Brimrod Community Primary School

Brimrod Community Primary School

Dates of inspection: 29 th – 31 st March 2004

p.1

Brimrod Community Primary School

Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 Brimrod Community Primary School - 2 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

Brimrod Community 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. Brimrod Community Primary School - 3

p.2

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Primary School category: Community Age range of pupils: 3 – 11 years Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 222

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Holborn Street Rochdale Lancashire Postcode: OL11 4NB

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 01706 647146 Fax number: 01706 651854

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: Governing body Name of chair of governors: Mrs J Hall

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 17 th May 1999

p.3

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

An average sized primary school in an area that is economically and socially disadvantaged. There is a high proportion of pupils learning English as an additional language. These are mostly of Pakistani origin, with a small number of British Indian and pupils from other Asian backgrounds. The movement of pupils in and out of the school is above average, and there are very high levels of authorised and unauthorised absence. Twenty nine percent of pupils are receiving free school meals, which is above average. There are below average numbers of pupils with special educational needs; in the main these are moderate learning or language difficulties. Three pupils have a statement of special educational needs. Pupils are taught in year groups. Thirty children attend the nursery part-time and share teachers and resources with the reception children in the Foundation Stage unit. This is a local authority centre of excellence. Children enter school with poor literacy skills

p.3

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

and well below average personal and social skills. The proportion of pupils learning English as an additional language has risen since the last inspection whilst the number on roll has fallen. The school received a Department for Education and Skills (DfES) achievement award for improvements in test results in 2002 and the investors in people award in 2001. Brimrod Community Primary School - 4

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

p.4

INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

23630 J Palk Lead inspector Foundation Stage Science Geography 13450 J Madden Lay inspector 23412 A Jeffs Team inspector Special educational needs Information and communication technology Music Physical education 30144 E Hastings Team inspector English Religious education 19055 E Statham Team inspector English as an additional language History 2759 D Sleightholme Team inspector Mathematics Art and design Design and technology

p.4

INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

3 Greenacres Puddletown Dorchester Dorset DT2 8GF

p.4

INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Any concerns or complaints about the inspection or the report should be made initially to the inspection contractor. The procedures are set out in the leaflet ‘Complaining about Ofsted Inspections’ , which is available from Ofsted Publications Centre (telephone 07002 637833) or Ofsted’s website (www.ofsted.gov.uk). Brimrod Community Primary School - 5

p.4

STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 8

Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects

p.5

STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 8

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

p.5

QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 11

Teaching and learning The curriculum Care, guidance and support Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

p.5

OVERALL EVALUATION

The school provides an acceptable standard of education but has some serious weaknesses. Standards are well below average and pupils do not achieve as well as they should. Teaching is satisfactory overall but insufficiently demanding of more able pupils. The head teacher and senior managers provide sound leadership but there is unsatisfactory support from the governing body and a number of statutory requirements are not met. Relationships between staff are good and are helping the school move forward. Costs are below average and overall the school gives satisfactory value for money.

p.6

OVERALL EVALUATION

The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are: • Children in the nursery and reception classes make very good progress because they are taught very well. • Pupils learning English as an additional language get off to a good start in their understanding and use of English. • Standards in English and mathematics are well below average and too many pupils do not make enough progress through the school. • Pupils are achieving well in information and communication technology (ICT) and standards are close to average. • Attendance rates are poor and have a negative effect on pupils’ learning. • Pupils have good attitudes to learning and behave well; there is a good atmosphere for learning. • Parents have positive views about the school but do not have much involvement in its work. • Not enough time is given to teach all subjects and this affects standards. • Pupils with special educational needs receive good support but the support for some other pupils

p.6

OVERALL EVALUATION

is not used as effectively as it could be.

p.6

OVERALL EVALUATION

Improvement since the last inspection has been unsatisfactory. Standards have fallen and many pupils underachieve in years 2 to 6; these are mainly low and high attaining pupils. Assessment arrangements are better but the information is not used to make sure that all pupils get the right sort of work. Consequently teaching has not improved sufficiently. The main recommendations have been addressed; planning to bring about improvement is systematic and resources to improve learning are effectively directed. Provision for the children in the nursery and reception unit and for ICT through the school are now strengths. Attendance levels have not improved enough despite the school’s best efforts.

p.6

STANDARDS ACHIEVED

all schools similar schools Results in National Curriculum tests at the end of Year 6 , compared with: 2001 2002 2003 2003 English C C E E mathematics D D E E science D D E D Key: A - well above average; B – above average; C – average; D – below average; E – well below average Similar schools are those whose pupils attained similarly at the end of Year 2.

p.6

STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Pupils’ progress is patchy and achievement overall is unsatisfactory . All children in the nursery and reception unit make a good start because the provision is very good. In years 1 to 6, pupils with average ability make satisfactory progress overall. Progress for less able pupils varies depending on the support they receive in lessons. More able pupils are not regularly challenged and underachieve. Pupils with special educational needs make satisfactory progress overall, although this is also Brimrod Community Primary School - 7 variable between subjects. Those pupils at an early stage of learning English as an additional language make satisfactory progress. Overall pupils’ speaking and listening skills are better than their reading and writing. Pupils often achieve well in practical lessons such as art and design, design and technology, physical education and music.

p.6

STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Pupils’ personal qualities including their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development are satisfactory . They develop well as independent learners and work well together. Attendance is well below average and many pupils’ experience lengthy breaks in their schooling, which has a negative impact on their progress.

p.7

QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The quality of education provided by the school is satisfactory . Teaching is satisfactory overall and very good for nursery and reception children. Teachers work hard and lessons are well managed and introductions motivate and engage all pupils. Teaching support is not organised well enough and the work given to pupils in too many lessons is not matched accurately enough to their needs. Teachers ask good questions and encourage pupils to think but do not always do enough to emphasise and repeat new vocabulary. This limits the gains that those learning English as an additional language make over time.

p.7

QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The curriculum has some weaknesses. The curriculum is not managed well enough, and some statutory requirements are not met. Practical subjects are covered well but coverage of other subjects is thin. More use could be made of pupils’ cultures and backgrounds to enrich their learning. Community links are improving rapidly. Pupils are well cared for through the school.

p.7

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership and management are satisfactory overall. There is a clear strategy for improving the school and raising standards. However, the information gained from checking pupils’ progress is not being used effectively. The governors are enthusiastic but are not sufficiently involved in the school’s development.

p.7

PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Parents and pupils are positive about the school but not actively involved in helping it improve.

p.7

IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

The most important things the school should do to improve are: • Raise standards achieved in English and mathematics. • Ensure that lessons are meeting the needs of all pupils. • Continue to improve attendance rates and reduce unauthorised absence. • Ensure the curriculum is more balanced. • To more fully involve pupils and parents in the work of the school. • Systematically involve governors in checking up on the work of the school.

