Broomhill Junior School

BROOMHILL JUNIOR SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 26 – 27 February 2002

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BROOMHILL JUNIOR SCHOOL

Short 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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BROOMHILL JUNIOR 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. Broomhill Junior School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Allison Road Brislington Bristol

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

E-mail address: broomhill@Bristol-city.gov.uk

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mr. D. Strong

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 22 February 1997 Broomhill Junior School - 4

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Team members 18645 C.D. Loizou Registered inspector 19692 R. Folks Lay inspector 8867 E.B. Russell Team inspector

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Sandfield Educational Consultants Ltd., 8 Spenbeck Drive, Allestree, Derby DE22 2UH

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

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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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Broomhill Junior 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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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

This is a popular junior school in the Brislington area of Bristol. It has established a very good reputation for achieving high standards in creative and performing arts and aims to gain its “Arts Mark” from the Arts Council of England. It has both the “Investors In People” award and the Basic Skills Agency’s “Quality Mark”. The school has 233 pupils on roll between the ages of seven and eleven years, which is below average in size. Most pupils live close to the school. The school was last inspected in 1997. Since then, there have been many staff changes as four full-time teachers joined the school to replace those who left. Twenty-six per cent of the pupils are eligible for free school meals, which is above the national average. Forty-two per cent are on the special educational needs (SEN) register, which is well above average. Three per cent of the pupils have a Statement of SEN, which is low compared to most schools. Very few (one per cent) of the pupils are learning

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

English as an additional language. Every year the school admits up to 60 seven-year-olds into Year 3. Results of the National Curriculum tests and initial assessments of the pupils when entering the school vary from year to year but show that their attainment is well below the standards expected of pupils starting Year 3.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

The school provides a very good education for its pupils and has some excellent features. The pupils achieve very well in relation to their prior attainment on entry to the school. The teaching is very good. The inspection evidence shows that by the age of 11, standards are in line with those expected in English and mathematics and above average in science. Mathematics standards have been rising because the school has focused on improving standards in numeracy. The headteacher and staff set a target that all of the pupils will achieve at least two levels from when they join the school in Year 3. In most cases the pupils achieve more than this. The headteacher provides excellent leadership and is supported by her senior staff. The governors provide very good support. The teaching is very well planned, and is particularly effective in supporting those pupils identified with SEN. Relationships

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

are excellent across the school and the staff are very effective in promoting the pupils’ personal development. There are strong links with parents who play an important part in the work of the school. The school provides very good value for money.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What the school does well • The pupils achieve very well and standards are rising because there are clear targets set for all the pupils. • The pupils with SEN are very well supported and taught. Their progress is monitored closely and they achieve very well. • The teaching is very good, well organised and meets the needs of all the pupils. • The school is very well led and managed at all levels, including the involvement of senior staff and governors who regularly monitor and support the school. • The school provides a rich, broad and balanced curriculum with very good links between subjects. There is a strong and effective creative and expressive arts curriculum. • The school is successful in improving the pupils’ personal development, including their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What could be improved • The school should do more to motivate boys to derive pleasure from reading and to help them become enthusiastic, independent and reflective readers. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan. Broomhill Junior School - 7

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school was last inspected in February 1997 and has made very good progress since in addressing the issues related to improving standards in information and communication technology (ICT) and music. Through its excellent provision in art, music, drama and dance, the school has also been successful in improving the pupils’ spiritual development which was also identified as an area for improvement. The school now provides many opportunities for the pupils to reflect on what they learn and to express their ideas and thoughts through their writing, in role play and drama, as well as in dance, music and sport. Standards in mathematics have improved and are average, while improvements in English have been more sustained because of the good quality and range of pupils’ writing. However, more could be done to improve the standards that boys reach in English as, compared with girls, they have tended to do less well. This is largely influenced by the extent and

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

range of boys’ reading experiences compared to that of girls. Girls tend to have more positive attitudes towards reading and this influences their progress in English. This is an area identified by the school through its very effective monitoring of standards.

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STANDARDS

The table shows the standards achieved by pupils at the end of Year 6 based on average point scores in National Curriculum tests.

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STANDARDS

Performance in: all schools similar schools Key

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STANDARDS

English D E C A well above average above average A B Mathematics E E D C Average below average C D Science C C B A well below average E

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STANDARDS

(The “similar” in the table above refers to the percentage of free school meals and not the size of the school.)

