Britannia Bridge Primary School

BRITANNIA BRIDGE PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 1 st – 3 rd December 2003

p.1

BRITANNIA BRIDGE PRIMARY SCHOOL

Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 Britannia Bridge 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

BRITANNIA BRIDGE 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. Britannia Bridge Primary School - 3

p.3

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: 205

p.4

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Parliament Street Lower Ince Wigan Postcode: WN3 4JH

p.4

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: (01942) 760036 Fax number: (01942) 760037

p.4

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: Governing body Name of chair of governors: Mrs D Harrison

p.4

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 6 th November 2001

p.4

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

Britannia Bridge Primary School is situated close to the centre of Wigan and serves an area of high unemployment and marked social disadvantage. Most of the pupils live locally. The proportion of pupils with special educational needs is well above the national average for primary schools. Four pupils have a Statement of Special Educational Need and a further 51 pupils have a special educational need. The majority of these pupils have learning difficulties but the school increasingly caters for pupils with behavioural difficulties. Few pupils have an ethnic minority heritage and the proportion of pupils who are learning English as an additional language is low but rising. There is also a small proportion of refugees, asylum seekers and children in public care. The school population is a fairly stable one but, an increasing number of pupils join the school in Years 3, 4, 5 and 6 who often have emotional and behavioural difficulties. The pupils’ attainment when they start

p.4

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

school is well below average. The school has just emerged from period of instability, related to staffing. The headteacher had only just been appointed at the time of the last inspection and a new deputy headteacher has been appointed since. The school received an Achievement Award from the Department for Education and Skills in 2001. Britannia Bridge Primary School - 4

p.4

Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

4074 R Gill Lead inspector Science, art and design, music, Foundation Stage 8922 B McIntosh Lay inspector 16761 M Hemmings Team inspector Mathematics, information and communication technology, design and technology, physical education, special educational needs 19041 R Linstead Team inspector English, history, geography, religious education, English as an additional language,

p.5

Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

3 Harrowby Road West Park Leeds LS16 5HN

p.5

Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

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). Britannia Bridge Primary School - 5

p.5

STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 8

Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

p.6

STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 8

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

p.6

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.6

PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

This is a satisfactory school. Standards are below the national expectation but pupils achieve satisfactorily because teaching is stronger and assessment of learning is sharper. Pupils have good attitudes in lessons. Good leadership and management have brought about these improvements. The school provides satisfactory value for money.

p.7

PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

p.7

PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

• Significant weaknesses have been overcome by knowledgeable and purposeful leadership and management that utilises advice from beyond the school very well. • Some good teaching, influenced by thorough methods of assessment, has enabled pupils to achieve satisfactorily, after a period of underachievement, and behave well. • The school provides an enriched curriculum that appeals to all pupils, which encourages them to think analytically in all subjects. • The new unit for the children in the nursery and reception classes provides well organised and imaginative experiences that help them to achieve well. • Standards in art and design are above expectations, and pupils achieve well in information and communication technology (ICT). • The lack of consistently good teaching prevents standards in English, mathematics and science from being higher. • Multi-cultural education is limited. • Pupils and their parents are not yet fully involved in and consulted about school matters.

p.7

PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

The school has improved well since the time of the last inspection in 2001, when it was an Underachieving School in which pupils did badly in English, mathematics and science and many, mainly boys, exhibited poor behaviour. Pupils no longer lag behind as they did when many pupils, mainly boys, lacked the desire to learn or behave well. Provision for ICT has improved rapidly. The school’s accommodation, which was poor, has been reorganised and upgraded by thoughtful management to allow good opportunities for learning . The school provides satisfactory value for money.

p.7

STANDARDS ACHIEVED

all schools similar schools Results in National Curriculum tests at the end of Year 6, compared with: 2001 2002 2003 2003 English D E* D D mathematics C E* E E science E E* E E 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.7

STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Pupils’ achievement is satisfactory. Pupils’ results in National Curriculum tests in 2002 were extremely low and revealed the full extent of the underachievement reported on in November 2001. Pupils in Year 2 were well below national averages in the same year. They were not underachieving, but could have done better. 2003 results show signs of improvement, even for pupils in Year 6 whose education had been previously weakened by unsatisfactory teaching that resulted in disaffected learning. Currently, pupils are back on track. Their attainment in Year 2 and Year 6 is below the national expectations, but this represents satisfactory achievement, particularly since the proportion of pupils with special educational needs has risen since 2001 and is now well above average. Pupils achieve well in ICT to reach nationally expected levels. In art and design they exceed what is usually expected. By the end of the reception year, children are not generally on course to reach the

p.7

STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Britannia Bridge Primary School - 7 nationally expected levels. Nevertheless, they are making good progress and achieve well from the time they start school in the nursery.

p.8

STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Pupils’ personal qualities are satisfactory helped by their sound spiritual, moral, social, and cultural development. However, pupils’ understanding of multi-cultural issues is limited . Pupils enjoy school and attend satisfactorily. Their attitudes and behaviour in lessons are good and sometimes very good, but there is still some anti-social behaviour at playtimes.

p.8

QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The quality of education provided by the school is satisfactory. Teaching is satisfactory overall but is occasionally good, and sometimes very good in the nursery and reception classes and in Year 2 and Year 5. It is frequently very good in Year 6. Pupils thrive well in ordered lessons in which they behave well and enjoy what they are doing. Those pupils who need extra support are included well and make sound progress. The school has good systems to let teachers know how well pupils are doing, particularly in English, mathematics and science.

p.8

QUALITY OF EDUCATION

Pupils’ academic achievement and personal development are enhanced well by the interesting curriculum and the caring approach taken by the school. Staff are keen to discover and act upon pupils’ views about the school but have no formal means to do so.

p.8

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership and management are good . The school has a very clear sense of purpose that is promoted positively by the headteacher and staff. They monitor and evaluate the effect of their work well. Governors have become far more informed and active in management under the leadership of the new headteacher. They are meeting their statutory requirements in full. There are, however, still some shortcomings in the involvement of governors in the school development planning process. Good management systems assist the school to develop.

p.8

PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Parents have a reasonable opinion of the school. They particularly like the new unit for younger children and the quality of teaching for the oldest. They believe, correctly, that the school could provide them with more information about children’s learning and school matters in general. The school is already beginning to tackle this weakness.

p.8

PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Pupils are generally pleased with school. They appreciate the interesting lessons and the fact that behaviour has improved.

p.8

IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

The most important things the school should do to improve are:

p.8

IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

• Strengthen the quality of teaching in some years to raise standards further. • Improve provision for multi-cultural education. • Involve pupils and parents more productively in school matters. Britannia Bridge Primary School - 8

p.8

Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

Pupils’ attainment in Year 6 has varied considerably since the National Curriculum tests of 2001. The school was awarded an Achievement Award by the Department of Education and Skills in 2001, but in 2002 pupils were underachieving and in 2003 the signs of recovery were evident. Children achieve well by the end of the reception year. Currently, pupils are achieving satisfactorily by the end of Year 2 and Year 6.

p.9

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards in English, mathematics and science are below average by the end of Year 6 but, nevertheless, this represents satisfactory achievement • Pupils have done well to achieve the nationally expected levels in ICT by Year 2 and Year 6 • Children, including those who have special educational needs, achieve well in the nursery and reception classes in all areas of learning. • Pupils’ achievements are uneven from year to year between Year 1 and Year 6, but are good in ICT and in art and design

p.9

Commentary

1. There has, until very recently, been no particular trend in pupils’ attainment or achievement. National Curriculum test results have been good one year and poor the next. Much of this is due to the varying proportions of pupils with special educational needs in particular years, but this is not the full story. The quality of teaching is a factor as well. It is only very recently that staffing difficulties and behavioural problems, mainly among older boys which dogged the school and had an adverse effect on results, have been resolved. The school is also becoming more adept at making sure that asylum seekers, those learning English as an additional language and children in public care are achieving satisfactorily.

