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Strengths
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- Pupils form very good relationships, have positive attitudes to learning and behave very well p.6
- The school provides an excellent range of opportunities for pupils to work together and to extend their learning in situations outside the classroom. p.12
- 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 p.5
- The school makes good provision for all aspects of pupils’ personal development; parents are rightly very positive about the strong focus on building individuals’ self-esteem and the good opportunities for pupils to learn to work together. p.13
- Enjoyment and appreciation of music is also encouraged in sessions with the choir; pupils are enthusiastic participants and start to form some clear preferences for particular songs; they all cheered and p.13
Concerns
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- There are weaknesses in the curriculum planned for them and resources, accommodation and levels of staffing are inadequate to meet the children’s needs. p.14
- The school’s evaluation of its performance This is weak because until recently there was a lack of information for the school to evaluate how well it is doing. p.10
- The provision for the youngest children starting school is inadequate. p.14
- The accommodation is inadequate to provide the range of practical experiences that young children need. p.15
- A new system of setting targets for individual pupils has just been introduced and this has the potential to remedy this weakness. p.8
Next steps
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- Provision for children in the reception year p.6
- The quality of information for parents to help them to support their children’s learning at home The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan. p.6
- The school was last inspected in October 1997. p.6
- Since then, improvement has been at a satisfactory rate. p.6
- Standards overall have been maintained at a high level; improvement in results of tests taken by eleven year olds is above the rate at which schools are improving nationally. p.6
- All the weaknesses identified in the last inspection have been tackled but the degree of success is variable. p.6
- There has been good improvement in provision for religious education (RE); it was not possible to judge standards being reached by the oldest pupils but indications are that they are at least in line with expectations for pupils in Years 3 and 4. p.6
- Planning has improved, particularly for literacy and numeracy; there is still some work going on in other subjects but overall there has been satisfactory improvement. p.6
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- Fairly hard
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Full report text
BROCKTON CE PRIMARY SCHOOL
Dates of inspection: 14 – 15 October 2002
p.1
BROCKTON CE PRIMARY 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.
p.1
BROCKTON CE 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. Brockton CE Primary School - 3
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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL
School address: Brockton Much Wenlock Shropshire
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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL
Appropriate authority: The Governing Body
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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL
Name of chair of governors: Mr D Vandyke
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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL
Date of previous inspection: 13 th October 1997 Brockton CE Primary School - 4
p.3
Team members
4343 Ms S Billington Registered inspector 13526 Mr R Barnard Lay inspector
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Team members
2 Riverside Athelhampton Dorchester Dorset DT2 7LG
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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 Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division
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Team members
Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Brockton CE Primary School - 5
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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 6
Information about the school How good the school is What the school does well What could be improved How the school has improved since its last inspection Standards Pupils’ attitudes and values Teaching and learning Other aspects of the school How well the school is led and managed Parents’ and carers’ views of the school
p.5
INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL
This is a small rural primary school with 68 pupils on roll. There are slightly more boys than girls in the school. Pupils are taught in three classes, each with two or three age groups. All pupils are of white British heritage.
p.6
INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL
The proportion of pupils that is eligible for free school meals is low at around three per cent. The proportion of pupils with special educational needs is also low at about nine per cent. One pupil has a statement of special educational need. The main difficulties for pupils are in specific areas of learning and medical or physical disabilities.
p.6
INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL
The school serves an advantaged area. The majority of children have some pre-school experience before starting school, although for some this opportunity is very limited. Overall, children’s levels of attainment on entry to the school are above average. A significant number of pupils join the school in year groups other than reception. Amongst the group of Year 6 pupils who left in July 2002, half had joined the school in Years 3 to 6.
p.6
INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL
Over the past year, there has been some significant disruption to the running of the school. The headteacher was on long-term absence at the same time as some new key staff took up post.
