Borough Green Primary School

BOROUGH GREEN PRIMARY SCHOOL

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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BOROUGH GREEN PRIMARY 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. Borough Green Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: School Approach Borough Green Sevenoaks Kent Postcode: TN15 8JZ

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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 C B Hearn

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: January 1997 Borough Green Primary School - 4

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Team members

Paul Baxter Registered inspector Ann Moss Lay inspector James Walsh Team inspector John Sangster Team inspector

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Team members

WES World-wide Education Service Canada House 272 Field End Road Eastcote Middlesex HA4 9NA

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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 Borough Green Primary 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

The pupils achieve high standards in literacy and numeracy; The pupils’ excellent attitudes and enthusiasm; The outstanding leadership provided by the governors, senior managers, and particularly by the headteacher; The very good quality of the teaching

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

This is a large two form entry Foundation Primary School, serving the relatively advantaged community of Borough Green, located on the outskirts of Sevenoaks in the county of Kent. At the time of this inspection 365 pupils attend the school, of whom 165 are boys and 200 are girls. Taken together, the children’s attainment on entry is generally above that found nationally. Sixty-eight pupils have special educational needs, a proportion which is similar to the national average. Four per cent of the pupils are from minority ethnic backgrounds, a figure below that found nationally and five pupils receive specialist support for English as an additional language and this is higher than most schools. Approximately 11 per cent of the pupils are eligible for free school meals and this is below the national average.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

Borough Green continues to be a very good school and has been most successful in recent years in building upon the high standards of pupils’ achievement and quality of provision. In particular, in response to excellent leadership and management and very good provision in many areas, but especially in teaching, most pupils now achieve very well as they move through the school and standards continue to rise. The school provides very good value for money.

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What the school does well

• Pupils achieve high standards in literacy and numeracy and these support their very good attainment across the curriculum. • The pupils’ excellent attitudes and enthusiasm for school make a powerful contribution to the quality of their work and progress. • The outstanding leadership by the governors, senior managers, and particularly by the headteacher, ensure that all pupils are encouraged and have the opportunity to achieve as well as they can. • The very good quality of the teaching is a consistent strength across the school and this helps the pupils to learn very well.

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What could be improved

• The school’s strength lies in the consistent quality of its provision, consequently no areas of improvement are identified for specific inclusion in a governors’ action plan.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The last inspection in January 1997 found Borough Green to be a very good school. Since then the school has continued to improve in many areas and is an even more effective school now. Most significantly, under the excellent direction of a new headteacher who has moulded the governors and staff of the school into an extremely successful team, it has improved the effectiveness of the leadership and management. This has led to significant improvements in the quality of teaching, to the planned and taught curriculum and to the resources available to support the pupils’ learning. As a consequence, the results achieved by the pupils in the National Curriculum tests, particularly at the age of 11 in English and mathematics, have risen year by year. Inspection now indicates that the majority of pupils currently in Year 6 are on course to attain standards, which are very high in English and mathematics and well

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

above average in science, and these are significantly better than the above average standards found at the time of the last inspection. The school has made very good improvement and has the people and expertise to continue to build on the high standards already achieved. Borough Green Primary 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 B A A B well above average above average A B Mathematics B A A A average below average C D Science B C B D well below average E

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Key

Taken together, the trend in the results of the National Tests at the end of Key Stage 2 in recent years, in English, mathematics and science show a steady rise, which is broadly in line with the national trend. Whilst the pupils’ performance in science at the age of 11 was below average in comparison with similar schools last year, inspection evidence shows that pupils aged 11 are now on course to attain well above average standards this year in science and very high standards in English and mathematics. Most pupils attain above average standards overall at the end of Key Stage 1. There are strengths in the pupils’ attainments in most subjects across the school, especially in subjects such as history, geography and religious education, where the pupils’ well developed literacy and numeracy skills significantly aid their learning. Children under five, pupils who have English as an additional language, and pupils with

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Key

special educational needs make very good progress and most pupils achieve very well in relation to their prior attainment as they move through the school.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Excellent. Pupils enjoy school and are keen to succeed. They appreciate each other’s efforts and are proud of what they achieve both individually and together.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Very good.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships The pupils enjoy very good relationships with each other and with all the adults who work in the school. Pupils show initiative and are always willing to offer their own ideas and to work and play responsibly together.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Satisfactory attendance. Very good punctuality, lessons start promptly and no time is wasted.