p.7

IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

and, to meet statutory requirements: • Provide a daily act of collective worship. • Provide sufficient time to teach religious education. Brimrod Community Primary School - 8

p.7

Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects

Pupils’ achievements are unsatisfactory overall and standards are well below average by the end of year 6 in English and mathematics and below average in science. Achievement is good for all children in the nursery and reception classes. There is no difference in the achievements of boys and girls through the school. More able pupils do not make enough progress because the work is not challenging enough. Less able pupils make satisfactory progress when supported but this is patchy. Those pupils at early stages of learning English achieve well in learning to use spoken English. For other pupils learning to use English as an additional language progress in some subjects is erratic.

p.8

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Achievement in literacy and numeracy is uneven for too many pupils. • Pupils achieve well in ICT through the school and standards through the school are meeting expectations. • Pupils with special educational needs make good progress towards their personal targets and satisfactory progress overall. • Achievement in history, geography and religious education is unsatisfactory because not enough time is given to these subjects.

p.8

Commentary

1. The 2003 test results for pupils in year 2, when compared with similar schools, were in the bottom 5% in reading and writing and well below average in mathematics. The trend in test results is below the national trend. Pupils’ poor language skills have a detrimental impact on their attainment. Inspection evidence found that that whilst the present year 2 are well below average in their reading, writing, mathematics and science there is an improvement in the standards in year 1. The very good teaching in the foundation stage unit is effectively combating the underachievement caused by poor language skills and pupils in year 1 achieve well in their literacy and numeracy skills.

p.8

Commentary

Standards in national tests at the end of Year 2 – average point scores in 2003

p.8

Commentary

Standards in: School results National results reading 12.4 (12.9) 15.7 (15.8) writing 11.0 (11.1) 14.6 (14.4) mathematics 13.4 (13.2) 16.3 (16.5)

p.8

Commentary

There were 27 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

p.8

Commentary

2. Results in year 6 tests have fluctuated with the best improvement being made over time in English and science. Comparisons with pupils’ prior attainment is unreliable as the movement of pupils in and out of the school distorts the data. There are no significant differences between results of pupils for whom English is an additional language and other pupils. Boys have performed better in tests than girls in recent years, but this is to do with the nature of individual cohorts and the distribution of less able pupils. Last year’s results dipped sharply due to a number of reasons. A small but significant number of pupils joined the school with poor attainment in year 6, whilst nearly a third of the class had experienced long periods of absence that affected their learning. A small but significant number of boys in the cohort were disruptive to other pupils’ learning and this was not well managed. Inspection found that this year’s cohort is

p.8

Commentary

well motivated to learn but a third have joined the school since year 3, many at early stages of Brimrod Community Primary School - 9 learning English as an additional language. This, combined with poor attendance, has a negative effect on their achievement.

p.8

Commentary

Standards in national tests at the end of Year 6 – average point scores in 2003

p.9

Commentary

Standards in: School results National results English 23.4 (27.2) 26.8 (27.0) mathematics 23.7 (26.1) 26.8 (26.7) science 26.3 (28.1) 28.6 (28.3) There were 27 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

p.9

Commentary

3. Inspection found that standards in English and mathematics in year 6 are no better than last year’s test results and are not as high as at the last inspection. Only a small number are on course to reach higher levels, with above average proportions below average. The less able and more able pupils who have sustained experience in the school have not made the progress they should have in English and mathematics. Specific support strategies in literacy and numeracy have a positive effect in the short term but these gains are not sustained over time because there is not enough focused support in lessons. Where pupils at early stages of learning English are supported by bi-lingual support staff progress is better but again not enough attention is paid to these targets in all lessons. The school has gathered plenty of evidence of the diverse range of needs in each year group but the expectations of teachers are too often aimed at pupils of

p.9

Commentary

average ability with the consequence that the more able are not challenged and the less able struggle.

p.9

Commentary

4. Pupils who are on the register of special educational needs, represent a small proportion of each class. They make satisfactory progress because progress towards their individual plans is carefully tracked and teaching assistants are clear about what they need to improve.

p.9

Commentary

5. Pupils make good progress in their speaking and listening skills, but are below average by the time they leave school. The majority of pupils read at levels just short of average but very few read at levels above average in any year group. Pupils’ writing is well below average in its choice and use of vocabulary. Pupils have difficulty expressing ideas and their vocabulary is limited. Pupils have a reasonable scientific knowledge, and this is improving through the school as result of practical and investigative work. Their technical vocabulary is well below average by year 6 and this affects their overall achievement in science.

p.9

Commentary

6. All pupils make satisfactory progress in learning number facts but their application of these is variable. Pupils at early stages and higher stages of learning English as an additional language make unsatisfactory progress in mathematics because there is insufficient focus on language development.

p.9

Commentary

7. A scrutiny of work showed that pupils had undertaken very little work in religious education, history and geography in years 3 to 6. Much of the work was the same for all pupils irrespective of their needs and there was little opportunity for pupils to progress at a rate in keeping with their abilities.

p.9

Commentary

8. Resources for ICT are of good quality and the teaching is good. Consequently pupils are achieving well and this is an improvement since the last inspection. Lesson observations and pupils’ work show that pupils achieve well in practical subjects where teaching is often good, and the tasks challenging. However the quantity of work in art and design and design and technology was less than is usually seen at this stage of the academic year. Brimrod Community Primary School - 10

p.9

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities are satisfactory. Their attitudes and behaviour are good and their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is satisfactory. Punctuality is unsatisfactory and attendance poor.

p.10

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school monitors pupils’ attendance very well but is unable to prevent parents taking pupils out of school for long periods or ensuring punctual attendance. • Good behaviour and behaviour management in the school has created a calm and purposeful atmosphere for learning. • Most pupils are happy at the school and eager to make the most of the opportunities it offers. • There is insufficient celebration of pupils’ achievements around the school. • The school fails to provide a daily act of worship for all pupils.

p.10

Commentary

Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

p.10

Commentary

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 90.3 School data 1.5 National data 94.2 National data 0.4 The table gives the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year.

p.10

Commentary

9. Attendance is in the bottom 10 per cent of schools and similar to the last inspection. The attendance of a significant group of pupils is adversely affected by the extended absences taken during school terms, especially the spring term. The school is diligent in applying the appropriate sanctions and is clear with parents about the impact absences have on pupils’ learning. However, parental support for the attendance policy is poor. Pupils are frustrated by these breaks that badly effect their learning and ability to maintain consistent friendships. There is an ongoing problem with lateness.