p.6
HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS
This is a good school. Eleven year olds attain high standards. The quality of teaching is good overall, although stronger for pupils in Years 3 to 6 than it is for those in the reception year, Year 1 and Year 2. There is good provision for pupils’ personal development and they respond very well to the range of opportunities that the school offers. Leadership and management are satisfactory and getting back on track after some disruption over the past year. The school gives good value for money.
p.6
What the school does well
• Eleven year olds achieve good standards in English, mathematics and science • The curriculum is enriched through a good range of visits and activities • Pupils form very good relationships, have positive attitudes to learning and behave very well • There is good provision for pupils’ personal development
p.6
What could be improved
• Provision for children in the reception year • The quality of information for parents to help them to support their children’s learning at home The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.
p.6
HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION
The school was last inspected in October 1997. Since then, improvement has been at a satisfactory rate. • Standards overall have been maintained at a high level; improvement in results of tests taken by eleven year olds is above the rate at which schools are improving nationally.
p.6
HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION
All the weaknesses identified in the last inspection have been tackled but the degree of success is variable. • There has been good improvement in provision for religious education (RE); it was not possible to judge standards being reached by the oldest pupils but indications are that they are at least in line with expectations for pupils in Years 3 and 4. Brockton CE Primary School - 7 • Planning has improved, particularly for literacy and numeracy; there is still some work going on in other subjects but overall there has been satisfactory improvement. • There is still some work going on to tackle weaknesses in assessment – particularly in implementing consistent procedures to track pupils’ attainment as they go through the school
p.6
HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION
Accommodation has been improved, although the school still has no hall.
p.7
STANDARDS
The table shows the standards achieved by 11 year olds based on average point scores in National Curriculum tests.
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Key
English A* A B C well above average above average A B mathematics A* A A B average below average C D science A* A A A well below average E
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Key
The number of pupils in each year group is small and results can therefore vary considerably from year to year. Nevertheless, the school has a good track record in terms of pupils’ performance. Results are generally well above average and in 2000 were in the top five per cent of schools nationally. The vast majority of pupils attain at least average levels in tests and a high proportion achieves higher levels, particularly in mathematics and science. Girls generally attain higher levels than boys.
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Key
The results of tests taken by seven year olds are more variable, but overall are generally above or well above average. The performance of boys and girls varies according to the nature of the cohort, but boys have achieved improved results in mathematics in the last two years.
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Key
The inspection found that pupils’ work largely bears out the positive picture shown by the test results. Eleven year olds are achieving good standards, particularly in mathematics and science. Their achievement in English is good, but the standard of written work is not as good as it should be in terms of presentation. The school has recognised this as an area for improvement.
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Key
Seven year olds are achieving as they should, given that the majority starts with a good level of skills and knowledge.
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Aspect Comment
Attitudes to the school Very good. The oldest pupils, in particular, are enthusiastic and committed learners.
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Aspect Comment
Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Very good. Pupils move around the school sensibly and with consideration for others.
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Aspect Comment
Personal development and relationships Very good. As they move through the school, pupils respond well to opportunities to take on responsibility and to work collaboratively.
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Aspect Comment
Attendance Very good, with levels well above average. Brockton CE Primary School - 8 Pupils’ very good attitudes to learning, high standards of behaviour and ability to form constructive relationships are particular strengths of the school. The oldest pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education.
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Teaching of pupils: aged up to 5 years aged 5-7 years aged 7-11 years
Lessons seen overall Satisfactory Satisfactory 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.
p.8
Teaching of pupils: aged up to 5 years aged 5-7 years aged 7-11 years
The overall quality of teaching is good, but it varies across the school. Teaching of the younger pupils is satisfactory overall. However, there are considerable difficulties in catering for a very wide range of ages and experiences in one class and there is not enough support from teaching assistants to enable the teacher to organise children’s learning in the most effective manner. Teaching of the pupils in Years 5 and 6 is often very good and this is a significant factor in their good progress and high levels of achievement.
