when pupils sing hymns with gusto and without any inhibitions.

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Reporting to parents

28. All the legal requirements for reporting to parents are fully met. One of the strengths of the written reports to parents is they convey a very clear and detailed picture of children’s attitudes to work and the efforts pupils make. However, they are less effective in conveying what pupils can do in subjects or where improvements are needed. On the basis of the information contained in the current reports it is difficult for parents to gain a clear picture of the standards pupils are achieving in relation to National Curriculum levels in the various subjects.

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Reporting to parents

29. The recent developments of using information technology to provide data for target setting for pupils could well be incorporated into providing more detailed information to parents through the reporting system.

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The implementation of the assessment policy

30. The assessment policy sets out marking procedures for all teachers but is not used consistently. For example, the five levels of effort referred to in the policy are not used by all staff on a frequent basis. In mathematics a numerical system is often used to record attainment. In some English lessons a letter grading system is used. When teachers write comments they are often of a positive nature but do not consistently identify the precise strengths of a pupil’s work. Many comments in English precisely set out targets and skills for improvement but this good practice is not consistently adopted across other subjects. In some subjects comments are less frequent and are too bland to support improvement effectively. The marking of pupils’ work frequently does not indicate what the pupil needs to do to improve their work. For example, work is often marked ‘good’ but with no indication of what the pupil needs to do to achieve ‘very good’. The correcting of inaccuracies is a

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The implementation of the assessment policy

strength but there is, overall, a lack of consistency in methods and procedures.

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The implementation of the assessment policy

31. One weakness is that the current system of marking does not inform pupils clearly and frequently enough about their standards against national expectations. The good practice seen in science where pupils know not only their National Curriculum levels but also what thy need to do to make progress to a higher level is not evident in all subjects. Year 8 pupils tended to be clear about their potential end of Key Stage 3 level in science but were less clear about their potential in other subjects.

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The implementation of the assessment policy

32. The school is making significant strides in using assessment to identify pupils’ potential. There is also some careful analysis of pupils’ progress that leads to identifying those who are underachieving. These initiatives can make a positive contribution to the improvement of attainment. However, the pupils’ lack of clarity about their own potential prevents them taking more responsibility for improving their own learning and attainment and raising their aspirations. Bridgewater School - 15

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Allocation of teaching time to subjects

33. In the main the school provides a broad, balanced and relevant curriculum. There are many strengths in the curriculum the school provides for pupils. For example, in Year 7 the curriculum is enhanced with the school’s long standing partnership with a major company on a link scheme which provides pupils with the opportunities to develop group working skills; acquire project planning and evaluation skills; and use advanced information and communications technology skills. Since the last inspection there have been significant improvements in the use of information and communications technology to support learning in other subjects.

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Allocation of teaching time to subjects

34. In allocating time to subjects the school has recognised the importance of English, mathematics and science. The amount of time dedicated to English, mathematics and science in part contributes to the very high standards pupils achieve in these subjects. However, by comparison with other schools at Key Stage 3, pupils receive considerably more teaching time in these three subjects. The consequence of this decision is that the amount of time available for history, geography and French is lower than will be found in Key Stage 3 in other schools nationally. The standards pupils achieve in history, geography and French are in line with standards achieved nationally and often are above. However, the limited amount of time for history and geography puts great pressure on teachers to ensure that all pupils receive their full National Curriculum entitlement in these subjects.

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Allocation of teaching time to subjects

35. Many pupils in other schools do not start French until the start of Key Stage 3. Pupils at Bridgewater School have an advantage in that they start French in Year 5. However, this advantage is not fully exploited and pupils are making slow progress, despite the quality of teaching, in French, especially at Key Stage 2. This is mainly because they only receive one lesson a week and do not have regular opportunities to practise and develop their language skills. Their progress would improve if, for example, they received two lessons a week of 30 minutes rather than one lesson of one hour.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

36. In order to raise standards within the school, the governors, headteacher and teaching staff should:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(1) Improve the quality of reports to parents by ensuring that parents receive detailed information on pupils’ attainments for individual subjects in relation to the standards expected nationally.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(2) Improve the quality of assessment by ensuring that: • the assessment and marking policies are consistently implemented by all teachers; • assessment is more closely related to National Curriculum levels; • marking of pupils’ work clearly indicates to pupils what they need to do improve their levels of attainment.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(3) Re-assess the amount of time allocated to subjects for history and geography at Key Stage 3 and for French at Key Stage 2. Bridgewater School - 16

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 40

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

2 35 48 15 0 0 0 The table gives the percentage of teaching observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons.

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll 383

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils eligible for free school meals 11

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 4

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 77

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Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 1

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 18

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 32

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Attendance

National comparative data 7.9 National comparative data 1.1 Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Bridgewater School - 17

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 1999 61 56 117

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Boys 51 48 55 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 50 41 55

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 87 (82) 76 (79) 94 (91) at NC level 4 or above National 70 (69) 69 (59) 78 (69)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Boys 48 50 50 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 51 50 50

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 84 (89) 85 (89) 85 (93) at NC level 4 or above National 68 (65) 69 (65) 75 (71) Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Bridgewater School - 18

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 0 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage 0 Black – African heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Any other minority ethnic group 0 Other minority ethnic groups 0 0 This table gives the number of exclusions, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 19.3 Financial year 1998/1999

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 19.9 FTE means full-time equivalent. £

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: Y5 – Y8 Total income 743 555

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 9 Total expenditure 743 031

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 73.5 Expenditure per pupil 1 930

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance brought forward from previous year 47 007

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Deployment of teachers: Y5 – Y8 Balance carried forward to next year 47 531 Percentage of time teachers spend in contact with classes

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Key Stage 3 24.1 Bridgewater School - 19

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Percentage of responses in each category

Strongly agree Tend to agree Tend to disagree Strongly disagree Don’t know

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child is making good progress in school. 51 44 3 0 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 54 44 0 0 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 31 48 16 4 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 34 48 16 2 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 58 35 6 0 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 67 32 1 0 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 35 48 15 1 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 61 35 2 0 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 57 40 1 0 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 33 50 11 1 4

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