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Aspect Comment

The pupils’ excellent attitudes and very good relationships and behaviour reflect the well promoted ethos of the school and the strong parental support and underpin their successful learning. Borough Green Primary School - 8

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Teaching of pupils: aged up to 5 years aged 5-7 years aged 7-11 years

Lessons seen overall Very good 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. Overall, the teaching in the school is very good. Almost all the lessons observed ranged between good, very good and excellent, the rest were satisfactory. Almost half of the lessons were either very good or excellent and one in ten lessons were of the highest standard and were excellent. A significant strength of the teaching is the consistent quality maintained across the school. Successful teaching of literacy and numeracy across the curriculum is also a consistent feature. The teachers are very knowledgeable and are very well prepared. Lesson objectives are shared with the pupils at the beginnings of lessons, and by well-focused questioning and by developing links with previous work, the teachers nurture the

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Teaching of pupils: aged up to 5 years aged 5-7 years aged 7-11 years

interest of the pupils successfully. Consequently the pupils are clear about what they are doing and why, and this promotes their learning very effectively.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Very good overall. The consistent emphasis on numeracy and literacy supports work across the curriculum and all subjects are given due weight. The curriculum is enriched by a very good range of extra-curricular activities.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Pupils with special educational needs are well provided for.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with English as an additional language All pupils are equally well supported and receive full access to all areas of learning.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Very good provision overall. All aspects contribute very effectively to the way in which the pupils learn and co-operate in school.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils A strength of the school. The headteacher and staff work most successfully to promote a warm and safe environment where pupils work and play in the knowledge that they are secure and well cared for.

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Aspect Comment

All pupils know that they are valued and safe and are able to concentrate on their work and friendships; consequently their attitudes to school and to learning are excellent and they achieve very well as they progress through the school. Borough Green Primary School - 9

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff The headteacher and deputy headteacher lead by example and the excellent quality of their leadership enables all staff, teaching and non-teaching, to make a full and highly effective contribution to the direction and success of the school.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities The governors use their great expertise successfully in fulfilling their responsibilities. Under the guidance of a most astute chair of governors, they are extremely well organised, are fully informed and involved, and give excellent support to the headteacher in the leadership of the school.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance The school has very effective mechanisms for monitoring and evaluating its performance in terms of the impact on pupils’ attainment. It uses these well to enable the pupils to achieve their best.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources Standards are very high, the quality of education is very good and resources are used very effectively. Consequently the school gives very good value for money.

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Aspect Comment

The excellent leadership and management of the headteacher, staff and governors is the driving force which encourages all pupils to work hard and achieve high standards. This is a highly successful self- evaluating, self-improving school.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• Teaching is good and consequently children make good progress; • The school expects their children to work hard and achieve well and is helping their children to become mature and responsible; • Their children like school and behave well; • The school is well led and parents feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. • A very small minority of parents has concerns about the amount of homework given to their children and the amount of information they receive about how their children are getting on.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

The inspection team agree with the parents’ positive views of the school and find that pupils are making even better progress in response to very good teaching and excellent leadership. Inspectors find that the school sets homework appropriately, in full accordance with its policy and with government guidelines. The school provides very good annual reports to parents about their children’s attainment and progress and provides regular opportunities for the parents to discuss their children’s work with staff. These arrangements keep parents very well informed about their children. Borough Green Primary School - 10

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The pupils achieve high standards in literacy and numeracy and these support their very good

1 The results of the National Curriculum tests for 11 year olds from 1996 to 1999 in English and mathematics speak for themselves and reflect the improving achievement of the pupils in relation to their prior attainment. Inspection evidence shows that an even larger proportion of the pupils currently in Year 6 is on course to attain the higher level 5 this year. Observations of the work of the pupils who are currently in Year 5 show that standards will continue to rise as more and more pupils attain very high standards in English and mathematics.

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The pupils achieve high standards in literacy and numeracy and these support their very good

2 Very good teaching and learning in literacy and numeracy underpin this successful achievement. Well-planned discussions, careful questioning and the precise use of specific vocabulary are systematically enriching the pupils’ skills. For example, in a science lesson in Year 5, the teacher emphasised words such as; absorption, dissolving, brittle, soluble, conducting and magnetic to explore meanings and to develop the pupils’ understanding successfully. Also in a mathematics lesson in Year 6, the teacher ‘drilled’ and extended the pupils’ mental facility to use and understand number very effectively and this was also a positive feature in most other mathematics lessons. These activities, developed consistently across the school, promote high level skills in literacy and numeracy.