p.9

Commentary

2. Children start school with attainment that is well below that expected nationally for their age and subsequently make good progress in their first two years. However, this good progress has not been followed through in the past. After a great deal of re-organisation, the school is beginning to provide a continuously satisfactory education for its pupils . The underachievement that existed in 2001 has been eliminated and pupils make satisfactory progress overall after they reach Year 1. Their achievement accelerates in waves. It advances quicker in Year 2 and in Years 5 and 6.

p.9

Commentary

3. In 2001, pupils were not studying the full National Curriculum for ICT. This resulted in them failing to reach the nationally expected levels by the end of Year 2 and Year 6. The problem lay in resources. The school’s nationally allocated funds for computers were not used productively enough and pupils did not have enough machines of good quality to use. The headteacher has solved these problems very well. The new computer room is used to good effect. Pupils now have enough computers to use and space to work. They are able to cover the curriculum in full and consequently reach the nationally required levels for their age.

p.9

Commentary

4. The progress that children make in all areas of learning in the nursery and reception classes is also due to good management. The decision, taken by the governors and the headteacher, to create a Foundation Stage unit in the old nursery building has paid off. Parents now applaud the success of the scheme. It means that children have the space and facilities to study the entire curriculum for their age range. Standards in physical development are in line with what is expected nationally whereas before this year children could not achieve well enough because there was no outside area for reception age children. Britannia Bridge Primary School - 9 5. The school’s results in National Curriculum tests are improving as the table below indicates. They are still subject to the effect that large numbers of pupils with special educational needs have on them, but the trend is upwards. In Year 5 currently, for example, 60 percent of pupils

p.9

Commentary

have special educational needs. Pupils in Year 2 and Year 6 this year are reaching levels that represent satisfactory achievement overall, but the universally good and often very good teaching they receive in these years is closing successfully any gaps that have opened up in their learning owing to the unsatisfactory teaching they received in the past.

p.10

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

Standards in: School results National results English 26.2 (22.4) 26.8 (27.0) mathematics 24.6 (23.3) 26.8 (26.7) science 27.2 (24.4) 28.6 (28.3) There were 39 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

p.10

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Pupils have good attitudes to learning; their behaviour is satisfactory overall , although good in most lessons. The school makes satisfactory provision for their personal development. The school’s overall provision for developing pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is also satisfactory. The rate of the pupils’ attendance and their punctuality are satisfactory.

p.10

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils develop self-confidence and are keen to learn. • The school has a pleasant atmosphere where good standards of behaviour are expected and pupils develop a good understanding of right from wrong. • The development of pupils’ social awareness is good, but their understanding of other cultures and faiths is limited. • The school has good systems to promote and monitor attendance and punctuality.

p.10

Commentary

6. Pupils are of the opinion that one of the reasons they like coming to school is because they enjoy learning. They like the way their teachers make the lessons interesting and fun by using a wide range of resources and mention the whiteboards, games, projectors and laptops. The school is particularly successful in encouraging pupils to do their best and recognising their achievements, and this boosts their confidence and raises their self-esteem. Pupils now readily accept praise and rewards instead of acting immaturely or being embarrassed about it. In many lessons, pupils are well motivated by the teachers’ enthusiasm and encouraging approach. They are keen to learn, are attentive and become quickly involved in their tasks. The teachers, teaching assistants and a member of staff employed to assist pupils that need help to learn more effectively (Learning Mentor) work closely together. They improve pupils’ attitudes to

p.10

Commentary

learning through well-planned activities and this has a positive effect on improving their achievements.

