Bridgtown Primary School

BRIDGTOWN PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 18 th – 19 th September 2000

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BRIDGTOWN 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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BRIDGTOWN 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. Bridgtown Primary School

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: North Street Bridgtown Cannock Staffordshire

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mrs S A Parker

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: February 1997 Bridgtown Primary School

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Team members

TWA Inspections Ltd 5 Lakeside Werrington Peterborough Cambs PE4 6QZ

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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 Bridgtown Primary School

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 6 - 9

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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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Bridgtown is a large primary school situated on the outskirts of Cannock in Staffordshire. The original building dates from 1912 but several extensions have been added since then. The school is in an area where there has been considerable change in recent years. Much of the land surrounding it has been used to build small industrial units. Most of the houses were built in the early part of the century and there is a mixture of owner-occupied and rented accommodation owned by housing associations.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Currently there are 273 full-time pupils on roll in school and a further 39 part-time pupils in the nursery. Children are admitted to the nursery at the beginning of the autumn term following their third birthday and then to one of the reception classes following their fourth birthday. There are very few pupils from ethnic minority groups or speaking English as an additional language. The percentage of pupils entitled to free school meals (25 per cent) is broadly in line with the national average. The percentages of pupils identified with special educational needs (17 per cent) and those with statements of special educational need (1.6 per cent) are in line with the national average. The attainment of the majority of pupils on entry to the school is well below that of most other schools in Staffordshire and that expected nationally. The school receives funding through a 'single regeneration budget'. This allows it to employ an additional part-time teacher to help pupils who

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

would benefit from working in small groups.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

It helps its pupils to make excellent progress. They achieve results that are well above average in comparison with those in similar schools when they are seven years of age and very high results at 11 years of age. These results place Bridgtown Primary in the top five per cent of schools in the country. The school provides very good value for money.

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What the school does well

• It helps its pupils to make excellent progress from the time they start school until they leave at 11 years of age. • There are good standards of teaching throughout the school. Teachers have high expectations of what pupils can achieve. Staff have very good relationships with pupils. They know them very well and place great importance on caring for their personal and academic development. • It helps pupils to become confident learners and to believe in their own ability about what they can achieve. Pupils are well behaved and have good attitudes to their work. • It provides a wide range of interesting subjects for pupils to learn about.

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What could be improved

• Assessment of the progress made by children in the nursery. • Systematic and rigorous monitoring of pupils’ work and teaching. • Pupils’ attendance. 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 previously inspected in February 1997, when it was judged to provide good value for money. Standards attained by pupils since then have improved in many areas, especially in English, mathematics and science. National test results for seven-year-olds in reading, writing and mathematics have improved since 1997. Results at 11 years of age have improved in English and mathematics and have remained remarkably high in science for the last four years. The quality of teaching in the nursery is much better now than it was in the last inspection. Strengths identified in that inspection, such as pupils’ good behaviour and attitudes and the good quality of teaching, have been maintained. The percentage of very good teaching has increased since the previous inspection. Two key issues from the previous inspection, regarding the assessment of nursery children’s attainment and monitoring and evaluating the school’s work, have not been fully implemented.

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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

1997 1998 1999 1999 very high A* English C B A A* well above average above average A B Mathematics B C A A* average below average C D Science B B A A* well below average E

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Key

The school has maintained high standards that are at least well above average in national tests. Results in national tests in July 2000 show that in English and mathematics there has been a further improvement, and in science the very high standards have been maintained. In all three subjects there has been an increase in the number of pupils who reached the above average Level 5 standard. In English and mathematics almost half of the pupils reached Level 5 and in science four-fifths of pupils obtained that level.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Good overall and often very good in lessons. Almost all parents say that their children like coming to school. ‘It’s a very good school!’ is the comment many pupils make. They are very interested in their work and are keen to present it neatly and carefully. They are eager to complete their work in lessons.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Pupils’ behaviour is good overall in and out of lessons. Older pupils are very well behaved. Parents say that pupils are very well behaved on visits to places of interest. They are well mannered and helpful and polite to visitors.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Very good. The school helps pupils to become mature and reliable. They look after their school, resources and each other very well.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Not as good as it should be compared with other primary schools. Some pupils are persistently absent from school.