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Teaching of pupils: aged up to 5 years aged 5-7 years aged 7-11 years
Teaching of literacy and numeracy is generally satisfactory and often good. However, marking of pupils’ work is often superficial and rarely indicates ways in which they can improve. A new system of setting targets for individual pupils has just been introduced and this has the potential to remedy this weakness.
p.8
Teaching of pupils: aged up to 5 years aged 5-7 years aged 7-11 years
Throughout the school, teachers form good relationships with pupils. The most effective lessons are well organised and conducted at a good pace. Teachers generally have high expectations of what pupils might achieve; this is particularly evident in Years 5 and 6 where pupils are given good opportunities to make decisions about how to organise their learning. In Years 3 to 6, teachers share their expertise in different subjects to good effect, so that pupils get the benefit of some enthusiastic and well-informed teaching. There is some particularly good teaching of science and music as a result of this form of organisation.
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Aspect Comment
The quality and range of the curriculum The curriculum is good and generally broad and well balanced for pupils in Years 1 to 6. It is unsatisfactory for children in the reception year.
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Aspect Comment
Provision for pupils with special educational needs Good. Pupils are given a good level of support and make good progress.
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Aspect Comment
Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Good. The school has a very positive ethos and pupils are supported well in their personal development. There is particularly good provision for social and cultural development through the very wide range of visits and clubs on offer.
p.8
Aspect Comment
How well the school cares for its pupils Good. There is good attention to matters of health and safety and pupils are cared for well. Pupils who join the school in Years 3 to 6 get a very good level of support to help them to settle in and form friendships quickly.
p.8
Aspect Comment
The curriculum is particularly enriched by the good range of visits, including residential camps, and extra-curricular activities. There is very good provision for sport, particularly in view of the fact that the school has no hall.
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Aspect Comment
There are significant weaknesses in the provision for the youngest children because of inadequacies in Brockton CE Primary School - 9 resources, accommodation and the amount of support staff time allocated to the class. Brockton CE Primary School - 10
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Aspect Comment
Leadership and manage- ment by the headteacher and other key staff Satisfactory. Staff take their responsibilities seriously and work is going on this year to improve their leadership roles
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Aspect Comment
How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Satisfactory. Governors are well organised to fulfil their responsibilities. They recognise the need to take a greater role in aspects of managing forward planning for the school.
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Aspect Comment
The school’s evaluation of its performance This is weak because until recently there was a lack of information for the school to evaluate how well it is doing. This is now being remedied with a more consistent approach to tracking pupils’ progress.
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Aspect Comment
The strategic use of resources Satisfactory. There have been some good initiatives to improve the use of the accommodation and teachers’ expertise, but there is a need to re- think the deployment of support staff.
p.10
Aspect Comment
The difficulties with staffing last year caused some disruption to planned developments and the school is just getting back on course.
p.10
What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved
• Their children like school • Behaviour is good • Children are helped to become mature • They feel comfortable approaching the school • The information that they get about how their children are getting on • The amount of homework • The way the school works with them • The leadership and management of the school • The range of activities provided outside of lessons
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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved
The above views are based on the comments of parents who attended the pre-inspection meeting together with responses to the parents’ questionnaires. The inspection confirmed their positive views of the school. Inspectors agree that there is scope to improve the quality of the information that parents receive about the curriculum and their children’s progress.
p.10
What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved
Leadership and management were found to be satisfactory, but with scope for improvement; this is recognised by governors and staff. The range of activities that supplements the taught curriculum is very good and a particular strength of the school. Brockton CE Primary School - 11
p.10
Eleven year olds attain good standards in English, mathematics and science
1. The school has a good track record in performance in national tests taken at the end of Year 6. Results in English, mathematics and science are overall well above national averages. Results also compare well with schools with a similar intake; in 2001 they were in line in English and well above in mathematics and science. Pupils do particularly well in mathematics and science, where the proportion that attained higher levels in tests was well above average in 2001.