p.10

Commentary

7. Since the last inspection, pupils’ behaviour has improved and it is now satisfactory around the school and good in most lessons. This helps to create a positive atmosphere for learning. There is a consistent approach to handling behaviour and staff have higher expectations on how pupils should behave. Pupils gain a good understanding of what is acceptable and Britannia Bridge Primary School - 10 unacceptable behaviour. The high number of exclusions is decreasing, but is still used as a means of creating good order especially for violent behaviour where there is a risk to other pupils and staff. Pupils feel their behaviour is better when their regular teachers teach them because some pupils tend to misbehave for temporary teachers. In assembly and when having lunch pupils behave well. They are polite when asking for food and chat with their friends at the table. In the playground pupils let off steam, but it is all well supervised and civil. Football with

p.10

Commentary

older boys is quite boisterous and some physical contact and mock fighting occurs when rules are flouted. It is easy to see why some younger pupils dislike the rough play. Pupils feel that since the ‘red card’ system had been introduced that behaviour has improved at lunchtimes and, whilst they mention that incidents of bullying sometimes occur, problems are usually sorted out quickly by a member of staff. However, there are still a few older boys who are not deterred by the sanctions. A significant minority of parents disagree that behaviour has improved, but they are overly influenced by the few pupils that misbehave in the playground and have not been able to see the strong improvements that have been made in classrooms.

p.11

Commentary

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

p.11

Commentary

Categories used in the Annual School Census No of pupils on roll Number of fixed period exclusions Number of permanent exclusions White – British 223 34 2 Asian or Asian British – Indian 2 0 0 Any other ethnic group 1 0 0 No ethnic group recorded 2 0 0 The table gives the number of exclusions, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

p.11

Commentary

8. The development of pupils’ social awareness is of great importance and has helped to establish good relationships throughout school. Teachers challenge pupils well to work collaboratively, either in pairs or small groups, to talk things through and learn from each other. Pupils are encouraged to take on responsible roles in school, beginning with classroom jobs and culminating in Year 6 when more influential positions are held. For example, they act as play leaders and help the pupils in Year 2 develop friendships by encouraging them to join in games at playtimes. Pupils’ cultural awareness is developed satisfactorily through subjects such as art and design, music and history, but pupils have relatively few opportunities to communicate with children and adults representing other cultures and faiths or learn about living in a multi- cultural society.

p.11

Commentary

9. The systems for promoting and monitoring attendance are successful and have had a positive impact on improving the attendance level during the last year. The promotion of good attendance is given a high profile in school and individual and class achievements are celebrated. The certificates presented are of a high quality, which adds importance to the reward. Absences are carefully monitored and the headteacher makes first-day absence calls if no explanation is received. Most pupils arrive punctually, but there a few persistent latecomers each day. This lateness is monitored very closely and parents are informed about the cumulative time their children have missed from learning. Britannia Bridge Primary School - 11

p.11

Attendance in the latest complete reporting year 2002/03(%)

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 6.4 School data 0.0 National data 5.4 National data 0.5 The table gives the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year.

p.12

QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The school provides a satisfactory quality of education. The quality of teaching is satisfactory and pupils achieve soundly. The good system of assessment has helped to eliminate underachievement. The curriculum is designed well and contains interesting things to do. The care and support offered to pupils has a positive effect on the way that they learn. The very good links with more effective local schools has had a strong influence on the improvements in the quality of education. The school values pupils’ views about how it can improve, but inconsistently collects their opinions and acts upon them.

p.12

Teaching and learning

The quality of teaching and learning is good in the nursery and reception classes and satisfactory overall elsewhere . There is much successful teaching, particularly in Years 2, 5 and 6. Learning is generally relevant and enjoyable in a way that captures pupils’ interest, particularly boys and those who find learning difficult. The good assessment of pupils’ learning allows teachers to pinpoint accurately aspects of success and areas for development.

p.12

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching of children in the nursery and reception classes is good in the way that learning is developed systematically and creatively. • The energetic and well planned teaching from Year 1 to Year 6 enables the pupils to behave well and learn with good attitudes. • The school keeps a close check on pupils’ progress and uses the information from assessments productively. • Thoughtful and imaginative teaching methods get pupils thinking in a lively fashion. • Weaknesses in otherwise satisfactory lessons cause the quality of teaching to vary across the school. • Pupils’ opportunities to practise using their skills in reading, writing, mathematics and ICT across the curriculum are inconsistent between classes.