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

Lessons seen overall Good Good 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 up to 5 years aged 5-7 years aged 7-11 years

During the inspection no unsatisfactory teaching was observed. In fact, seven out of every ten lessons were at least good and a quarter were very good and occasionally excellent. Good teaching is found throughout the school. Far more very good lessons were observed in this inspection than in the previous inspection. The teaching of literacy, numeracy and science has a significant impact on the attainment of pupils of all abilities. The teaching by ability groups is very successful. It enables teachers to plan their work carefully for pupils of all abilities so that they are stretched. Teachers have high expectations of what pupils can achieve and have very good relationships with them. Bridgtown Primary School

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum The school correctly stresses the importance of English, mathematics and science. Pupils also have good opportunities to study a wide range of other subjects, such as history, geography and information technology. The school provides a range of visits to places of interest.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs The school makes sound provision for pupils with special educational needs. Their targets for improvement are not always clearly focused. Classroom assistants provide good levels of support.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with English as an additional language The school makes good provision for the very small number of pupils with English as an additional language.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development The way in which the school helps to develop pupils’ social and moral awareness is a strength. The range of opportunities for pupils to become aware of aspects of other cultures is limited.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils A strength of the school’s work. Staff like and value pupils and the pupils are aware of this. ‘I like the teachers. They are kind and look after you,’ are typical comments from pupils. Teachers use praise consistently well to raise pupils’ self-esteem.

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Aspect Comment

All areas of the school’s curriculum meet statutory requirements. As well as providing many opportunities for pupils to study different aspects of English and mathematics, it also provides a wide variety of interesting experiences in other areas; for example, in local history pupils learn, in detail, about the Victorian origins of their neighbourhood and its geographical context. There are few opportunities for them to take part in organised activities outside lessons.

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff Leadership and management by key staff have helped to create an effective and successful school, where pupils are keen and able to learn and where results are very high. The school makes very good use of pupils’ results in tests to set challenging targets for them.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Governors fulfil their statutory responsibilities. They are not yet fully involved in monitoring the standards of pupils’ work.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance The school has not yet fully addressed the key issue of monitoring and evaluating teaching and learning or the effectiveness of its spending.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources Good. The school uses staff and resources effectively to promote high attainment. Bridgtown Primary School

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• They think that teaching is good and that their children make good progress • They believe that children behave well in school and on visits to places of interest • They believe that the school has high expectations for their children and that it helps them to become mature and responsible • Parents are unclear about the school’s arrangements for setting homework • Parents would like to see a wider range of activities outside lessons • A number of parents would like to see closer links with the school

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

Few parents responded to the pre-inspection questionnaire and only a very small number attended the meeting before the inspection started. There were no indications about whether parents wanted more or less homework or how they wanted to see links with the school developed. Those parents who attended the meeting said they were fully informed about what the school planned to teach each term and that there were regular occasions when they were invited to school to discuss their children’s progress, in addition to informative annual reports. Bridgtown Primary School

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It helps its pupils to make excellent progress from the time they start school until they

1. At the end of Key Stage 1, the results of the 1999 national tests in reading, writing and mathematics were in line with the national average when compared with those in all schools. Compared with those in similar schools the results at Bridgtown were above average in reading and well above average in writing and mathematics. Test results for 2000 show very little change in the percentages of pupils attaining Level 2 and Level 3. The general trend in results at the end of Key Stage 1 over the last four years has been one of steady improvement.

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It helps its pupils to make excellent progress from the time they start school until they

2. At the end of Key Stage 2 in 1999 pupils achieved results in comparison with those in all schools that were well above average in English and mathematics and very high in science. In comparison with those in similar schools, results at Bridgtown were very high in all three subjects. In the tests at the end of Key Stage 2 in 2000, there was a slight increase in the percentage of pupils attaining Level 4 in English and mathematics, and in science all pupils attained at least Level 4. Above average results at Level 5 showed a significant increase in English and science and they remained high in mathematics. The overall trend in all three subjects has been upward for the last four years. The school has achieved the distinction of achieving a 100 per cent pass rate at Level 4 in science for the last two years.