p.10

Commentary

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

p.10

Commentary

Categories used in the Annual School Census No of pupils on roll Number of fixed period exclusions Number of permanent exclusions White – British 18 2 1 Mixed – White and Asian 6 0 0 Asian or Asian British – Indian 6 0 0 Asian or Asian British – Pakistani 114 1 1 Asian or Asian British – any other Asian background 4 0 0 No ethnic group recorded 17 0 0 The table gives the number of exclusions, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

p.10

Commentary

10. Behaviour is good in the classroom supported by the high expectations of staff and work of the ‘Behaviour Mentors’ 1 who are successful in moderating the responses of pupils who have

p.10

Commentary

1 Teaching assistants who are trained to provide emotional and learning support for pupils identified as having difficulties in school. These are sometimes related to poor attendance or weak social skills. Brimrod Community Primary School - 11 special problems. There have been no exclusions this academic year and fewer reported instances of bullying. Children in the nursery and reception class play very well together and learn well how to share and work together. Pupils of all ethnic backgrounds and older and younger pupils play harmoniously together. There is no evidence of racism or harassment.

p.10

Commentary

11. Pupils like their school and in well-planned lessons with work suitably matched to their needs they are keen to learn and try hard to do the best they can. A start has been made in presenting reward certificates for pupils who reach their targets. However, the school misses opportunities, for example in displays, for pupils to learn to value their achievements by publicly praising their work and personal development.

p.11

Commentary

12. Pupils are only timetabled to attend four assemblies during the week, one of which is a class assembly and the other devoted to singing. During the inspection not all pupils had opportunity to attend acts of worship. The assemblies did not provide sufficiently for the spiritual development of pupils.

p.11

QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The school provides a satisfactory education. Action is being taken to improve pupils’ learning in lessons but the curriculum is not well enough planned to meet the diverse range of needs. The ethos of the school is good, and pupils are taught in a positive and encouraging manner.

p.11

Teaching and learning

Teaching is satisfactory overall and very good in the Foundation Stage. Assessment information is not used consistently to provide pupils with the support they need in lessons or to plan work that is matched to their stage of learning.

p.11

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The very well organised activities in the nursery and reception class encourage children’s independence and language skills. • Most lessons are engaging and maintain pupils’ enthusiasm for learning, but teachers do not pay enough attention to developing pupils’ vocabulary and grammar. • Tasks and activities are not always well matched to pupils’ needs. • Support staff do not play a full role in helping the learning of different ability groups.

p.11

Commentary

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 48 lessons

p.11

Commentary

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

p.11

Commentary

The table gives the number of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons; figures in brackets show percentages where 30 or more lessons are seen.

p.11

Commentary

13. Very good teaching in the foundation stage unit is a key ingredient in the successful start children are now making. Very nearly all the children start school with low oracy skills and the regular tracking of their development is central to how the staff structure the activities. The activities are of very good quality; they are practical and often great fun, such as exploring moving water or making soup. Time is very well managed, providing a balance of direct teaching and the chance for children to work in groups and pairs. All the adults place a great emphasis on developing communication and interpersonal skills and there is hardly a moment when some children aren’t engaged in talking with adults about what they are doing. Children are good listeners and this Brimrod Community Primary School - 12 makes these times even more productive. Teaching is explicit, language modelled and celebration of achievement is individual, regular and leads to some very good learning.

p.11

Commentary

14. Sound teaching overall has not been good enough to sustain an improvement in pupils’ achievements. It has not improved since the last inspection although there is greater consistency in the teaching of literacy and numeracy through the school. Lessons start well. They are engaging and capture pupils’ attention and interest with a good variety of resources. The discussions at the start of lessons set out the expectations of what pupils’ are to learn and are successful in bringing most pupils into conversation. In the main teachers do not at this point emphasise the new vocabulary sufficiently or insist that pupils chose their answers carefully. Some teachers overlook pupils’ during the discussion or do not provide examples of how to phrase answers that would help others gain a clearer understanding. In some mathematics and science lessons, where vocabulary is displayed, not enough attention is drawn to this. Some

p.12

Commentary

adults working in the classrooms offer some help in dealing with new learning, but this is not consistent in all lessons. The use of the final part of the lesson is also variable with the best teaching drawing together what has been learnt and using the time to check on pupils’ understanding.

p.12

Commentary

15. Class teaching for the majority of pupils for whom English is an additional language is strongest where there is a good choice of texts and topics which all the minority ethnic pupils respond to and where clear visual support accompanies good explanations. Teachers do not always identify the language demands of their lessons in relation to pupils’ needs, and consequently support staff are not able to use their knowledge of teaching English to best effect. This limits their effectiveness in lessons.

p.12

Commentary

16. In most of the lessons teachers planned work for different ability groups, although this was not evident in the work scrutiny. However, the work given to pupils was not always well matched to learning targets. Little of the work set specific demands for the less and the more able pupils that was in keeping with the information gained from assessments. There was not always sufficient clarity about the particular outcomes expected of the different groups other than to complete the task. Consequently in too many lessons some groups of pupils did not make the progress expected.

p.12

Commentary

17. Whilst pupils have targets for improving their work only in the very good lessons are these rehearsed with the pupils and very occasionally mentioned when teachers mark the work. In the effective English lessons teachers explicitly rehearsed an idea or showed how the work could be rephrased. Pupils are beginning to be involved in developing their own targets for writing and mathematics, but more work is needed to help them review their progress.

p.12

Commentary

18. There are regular sessions where pupils at early stages of learning English as an additional language and those with special educational needs are given direct teaching. These are effective. However, this support is not available in all lessons, particularly for the less able pupils. Where alternative support, such as props to help with writing, word banks or practical mathematical equipment, is lacking these pupils do not then learn effectively. Classroom teachers have been asked to identify and teach to targets but the quality of practice varies. Where classroom practice is good, teacher and teaching assistants plan in detail, monitor and document the pupils’ progress carefully. The teaching assistants work with groups giving good advice and celebrating progress. On these occasions teaching assistants make a valuable contribution. In literacy and ICT lessons careful attention is given to individual targets and good

p.12

Commentary

planning that links classroom work to pupils’ plans. However, such support is much more patchy in mathematics and other subjects. In too many instances, teachers and teaching assistants do not identify tasks with enough precision or on a day-to-day basis. This means that a number of good teaching opportunities are missed and achievement limited.

p.12

The curriculum

Brimrod Community Primary School - 13 The curriculum provided by the school is unsatisfactory. It lacks the breadth and richness required for the mix of pupils the school works with.

p.13

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The lack of detailed monitoring of the overall curriculum means that development has been piecemeal; there are areas where statutory requirements are not met and inadequate time allocation. • The school has not developed a curriculum that is rich and varied enough to support the wide range of pupils effectively. • There have been some good developments in providing for pupils before and after school. • Provision for pupils with special educational needs is good. • Good use is made of specialist staff to provide for ICT, PE, design technology (DT) and music.