p.12

Commentary

10. Children’s learning in the nursery and reception classes is better organised than it was when the classes were in two different buildings on either side of the school field. The new unit has only been open since September, but already children are beginning to benefit from the shared resources. Teachers plan well together and children’s learning is boosted by being able to, for example, play in the same African village. It is in these two classes that the school begins its successful programme of teaching children to think more systematically and talk about the thought processes that they use. Britannia Bridge Primary School - 12 11. In 2001, a significant number of lesson were spoilt by poor behaviour. Pupils were bored because learning was dull and activities lacked relevance and enough practical application. The new team of teachers, guided well by the headteacher and deputy headteacher, has planned

p.12

Commentary

the curriculum to include a far greater degree of practical experiences. Consequently, the majority of pupils behave themselves because they want to learn. This applies equally to pupils with special educational needs and those who are capable of tackling harder work. Both groups of pupils have been identified well and are given individualised plans for learning that itemise what steps they need to take. Lessons in science, for example, contain a proper blend of discussion, experimentation and the learning of facts, which was lacking in several cases before. Furthermore, pupils capable of higher attainment are set more demanding challenges as a matter of course.

p.13

Commentary

12. One of the reasons for pupils underachieving in the past was that the assessment of their work and the use of the information produced were inadequate. Teachers did not have a proper grasp of how well pupils were doing and what they needed to do next. This was detrimental for progress in English, mathematics and science, for example. This has been addressed well and good methods are in place to check on pupils’ progress and plan for their next steps of learning. Lesson plans are influenced well by insights into previous learning and any targets set for pupils are communicated well. The school is using advice from the local education authority about the progress made by pupils who are learning English as an additional language well and, as a result, these pupils are learning soundly. Parents are beginning to be informed of these targets, but this initiative is not fully operational. A small proportion of parents, for

p.13

Commentary

example, do not believe they are well informed about their child’s progress.

p.13

Commentary

13. In the best lessons, teaching refers regularly to the six different types of thinking and pupils respond well by marshalling their ideas in a logical fashion. These lessons are characterised by clear direction from the teacher, fruitful discussion among groups of pupils, purposeful activity and a very helpful summary at the end. For example, these features were present in a mathematics lesson in Year 6. Pupils were able to work out the missing angles in geometric designs so successfully that the majority of the class was working beyond the expectation for their age.

p.13

Commentary

14. Satisfactory teaching contains weaker elements because the pace is occasionally less brisk and pupils’ interest begins to wane toward the end. When this happens, noise levels rise and discipline slips momentarily. It is invariably boys who lose concentration in these circumstances and behave in an immature fashion. Teachers are reasonably good at retrieving the situation and most pupils make satisfactory progress in the end. The degree to which pupils use the skills they have acquired in English, mathematics and ICT lessons in other subjects is satisfactory, but the pupils do not get the extra practise that they need to raise standards further. For example, pupils are not required to write enough in science and history.

p.13

Commentary

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 34 lessons

p.13

Commentary

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

p.13

Commentary

0 (0%) 6 (18%) 14 (41%) 14 (41%) 0 (0%) 0 (0%) 0 (0%)

p.13

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. Britannia Bridge Primary School - 13

p.13

The curriculum

The curriculum is good and it meets all relevant statutory requirements. The wide range of learning opportunities and good quality resources interest pupils and improve their progress. Accommodation is satisfactory.

p.14

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The effective curriculum in the nursery and reception class helps the children to achieve well. • Good planning gives learning breadth and balance and ensures steady development of the pupils’ skills. • The curriculum caters well for the varied needs of individual pupils so that all have good and equal opportunities to succeed. • Improved resources and well-organised support enhance the pupils’ learning. • Library provision is unsatisfactory. • There are to few opportunities for pupils to study multi-cultural aspects of education.

p.14

Commentary

15. In the nursery and reception classes good planning, staffing, accommodation and resources give equal weighting to each area of learning. The emphasis on active learning and use of the senses stimulates children’s interests and gives the children a good start to education through observation and investigation.