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It helps its pupils to make excellent progress from the time they start school until they

3. The school’s results are all the more commendable and remarkable when considering the attainment of pupils when they first start school, and then comparing that with their attainment when they leave Bridgtown seven years later. Many of the children entering the nursery have had few early experiences compared with children in many other schools. For example, the range of words they are able to use is often very limited. They tend to speak using single words and short phrases rather than sentences and this, in turn, affects their ability to respond to questions. They know very few nursery rhymes and are unable to join in those rhymes by using actions. They have limited knowledge and understanding of the world around them so that most know the names of only one or two colours. They have had limited experience of experimenting with sand and water. They do not recognise and cannot name zoo animals, like lions and bears. They are unused to sitting and listening in ‘formal’

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It helps its pupils to make excellent progress from the time they start school until they

settings, such as registration time, and often do not know how to respond appropriately to the teacher’s welcome.

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It helps its pupils to make excellent progress from the time they start school until they

4. Throughout children’s time in the nursery the school works extremely hard to provide a wide range of experiences that will compensate for the many gaps in their knowledge. The emphasis is placed on good-quality practical experiences in children’s learning. A year later, by the time they start in a reception class, they have made good progress in many areas; for example, they know how to use books, enjoy listening quietly to stories and know the sounds of single letters. Most respond enthusiastically and are able to put up their hands and wait their turn. Most have become better at listening carefully to instructions and they are learning to write and form letters correctly. They can often work and play together without arguing and are more prepared to listen to others’ suggestions. They begin to learn to count and recognise written numbers and their independence and confidence gradually develop.

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It helps its pupils to make excellent progress from the time they start school until they

Bridgtown Primary School 5. Within a few weeks of starting in the reception class children are tested on their reading, writing, numbers and social skills. Despite the fact that they have made good progress in all these areas, the tests show that they still know a great deal less than many children in other schools in Staffordshire and throughout the country at that age. The results of the tests are used very well to plan work that takes all abilities into account. For instance, in the development of writing skills, an activity will range from one or two children using pencils to write letters independently to groups using sand and playdough to practise letter formation practically. The emphasis on carefully directed experiences continues in order to develop pupils’ skills in their personal, social and emotional development, their communication, language and literacy skills, their mathematical development, their knowledge and understanding of

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It helps its pupils to make excellent progress from the time they start school until they

the world and their creative and physical development.

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It helps its pupils to make excellent progress from the time they start school until they

6. Almost all the parents in their questionnaires and at the pre-inspection meeting feel that pupils make good progress at school. They are quite right to believe that this is the case, but perhaps underestimate the outstanding degree of progress that most pupils achieve. Parents feel, correctly, that pupils are well supported in school by teachers and classroom support assistants. For example, in the nursery and reception classes they play an invaluable role in encouraging appropriate responses by continually questioning. Their work is carefully focused on particular skills; for example, encouraging children to complete tasks, to colour carefully and to pay attention to detail. The progress that pupils make, first in the nursery, then in the reception classes, and finally in the Year 1 and Year 2 classes, places pupils on an equal footing in the important skills of reading, writing and mathematics in national

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It helps its pupils to make excellent progress from the time they start school until they

tests at the end of Key Stage 1. When comparisons with results in similar schools are made their progress is all the more remarkable.

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It helps its pupils to make excellent progress from the time they start school until they

7. The rate of progress continues year by year as pupils move through the school. In fact, as the pupils get older and they consolidate what they have already learned their rate of progress quickens. The school very successfully uses the results of tests and assessments as pupils move through Key Stage 2 to target particular aspects of subjects that are difficult to understand and particular pupils who might need additional support. Particular attention is given to developing pupils’ language skills; for example, to developing their ability to use a wider range of vocabulary than that which they experience in everyday life. Emphasis is also placed on developing pupils’ comprehension skills and their ability to reason and debate.