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STANDARDS

The pupils start Year 3 with a wide range of ability but standards overall are well below those expected for their age when they join the school. The pupils make very good progress across the school and in the National Curriculum tests last year, standards were average in English and above average in science. They were below average in mathematics. This year a higher proportion of Year 6 pupils is targeted to reach the expected levels for their age in mathematics. Inspection findings show that standards in English and mathematics in Year 6 are in line with national expectations. They continue to be above average in science. Given that a high proportion of pupils are identified with SEN, the pupils have done very well to achieve these standards. Compared with similar schools, test results show that standards were well above average in English and science. Results over the last four years show that although boys’ attainment in English standards is rising, it has not improved as

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STANDARDS

well as that of the girls. Girls tend to read widely and are more enthusiastic about reading than most of the boys. The pupils with SEN throughout the school make very good progress because they receive very good support, especially from learning support staff who are timetabled to work alongside individuals and groups of pupils. The school also has an effective policy for grouping pupils by prior attainment in English and mathematics. This results in a significant proportion of pupils in Year 6 being targeted as having the potential to reach Level 5 or above, which is higher than expected for their age. Standards in ICT and music are above those expected by the age of 11 and this is directly a result of improvements to the curriculum and the much improved teaching since the last inspection. Broomhill Junior School - 8

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school The pupils’ attitudes to learning, to school and to each other are very good. They try hard and enjoy learning, applying themselves well, often co-operating and learning from each other.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms The standard of behaviour is very good. This is helping to create an orderly and positive learning environment. There were a few exclusions last year.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships This is excellent. The pupils are independent and show maturity. Relationships are excellent across the school. Older pupils support younger ones. The school operates a very effective School Council which involves the pupils in the management of the school.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Attendance levels are average and rising in line with the national trend. There is very little unauthorised absence.

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Teaching of pupils in: Years 3 – 6

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

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Teaching of pupils in: Years 3 – 6

The teaching is very good overall and ranges between satisfactory to excellent. It has improved considerably since the last inspection. The quality of teaching is having a positive impact on the pupils’ learning in all subjects, although more could be done to improve boys’ attitudes to reading and broaden their reading experience. The teaching is particularly effective and very well planned to meet the needs of all pupils. Learning targets are clear and understood by the pupils. In English and mathematics the pupils are grouped by prior attainment and the teaching focuses on the pupils’ needs more sharply and effectively. Teachers take good account of the progress made in the previous lessons and build on the work already done. The teaching of literacy and numeracy is effective, enabling a large proportion of pupils to achieve higher than expected standards for their age. Information and communication technology is very well taught across the school and good use is

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Teaching of pupils in: Years 3 – 6

made of the school’s ICT resources. Pupils have regular access to the computer room and teachers have improved the way new technology is used to support learning across a range of subjects. The teachers regularly assess how well the pupils are doing and this is informing their planning. Pupils with special educational needs receive very effective support in lessons and as a result make very good progress. Broomhill Junior School - 9

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum The curriculum is very good. Teachers provide a very good range of practical and relevant tasks and there are good opportunities for the pupils to use ICT to support their learning. It is a rich and balanced curriculum that includes high quality art and design work, music, dance and drama as well as competitive and non-competitive sports, games and dance outside school hours. Provision for pupils with special educational needs The pupils receive very good support. Those with learning difficulties are identified early and make very good progress. Higher attaining pupils identified with particular aptitudes in English and mathematics are provided with very good and effective support. Provision for pupils with English as an additional language A very small number of pupils speak an additional home language. Good assessments of their needs are made and they are supported very

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Aspect Comment

well in lessons. Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Provision is very good and is supported by a broad range of activities in school and outside school times. Excellent provision is made for the pupils’ personal development. The pupils are also developing a very good understanding of life in a multi-cultural society. They are able to reflect on human feelings and emotions and develop a very good respect for themselves and for others. How well the school cares for its pupils There is a very good level of care provided for all of the pupils. The school has very good procedures to assess how well the pupils are doing. Teachers use these assessments to set realistic and measurable learning targets for the pupils to achieve.

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Aspect Comment

Parents believe that the school improves their children’s personal development very well. Regular information about the curriculum and school events is provided for parents. Parents are pleased with the range of work the school provides both in school time and after school hours.

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff The headteacher provides excellent leadership. The deputy headteacher and senior staff work closely with her to monitor lessons and the pupils’ work. The management of the school is extremely well focused on improving standards and supporting all pupils. How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities The governing body provides very good and effective support. They work closely with the school and its staff and have a clear understanding of their role in managing and supporting the school. The school’s evaluation of its performance This is excellent because the governors and staff have established clear priorities in the school development plan. The plan is very well conceived. It is the result of a thorough process involving audits, monitoring and sharp evaluations of the school’s performance. The strategic use of resources This is very good. There are clear targets which are matched to

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Aspect Comment

spending priorities. The school manages its finances very well, ensuring best value for money when committing resources or spending school funds. The school’s accommodation is very well maintained and has improved considerably, especially with the establishment of a dedicated room for ICT and improving the way that all of the available space is Broomhill Junior School - 10 used for teaching groups and storing resources. Additional support staff, such as classroom learning assistants and SEN support staff, are being deployed very effectively and make a valuable contribution to the pupils’ learning. The administrative staff are very efficient and always make themselves available to parents and visitors as well as managing the smooth running of the school and its finances.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• Their children make good progress. • The teaching is good and sets high expectations. • They feel comfortable approaching the school. • The school works closely with parents. • The school is well led and managed. • The school is helping their children to become mature and responsible. • The consistency and amount of homework provided by the school.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