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Eleven year olds attain good standards in English, mathematics and science
2. Discussions with pupils and scrutiny of their work bears out the positive picture shown by the test results. Pupils make particularly good progress in Years 5 and 6 in response to good, and at times, very good teaching.
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Eleven year olds attain good standards in English, mathematics and science
3. In English, pupils have particularly good skills in speaking and listening. They have a good range of vocabulary and can adapt their speech to suit different situations, understanding, for example, when it might be appropriate to use Standard English. They listen attentively to what their teachers and peers have to say and make reasoned and mature responses. Pupils are generally enthusiastic readers; they read expressively and with a good degree of understanding. They are aware of the school’s expectation that they read regularly and write reviews to critically appraise what they have read. They name favourite books and authors, including, for example, standard favourites such as Jacqueline Wilson and JK Rowling, but also enjoying classics such as ‘The Three Musketeers’. They confidently write in a variety of forms such as play scripts, letters and extended stories. There are good activities to encourage them to extend their vocabulary and add drama and
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Eleven year olds attain good standards in English, mathematics and science
description to their written work. The majority of pupils learn to sustain the reader’s interest by using a range of punctuation and dialogue, for example, in the opening of a new chapter of a story “Look. Calm down. I’m fine. Honestly.” The weak feature of written work is the quality of presentation that does not reflect the quality of what is written.
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Eleven year olds attain good standards in English, mathematics and science
4. In mathematics, almost all eleven year olds are working at a good level. They confidently use the four operations, working with four digit numbers and, for example, calculating fractions of whole numbers. They work out the mean, mode and median in practical situations, for example in a survey of shoe sizes. They present and interpret information using a variety of graphs, again applying their knowledge to real life situations. Application of knowledge of number and problem solving is a strong feature of pupils’ work. They are encouraged to set problems for each other, for example in calculating whether it would be cheaper to buy four ‘singles’ at 3.99 or an ‘album’ that costs 12.00.
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Eleven year olds attain good standards in English, mathematics and science
5. Pupils generally have very good scientific knowledge. They give good explanations of a variety of scientific phenomena, such as the differences in breaking a series or parallel circuit. They have a good understanding of scientific facts, for example in relation to the transmission of light, the function of the digestive system and the impact of friction. Their understanding of scientific principles is supported by a good range of investigative work that covers a wide range of activities; they explore the impact of exercise on pulse rates and filtering processes. One of the features of good science teaching is the responsibility that pupils are given to use their existing knowledge to plan and set up experiments that are based on fair testing. Pupils are used to recording their practical work clearly, for example, by creating tables to show results and drawing conclusions that give a clear Brockton CE Primary School - 12
p.11
Eleven year olds attain good standards in English, mathematics and science
6. Pupils make good use of their literacy and numeracy skills in subjects across the curriculum. In history, for instance, they carry out research into the topics that they study by using books, the Internet and CDRom. They are able to re-present information clearly, writing up key facts and presenting information by using time lines.
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The curriculum is enriched by a good range of visits and activities
7. The school provides an excellent range of opportunities for pupils to work together and to extend their learning in situations outside the classroom. These include a very good programme of visits for each class, residential ‘camps’ for older pupils and a variety of extra-curricular activities.
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The curriculum is enriched by a good range of visits and activities
8. The younger pupils in reception and Years 1 and 2 experience some aspects of Victorian life on their visit to Shugborough Hall. Here they are taught by ‘governesses’ and learn about the importance of good deportment and the discomforts of Victorian dress! This experience is further supported by a visit to a Victorian working farm where pupils dress as labourers and learn about farming methods in the past. Pupils in Years 3 and 4 visit Ludlow Museum as part of their work on the topics of rocks. Their study of the Romans is supported by a visit to Wroxeter and they have good opportunities to carry out further research back in the classroom through studying artefacts and a variety of sources of evidence such as extracts from instructions to Roman soldiers. The oldest pupils visit Ironbridge Power Station when they are studying electricity in science. They have also had good training in a local initiative where as the ‘crucial crew’ they learn about drug and
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The curriculum is enriched by a good range of visits and activities
alcohol abuse and how to tackle potentially dangerous situations.