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It helps its pupils to make excellent progress from the time they start school until they

8. The school uses its human resources well to speed up progress. Ability grouping across two year groups helps to focus teaching on a smaller range of ability. Additional funding through a ‘single regeneration budget’ enables the school to employ an additional part-time teacher to work specifically with small groups of pupils who the school considers will benefit from this provision. The use of experienced teaching staff to work with ‘booster classes’ has a significant impact on pupils’ attainment. In fact, the outstanding rate of progress can be judged by pupils’ success in the tests at the end of Key Stage 2 that place Bridgtown in the top five per cent of schools nationally. The results show that the school does not fail to extend the brightest pupils. Results at Level 3 for seven-year-old pupils were in line with the national average in reading and mathematics and below average in writing. Results

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It helps its pupils to make excellent progress from the time they start school until they

at Level 5 in English, mathematics and science in 1999 were above average, well above average and very high in those subjects respectively. In the latest tests at the end of Key Stage 1 above average results are very similar in reading and mathematics, with a slight improvement in writing. At Key Stage 2 Level 5 results are the same in mathematics, with a 13 per cent improvement in English and a 15 per cent improvement in science. Bridgtown Primary School

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pupils. They know them very well and place great importance on caring for their

9. No unsatisfactory lessons were observed. In fact, seven out of every ten lessons were at least good and a quarter were very good and occasionally excellent. The quality of teaching is a major factor in the outstanding progress that pupils make throughout the school and the standards they attain at the end of both key stages. Almost all parents think that teaching is good and so do the pupils. Parents believe that teachers know their children well and that they are very caring. Pupils say that they like the teachers and that, ‘They work out what we can’t do and then we get a lesson on it’. All teachers on the staff are firmly committed to providing the best possible range of experiences for their pupils and are totally convinced that the pupils’ home backgrounds should not be any barrier to high attainment.

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pupils. They know them very well and place great importance on caring for their

10. Several factors common to both good and very good teaching are apparent in the great majority of lessons. Teachers’ planning is thorough and they make sure that pupils’ work from year to year builds on what has been done in previous years and becomes gradually more challenging as they move through the school. A genuine feeling of care and of teachers wanting to do their best for pupils is very apparent in lessons. It is clear that there is mutual respect and friendship between teachers and pupils and a warmth that is often highlighted by touches of humour. Teachers are happy to ‘make fun of themselves’ in classes and pupils know that they are genuinely concerned about understanding their work.

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pupils. They know them very well and place great importance on caring for their

11. Lesson activities are well matched to the abilities of children in the nursery and reception classes, and to pupils in both key stages. Lesson planning ensures that content builds on what pupils have learned previously. This is one reason why there is such consistent progress at such a good rate. Teachers are good at planning work that is at just the right level of difficulty but challenging enough to make sure that pupils learn and make excellent progress. Pupils are aware that the teachers have high expectations regarding their behaviour and the effort they put into their work. Almost all parents agree that the school has high expectations for their children. The use of ability setting in numeracy at Key Stage 1 and in literacy and numeracy at Key Stage 2 has helped teachers to plan for a smaller range of pupils’ ability in lessons. The impact of small support groups and the quality of support from classroom

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pupils. They know them very well and place great importance on caring for their

assistants is significant. Pupils with special educational needs are identified and supported early, although their individual education plans do not consistently contain targets for improvement that are easily measurable.

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pupils. They know them very well and place great importance on caring for their

12. Teachers’ use of questioning to find out what their pupils know at the beginning of and during lessons is very good. Their frequency and depth provide valuable information and are used effectively to plan future work. Questions are intentionally open-ended and provide very good opportunities to draw pupils into discussions. Their astute questioning forms a valuable part of the ongoing assessments they are continually making to find out how much the pupils know during the course of, and at the end of lessons. In the nursery this is cleverly linked to the children’s own experiences within a ‘play’ setting. So an imaginary telephone call can promote a dialogue between the teacher and the pupil. ‘Is anyone expecting a call from their mummy? What did she have to say, Philip? Tell her about some of the things you’ve been doing.’ In a class with pupils from Years 3 and 4 the questioning is more detailed and specific to the subject. For example, in an excellent physical education