Parents think highly of the school and are particularly pleased with the way the headteacher and staff are approachable and supportive. Inspectors agree with all of the positive views expressed by parents. The parents expressed no serious concerns about the performance of the school, but some would like to see improvements to the way homework is given out. The inspection team judge that the arrangements for setting homework are working well. Broomhill Junior School - 11

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The pupils achieve very well and standards are rising because there are clear targets set for all

1. When the pupils join the junior school in Year 3, most have attended the neighbouring infant school. The National Curriculum test results for seven-year-olds, undertaken before the pupils finish their infant education, show that attainment in reading, writing, mathematics and science was well below the national average. This is also reflected in the junior school’s initial assessments of the pupils when they first join the school. A large number of pupils, amounting to approximately 40 per cent of Year 3, are also identified with moderate learning difficulties and are placed on the school’s SEN register. Most are in the early stages of identification so that intervention programmes and additional support are provided to help them improve their reading, writing and numeracy skills. Given that the pupils start from a relatively low baseline on entry to the school and the large majority manage to achieve or

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The pupils achieve very well and standards are rising because there are clear targets set for all

exceed the standards expected for their age by the end of Year 6, the pupils have achieved very well.

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The pupils achieve very well and standards are rising because there are clear targets set for all

2. From the very start of their time at the school, the headteacher and staff aim to raise the attainment of all the pupils by at least two National Curriculum levels, and particularly in English and mathematics. This is a stated aim which is clearly translated into action by the teachers and support staff. In last year’s National Curriculum tests for 11-year-olds for example, standards in English reached the national average, in science, they were above average but in mathematics they were below average. The mathematics results were an improvement on previous years, indicating a sustained rate of improvement in standards over the last four years. Compared with schools in similar contexts, the test results show that the pupils’ attainment was well above average in English and science and average in mathematics. Significantly, the proportion of pupils exceeding the levels expected for their age in English and mathematics was in line with the national average, and in science, it was

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The pupils achieve very well and standards are rising because there are clear targets set for all

higher than this. This represents a very good rate of progress and it also demonstrates that the school’s stated commitment to moving all the pupils on by at least two National Curriculum levels has been achieved and, in most cases, pupils have exceeded this and have moved on by three levels.

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The pupils achieve very well and standards are rising because there are clear targets set for all

3. Part of the reason for this very good level of achievement is the secure way that teachers and senior staff monitor and target every pupil. There are very effective assessment procedures in place that enable teachers and support staff to measure how well each pupil is doing so that realistic targets are set for them. These targets are shared with the pupils, so that pupils and parents understand what is expected and at what stage in the year. For example, the pupils are assessed at the end of each year using nationally standardised tests. In addition to this, teachers keep assessment diaries in their classrooms which can be accessed by other teachers and support staff. Their lesson plans have assessment information or planned activities that aim to assess how well a group of pupils are doing in one aspect of a curriculum subject, for example, writing about characters and the context of stories; using

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The pupils achieve very well and standards are rising because there are clear targets set for all

graphs to present information in mathematics; or more specific targets like the use of alliteration in descriptive writing. Reading and spelling tests are undertaken twice a year and results are recorded for every pupil so that the pupils can be grouped by attainment for their English lessons. Similarly, in mathematics, a standardised test is administered at the end of each topic so the pupils can be grouped by attainment on a stage by stage basis. The headteacher and staff regularly hold meetings to look at the pupils’ books so that every teacher and learning assistant understands how to measure National Curriculum levels in, Broomhill Junior School - 12 say, writing or numeracy. All of these ongoing assessments are recorded. In this way it is clear to the pupils, their parents and to all the staff who teach and support the pupils, what it is the pupils are expected to achieve and at what stage in the year. In a very good English

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The pupils achieve very well and standards are rising because there are clear targets set for all

lesson, for example, the teacher used her assessments of the pupils’ writing to illustrate a point, “This is what I have noticed about some of your work.” She goes on to explain to the pupils that they are improving their use of alliteration and use of similes when describing characters in a story but points out how to improve their descriptive writing further. The aim of the lesson is clearly reflected in the targets set for all the pupils, namely, to use descriptive language when writing about a character’s home location. In a very good mathematics lesson, a group of lower attaining and SEN pupils made very good progress learning to present information as a graph. The strength of the lesson was the teacher’s knowledge of every pupil, which was informed by her excellent record keeping and monitoring of the pupils’ progress. The planning clearly demonstrated what is typical of all the planning across

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The pupils achieve very well and standards are rising because there are clear targets set for all

the school. The attention given to individual targets, set for all pupils, and the close scrutiny of their progress. In this way, the teachers are able to measure each pupil’s progress and help them to achieve their targets.