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The curriculum is enriched by a good range of visits and activities
9. All members of the school community share an enthusiasm for the summer camps that are on offer to Years 3 to 6. These are seen as a very special feature of school life, allowing the children to experience teamwork and develop a degree of self-sufficiency. Pupils in Years 3 and 4 have a two day camp in Shropshire, while older pupils go to places such as Devon or London for a few days. These are very well organised events, made possible by thorough planning and preparation by the lead teacher and the good support of colleagues, governors and parents. Pupils are assigned to work in groups, taking responsibility for putting up tents and planning and preparing meals. Year 6 pupils have the opportunity to participate in a very good range of outdoor activities at the Devon camp and also on their annual residential visit to the Lake District.
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The curriculum is enriched by a good range of visits and activities
10. A good range of extra-curricular activities is on offer to pupils throughout the school. Provision for sport is particularly strong with activities through the year organised by the PE co-ordinator with the help of the older pupils. Both boys and girls are invited to participate in football, netball, cross country and swimming. Pupils also participate in athletics and games events at the local secondary school; this brings them into contact with children from other local primary schools and experience work in groups larger than usual. ‘Top Sport’ activities, provided weekly by the local council, also enable pupils to sample a range of games activities.
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The curriculum is enriched by a good range of visits and activities
11. Almost all pupils in Years 3 to 6 are enthusiastic members of the choir. There are also opportunities for pupils to receive instrumental tuition and learn to play, for instance, the guitar and other string or wind instruments. The school organises regular productions involving all pupils, although the programme for this was disrupted last year by staff absences. Pupils’ appreciation of the arts has been enhanced by an arts week held in 2000 that is planned to be a regular bi-annual event. Local artists worked with children on a variety of projects and helped pupils to extend their experience through using a variety Brockton CE Primary School - 13 of techniques and working in a range of media. Pupils also visited Walsall Art Gallery and held their own art exhibition in a marquee in the school grounds.
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very well
12. As they move through the school, pupils develop good work habits and become enthusiastic and committed learners. In all lessons in Years 3 to 6, pupils listen attentively and make good contributions to the discussions in introductory sessions. When they start individual tasks, they settle quickly to work and showed a good level of application and determination. Pupils work well in pairs and small groups, often helping each other with their learning. In a mathematics lesson with Years 3 and 4, for example, some pupils explained ‘scale’ to those who were unsure of the idea and helped them to understand how they could interpret and represent this as they tackled a variety of problems. The oldest pupils worked very well together in a science investigation, discussing their ideas and sensibly sharing equipment as they set up their experiments. One of the noticeable features of lesson with the oldest pupils is their level of motivation; as they work, almost
p.13
very well
all of the talk is related to the task in hand and they show perseverance when they encounter difficulties.
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very well
13. Throughout the school pupils generally behave very well in all situations. The younger children sometimes find it difficult to concentrate when they have been sitting for a lengthy period, but when they are moving around the classroom or to other parts of the school they usually move around sensibly and show consideration for others. At lunchtime, pupils having a hot meal wait sensibly to be served and move carefully around the confined space that forms the dining area. During the inspection, behaviour was tested severely as pupils were inside for two wet days, but even under these circumstances they remained sensible and polite. Pupils sorted out what they were going to do independently and got on with a range of activities with minimum supervision.