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pupils. They know them very well and place great importance on caring for their

lesson the teacher asked, ‘Who can explain to the class the difference between a ‘point balance’ and a ‘patch balance?’ partly as revision of the previous week’s work Bridgtown Primary School and partly as a prompt for the pupils to think about when devising their own sequence of balances. As pupils get older so the questions become still more technical. For example, in a good science lesson the teacher asked pupils to explain or elaborate on another pupil’s answer. ‘What does Tim mean?’ was followed by a series of supplementary questions such as, ‘What can’t get through an opaque object?’ ‘What’s the word for letting light through?’ ‘What do we call a frosted glass surface?’ Teachers’ own subject knowledge is also apparent in many lessons. Their good levels of expertise enable them to intervene in activities at just the right moment to prompt and move the pupils forward and make progress, but are not so intrusive

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pupils. They know them very well and place great importance on caring for their

that the pupils do not have to think for themselves.

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pupils. They know them very well and place great importance on caring for their

13. Teachers work very well together as a team and offer a good deal of support to each other. They all accept their individual and joint responsibility for ensuring that pupils make rapid progress from year to year. Thus, pupils’ results at the end of both key stages are not seen as being solely dependent on the teachers of Year 2 and Year 6. Teachers are well organised, use their time well, pay attention to detail and insist on correct procedures, such as the way in which pupils set out their work. They maintain good lesson pace that keeps the pupils involved and interested and helps the pupils to set targets for themselves regarding the completion of work during lessons.

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It helps pupils to become confident learners and to believe in their own ability about

what they can achieve. Pupils are well behaved and have good attitudes to their work.

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It helps pupils to become confident learners and to believe in their own ability about

14. The headteacher and staff firmly believe that high attainment does a great deal to improve pupils’ self-belief and self-esteem. The school makes pupils believe that they are capable of achieving very high standards and rewards them when they do well. It is very good at making pupils believe in themselves in a wider sense that is not restricted to work. It is clear that many children do not feel that way when they start school. Many are timid and have had few opportunities to socialise in large or small groups. They often choose not to give direct answers to questions and prefer to observe rather than participate. Some find it difficult to ‘stick at’ tasks and are not always mindful of the needs of others.

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It helps pupils to become confident learners and to believe in their own ability about

15. Almost all parents think that the school helps pupils to become mature and responsible. Certainly the differences in children’s levels of self-confidence when they start school and as they get older are due, in part, to increasing maturity. They are also the result of the successful ways in which teachers promote pupils’ self esteem in lessons and why pupils say, ‘I like coming to school. The teachers are kind to you’ .

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It helps pupils to become confident learners and to believe in their own ability about

16. The praise that pupils enjoy is one of the main reasons why they like coming to school. Teachers’ use of praise is apparent in all lessons, so that comments such as ‘Well done!’ and ‘Good girl!’ or ‘That’s great! I couldn’t have done it as well as that’ are often heard throughout the school and many pupils are rewarded with stickers and house points for their efforts. It is important to note that teachers use praise as a means of motivating pupils when work becomes increasingly challenging. Pupils grow in confidence when they realise that they have successfully completed a task that the teacher and other pupils consider difficult. The ways in which a teacher constantly reminded pupils in mathematics how good their work was clearly raised their confidence and self-belief. In a physical education lesson the way in which the teacher asked pupils to demonstrate good performance to others raised their esteem

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It helps pupils to become confident learners and to believe in their own ability about

amongst their peers. The best marking in pupils’ books is very positive and reflects a real appreciation of the pupils’ efforts. Bridgtown Primary School 17. Teachers show considerable patience and a variety of good strategies with young children in developing their social skills. The way in which they value children’s responses without saying they are ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ is part of their ‘sharing strategy ’ in which children are encouraged to appreciate each other’s answers, suggestions and ideas. As pupils move through the school, the way in which teachers pose more searching open-ended questions prompts them to think for themselves and become more adventurous in their answers. Teachers are invariably supportive and frequently humorous, and their personal enthusiasm encourages pupils to try hard.