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The pupils with SEN are very well supported and taught. Their progress is monitored closely

4. The school has very good and effective systems to identify, assess, and monitor pupils with SEN from an early stage. There is an above average proportion of pupils on the SEN register and well over three-quarters of those who have learning difficulties achieve the standards expected for their age by Year 6 in the national tests. All of the pupils make very good progress because the school monitors their work closely and the pupils receive very good support in lessons and when they are withdrawn for additional work with learning support staff. Parents are kept well informed about their children’s progress. The pupils’ targets, progress and achievements are shared with parents in order to maximise their support and co- operation. The school also identifies those pupils who have a particular talent in an area or subject or are gifted.

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The pupils with SEN are very well supported and taught. Their progress is monitored closely

5. The Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCO) keeps very good records of pupils’ progress, which help to plan and monitor the pupils’ progress. Learning support for the pupils is well targeted in lessons and the school’s support assistants are timetabled to work with individuals and groups of pupils who are identified as in need of additional support. This ensures effective support for SEN pupils in class and when they are withdrawn. Sometimes, additional staff sit with a group of pupils, ensuring that they all participate and contribute to the group. This is particularly effective in enabling those pupils identified with learning difficulties to participate in all parts of lessons and class discussions.

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The pupils with SEN are very well supported and taught. Their progress is monitored closely

6. The SENCO is specifically assigned to work with SEN pupils and plans work which is particularly challenging for these pupils in literacy and numeracy lessons. In one numeracy lesson observed in Year 5 for example, a group of pupils were working with the SENCO, collecting and analysing data and information so that it could be presented as a graph. The pupils enjoyed responding to individual questions, reflecting how well the teacher understood their specific learning needs.

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The pupils with SEN are very well supported and taught. Their progress is monitored closely

7. Higher attaining pupils are also identified and the school groups pupils by prior attainment in English and mathematics lessons to help identify those pupils who are capable of achieving high standards. For higher attaining, gifted and talented pupils, extension work and homework are provided to complement what has already been covered in lessons. Those pupils identified with SEN in literacy and numeracy lessons and have learning difficulties receive effective support from learning assistants. Learning support assistants record how Broomhill Junior School - 13 well the pupils respond during class discussions and then share this information with the class teachers. This enables teachers to provide specific work for individuals and groups in future lessons. Throughout the school, individual education plans are reviewed regularly by the SENCO together with class teachers. She also tracks and monitors the progress of these

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The pupils with SEN are very well supported and taught. Their progress is monitored closely

pupils to plan the most appropriate support and work to extend their learning further. In this way the school regularly reviews its plans and adapts the teaching to meet the needs of all the pupils.

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The pupils with SEN are very well supported and taught. Their progress is monitored closely

The teaching is very good, well organised and meets the needs of all the pupils.

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The pupils with SEN are very well supported and taught. Their progress is monitored closely

8. The teaching is very good and ranges from satisfactory to excellent. The teaching in most of the lessons seen (nearly three quarters) during the inspection was at least very good. One lesson was satisfactory and one was excellent, with no unsatisfactory teaching observed. The headteacher and staff ensure that teachers’ planning takes account of the needs of pupils according to their age and abilities. Parents are pleased with the progress their children make and say that the teachers do well to help them become mature and responsible in a supportive and positive learning environment. The curriculum is planned to match the needs of all year groups and the teachers monitor and adapt their planning to take account of the pupils’ progress and abilities. In addition to the formal curriculum the school’s ethos and purposeful learning environment is helping the pupils to respond very well to the teaching. All the

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The pupils with SEN are very well supported and taught. Their progress is monitored closely

teachers and support staff expect pupils to behave well, contribute to class discussions and respond to others with courtesy and respect. This expectation is consistent throughout the school and, as a result, pupils make very good progress, show very good attitudes to learning and behave very well.

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The pupils with SEN are very well supported and taught. Their progress is monitored closely

9. The teaching is well organised and planned. In a very good mathematics lesson, Year 4 pupils made very good progress using doubling techniques to multiply numbers by 20. The class were grouped by ability and as a whole group they were identified as pupils needing additional support to help catch up to levels that reflect those expected for their age in mathematics. The teacher’s records indicated that most of the pupils joined the school in Year 3 and started from a very low baseline. Their very good progress since that time shows that over three-quarters of the group are in line to reach the levels expected in mathematics by the end of Year 4. This has been achieved because the teaching has grouped these pupils together by ability for their mathematics lessons and provided specific learning objectives to help them reach their targets. It is clear that the pupils have a secure understanding of

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The pupils with SEN are very well supported and taught. Their progress is monitored closely

numbers to 100 and beyond. They can, for example, multiply 13 by 20 quickly because they understand that it is similar to multiplying by two and then by ten. In other subjects, including those that were identified as areas for improvement in the last inspection, the teaching is very effective. In a very good Year 3 music lesson for example, the pupils learned to create “Rain Music”. The teacher constantly referred to the lesson’s objectives, which were primarily designed to develop composition skills and to enable the pupils to clap out rhythms and play on a rage of percussion instruments. Similarly, during an excellent Year 5 music lesson, the teacher organised the pupils well and taught them how to compose rhythmic patterns using different dynamic levels. The pupils were clear what was expected of them and the teacher had organised the lesson so that they could compose and listen to each other in order to refine and improve their own performance.