p.13

Commentary

19. The curriculum covers all of the relevant subjects within the National Curriculum. However, the design of the timetable and subject planning mean that not enough time is allocated for religious education, history or geography. Often a subject such as history may be taught in one term and then not revisited for a year-and-a-half, limiting both the topics covered and the consistent development of skills. More important, the overall time allocation when the subjects are taught is much less than is required. This means that subjects that could make very significant contributions to English and mathematics skills in exciting ways are not developed. Reflection of minority ethnic pupils’ background is poor across the curriculum. There is a very rich combination of cultures within the local community. At present, not enough opportunity is taken to celebrate this diversity by drawing on pupils’ experiences. This, in turn, reduces the relevance of

p.13

Commentary

subjects such as English, history, religious education, food technology and geography, which could all make greater contributions to pupils overall achievement.

p.13

Commentary

20. The lack of a curriculum co-ordinator has meant that the coverage and content of the whole curriculum has not been evaluated on a regular basis. There has been a sensible focus on English and mathematics skills in response to the low levels of achievement in these subjects. In addition the school has introduced a number of additional support programmes in these subjects. However, the impact of these initiatives has not been significant in raising standards. The school has collected a significant amount of assessment information, but has not yet analysed it to see exactly how much, or how little, progress individuals make and whether the initiatives have been successful in their purpose.

p.13

Commentary

21. A small number of interesting before-school activities have been developed, including a breakfast club and a ‘catch up’ class for those pupils that have been away for long periods. Focus weeks have provided opportunities to develop themed art and performance activities and links with a local college have been effective in developing ICT work during and after school.

p.13

Commentary

22. Good use is made of specialist staff in subjects such as music, DT and PE. These have allowed the school to provide subject teaching where staff do not have the requisite skills or confidence. The school is quite rightly seeking to build on this to increase the expertise of its own staff through joint teaching. In addition, more bilingual teaching assistants have been appointed and this is an improvement since the last inspection.

p.13

Commentary

23. Although classroom provision for pupils with special educational needs is variable, the overall provision for this group is good. The co-ordinator has developed a good system related to individual education plan targets and pupils show good achievement in their progress against these targets.

p.13

Care, guidance and support

Brimrod Community Primary School - 14 There is good provision for pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety. The provision of support, advice and guidance based on monitoring is satisfactory. There is unsatisfactory involvement of pupils through seeking, valuing and acting on their views.

p.14

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school actively promotes the safety and well being of pupils and pastoral care is effective. • Relationships in the school between staff and pupils are strong and supportive. • Pupils’ views and opinions are not sought effectively enough. • Assessment procedures are very thorough in the nursery and reception classes and make a very good contribution to the teaching and to children’s learning. • The school lacks a system that brings together the information about pupils’ personal and academic progress so that support in lessons can be effectively focused .

p.14

Commentary

24. The staff are careful of the welfare needs of the pupils and ensure they are well supervised and safe. They go to great efforts to ensure they are informed of children’s medical and dietary needs when they enter the school. There are good arrangements for children starting in the nursery and strong links with parents of pupils at early stages of learning in English. Staff understand child protection procedures and work within locally agreed procedures. There are regular and thorough checks on facilities and equipment.

p.14

Commentary

25. There are good and trusting relationships in the school between pupils and staff with most pupils knowing and trusting a member of staff who is concerned about them. A good ethos ensures that pupils from different ethnic backgrounds are equally included in the life of the school. The pastoral care received by pupils is supportive and effective.

p.14

Commentary

26. Consultation with pupils is in its infancy; the school council 2 has only been recently formed, and as yet has had no impact on school life. The pupils talk with their teachers about matters that concern them but there is no evidence that opinions expressed feed in to the management of the school.

p.14

Commentary

27. A strong feature of the provision in the nursery and reception class is the regular tracking of children’s progress and the sharing of this information with all those involved in supporting them. There is a range of potentially useful information collected about pupils’ attainment in English and mathematics through the rest of the school. However, this is not drawn together to provide clear and comprehensive targets easily shared by all those adults helping the pupils.

p.14

Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

The partnership with parents and links with the community are satisfactory. Links with other schools and colleges are good.

p.14

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Parents are supportive of their children and usually attend parents’ consultation meetings, performances and special events organised by the school. • The school works well with partners to provide a range of educational opportunities for parents. • Links with other schools and colleges provide opportunities for staff training and support, as well as increasing the availability of ICT resources. • Physical access to the building for parents and others is unwelcoming.

p.14

Main strengths and weaknesses

2 A representative group of pupils who share their views with staff about how the school could improve. Brimrod Community Primary School - 15

p.14

Commentary

28. Parents are keen to support their children in the school and most attend consultation meetings held with teachers. They are also very supportive of events and productions in the school. However, many parents continue to take extended trips abroad and this has a detrimental effect on their children’s education. The school works hard, along with other agencies, to encourage parents to be more involved in their children’s work but the response is disappointing. This includes a parents’ room where adult education classes take place and a partnership with the local college to provide ICT training, which has significant benefits for the parents involved. This has been very successful for the, as yet, small numbers of parents involved.

p.15

Commentary

29. A close partnership with other schools in the area has provided significant opportunities for teacher training and widening opportunities for pupils to extend their personal development.

p.15

Commentary

30. The main entrance to the school is tucked away and difficult to find, presenting a very unwelcoming contact point for parents and visitors alike; this continues in the reception area where facilities for parents are limited and unfriendly.

p.15

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership and management by the headteacher and key staff are satisfactory. The governance of the school is unsatisfactory.

p.15

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Although some aspects of management are good, taking action to raise standards, as a result of monitoring, is unsatisfactory. • The governors do not have a secure understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the school, their role in school improvement is not well developed and they do not hold senior managers sufficiently to account. • There are good arrangements for staff induction and further professional development. • Some aspects of statutory requirements are not met.

p.15

Commentary

31. The headteacher has a determination to move the school forward and has managed the changing circumstances of the school satisfactorily. The deputy headteacher provides good support, is a very good role model to other staff and pupils and has a significant presence around the school. The headteacher has put considerable effort into developing school self-evaluation and senior managers now share a clear view of development and recognise the barriers to underachievement. Although their actions have had a positive impact on improving behaviour, attitudes and teaching, there has not been enough improvement in standards and pupils’ achievement. The headteacher’s determination shows in the way links with partner schools have resulted in improved provision for ICT and practical subjects that is helping raise attainment.