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very well
14. Pupils in Year 6 are very positive about all that the school offers them. They feel that lessons are interesting and they enjoy learning. They described relationships as very good; they are particularly positive about the opportunities they have to work together in teams in a variety of activities and about the responsibilities that they are given. They are clear that there is very little bullying and that if it occurs it would be sorted out quickly. At the same time, they understand that they are expected to sort out minor problems for themselves and again they appreciate that this is important in terms of developing their social skills. Pupils who had joined the school fairly recently were very positive about the way that they had been welcomed and the friendships that they had formed. Overall, they are a mature and responsible group, well prepared to move on to the next stage of learning.
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There is good provision for pupils’ personal development
15. The school makes good provision for all aspects of pupils’ personal development; parents are rightly very positive about the strong focus on building individuals’ self-esteem and the good opportunities for pupils to learn to work together.
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There is good provision for pupils’ personal development
16. Work in art, music and religious education makes a good contribution to pupils’ spiritual and moral development. Pupils have the opportunity to study the work of a range of artists and to try out their techniques, as, for example, in re-presenting some of Monet’s impressionist work. They also have opportunity to explore ways of representing their own ideas and feelings, for instance in selecting ‘warm’ and ‘cold’ colours. Assemblies are used as an opportunity to introduce pupils to a range of music, including classical and Brockton CE Primary School - 14 modern; during the inspection guitar music by John Williams was used to create a quiet atmosphere as pupils entered and left the assembly area. Enjoyment and appreciation of music is also encouraged in sessions with the choir; pupils are enthusiastic participants and start to form some clear preferences for particular songs; they all cheered and
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There is good provision for pupils’ personal development
bounced to the beat as the teacher started to play the introduction to the ‘Paintbox’ song. Religious education lessons are used well to promote reflection; the younger pupils were asked to consider the wonders of autumn as they described the shapes and colours of a variety of leaves and fruits. Pupils in Years 3 and 4 considered the form that God might take if he were an object and came up with some imaginative ideas, ‘He would be a sunflower because he could look over us’.
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There is good provision for pupils’ personal development
17. Pupils’ social skills are promoted very effectively through the range of special activities, clubs and residential visits described above. The range of responsibilities that pupils are given also support their personal development. Year 5 and 6 pupils, for example, help with setting up equipment for assemblies and sit with groups of younger children at lunchtime where there is good social interaction as they talk about their activities and ideas. Older pupils are given very good opportunities to use their initiative; they run activities at lunchtime such as a dance club and computer club and organise fund-raising events such as the bring and buy sale for the Blue Peter Appeal.
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There is good provision for pupils’ personal development
18. There are no specific school rules but expectations of behaviour are clear. Pupils respond well to the very positive ethos; they are known and valued as individuals and need only a quiet word from an adult on the rare occasions that they do anything untoward. Adults themselves are very positive role models; they treat the children with respect and understanding and the response is very positive. Pupils become aware of the responsibilities that they have towards the school community; the oldest pupils have formed a conservation club that encourages members to care for the environment.
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There is good provision for pupils’ personal development
19. Pupils’ awareness of the needs of others is promoted through other fund-raising activities such as the shoebox appeal for Operation Christmas Child. The school is seeking to further enhance provision for the multicultural dimension of the curriculum; there have been recent visits to performances of Japanese Taiko drumming and African and Brazilian dance and there are plans for a visit to a Sikh temple in Telford. Through use of the Internet and exchange of emails, the school is forming links with others in France and Ghana; the latter focused on creating a joint cross-Atlantic story.
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Provision for children in the reception year
20. The provision for the youngest children starting school is inadequate. There are weaknesses in the curriculum planned for them and resources, accommodation and levels of staffing are inadequate to meet the children’s needs.