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The pupils with SEN are very well supported and taught. Their progress is monitored closely

10. The teachers use resources very well in their lessons. This is best illustrated in the school’s information and communication technology (ICT) room. During a very good English lesson in the ICT room, Year 3 pupils used the Internet to explore a range of texts to improve their reading skills. The teacher planned the lesson so that some pupils looked at non-fiction texts and others looked at poetry. Very good use was made of the school’s interactive white board to teach computer skills. By grouping the pupils in this way the teacher was able to support Broomhill Junior School - 14 each group, for example, by helping some pupils to identify specialist vocabulary in non- fiction writing and at the same time to help others to identify alliteration in poetry. She planned her time well to give all the pupils enough attention when they most needed it and at the same time allowed them sufficient opportunities to search for the most appropriate texts.

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The pupils with SEN are very well supported and taught. Their progress is monitored closely

In all the lessons seen during the inspection it was clear that teachers’ planning is based on a secure understanding of the subject being taught and teachers have a very good understanding of the needs of their pupils and the progress they are making.

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The school is very well led and managed at all levels, including the involvement of senior staff

and governors who regularly monitor and support the school.

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The school is very well led and managed at all levels, including the involvement of senior staff

11. The headteacher provides excellent leadership. She is highly valued by the parents, admired by the pupils and much respected by her staff. This is one of the main reasons for the success and popularity of the school and its very good reputation in the community. She provides inspirational leadership through her warm and positive personality and determination to raise standards. The school’s stated aims are a reflection of her personal dedication to the pupils which she believes are based on high levels of achievement and improvement for all. The headteacher and governors work closely with the senior management team and staff. The deputy headteacher provides very good support and helps the headteacher to monitor lessons and support teachers and pupils. Monitoring reports, prepared by the headteacher and senior staff, show that the school is self-critical and evaluative about its teaching. The staff believe

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The school is very well led and managed at all levels, including the involvement of senior staff

that they are very well supported by senior staff in their efforts to raise standards.

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The school is very well led and managed at all levels, including the involvement of senior staff

12. Effective monitoring is clearly defined by the headteacher and governors. It is aimed at helping the school to be clear about how well the pupils are doing and how well the teachers teach. This has involved the staff who lead subjects of the curriculum or aspects of the school. There is a good balance of expertise amongst the staff and their very good subject knowledge enables them to review the impact each subject is having on the pupils’ achievements and progress. Curriculum coordinators produce position statements which are then put into the school’s development and management plan so that priorities can be established over the long and short-term. A thorough review of the school’s curriculum planning has led to improvements in the standards in ICT and music. The headteacher, senior staff and governors have undertaken a school-wide evaluation with the focus being on improvement. This has given a clear educational direction for the work of the school.

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The school is very well led and managed at all levels, including the involvement of senior staff

13. Parents are pleased with the personal contribution the headteacher has made in establishing the school’s good reputation for achievement. All of the staff, both teaching and non- teaching, pull together as a team and this is effective in developing a strong sense of purpose and self-worth amongst pupils and parents. The positive and supportive ethos which is encouraged and nurtured by the headteacher and staff is a characteristic of the school which pleases the parents most.

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The school is very well led and managed at all levels, including the involvement of senior staff

14. The school is successful in promoting the arts and has an established and deserved reputation for the high quality of its performing arts such as dance, drama and music. It is currently seeking recognition by the Department for Education and Skills (DfES) and Arts Council of England and hopes to achieve its “Arts Mark”.

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The school is very well led and managed at all levels, including the involvement of senior staff

15. The governors are knowledgeable and experienced and very committed to the needs of the school and its pupils. They are provided with regular reports by the senior staff and headteacher. This helps the governors to monitor the work of the school giving them a clear insight into the work being done and the progress that the pupils are making. The resources of the school are good overall. They are well used and easily accessible. In particular, the Broomhill Junior School - 15 resources for ICT have been improved so that all the pupils have regular access to computers and new technologies such as the Internet and electronic mailing facilities.