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The pupils achieve high standards in literacy and numeracy and these support their very good

3 Pupils use their developing skills in literacy well to support their learning in other subjects and in turn extend their range of vocabulary even further. For example, in a Year 5 religious education lesson, the pupils’ discussions about the difference between observant and less observant Jews enriched their vocabulary and extended their knowledge and understanding of Judaism. The pupils’ good writing skills also strengthen their work in other subjects such as history and geography. In a Year 5 history lesson, for example, the pupils shared a good range of vocabulary to express ideas and then used their above average writing skills to write expressively about Sir Francis Drake. The pupils in Year 4 explored local place names incorporating ‘ford’ and ‘ton’, extended their knowledge of the Anglo- Saxons and utilised their literacy skills even further by developing their own lines of enquiry and research to investigate place names more deeply. Such activities enable the pupils to achieve well in all

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The pupils achieve high standards in literacy and numeracy and these support their very good

4 Pupils use their good knowledge of number and develop their facility in mathematics well by measuring the time it takes for water to filter through different materials and thereby to establish the notion of a fair test. They use time lines to record the passage of time in history lessons and count and maintain a regular beat as they explore rhythm patterns in music. The pupils’ knowledge of number patterns enables the teachers to develop sequenced movements in physical education and younger pupils create block graphs to show the types of houses that they live in. All these activities enrich and extend the pupils’ learning significantly.

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The pupils achieve high standards in literacy and numeracy and these support their very good

5 Across the school, the pupils’ developing number skills are increasingly and effectively supporting their data-handling skills, and in turn, information technology is making a significant and successful contribution to this area of learning. The pupils’ literacy skills also enable them to develop their recording skills and to explore expression in their writing even more effectively. Work across the curriculum also benefits; for example, much of the work displayed in the classrooms is presented in different fonts and styles of writing and this promotes positive attitudes and celebrates pupils’ effort most successfully. All classrooms contain displays, which promote the pupils’ work in literacy and numeracy, and this consistent emphasis underpins the pupils’ achievement across the curriculum. Borough Green Primary School - 11

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The pupils’ excellent attitudes and enthusiasm for school make a powerful contribution to the

6 The excellent ethos and harmonious community spirit of the school is striking. All who enter Borough Green School notice the love of learning and of learning together. Within this warm and secure and yet intellectually challenging environment, the pupils blossom both academically and socially. Courtesy and mutual respect are evident everywhere in the school. Older pupils help younger pupils to feel secure and set very good role models. Playgrounds are happy places where the pupils mix and play amicably in the knowledge that unacceptable behaviour will not be tolerated and that their views are respected by those around them. Supported by clear rules and by well-planned supervision, lunch times are well ordered occasions where pupils can enjoy conversation during the meal. Routines, such as lining up to enter the buildings or to queue for food, are seen as opportunities to share and develop friendships. Several clubs, such as the library and science clubs, take place at lunchtimes and these are

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The pupils’ excellent attitudes and enthusiasm for school make a powerful contribution to the

well attended and make a significant contribution to the pupils’ learning.

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The pupils’ excellent attitudes and enthusiasm for school make a powerful contribution to the

7 Pupils enter the classrooms with a sense of anticipation and excitement, fed by the knowledge that the teachers are well prepared and value their ideas. In turn the pupils are extremely well motivated, want to give of their best and want to learn; these excellent attitudes have a very beneficial effect on their learning. During lessons the pupils listen carefully to their teachers. They respond eagerly to questions and rather than being afraid to answer in large group situations, are confident enough to offer speculative ideas in the knowledge that should they be wrong, not only will the teachers be sympathetic, but also their classmates. For example, when trying to locate places on the world map, pupils in Year 5 confidently but speculatively offered locations such as, “East of the Prime Meridian” or “In the lower hemisphere” knowing that they would be well received. This positive approach to learning is very effective and pupils attain high standards.