p.15

Commentary

32. The headteacher has implemented robust systems for monitoring teaching and collecting data on pupils’ performance, although this is limited to English and mathematics. The key weakness in monitoring is the weak analytical dimension of this work. This does not yet clearly identify the underachievement by specific groups of pupils so that support can be accurately directed. The school improvement planning is not yet precise about which groups of pupils are a particular priority, with insufficient reference to how specific actions are intended to bring about a sustained improvement in standards. The limitations in this work show in the way too few pupils reach higher standards and too many lower attaining pupils struggle with tasks not appropriately matched to their needs. There is also a lack of overview of the curriculum with resulting gaps, particularly in provision for humanities and religious education.

p.15

Commentary

Brimrod Community Primary School - 16 33. The governors are supportive but not effective. They rely too much on the termly reports of the headteacher for information. There have been few school visits by governors to improve their understanding of it strengths and weaknesses. As a result their role in helping shape the school’s improvement is undeveloped particularly as they do not question the proposals written into the school improvement planning. There has been a difficulty recruiting and retaining governors and at the time of this inspection there were two vacancies for parent governors. Although a priority has been made to strengthen the community involvement of the school there is still much to do to secure the support of the large body of Asian parents.

p.16

Commentary

34. Leadership and management of the ethnic minority achievement team is satisfactory overall. The timetable for extra support is well organised so pupils do not miss out on subjects of the curriculum. The headteacher works closely with the team and has successfully led a number of initiatives to involve the parents in learning English alongside their children. These are helping to raise standards in the foundation stage and year 1.

p.16

Commentary

35. There is effective support for recently appointed staff and a strong sense of team work now pervades. There are good arrangements for the review of staff performance, recognised in the Investors in People status (IIP), and these link well to a comprehensive programme of staff development. However this has yet to have a significant impact on standards.

p.16

Commentary

36. Some aspects of statutory requirements are not met: • The time allocated for the teaching of Religious Education does not meet the requirements of the Locally Agreed Syllabus. • The requirement for a daily act of collective worship is not fully met. • There is not enough time allocated for the teaching of history and geography to allow the programmes of study to be covered adequately.

p.16

Financial information

Financial information for the year April 2002 to March 2003

p.16

Financial information

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 574,575 Balance from previous year 38,926 Total expenditure 550,502 Balance carried forward to the next 24,073 Expenditure per pupil 2,722 Brimrod Community Primary School - 17

p.16

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

37. Provision for children in the nursery and reception year is very good. Those areas that were strengths have been strengthened, such as planning and assessment, whilst provision in areas such as physical development and knowledge and understanding have improved and are now very good. The teaching is very good and the combined nursery and reception class unit is very well managed. All the adults play a full part in planning and tracking pupils’ progress in all the areas of learning. A good balance of bi-lingual adults and other adults ensures that children are very well supported in learning English. There is a seamless flow of activities that each deliver the key learning objectives established for the week. Support in the area of visual impairment is a model of its kind enabling one pupil to achieve very well and meet his full potential in a very short space of time.

p.17

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in personal, social and emotional development is very good .

p.17

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children achieve very well because of the very good support and established routines that encourage their independence.

p.17

Commentary

38. The teaching of social skills by all adults is very good and most of the children of reception age are well on their way to reaching the expectations in the early learning goals. Routines are very well established and children have well planned opportunities to join with their year group for social activities such as sharing a book, or eating fruit. The activity areas are very inviting and well supported by adults and very good quality equipment.

p.17

Commentary

39. The adults are skilful at teaching them how to play with other children, taking turns and sharing equipment. The link between the writing area and the vegetable shop was put to very good use when an adult helped children prepare their lists before moving off to be served by the ‘shopkeeper’. Support, particularly in the children’s home language, ensured they acquired valuable experiences during this shopping experience. The outdoor areas are similarly well resourced to encourage co-operation and social skills. The roadway makes an exciting play area along with a garage where children will ‘repair’ your car. Children are very responsible for the equipment; packing up together, without any fuss, and minimal guidance.

p.17

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Provision in communication, language and literacy is very good .

p.17

Main strengths and weaknesses

• There is very good support to develop speaking and listening skills. • Reading and writing have prominent areas and parents are given every encouragement to help through a book and game loan scheme. • There is not always enough guidance given to supporting adults on the type of questions that would develop spoken language. Brimrod Community Primary School - 18

p.17

Commentary

40. For a significant majority, English is an additional language and they have very limited experience of spoken English. A number of other children have poorly developed speaking and listening skills. Children learn well because the teaching is very good. The teachers and other adults have a very good understanding of the small steps in learning literacy and place strong emphasis on this each day. The progress of children’s language development is tracked daily with times each week when children’s individual language development is a particular focus. Bi-lingual adults are on hand to support children during small group and class sessions which ensures they all have a chance to contribute. Those with special needs are similarly very well supported when participating in discussion or at the reading and writing areas.

p.18

Commentary

41. Both teachers are skilful at phrasing questions that encourage children to extend their answers. Techniques, such as ask a friend, help children practise spoken language. However, other adults do not have clear guidance on how to extend children’s vocabulary when working with them in activity areas; this somewhat diminishes the impact of the very good provision.

p.18

Commentary

42. Children are taught their sounds systematically and this is linked well to the words being used in the activity areas and in the shared reading books. There are many opportunities for children to listen to stories and a recent scheme to provide parents and carers with picture books and games encourages children to continue using English as an additional language at home.

p.18

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in mathematical development is very good .

p.18

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching is very good and activities are very well planned to meet children’s needs. • The use of practical activities reinforces mathematical knowledge well.

p.18

Commentary

43. Children achieve well, although only a few children are likely to meet expectations by the end of the foundation stage. Good use is made of the regular assessment to provide small group activities that develop pupils’ knowledge of number and number operations such as counting. Activity areas help children develop mathematical understanding, such as specifying the number of vegetables to be bought or the shapes to be used in drawing a house. In a very good numeracy lesson, children in reception made good progress in developing their understanding of number when playing mathematical games. Good use is made of computer programmes to help children in the nursery with early matching activities.

p.18

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Provision in knowledge and understanding of the world is good .

p.18

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Activities such as the hatching of butterflies are stimulating and used well to promote language development. • Activities link very well to developing children’s experiences in the world around them but do not make enough use of children’s own cultural backgrounds. Brimrod Community Primary School - 19

p.18

Commentary

44. All the areas in the classroom make use of practical activities that extend children’s knowledge. For example growing daffodils and painting pictures of the flowers extends their knowledge of plant growth. During the preparation of vegetables, bought from the classroom shop, to make soup children talked about what they noticed and used picture books and posters to extend their knowledge. The experience of watching butterflies emerge was very well managed to link in with the reading of a story book. The very well resourced areas for weather studies encourage independent research and discussion. The success of these activities was that children were engaged in the early stages of reading and writing as well as using a range of resources including computers, television and video.

p.19

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

It was not possible to make a judgement about provision because not enough observations were made. Children co-operate very well when playing outside on trikes and wheeled toys. They show appropriate control over small equipment such as scissors when cutting and sticking materials.

p.19

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Provision in creative development is very good .