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The school is very well led and managed at all levels, including the involvement of senior staff

16. Financial planning is very good and the budget is used very well. The school development and strategic improvement plan is very well set out, showing priorities for further improvement. These priorities have been arrived at through careful audits, reviews and monitoring, led by the headteacher and guided by local and national initiatives. The headteacher and governors, together with the senior staff, set appropriate targets for improvement which are costed with clear terms of reference for the governors and staff to be able to measure how well each area is progressing. In this way the school makes efficient use of its budget ensuring that spending provides value for money. This is very much driven by the headteacher’s determination to provide high quality resources for the pupils in an educational environment where second best will not do. In this way it is clear to everyone associated with the school that, to quote the headteacher, “Every child at Broomhill Junior

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The school is very well led and managed at all levels, including the involvement of senior staff

School will improve by at least two levels”. She is true to her word and this is demonstrated in the school’s test results.

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The school provides a rich, broad and balanced curriculum with very good links between

subjects. There is a strong and effective creative and expressive arts curriculum.

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The school provides a rich, broad and balanced curriculum with very good links between

17. The curriculum is very good. It is enriched by the breadth of activities and experiences provided for all the pupils and teachers are particularly successful in linking topics and themes across a range of subjects. This makes learning meaningful and realistic for the pupils. ICT lessons for example, are usually linked to other subjects involving key skills in English, mathematics and science. When investigating how to create sequences of instructions in turtle graphics Year 4 pupils were learning about acute and obtuse angles and the properties of two-dimensional shapes. In an English lesson, a group of Year 3 pupils used computers to search for information about Roman Gladiators as part of their research into specialist language in newspaper headlines and this was made more interesting because the pupils were using the Internet to research this. During an art and design lesson, the pupils

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The school provides a rich, broad and balanced curriculum with very good links between

in a Year 5 class investigated the work of Henry Matisse as pat of their ICT work on graphics and extension work on graphic modelling. In other subjects, teachers bring the subject alive so that it interests and motivate the pupils to learn. In music, the pupils listened to a recital of the poem, “Listen to the sound of falling rain”, which inspired them to accompany and play percussion instruments using repeated rhythms. In another successful lesson the teacher started the lesson using a recording of “The Catacombs” by Mussorgsky, as the pupils listened they used individual white boards to note down using symbols that match the dynamics of the music. In a very good mathematics lesson, Year 6 pupils learn to improve their number work by “duelling” with a partner. The activity is motivational as the pupils simulate an eighteenth century duel, standing back to back then pacing away from each other

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The school provides a rich, broad and balanced curriculum with very good links between

until one calls out the correct answer. Mathematics is made relevant for all the pupils in the school as they conduct a survey of their favourite school songs. The results are posted on a bulletin board with spreadsheets and graphs and the “Top Ten” hits. The work uses ICT very well but more importantly it is fun and motivates the pupils into problem solving using real examples that are relevant and familiar to them.

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The school provides a rich, broad and balanced curriculum with very good links between

18. The school has maintained its tradition for promoting art and design and the expressive and creative arts. These are making a significant contribution to the school’s curriculum. They inspire the pupils to participate in dance classes, drama and music both in school times and after school hours. Sports and games are also promoted and supported by teachers and support staff out of school hours. There is an extensive range of extra-curricular activities and, to the credit of the all the staff in the school, they organise these and give up a lot of their own time to help as many pupils participate in these activities. The quality of art and Broomhill Junior School - 16 design work across the school is high. As you enter the school, examples of the pupils’ work adorn every wall and display area, signifying the school’s commitment to the arts. There are many examples of very good quality sculpting, pottery, sketches and fine examples of

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The school provides a rich, broad and balanced curriculum with very good links between

observational drawing and paintings. There is also a touch of humour and enjoyment in the work the pupils do, for example, outside some classrooms the pupils have sketched, comic style, a caricature of their teachers. Art and design work also provides time for the pupils to reflect on their work as one pupil wrote, “It makes me feel special”, in response to some art work about the wonders of the world which is displayed next to one of the school’s favourite songs (from the “Top Ten”), “Think of a world with out any flowers…”. The pupils’ writing is also a very good example of the school’s improvement in the spiritual development of the pupils. Very good reflective writing about how songs evoke memories of members of their family are also displayed with many touching examples of how, for example, the famous song by a group called “The Scaffold” called “Lily the pink”, brought back memories of days

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The school provides a rich, broad and balanced curriculum with very good links between

out with the family and special occasions involving grandparents who enjoyed singing the song. There are many examples of multi-cultural art. The most striking examples are displayed alongside prints of Africa and the pupils have produced a delightful arrangement of pictures, drawings and models representing the “Art of Africa”. Chinese New Year has recently been used a s a stimulus for art and design. The pupils have produced a range of pictures, drawings, paintings and models depicting the key features of the Chinese festival.