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It helps pupils to become confident learners and to believe in their own ability about

18. The great majority of parents believe that pupils are well behaved. It is clear, however, that not all pupils starting school have the attitudes to work, rules, social conventions and each other that are so apparent in the very good behaviour of many of the older pupils. There is steady and consistent progress in the standard of pupils’ behaviour as they move through the school. They have a clear understanding of what is acceptable or unacceptable behaviour. Lessons are never repressive, but teachers have clear expectations of good behaviour and work hard to instil and maintain it.

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It helps pupils to become confident learners and to believe in their own ability about

19. Pupils say they that the playground is usually a ‘happy place’ where bullying is not a problem. Teachers ensure that pupils’ welfare is a prime consideration; for example, in art and physical education lessons. The school gives increasing responsibility to pupils, such as organising the tuck shop, running the school bank and sharing reading sessions with younger children. They develop good attitudes to their work and to each other. They settle to tasks quickly and their ability to work independently is emphasised by teachers at all stages. Lessons and resources are well organised and pupils are expected to play a full part in ensuring good order.

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It helps pupils to become confident learners and to believe in their own ability about

It provides a wide range of interesting subjects for pupils to learn about.

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It helps pupils to become confident learners and to believe in their own ability about

20. While the school places appropriate importance on the core subjects of literacy and numeracy it also ensures that pupils are able to study a wide range of other subjects, such as science, history and geography within school. The school is also proud of its musical productions and its community links. However, a significant number of parents rightly feel that the range of extra-curricular activities offered is limited. Nevertheless, the work in pupils’ books and folders reveals a considerable depth of study. Indeed, teachers stress the importance of a wide ‘education’. They say that these pupils have a much narrower range of experiences than those in many other schools. It is important, if the pupils are to attain high standards in national tests, that the school provides a wide range of foundation subjects rather than concentrating solely on literacy and numeracy. There are good links between subjects and pupils

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It helps pupils to become confident learners and to believe in their own ability about

record their work neatly and carefully. Visits to places of interest, such as the Black Country Museum, add a further dimension to their work.

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It helps pupils to become confident learners and to believe in their own ability about

21. Especially important is the role of written English in other subjects and how the school uses it to extend pupils’ vocabulary. For example, in a creative description a pupil had written, ‘As I walked into the beautiful garden a light breeze swayed my long, dark hair. The smooth grass tickled my legs as I walked towards a glistening pool of water.’ The ways in which the school develops links between subjects, whilst maintaining the importance of literacy skills within them, are clearly apparent; for instance, in a written description of a science experiment a pupil wrote. ‘We have investigated the relationship between the size of a recorder and its pitch. We have observed that the bigger the recorder the lower the pitch. This is because there is more room in the larger recorder for the vibrations to move around and bump into each other.’ The range of activities captures pupils’ imagination; for example, their

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It helps pupils to become confident learners and to believe in their own ability about

work on the Victorians, including the hard life experienced by Victorian children. This Bridgtown Primary School aspect of their local history study was, in turn, linked with English and science to prompt a study of friction as one pupil explained. ‘We are trying to find out if a Victorian canal boat caused more friction along the water or along the road when towed by a horse.’

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Assessment of the progress made by children in the nursery

22. In the previous inspection it was noted that the school’s successful assessments of pupils was not extended to children in the nursery. The report noted that, ‘consistent procedures are not followed. The staff do not record regular observations of attainment and progress and then use these in planning to meet the developing needs of children’. Since that time there has been considerable upheaval in the nursery and early years staffing. Measures to improve assessment have been introduced but not sustained. Consequently a similar situation still exists regarding assessment.

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Assessment of the progress made by children in the nursery

23. The school, acting on the introduction of the ‘new’ curriculum for children under five, has taken advice from within the local education authority regarding the best way forward. Some basic assessments, in the form of tick lists, have been introduced but there is very little in the way of written evidence about children’s attainment on entry and, particularly, any significant concerns the staff might have about individual children. The early years staff make very accurate and astute verbal assessments of the children in their care and their planning has already started to reflect their knowledge of the children. Nevertheless, more detailed written assessments are essential on which to judge and record progress. Additionally, if the school undergoes a similar degree of staff change in future it is essential that assessments of children are available for teachers new to the school.