p.14

Commentary

16. Thorough planning of well-chosen topics, making intelligent links between subjects, broadens learning in Year 1 to Year 6. The pupils, therefore, find learning interesting and enjoyable. Topics also connect strongly with pupils' experiences and their varied capabilities and backgrounds giving them a good preparation for each stage of their education. Multi-cultural education is the one area that receives too little attention. Pupils’ understanding of cultures beyond their own is limited because not enough use is made of art and design, English and geography, for example, to accentuate themes and issues.

p.14

Commentary

17. All pupils benefit from the expertise of experienced support staff. These members of staff work closely with teachers and know pupils well, giving prompt attention to those who need it most. In this way, for example, the school provides well for pupils with special educational needs. They understand and achieve clear targets in their individual educational plans. The co- ordinator for special educational needs ensures that those who need help from out-of-school specialists get it promptly. New arrivals, minority ethnic pupils, the few who are learning English as an additional language and asylum seekers, similarly get sensitive help.

p.14

Commentary

18. Careful planning and very good links with local schools also increase learning opportunities. A short weekly French lesson, initiated through contacts with the local secondary school, sharpens Year 6 pupils’ speech and listening skills and enriches their cultural experience. New weekly lessons on how to think show pupils how to choose useful approaches to new learning, for example, through creative, analytical or reflective thinking. Pupils have much better opportunities to learn to swim than in most primary schools. They start swimming lessons at the age of four and go on until they are ten and, as a result, progress is good.

p.14

Commentary

19. Visiting experts and a good programme of visits also enrich the pupils’ learning. Football and rugby professionals encourage keen participation in these games, lift pupils' morale and inspire them to work harder. Other after-school activities each year include athletics, computers, drama, gardening and pottery. There are few opportunities to develop music outside of school time.

p.14

Commentary

20. Accommodation has improved a lot since the last inspection. It was described as being in poor condition and having a negative effect on learning in 2001. The governors, headteacher and Britannia Bridge Primary School - 14 staff have made sure that the school is now a well appointed and well organised place in which to learn. For example, the school hall has been modernised and doors have been fitted to make it an enclosed space. This has had a positive effect on pupils’ behaviour at lunchtimes and the way that gymnastics lessons are now conducted. Moreover, classrooms are well organised for learning and pupils’ work is displayed purposefully to help pupils feel positive about their learning. However, the school lacks a reference library and this limits opportunities for individual research. The gaps in resources for geography and ICT have been filled since the last inspection. Good quality resources make important contributions to improved achievement in

p.14

Care, guidance and support

Arrangements for ensuring pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety are good. The school provides pupils with good support, advice and guidance and involves them satisfactorily in its work and development.

p.15

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school is a friendly community in which pupils are well cared for and this helps them to concentrate on their learning. • Well-targeted academic support and good quality pastoral support and guidance contribute well to pupils’ achievements. • The arrangements to help children settle into the nursery and to help those who join the school at other times are good. • There are limited opportunities for pupils to regularly express their views about the school and what should be improved.

p.15

Commentary

21. The steps taken to ensure pupils’ welfare, health and safety are good. Regular inspections of the building and equipment are undertaken and appropriate records are maintained. The arrangements for child protection are good and staff are aware of what to do if they have any concerns about the children in their care. There is a good number of staff trained in first aid. Pupils are well supervised at lunchtimes when the supervisory staff follow well-planned routines to look after the children and help them to develop their social skills. The school works well with other agencies, such as social and educational welfare services, to ensure that pupils get specific additional help as and when they need it.

p.15

Commentary

22. Pupils feel that if they have any problems or concerns about anything they can always confide in their teacher or the Learning Mentor. The ‘Worry Box’ provides a very useful means of private correspondence to the Learning Mentor where pupils can write about things that they are uncomfortable to talk about. Staff genuinely care about the pupils and work together to respond appropriately if a pupil is having problems. Since the last inspection, pupils’ behaviour has improved because all staff now take responsibility for promoting and improving behaviour throughout the school. Pupils with special educational needs, those learning English as an additional language, asylum seekers and those children in pubic care are all helped to take a full and active part in the lessons. The information about pupils’ academic achievements is used well to regularly set targets and to provide additional support for individuals or groups of pupils

p.15

Commentary

who would benefit from extra help. Pupils are beginning to understand how well they are doing with their work because they know when they have met their learning targets and can see the progress they are making and say this helps them to learn.