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The school provides a rich, broad and balanced curriculum with very good links between

19. Dance and music are strong features of the school’s curriculum. One grandparent wrote to a local newspaper praising the choir who performed in public in a Bristol shopping centre. The school has also been involved in a Bristol Schools Project called “We live here”. The school has produced a compilation recording on compact disc with professional help from a visiting musician. The music and singing is of high quality and one particular song “Mighty wings”, was also performed and recorded in school for parents. There are also very good links with design and technology as part of the school’s termly theme week where the pupils have designed and made musical instruments. A local college has also been involved in producing digital music with the pupils which has been recorded on compact disc (CD). Here the pupils have combined tracks from different digitally produced sounds on computers to produce

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The school provides a rich, broad and balanced curriculum with very good links between

some very good quality musical compositions on CD. The school operates many successful clubs, which includes its highly popular dance club. The pupils have performed in public, including a performance which is soon to take part in one of Bristol’s theatres.

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The school provides a rich, broad and balanced curriculum with very good links between

20. At the time of the pre-inspection visit, the “Stages” (dance club) performed in front of parents and governors. There were two musical themes, one of which included a piece of African drumming music. The older pupils (Years 5 and 6) represented zebras and animals in Africa and performed a dance using the music as accompaniment. The costumes and face painting, all done by staff, were very professionally done and the performance was of high quality. The younger pupils (Years 3 and 4), again, very professionally dressed as “ pink panthers” performed a sequence of dance to the music of the “Pink Panther”. Both performances demonstrated the hard work put in by the pupils and the expertise of the staff who run the dance club. During the school day, members of the performing arts club, know as “Stages”, proudly wear their special sweat shirts which mark them out specially. Music and dance are treasured aspects of the school’s curriculum and its work. The pupils, parents,

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The school provides a rich, broad and balanced curriculum with very good links between

governors and staff enjoy coming together for the many special occasions the school holds. There is a clear commitment to the high standards achieved in the performing arts which offer further opportunities for all pupils to celebrate success in both these and other areas of the school’s curriculum. Broomhill Junior School - 17

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The school is successful in improving the pupils’ personal development, including their

spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

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The school is successful in improving the pupils’ personal development, including their

21. The school successfully promotes the pupils’ personal development and ensures that the pupils are well cared for monitored and supported. Provision for this is very good. Relationships across the school are excellent and there is a positive working environment throughout. The school has a strong social moral code that is respected by both pupils and staff and respected by parents and the community. Teachers and learning support assistants, with their sensitive and caring attitude towards the pupils, provide very good role models. The procedures for ensuring the welfare of pupils are very good and the school has been successful in maintaining this since the last inspection. All the pupils have equal access to the school’s curriculum, and teachers and support staff plan activities that involve and encourage their full participation. The staff are very successful in improving the confidence of those pupils who would not otherwise participate in class discussions. Teachers are also

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The school is successful in improving the pupils’ personal development, including their

effective in improving the pupils’ self-esteem and developing speaking and listening skills.

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The school is successful in improving the pupils’ personal development, including their

22. In assemblies the pupils enjoy celebrating their achievements and participating in the weekly class assemblies. In one class assembly observed, the pupils and class teacher shared their weekly targets so that other pupils could listen to each other’s targets and offered suggestions as to how they can help each other to achieve them. One pupil, for example, suggested that he could help his friend’s personal target which involved working quietly during class activities and improving his writing. The headteacher led a school assembly which celebrated the talents that we all have in us. It started with some teachers volunteering to show some extra-ordinary talents that the pupils did not know they had. For example, one member of staff could juggle and another demonstrated that she was an accomplished flautist. The pupils looked on in amazement and then the headteacher went on to explain that we are

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The school is successful in improving the pupils’ personal development, including their

not always what we seem and should not be judged as such. The same self-belief and commitment to high achievement, which are the school’s stated aims, are reinforced as the staff continually promote a “can do” working ethic throughout the school. The school assembly culminated in a celebration of pupils’ work and efforts with the extra-curricular percussion group performing a piece of music in front of the school. After each assembly the pupils proudly sing their school song which reinforces the aims of the school and especially values the contributions of everyone associated with the school.

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The school is successful in improving the pupils’ personal development, including their

23. Relationships are excellent. Older pupils support younger ones during reading sessions or when using computers in the ICT room. The school uses a very good “buddy system”, where older pupils help and support others during lunch times and break times. These pupils act as “prefects” and they are very good at supporting and helping pupils, particularly younger ones, so that no one is isolated or neglected when playing outside. Computers are well used to enable the pupils to e-mail other groups or pupils from different schools. Access to the Internet opens the wider world to all the pupils. Spiritual and cultural development is enhanced through educational visits, including residential visits where the pupils participate in team building and outdoor adventure activities. Broomhill Junior School - 18

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The school should do more to motivate boys to derive pleasure from reading and to help them

become enthusiastic, independent and reflective readers.