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Systematic and rigorous monitoring of pupils’ work and teaching

24. The previous report acknowledged that the school’s policy for monitoring and evaluating its work, ‘should be more systematically planned and rigorously executed’. Although a start has been made, the ‘rigour’ and ‘ systems’ referred to in the previous report are not yet apparent. As part of a new approach to monitoring, evaluation and review a member of staff has drawn up a seven-stage plan. Teachers have undertaken an audit of the subject areas for which they are responsible. These audits form part of the current school development plan and indicate broad areas for development and review. The new plan sets out a logical progression towards full monitoring and evaluation, but does not yet include important aspects, such as observing classroom practice, scrutinising work and reviewing plans in order to raise standards still further.

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Pupils’ attendance

25. When the school was first inspected it was found that attendance was satisfactory. Since then levels of attendance have gradually deteriorated until; in 1998/1999 the 93.0 per cent attendance rate for the school was below the national average of 94.1 per cent. The recently released figures for 1999/2000 show that the rate of attendance has fallen further to 91.6 per cent and the rate of unauthorised attendance is three times the national average. The school acknowledges that there is a persistent problem with attendance. It has introduced McDonalds’ voucher incentives to try to make pupils more aware of the need for regular attendance. Parents at the pre-inspection meeting said that they were well aware of the school’s Bridgtown Primary School expectations for attendance but conceded that there was often a problem with non- attendance on Fridays. The rate of attendance is higher amongst pupils in Key

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Pupils’ attendance

Stage 2 than in Key Stage 1. On the first day of inspection, when the weather was particularly bad, a large number of nursery children did not attend.

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high standards they achieve at the end of Key Stage 2, the school should now:

(i) ensure that it implements consistent assessment procedures in the early years that are known to and used by all staff to assist planning to meet the developing needs of children;

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high standards they achieve at the end of Key Stage 2, the school should now:

(ii) ensure that the current plan for monitoring, evaluating and reviewing subjects, the quality of teaching and pupils work involves all staff and governors and is fully implemented within the specified time schedule;

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high standards they achieve at the end of Key Stage 2, the school should now:

(iii) ensure that it continues to work closely with parents and the education welfare service to try to improve attendance. Bridgtown Primary School

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 10

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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

1 5 10 7 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

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) 20 273

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils eligible for free school meals 66 FTE means full-time equivalent.

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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 0 5

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 0 35

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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 4

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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 33

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 23

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Attendance

National comparative data 94.1 National comparative data 0.5 Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Bridgtown Primary School

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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 17 19 36

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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 11 14 15 Numbers of pupils at NC Level 2 and above Girls 17 18 17

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 78 (83) 89 (86) 89 (88) at NC Level 2 or above National 82 (81) 83 (81) 87 (85)

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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 11 15 15 Numbers of pupils at NC Level 2 and above Girls 17 17 17

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 78 (83) 89 (88) 89 (92) 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 18 19 37

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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 18 16 18 Numbers of pupils at NC Level 4 and above Girls 15 17 19

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 89 (94) 89 (91) 100 (100) at NC Level 4 or above National 70 (65) 69 (58) 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 14 14 16 Numbers of pupils at NC Level 4 and above Girls 13 17 16

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 73 (66) 84 (80) 86 (80) at NC Level 4 or above National 68 (63) 69 (64) 75 (69) Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Bridgtown Primary School

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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 6 Other minority ethnic groups 0 0 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) 12.5 Financial year 1999/2000

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 22

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR - Y6 Total expenditure 501,255

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 5 Expenditure per pupil 1,716

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 105 Balance brought forward from previous year -12,470

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance carried forward to next year 30,616

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Qualified teachers and support staff: nursery

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 0

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 2

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 64

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per FTE adult 10 FTE means full-time equivalent. Bridgtown Primary School

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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. 61 34 5 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 32 58 7 3 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 18 39 29 11 3

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Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 37 39 16 8 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 42 45 5 8 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. 42 39 5 0 14

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 24 42 18 13 3

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 36 45 8 11 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 42 21 5 0 32

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 13 21 29 8 29

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