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Specific areas for role-play and creative development are well resourced.

p.19

Commentary

45. Creative areas abound and teachers and adults are very skilful at encouraging children to learn effectively through their play. Despite their limited experiences on entry most are close to expectations by the end of the year. A musical area has a range of manufactured and child made instruments, and is resourced with taped music for children to play along to. The children make good use of this independently to explore sound. They have acquired a reasonable range of songs and rhymes to help them with language and mathematical learning but are reluctant to join in despite the teachers clear voice and good encouragement. Pretend play areas include dressing up clothes and props. There is some limited representation of ethnic groups in the play equipment but nothing that indicates that the children mainly come from Asian backgrounds.

p.19

ENGLISH

Provision in English is unsatisfactory .

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Overall standards in speaking and reading are below average and in writing are well below average across the school. • Pupils’ achievement overall is unsatisfactory. • Teaching is satisfactory with some strengths but not challenging the more able. • The use of additional literacy strategies supports learning well. Brimrod Community Primary School - 20

p.19

Commentary

46. The picture at year 2 is very similar to that reported at the time of the last inspection, but over time results in the national tests have largely declined. Trends at year 6 have been erratic with only two years out of the last five when results were close to the expected level for eleven year olds. The above average level of pupil mobility, and the thirty per cent of pupils absent through extended holidays has some limiting impact upon their learning.

p.20

Commentary

47. The inspection found that pupils’ overall achievement is unsatisfactory, including for some of the more able pupils who are not always challenged sufficiently to improve the quality of their written work. Learning is variable, some is very good, and pupils of average ability often make satisfactory progress overtime. Those pupils with special educational needs also achieve at a satisfactory rate because they are well supported and encouraged, and provided with work that is well matched to meet their needs. Performance trends in the national tests indicate that boys do better than girls but inspection found a different picture, with a larger group of less able boys in year 6.

p.20

Commentary

48. Overall standards in speaking and listening are below average throughout the school and this limits their ability to express themselves accurately. None the less achievement is good and they communicate reasonably well. Many pupils are learning to speak English as an additional language and they enter school with low levels of spoken English. They are given sufficient opportunities to speak in most lessons and they do this with some confidence. Some teachers are aware of the limitations of vocabulary and make a point of drawing attention to specific vocabulary in lessons to improve pupils’ comprehension skills. The use of ‘talking partners’ enables pupils to develop confidence in speaking, and provides opportunities for them to express their own ideas and feelings. However, not all teachers emphasise the correct grammatical structure with pupils and this is limiting standards in written work.

p.20

Commentary

49. Pupils show great enjoyment of reading and talk enthusiastically about books they have read or are reading currently. They are well taught how to use the non-fiction section of the library for research purposes, but do not get enough regular experience to follow this through. Year 1 pupils are making very good progress in their understanding and knowledge of phonic sounds and this is contributing well to their overall progress. Reading skills are taught systematically and there are many opportunities provided for pupils to read during the school day. The shared experiences are beneficial, such as when reading to an adult and small group sessions, but silent reading sessions have less value for those learning English as an additional language.

p.20

Commentary

50. Writing is an area of focus for school improvement because of the well below average standards. Pupils’ achievements are unsatisfactory overall. Handwriting and presentation skills are variable but by year 6 pupils are generally producing a satisfactory style of handwriting. Restricted language skills inhibit progress in the development of writing and the way in which pupils express themselves. Literacy lessons provide sufficient opportunities for writing for different purposes, but although teachers provide emphasis on new vocabulary there is not always enough use of resources, such as vocabulary lists, to support pupils’ writing. Extended writing opportunities are provided but progress is inhibited when all groups are expected to do the same level of work. Targets for improving writing have been provided to pupils, and teachers refer to these in relation to pupils’ work in lessons but marking is not consistent to enable all

p.20

Commentary

pupils to know how they can improve their written work.

p.20

Commentary

51. Teaching is satisfactory overall and there was some good and very good teaching. The better teaching was characterised by clear provision for the different ability groups and the provision of exciting and enjoyable reading and writing tasks. Where it was less effective the needs of higher and lower attainers particularly in years 3 to 6 have not been clearly understood and not always rigorously addressed. This then leads to variable rates of learning. The national literacy strategy underpins the teaching of English and is embedded well in daily practice. Clear lesson objectives are shared with pupils and learning is checked on in the final part of the lesson. Brimrod Community Primary School - 21 52. The additional literacy strategies, including extra literacy lessons, are taught well by the skilled teaching support staff. Consequently, less able pupils make good progress in these sessions. However, this is not sustained in other lessons where there is insufficient differentiation of work

p.20

Commentary

for lower attaining pupils, and not enough focused support to develop their writing. Booster lessons are well structured and ensure different groups at year 6 make good progress in the understanding of the main features of different genres of writing.

p.21

Commentary

53. There is satisfactory leadership. Teaching is being observed regularly and weaknesses addressed through training. The two subject leaders have a clear view of standards and have the capacity to be successful. Appropriate assessment and tracking procedures are now in place although they are currently not yet sharp enough to identify pupils who are underachieving and accurately target pupils to improve their progress. Teachers’ expectations of what the more able pupils are capable of are still not high enough and the practice of providing the same level of work is restricting progress.

p.21

Language and literacy across the curriculum

54. Language and literacy across the curriculum is unsatisfactory overall. Although pupils use their literacy skills in other subjects, these lessons are not used to extend and develop them to a sufficient level. Good progress is made in speaking and listening skills through personal, social, health and citizenship lessons. On occasions pupils make good use of ICT to word process their writing to give presentation more effect, as for example their balanced arguments on the use of homework.

p.21

MATHEMATICS

Provision in mathematics is unsatisfactory .