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The pupils’ excellent attitudes and enthusiasm for school make a powerful contribution to the

8 As confident and highly motivated learners, the pupils respond very productively to practical opportunities to learn for themselves through research, investigation and problem solving. They collaborate well when planning tasks, co-operate warmly during experiments and practical work and use equipment carefully and respectfully. The very youngest children play happily using sand and plasticine but are already developing positive ways of learning from each other, including by making porridge! These friendly and productive relationships continue through Years 1 and 2, where pupils were observed supporting each other well when identifying the correct order of the seasons of the year, or when sharing shapes in mathematics lessons. All pupils take care in tidying the classrooms at the end of the day and this in turn prepares for the next enjoyable and productive day. Pupils in Years 3 and 4 listen well to teachers reading stories or poems and confidently develop their analytical thinking by

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The pupils’ excellent attitudes and enthusiasm for school make a powerful contribution to the

offering solutions to experiments. The pupils in Years 5 and 6 have developed good problem solving skills and predict outcomes and offer ideas freely as a basis for discussion. In mathematics lessons in Year 6, for example, the pupils interact with each other and with the teachers impressively. They are willing to “have a go”, to predict and to research using the library and computers and to form hypotheses, consequently they learn and achieve very well.

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The pupils’ excellent attitudes and enthusiasm for school make a powerful contribution to the

9 Assemblies are positive whole-school occasions where the pupils come together effectively as a community. Even in this large group situation, the pupils express themselves with confidence and on one occasion during a role-play of the Israelites’ escape from Egypt, when a pupil needed time to build her confidence, the whole school applauded her final effort spontaneously. Such strong appreciation and support were evident in the wide range of extra-curricular activities observed. Lunchtime and after- school clubs, which include choir, mathematics and cricket clubs, plus several others, are all well attended and make a strong contribution to the pupils’ learning. The pupils’ excellent attitudes are also seen clearly in their beautifully presented work. In all classes the pupils respond well to the teachers’ high expectations and learn and strive to present their writing and drawings as neatly as possible. By

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The pupils’ excellent attitudes and enthusiasm for school make a powerful contribution to the

Borough Green Primary School - 12 the time they leave the school most pupils have a very mature approach to completing and presenting their work and this is undoubtedly promoting their high standards of attainment.

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headteacher, ensure that all pupils are encouraged and have the opportunity to achieve as well as

10 All the adults consulted, whether staff, governors or parents and voluntary helpers, readily identify the headteacher’s personal leadership and efforts to develop a team approach to management as key elements in the continual improvements to the school. By utilising and supporting the expertise of those associated with the school he has built on the already impressive standards. Aided by a talented chair of governors and by a dedicated governing body, he has led the difficult change from Grant Maintained to Foundation status and has improved standards at the same time. By a strong personal example, supported especially by an experienced and well-respected deputy headteacher and by an industrious senior management team, the headteacher ensures that the aims of the school are reflected in its everyday life. There is an over-riding and clearly evident ethos that all adults should work together for the benefit of the pupils, and that the pupils, for their part, should be fully involved and share

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headteacher, ensure that all pupils are encouraged and have the opportunity to achieve as well as

responsibility for their learning. All members of the school community are mindful of the part they play and know that they are expected to give of their best.

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headteacher, ensure that all pupils are encouraged and have the opportunity to achieve as well as

11 This consistently shared and promoted philosophy is seen to good effect throughout the school. Parents and friends give their time, effort and expertise in many areas of learning, from helping with readers, computers, supporting clubs and trips to funding and organising resources for learning. For example, the large and excellently equipped library is a well-staffed, well-used and particularly effective learning environment made all the more valuable by the unstinting support of voluntary helpers. This help significantly enriches the pupils’ reading skills. Lessons in the National Curriculum subjects and in religious education are considerably supported by a wealth of extra-curricular activities. From the early morning gymnastics club, through the lunchtime pastoral discussion groups to the after- school sports clubs, pupils have opportunities to excel and are enabled to learn most successfully.

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headteacher, ensure that all pupils are encouraged and have the opportunity to achieve as well as

12 By empowering senior managers and subject co-ordinators, the headteacher has mobilised the expertise of the staff to maximum effect. As a consequence, colleagues respond well and assume responsibility most rigorously and successfully. The well-planned and well-taught curriculum, which is also supported by an efficiently organised and plentiful range of learning resources, underpins the high quality of the pupils’ learning and attainment. Colleagues work well together, learn from each other and challenge each other most professionally to improve their practice and effectiveness, in moving the pupils’ learning forward. The skilful way in which National Literacy and Numeracy strategies have been adapted and introduced, so that they complement and enhance the already strong approaches followed, is in no small measure due to the effectiveness of the co-ordinators’ work. As a result the pupils reach very high standards in these aspects by the time they leave the school. Through the

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headteacher, ensure that all pupils are encouraged and have the opportunity to achieve as well as

monitoring and support of teachers, the quality of teaching has been improved since the last inspection, and very good teaching is now encouraging very good learning from the pupils.