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Provision for children in the reception year
21. Reception children are admitted at the start of each term, depending on their date of birth. They join an established class of Year 1 and 2 pupils. The admissions policy, which is determined by the local authority, places particular demands on the teacher responsible for this class. The gap in children’s ages and experiences widens as the year goes on so that in the summer term she is teaching some children who have had eight terms in school and trying to cater for the youngest in the reception year who are in their first term. The difficulties that this creates are compounded in the current situation where there is limited support to meet wide-ranging demands. Brockton CE Primary School - 15 22. The school has attempted to take account of the curriculum requirements for the youngest children and has an outline of objectives to cover each area of learning. However, these are rarely translated into appropriate activities and instead, the children
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Provision for children in the reception year
receive a ‘watered down’ version of what is planned for Years 1 and 2. They are often subject to inappropriate experiences, where, for example, they are expected to sit still for a lengthy period at the introduction to the literacy hour and are involved in work that is beyond their level of understanding. There are exceptions; in one session during the inspection the children had good, practical experience of investigating floating and sinking objects. This activity was well supported by a volunteer – a classroom assistant giving her own time to help out – and the children had good opportunities to discuss their observations and to try out new ideas guided by a supportive adult.
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Provision for children in the reception year
23. The accommodation is inadequate to provide the range of practical experiences that young children need. Attempts have been made to use the veranda area adjoining the classroom to allow for these, but the area is cold, it is also used as a cloakroom and space is limited, particularly because of the large sink that is situated in the middle. Plans are in hand to convert the area and extend the classroom, but so far no action has been taken. Resources, although somewhat improved lately, are too limited to meet curriculum requirements. There is no large play equipment, no construction equipment and very little provision for creative development. The amount of support staff time allocated to the class is very limited. There is usually support available in the mornings but little in the afternoons unless, as in the inspection, there is a student or volunteer help. Welcome as this is, it is no substitute for a trained assistant with a good understanding of young
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children’s learning
24. In many respects, the school has a very good partnership with parents and many have a strong degree of confidence in all aspects of its work. The Friends of Brockton School (FOBS) is extremely active, gets good support from parents and the local community and raises an impressive amount of money each year. However, there are limitations in the information that parents get about their children’s learning and there is scope to improve this so that they are in a better position to support their progress.
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children’s learning
25. The vast majority of parents feel that the school is very open and welcoming and that they are able to contact staff and talk over any concerns that they may have. Parents receive a useful fortnightly newsletter that gives good general information about school activities, forthcoming events and procedures such as dealing with late arrivals. However, very little information is provided about the curriculum or homework. There are some good recent initiatives; these include the newsletter that outlines work planned for the younger children in various curriculum areas and suggests how parents can support at home. However, it is too early to judge the effectiveness of this. Parents of older pupils, and the children themselves, are given a very good schedule of homework planned for each term; this includes some very imaginative activities such as measuring the length of shadows through the day, as well as routine tasks such as reading and spelling. However, the
p.15
children’s learning
information that parents receive varies in different classes and some are understandably unsure of what the school’s expectations are in terms of homework.
p.15
children’s learning
26. The overall quality of the annual written reports on children’s progress is satisfactory. These meet legal requirements and have some strong features such as the good detail that is given on pupils’ achievements in English, mathematics and science. However, reporting on other subjects is weaker, sometimes commenting on what a child has experienced rather than what he has achieved. Some reports include targets for the child Brockton CE Primary School - 16 and parents to work on; others do not.
p.15
WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?
27. In order to raise standards further, governors, the headteacher and staff should now:
p.16
WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?
(1) Improve the provision for children in the reception year by:
p.16
WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?
- implementing the planned changes to accommodation - improving the quantity and quality of resources - increasing the level of support allocated to the class
p.16
WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?
(2) Improve the quality of information provided for parents by:
p.16
WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?