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils’ achievement is unsatisfactory and standards are well below average by the end of year 2 and year 6. • Although the teaching of mathematics is mostly satisfactory, assessment is not used effectively. • Useful opportunities are taken to improve pupils’ numeracy skills through other subjects.

p.21

Commentary

55. Standards have declined from the below average standards reported in the previous inspection. The complexity of changed circumstances in the cohorts, plus variation in the quality of teaching, has a negative influence on pupils’ achievement over time, which is patchy. There are signs of improvement, however, the weaker elements of teaching are holding this back. Some average pupils have made the expected rate of progress between year 2 and year 6. Others have not and the proportion potentially capable of and subsequently attaining higher standards is below what would be expected. Some pupils who have special educational needs have benefited from focussed support and have achieved satisfactorily. Others faced with attempting the same tasks as more able pupils have struggled; often not completing the work they are expected to do.

p.21

Commentary

56. The main weakness in pupils’ mathematical ability in year 2 is the inability of many to calculate rapidly. For example, more able pupils do not securely understand that 5 tens and 8 ones is 58. Less able pupils are not secure in basic addition and subtraction and they do not always order numbers correctly. Pupils in years 3 to 6 cannot easily recall their multiplication facts or quickly solve problems. By year 6 many pupils work out calculations such as 9 x 23 and name shapes such as a parallelogram, but few are capable of constructing simple formulae or have confidence using a range of strategies. Brimrod Community Primary School - 22 57. Overall the quality of teaching is satisfactory but generally lacks clear targets for individual pupils and groups. Lessons usually start well as teachers talk with pupils or make good use of digit cards to help pupils learn about the order of number. Despite several lessons where tasks were

p.21

Commentary

often well matched to pupils’ prior attainment, pupils’ work over time has been remarkably similar irrespective of their level of understanding. For example all pupils in one lesson were challenged to calculate 45 elementary sums in four minutes. The most able pupil completed the task easily, whereas some less able pupils struggled to complete 4. During the same lesson a teaching assistant gave good help to less able pupils learning multiplication facts and they learnt well. In contrast more able pupils, working independently, practised tables already securely known rather than attempting a more challenging task. This variability of success in matching work to pupils’ levels of understanding is a key shortcoming in how assessment is being used.

p.22

Commentary

58. Subject leadership is broadly satisfactory in terms of its impact on teaching. There have been regular opportunities for staff to be trained and monitoring of lessons by the headteacher and deputy headteacher is well established. However, monitoring of lessons has not effectively addressed the need to match work more closely and provide challenge for more able pupils.

p.22

Mathematics across the curriculum

59. There are satisfactory opportunities to improve their numeracy skills overall, through work in other subjects. Pupils have used measuring skills when they made models in design and technology and in work on structures they learned that triangular shapes are strong shapes.

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Investigative skills are given plenty of emphasis and contribute to an improvement in pupils’ knowledge and understanding. • Insufficient support in lessons, particularly to help pupils develop their ideas and explain their thinking, is holding back achievements.

p.22

Commentary

60. Standards in years 2 and 6 are below average but improving through the school. This represents satisfactory achievement overall. Improvement since the last inspection is satisfactory. Teachers use experiments to help pupils apply and extend their knowledge and increasingly give opportunity for pupils to conduct their own experiments. These are well structured. There is good emphasis on the hypothesising at the start of sessions and pupils are encouraged to set their work out systematically.

p.22

Commentary

61. Teaching is satisfactory overall. Lessons are carefully planned and some of the gaps in pupils’ knowledge are being addressed through practical work. However, too often the lessons seek to ensure every pupil has learnt the same scientific facts without developing thinking skills. One good lesson commenced with a recap of all the ideas learnt from earlier work. This gave the teacher an opportunity to assess and follow up misconceptions but also emphasised the gaps in pupils’ language. Practical science games, set for different ability groups, placed just the right demands for pupils to apply their skills and knowledge. In too many lessons there is not enough support in science lessons. For example books and resources, vocabulary lists or adults present to discuss ideas. Sometimes the work set is too demanding of reading skills and for those learning English as an additional language, who struggle with concepts.

p.22

Commentary

62. The subject is adequately led and teachers are supported through a reasonable range of resources. However despite the mixed picture of performance in tests there has been no Brimrod Community Primary School - 23 systematic evaluation of test results and assessment is too general to help teachers manage the diverse range of needs. There is little continuous assessment of important skills such as vocabulary, reasoning, correct language and measuring skills. This often results in teachers playing safe and delivering work that doesn’t challenge pupils.

p.22

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

Provision in information and communication technology (ICT) is good .

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Very good leadership has led to good improvement since the last inspection. • Pupils meet national expectations by the age of seven and are on course to do so at eleven. • ICT is well resourced and teaching is good.

p.23

Commentary

63. The last inspection report found ICT provision unsatisfactory throughout the school. It is now good, as is teaching and pupil achievement. This good improvement has come about largely through very good leadership and improved resources. The co-ordinator is a good practitioner. Teachers have received very effective training and have a positive and confident approach to their teaching. The regular monitoring of pupils’ progress helps the co-ordinator identify what is working well and her plans to develop the curriculum further are imaginative. The partnership with a local college has seen the development of good hardware. She has introduced two ICT clubs that cater for different abilities and assist in challenging those pupils with a higher level of computing skill.

p.23

Commentary

64. Standards have improved significantly since the last inspection. Seven year olds now meet national expectations in this subject, showing a good knowledge of how to access and enter information. They make things happen, such as guiding floor robots, and talk about technology in an informed and excited way. Eleven years olds are still not meeting national expectations, but this is because the new curriculum and resources have not been in place long enough. They are already catching up in areas such as using computers to control events and process data in mathematics and geography, while they show confidence and appropriate levels of skill in word processing and developing multi-media presentations.

p.23

Commentary

65. The school makes good use of the computer suite and computers in classrooms. Pupils are taught well by confident class teachers whose knowledge and understanding is good. As a result, pupils’ achievement, including that of pupils with special educational needs and English as an additional language, is good throughout the school.

p.23

Information and communication technology across the curriculum

66. The use of ICT across the curriculum is satisfactory and developing well. During the inspection lessons were observed where ICT was used to enrich and reinforce the English, mathematics and geography curriculum. Pupils are showing great confidence in accessing the Internet and this is becoming a useful skill in many subject areas. Plans for the purchase of a ‘wire-less’ system and interactive white boards are already funded and will contribute well to the further development of ICT as a classroom tool and provide further motivation for pupils.

p.23

HUMANITIES

67. In history and geography work was sampled. There was not enough evidence to support a judgement about standards in geography and history. The scrutiny of geography work shows that pupils are acquiring knowledge about places and learning geographical skills. For example, during a residential visit to the Lake District they studied the formation of rivers and gained an Brimrod Community Primary School - 24 insight into landforms. However there is no consistent development of their skills, such as mapping or fieldwork through the school. Whilst studies of Mexico or Wales help them appreciate the wider context of the world they live in, these are too far removed from their own experiences and do not make a contribution to the development of their research skills. One history lesson was seen and it was possible to talk to a small group of pupils in year 2 and year 3 about their work. These observations, alongside a scrutiny of work, indicated that achievement is

p.23

HUMANITIES

unsatisfactory and standards are below average. Whilst pupils respond well to aspects of history lessons and share what they have learnt with others the coverage of history is insufficient. There are plans to develop schemes of work but there is simply not enough history on the timetable for pupils to consolidate skills and knowledge.

p.24

Religious education

Provision in the subject is unsatisfactory.