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headteacher, ensure that all pupils are encouraged and have the opportunity to achieve as well as

13 The headteacher keeps the governors fully informed: in turn, governors visit the school on a regular basis, meet regularly in their committees and as a full governing body. Together they analyse the pupils’ performance most carefully, by evaluating scores in the National Curriculum science tests, setting targets for improvement and by measuring the impact of expenditure in terms of raising the pupils’ attainment. As a consequence, their decisions are well informed and their pursuit of high standards is rigorous and effective. This is illustrated by the focused way in which aspects identified for improvement, both in the last inspection report and in the school’s own development plan, are targeted and improved. For example, children under five now receive experiences across all areas of learning and their creative development, criticised by the last inspection, is now a significant strength. In

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headteacher, ensure that all pupils are encouraged and have the opportunity to achieve as well as

Borough Green Primary School - 13 addition, subject co-ordination is now very effective in raising standards across the curriculum. In response to lower than expected scores in last year’s National Curriculum science tests for 11 year olds, the school has intensified its emphasis on learning through practical investigation and standards of attainment are on course to be well above the national expectation later this year and next. The school buildings and facilities have also been substantially improved in recent years and funds have been well spent in creating an environment which supports teaching and learning productively.

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The very good quality of the teaching is a consistent strength across the school and this helps the

14 The careful monitoring and support of teaching, well planned staff development, and the strong emphasis placed on sharing expertise by the headteacher and senior managers, have helped to establish consistently very good teaching across the school. Clear guidelines of good practice have been agreed and senior members of staff, particularly the highly talented deputy headteacher, present excellent role models and offer support willingly to colleagues. All staff, teaching and non-teaching, blossom in this environment and share their ideas and skills most effectively for the benefit of the pupils.

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The very good quality of the teaching is a consistent strength across the school and this helps the

15 There is a strong air of high expectation when the pupils enter the classrooms. Teachers are very knowledgeable and are well prepared. Planning is detailed and all teachers present well-ordered classrooms where the attractive learning environment invites pupils to learn. Much time and effort has been put into displaying the pupils’ work and into ensuring that displays enrich and extend learning. This is a common feature in all classrooms where on-going experiments, collections of artefacts and toys, such as teddy bears, enable the pupils to learn, not only by observation but also by handling objects.

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The very good quality of the teaching is a consistent strength across the school and this helps the

16 The teaching has improved since the last inspection when, although good overall, five per cent of the lessons observed were unsatisfactory. Now, as a result of the strong leadership and support, unsatisfactory teaching has been eliminated; the percentage of very good and excellent teaching has been significantly increased, and almost all the lessons observed were at least good and at best excellent. Consequently the pupils’ levels of attainment have also been improved.

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The very good quality of the teaching is a consistent strength across the school and this helps the

17 All teachers establish clear links with the pupils’ previous work at the beginning of lessons and this ensures that the pupils build progressively on their earlier learning and develop skills systematically and effectively as they move through the school. This is especially the case with the pupils’ literacy and numeracy skills, where the consistent use of and emphasis on specific vocabulary enable most pupils to develop their skills really well. Good examples include reference to prediction and fair testing in science, and the measurement of temperatures in geography, and time lines in history to enrich learning. Observations of science lessons, in particular, showed how the teachers reminded pupils of previous work. In an excellent lesson in Year 5, for example, the teacher used an overhead projector most successfully to review and evaluate the pupils’ recorded work. Through skilful questioning the pupils’

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The very good quality of the teaching is a consistent strength across the school and this helps the

expectations were raised and this promoted improvements in their presentation and reasoning.

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The very good quality of the teaching is a consistent strength across the school and this helps the

18 Very occasionally, introductions and discussions in science, history and physical education lessons are too long, limiting the time available for pupils to learn through practical investigation and research, or to benefit from rigorous aerobic exercise. However, a consistent emphasis on the teaching of skills is retained and this ensures that there is good progression in the pupils’ learning.