- ensuring that parents receive regular information on the curriculum - providing consistent information about expectations in relation to homework - ensuring that annual written reports include information on pupils’ attainment in all areas and targets for improvement.
p.16
Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection
Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 6
p.17
Summary of teaching observed during the inspection
Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactor y Poor Very Poor
p.17
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 twelve percentage points.
p.17
Information about the school’s pupils
Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 68
p.17
Information about the school’s pupils
Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 2
p.17
Information about the school’s pupils
Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 1
p.17
Information about the school’s pupils
Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 6
p.17
Information about the school’s pupils
English as an additional language No of pupils
p.17
Information about the school’s pupils
Number of pupils with English as an additional language 0
p.17
Information about the school’s pupils
Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils
p.17
Information about the school’s pupils
Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 3
p.17
Information about the school’s pupils
Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 3
p.17
Attendance
National comparative data 5.6 National comparative data 0.5 Brockton CE Primary School - 18 Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Brockton CE Primary School - 19
p.17
Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1
Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 2001 5 9 14
p.19
Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1
National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics
p.19
Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1
Boys Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls
p.19
Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1
Percentage of pupils School 86 (90) 100 (90) 100 (90) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (83) 86 (84) 91 (90)
p.19
Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1
Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science
p.19
Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1
Boys Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls
p.19
Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1
Percentage of pupils School 93 (90) 100 (90) 100 (90) at NC level 2 or above National 85 (84) 89 (88) 89 (88)
p.19
Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1
Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year.
p.19
Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2
Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 2001 6 6 12
p.19
Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2
National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science
p.19
Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2
Boys Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls
p.19
Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2
Percentage of pupils School 92 (100) 92 (100) 100 (100) at NC level 4 or above National 75 (75) 71 (72) 87 (85)
p.19
Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2
Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science
p.19
Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2
Boys Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls
p.19
Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2
Percentage of pupils School 92 (100) 100 (100) 100 (100) at NC level 4 or above National 72 (70) 74 (72) 82 (79)
p.19
Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2
Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Brockton CE Primary School - 20 NB Separate boys and girls results are not published as there were less than 10 boys and 10 girls taking the tests. Brockton CE Primary School - 21
p.19
Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year
Categories used in the Annual School Census No of pupils on roll Number of fixed period exclusions Number of permanent exclusions
p.21
Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year
Asian or Asian British – any other Asian background
p.21
Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year
Black or Black British – any other Black background
p.21
Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year
The table refers to pupils of compulsory school age only. It gives the number of exclusions, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded. Brockton CE Primary School - 22
p.21
Teachers and classes Financial information
Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 3.3 Financial year 2001/2002
p.22
Teachers and classes Financial information
Number of pupils per qualified teacher 20.1
p.22
Teachers and classes Financial information
Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total expenditure 182,121
p.22
Teachers and classes Financial information
Total number of education support staff 3 Expenditure per pupil 2,396
p.22
Teachers and classes Financial information
Total aggregate hours worked per week 47 Balance brought forward from previous year -(1,722)
p.22
Teachers and classes Financial information
FTE means full-time equivalent. Balance carried forward to next year 1,702
p.22
Recruitment of teachers
Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 1
p.22
Recruitment of teachers
Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 1
p.22
Recruitment of teachers
Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 0
p.22
Recruitment of teachers
Number of vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of a term or more (FTE) 0
p.22
Recruitment of teachers
Number of unfilled vacancies or vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of less than one term (FTE) 0
p.22
Recruitment of teachers
FTE means full-time equivalent. Brockton CE Primary School - 23
p.22
Percentage of responses in each category
Strongly agree Tend to agree Tend to disagree Strongly disagree Don’t know
p.23
Percentage of responses in each category
My child is making good progress in school. 26 54 5 3 13
p.23
Percentage of responses in each category
Behaviour in the school is good. 49 41 3 0 8
p.23
Percentage of responses in each category
My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 28 41 18 10 3
p.23
Percentage of responses in each category
I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 23 38 31 8 0
p.23
Percentage of responses in each category
I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 51 41 3 5 0
p.23
Percentage of responses in each category
The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 46 33 10 3 8
p.23
Percentage of responses in each category
The school works closely with parents. 26 33 26 8 8
p.23
Percentage of responses in each category
The school is well led and managed. 38 28 13 18 3
p.23
Percentage of responses in each category
The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 31 49 8 0 13
p.23
Percentage of responses in each category
The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 33 38 13 8 8
p.23
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