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Statutory requirements for religious education are not being met. • Standards by year 2 and year 6 are below average.

p.24

Commentary

68. The school’s planning for the subject matches the requirements of Rochdale’s locally agreed syllabus, except in respect of the recommended time allocations. Insufficient teaching time is currently being allocated, and this is preventing pupils from achieving as well as they could. Standards are average in year 2 but below average in year 6. This is unsatisfactory progress since the last inspection when standards were average at year 2, and above average at year 6.

p.24

Commentary

69. Teaching was satisfactory in the lessons observed. Teachers provide opportunities for discussion, but these are variable in quality. In a year 2 lesson pupils developed sound understanding of how Christian festivals are linked together. In year 6 lessons more able pupils were not challenged to use specific vocabulary such as ‘enlightened’ and ‘symbol’ from previous work on Buddism and their achievement was limited. A scrutiny of pupils’ books shows only a limited amount of written work for year 6. In contrast year 2 have covered a number of topics on Christianity, and used their writing skills to support their learning. Visits to a mosque and a church, talks by parents on the Hajj and from a local vicar help to reinforce pupils’ learning and to enhance their personal development.

p.24

Commentary

70. The subject leader is keen to improve standards and has carried out some monitoring activities. The subject is well represented in displays, particularly in the main hall, where work on recent festivals indicates the importance placed on the subject.

p.24

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

71. Design and technology and art and design were sampled. Pupils attain average standards in DT by the end of years 2 and 6. There are satisfactory links between DT activities and pupils’ work in other subjects. Evidence from displays and photographs shows pupils have sufficient opportunities to practise the skills of planning, designing, making and evaluating. By age 11 most pupils have improved their technical knowledge and link wheels, cogs and axles with elastic bands to transfer movement from one direction to another. Whereas all pupils make some evaluation of their work those more confident at writing express their opinions more clearly and suggest how they might make improvements. Sufficient time is provided for a satisfactory DT programme to be taught. There are some successful links made with other subjects; for example pupils in Year 3 learned elementary weaving skills when they studied the Romans as a

p.24

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

history topic. Brimrod Community Primary School - 25 72. Pupils achieve well in art and design and attain average standards by the end of years 2 and 6. Lesson evidence, as well as from displays and photographs, confirms that pupils are provided with satisfactory creative experiences and that they enjoy art activities. The provision is similar to the findings of the previous inspection. Sufficient time is provided for a satisfactory art curriculum to be delivered. Art lessons usually alternate each half term with those for design and technology and some topics are combined. For example, the painting of musical instruments made in DT lessons. In order to enrich the art programme the headteacher and co-ordinator have successfully entered a joint funding arrangement with other local schools. The partnership schools, hosting an annual arts week, employ specialist artists and sculptors. This initiative is

p.24

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

helping pupils to learn new skills such as weaving, printing and 3D sculpture work.

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

• A specialist music teacher provides good quality teaching. • Pupils enjoy music and meet national expectations by the age of eleven. • Music is not an intrinsic part of school life and does not sufficiently celebrate pupils’ interests and backgrounds.

p.25

Commentary

73. The music curriculum is taught largely by a visiting specialist teacher. He is a skilled practitioner with a good relationship with pupils. Class teachers in years 1 and 2 also teach music well. As a result pupils enjoy music, playing and singing well within lessons. Young pupils show an understanding of which instruments to choose to represent, for instance, a creaking door or a ghost. They also understand technical vocabulary such as ‘beat’ and ‘pitch’. By year 4, pupils demonstrate good retention of vocabulary, including phrases such as ‘diminuendo’ and ‘crescendo’. They play tuned and untuned instruments well individually, in pairs and in small ensemble pieces. They also show good discipline in simple part singing and are becoming comfortable with the use of musical notation.

p.25

Commentary

74. As a result of a lack of teacher confidence and the reliance on good specialist teaching, music is not an integral part of the school or its curriculum. Opportunities to perform and celebrate music and song from a range of cultures are infrequent and teachers do not always feel able to incorporate music into day-to-day classroom activities. This is a weakness and a loss for a school with such a rich variety of pupil backgrounds.

p.25

Physical education

Provision in physical education is satisfactory .

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils achieve well and meet national expectations by the age of eleven. • Good use is made of specialist coaches to enrich PE and help teachers.

p.25

Commentary

75. Three lessons were observed during the inspection and these indicated that although pupils are still immature in their ability to control and link movements, they achieve well throughout the school and meet national expectations by the age of eleven. Brimrod Community Primary School - 26 76. Teaching ranges from satisfactory to good. Good teaching is characterised by efficient use of time during lessons by, for example, setting pupils planning tasks during the arrangement of equipment. It also has a good pace, moving briskly from warm up to activity and then to group work. In addition instructions are clear and celebration of individual performance regular. Where the teaching is satisfactory, there is too little time spent on pupils evaluating their own and others’ performance.

p.25

Commentary

77. Good use is made of coaches to support teachers who vary in confidence and experience in PE. Lacrosse, tag rugby and football have all benefited from outside expertise within and beyond lesson time. In an imaginative move, fencing is being introduced as a before school club activity. A block of three weeks is identified in year 5 when swimming takes place and some attempt has been made to introduce adventurous activities into the residential week.

p.26

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

78. The programme is good. The school works closely with other local schools to develop work on sex, relationships and drugs education and is beginning work on the Healthy School initiative. The school has considered a wide variety of resources and has now settled on a commercial scheme of work, which develops the teaching of personal, social, health and citizenship education through literature. Lessons seen during the inspection related to the environment, friendship, turntaking, speaking and listening. This work was taught well and pupils enjoyed the activities. The lessons made a good contribution to pupils’ development of personal skills and a greater understanding of the world for all ages. Brimrod Community Primary School - 27

p.26

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The overall effectiveness of the school 4 How inclusive the school is 4 How the school’s effectiveness has changed since its last inspection 5 Value for money provided by the school 4

p.27

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Overall standards achieved 5 Pupils’ achievement 5

p.27

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities 3 Attendance 5 Attitudes 3 Behaviour, including the extent of exclusions 3 Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 4

p.27

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The quality of education provided by the school 4 The quality of teaching 4 How well pupils learn 4 The quality of assessment 5 How well the curriculum meets pupils needs 5 Enrichment of the curriculum, including out-of-school activities 4 Accommodation and resources 4 Pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety 3 Support, advice and guidance for pupils 4 How well the school seeks and acts on pupils’ views 4 The effectiveness of the school’s links with parents 4 The quality of the school’s links with the community 4 The school’s links with other schools and colleges 3

p.27

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The leadership and management of the school 4 The governance of the school 5 The leadership of the headteacher 4 The leadership of other key staff 4 The effectiveness of management 4

p.27

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Inspectors make judgements on a scale: excellent (grade 1); very good (2); good (3); satisfactory (4); unsatisfactory (5); poor (6); very poor (7). Brimrod Community Primary School - 28

p.27