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The very good quality of the teaching is a consistent strength across the school and this helps the

19 Teachers identify clear learning objectives within their lesson plans and share these productively with the pupils. This raises interest levels and involves pupils more effectively in their own learning. From a young age, pupils are taught to offer ideas, to make observations and to learn by sharing their thoughts with others. This widens the pupils’ thinking and enriches their learning significantly. For example, in an excellent English lesson in Year 6, the teacher discussed the intention Borough Green Primary School - 14 of the lesson, how to use adverbs, in great detail with the pupils. Their interest aroused, they responded with enthusiasm, offering a range of ideas which allowed the teacher to move the learning forward at a good pace.

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The very good quality of the teaching is a consistent strength across the school and this helps the

20 Another consistent feature of the teaching is way the teachers, support staff and adult helpers welcome the pupils’ contributions. The pupils’ opinions are valued and respected, and teachers are careful to respond positively, utilising all suggestions in a meaningful and supportive way. As a result the pupils are keen to respond to questions and to the views expressed by others. Often, the teachers’ advice or the use of a dictionary to investigate the meanings of words is not needed, such is the effectiveness of the pupils’ interaction with one another. Warm relationships supporting focused questioning, are the norm across the school and this is promoting the pupils’ learning successfully. This is particularly evident in the reception classes, where discussions about the pupils’ favourite story characters such as ‘Elmer the Elephant’ and ‘Goldilocks and the Three Bears’ stimulate the pupils’ ideas, promote positive attitudes and support achievement across all areas of learning.

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The very good quality of the teaching is a consistent strength across the school and this helps the

21 The headteacher and senior staff have created an environment where, by mutual support and staff development, the teachers are constantly seeking ways of improving their practice and this is undoubtedly the main reason why pupils achieve very well as they progress through the school.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

22 No areas for improvement are identified for specific inclusion in a governors’ action plan. However, in the context of the school’s many strengths and to continue the successful development of the school, the governors, headteacher and staff should maintain the extremely effective sharing of expertise and well planned teamwork that drives the successful teaching and learning evident across the whole school. Borough Green Primary School - 15

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 23

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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

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

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR – Y6

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) N/A 365

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils eligible for free school meals N/A 40

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Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery YR – Y6

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs N/A 3

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register N/A 68

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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 14

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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 19

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 22

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Attendance

National comparative data 5.4 National comparative data 0.5

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Attendance

Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Borough Green Primary School - 16

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Year Boys Girls Total Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 1999

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Boys 28 (20) 29 (23) 29 (24) Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 23 (32) 23 (32) 23 (32)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 94 (89) 96 (95) 96 (97) at NC level 2 or above National 82 (80) 83 (81) 87 (84)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Boys 29 (19) 29 (23) 26 (18) Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 23 (31) 23 (31) 22 (29)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 96 (86) 96 (93) 89 (81) at NC level 2 or above National 82 (81) 86 (85) 87 (86)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year.

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Year Boys Girls Total Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 1999

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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 28 (22) 29 (22) 29 (20) Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 21 (26) 21 (20) 21 (22)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 86 (82) 88 (72) 88 (73) at NC level 4 or above National 70 (65) 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 25(21) 29(22) 28(20) Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 20(24) 21(20) 20(20)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 79 (78) 88 (78) 84 (69) at NC level 4 or above National 68 (65) 69 (65) 75 (72)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Borough Green Primary School - 17

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage 1 Black – African heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Any other minority ethnic group 3 Other minority ethnic groups

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

This table refers to pupils of compulsory school age only. This table gives the number of exclusions of pupils of compulsory school age, 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) 15.8 Financial year 1998/99

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 23

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total expenditure 693845

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 14 Expenditure per pupil 1871

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 193 Balance brought forward from previous year 49710

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance carried forward to next year 71834 Borough Green Primary School - 18

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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. 56 41 2 0 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 54 41 3 1 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 33 52 10 1 4

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Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 40 49 9 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. 65 30 3 2 0

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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 30 2 1 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 48 40 6 3 3

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 66 29 3 1 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 53 44 2 0 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 53 32 7 2 6

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Other issues raised by parents

Most parents feel that Borough Green is a good school which has continued to improve in recent years. They emphasise their appreciation of a dedicated and capable staff.

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