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The school should do more to motivate boys to derive pleasure from reading and to help them

24. Although the school’s National Curriculum test results show very good achievement and progress made by the pupils in relation to their attainment on entry to the school, boys have been making less progress than girls in English and, in particular, in the reading tests. A closer analysis of trends in the tests for 11-year-olds over the last four years shows that, unlike mathematics and science, English results show a marked difference in attainment between girls and boys. Last year’s reading results show that 32 per cent of the boys exceeded the levels expected for their age (reaching Level 5) compared to nearly half of the girls who took the tests. More significantly, only three per cent of the girls did not reach Level 4 in reading (the expected standard for 11-year-olds), whereas 21 per cent of boys did not reach Level 4. There were more boys than girls on the school’s SEN register and one in

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The school should do more to motivate boys to derive pleasure from reading and to help them

five boys who took the tests last year had a Statement of SEN.

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The school should do more to motivate boys to derive pleasure from reading and to help them

25. Inspection evidence also shows that, on the whole, girls are reading more widely and regularly than boys. The results of tests taken before the pupils join the school also show that more boys are either on the special educational needs register for moderate learning difficulties in reading and writing or for speech and language. Talking to the boys about their reading, the evidence suggests that there is a general dislike of reading for pleasure amongst boys, whereas girls are more inclined to read for recreation and enjoyment. A brief analysis of some of the boys’ preferred reading tends to show that they choose adventure stories and dip into non-fiction books that are of particular interest to them. However, their reading is not usually sustained or regular enough for it to have a lasting impression on their attitudes towards books and a range of texts. Much of the work displayed or in the pupils’ workbooks

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The school should do more to motivate boys to derive pleasure from reading and to help them

provides them with opportunities to reflect on their writing or pictures or the work of authors. Girls tend to have more informed and deeper opinions about the books they have read, reflecting the fact that they read regularly and widely. The boys interviewed during the inspection, both from Year 5 and 6, tend to share information about the topic, or theme of the story without going too deeply into the characters and the context of the story or book. This is just a glimpse of what is an area for development to raise standards further in reading. The school has rightly identified strategies that will promote reading and use ICT as a motivational tool to maintain the pupils’ interest in locating information and using a range of texts. The school’s development plan recognises that more could be done to improve boys’ reading so that it will have an impact on their English results in the national tests.

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derive pleasure from reading by:

- introducing the pupils to a wider range of literature and non-fiction material with extensive opportunities provided for them to read for interest, pleasure and information;

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derive pleasure from reading by:

- providing challenging subject matter which broadens their outlook on reading;

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derive pleasure from reading by:

- promoting more reading for boys that has a balance of modern fiction, long established fiction, modern and classic poetry and literature from a range of cultures and traditions;

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derive pleasure from reading by:

(Paragraphs: 24-25) Broomhill Junior School - 20

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 6

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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 number and percentage of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about teaching. Care should be taken when interpreting these percentages as each lesson represents more than four percentage points.

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 233

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 59

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 6

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 97

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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 18

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 11

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Attendance

National comparative data 5.6 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. Broomhill Junior School - 21

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 (Year 6)

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 2001 28 29 57

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 (Year 6)

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 (Year 6)

Boys 19 13 22 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 28 17 29

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 (Year 6)

Percentage of pupils School 82 (64) 53 (61) 89 (81) at NC level 4 or above National 75 (75) 71 (72) 87 (85)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 (Year 6)

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 (Year 6)

Boys 11 12 18 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 21 17 26

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 (Year 6)

Percentage of pupils School 56 (44) 51 (54) 77 (64) at NC level 4 or above National 72 (70) 74 (72) 82 (79)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 (Year 6)

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Broomhill Junior School - 22

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 1 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage 3 Black – African heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Any other minority ethnic group 0 Other minority ethnic groups 0 0

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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) 10.2 Financial year 2001/2002

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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: Y3 – Y6 Total income 468,204

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 6 Total expenditure 470,734

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 81.5 Expenditure per pupil 2,101

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Teachers and classes Financial information

FTE means full-time equivalent. Balance brought forward from previous year 7,822

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance carried forward to next year 5,292

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 0.6

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 0.6

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Recruitment of teachers

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 0

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of a term or more (FTE) 0.6

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of unfilled vacancies or vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of less than one term (FTE) 0

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Recruitment of teachers

FTE means full-time equivalent. Broomhill Junior School - 23

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

Percentage of responses in each category

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

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

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child is making good progress in school. 49 51 0 0 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

Behaviour in the school is good. 49 42 5 2 2

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 37 47 7 8 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 46 40 14 0 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 72 23 2 3 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 78 22 0 0 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school works closely with parents. 43 43 8 3 3

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is well led and managed. 68 30 2 0 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 58 35 5 0 2

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 81 16 0 0 3

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The parents say that they choose the school because it provides a positive and supportive environment for their children. Many believe that this is a very good school where the staff work hard to provide a wide range of interesting activities and opportunities for all pupils. Many parents are delighted with the commitment of the staff and say that the school is popular with parents and has an established reputation in the area.

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