p.15

Commentary

23. There are good arrangements to help the children settle quickly and happily into the routines of the nursery. The staff establish early links with parents through a series of well-planned visits to school and gather information about the children in order to maximise support and guidance. Britannia Bridge Primary School - 15 Parents agree that the arrangements are good and that children settle easily into school. New pupils arriving at the school during term time are made to feel welcome and are soon integrated into the life of the school.

p.15

Commentary

24. Pupils can express their views and ideas informally through class discussions or directly to a teacher. However, there are no formal ways for all pupils to contribute their suggestions to school improvement and the decision-making processes.

p.16

Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

The partnership with parents is satisfactory . Links with the community are good and with other schools are very good . They enhance the range of learning opportunities for pupils and contribute well to their achievements.

p.16

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school seeks various ways to involve parents in the life of the school and in pupils’ learning, but has had limited success. • Some dissatisfaction among a small group of parents has arisen due to a lack of communication between home and school. • The school has very close links with local schools, which extend the range of learning opportunities on offer. • The school uses the community well to strengthen pupils’ learning experiences.

p.16

Commentary

25. Parents who expressed an opinion prior to the inspection, believed the school to be defensive rather than open in its dealings with parents. Much of this dissatisfaction and loss of confidence in the school had been brought about by the way the management had dealt with some organisational issues and not communicated these to parents early enough. Since that time, the school has taken swift action to improve communications with parents and has, for example, already held a meeting for parents of pupils in Year 2 about the outcomes for changes to the teaching arrangements. Parents now seem very happy with the situation. The headteacher has also offered this kind of consultation with parents on various aspects of school life once a month. So far there have only been a small number of positive replies. During the inspection, discussions with many parents show that most have positive attitudes towards the

p.16

Commentary

26. Parental involvement in pupils’ learning at school and at home is satisfactory. Meetings for parents which provide information about their children’s progress and events where the children are directly involved are very well attended. Few parents help in school, but there are many who offer assistance on educational visits and some provide invaluable help and commitment in accompanying the children to the swimming pool each week. Although there is no formal fundraising committee, parents are very generous with their support of the events that the school organises. Many parents escort their children to their classes each morning and find staff accessible and approachable. The Learning Mentor is around at the start and end of the day and is available to speak with parents if they have any concerns about their children. Parents of children in the nursery and reception classes gather and help their children at the

p.16

Commentary

start of each session in an atmosphere of welcome and good communication. Progress has been slow in the school’s good efforts to involve parents more formally. For example, Family Learning programmes and Parent Well Being workshops were organised but, cancelled due to a lack of response.

p.16

Commentary

27. The school capitalises well on the expertise and resources in the community to improve pupils’ learning. Visits to local places of interest bring a sense of relevance to work in subjects such Britannia Bridge Primary School - 16 as history and geography. Pupils visit a residential home to sing to the elderly residents at Christmas and this widens their horizons in relation to life in the community.

p.16

Commentary

28. The school has an active involvement in the consultations with members of the council regarding the building of a new road through the town and in particular has considered its impact on the local environment. Local residents have been invited into school to take part in the discussions and express their views.

p.17

Commentary

29. The school works very closely with the local secondary and primary schools to very good effect. There are regular opportunities for the sharing of curricular issues and staff expertise. The links with the secondary schools are extensive and enhance the curricular provision for the pupils very well. Pupils visit one of the secondary schools to take part in sports events with pupils from other schools and this helps to make them more confident about transferring .

p.17

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The leadership, management and governance of the school have been improved since the last inspection and are now good . The governing body meets its legal requirements in full. Successful leadership and management have been the key factors in raising the achievement of pupils from unsatisfactory to satisfactory during that period. There are still barriers to improvement, such as the very high proportions of pupils with special educational needs in some years and the increasing number of pupils with behavioural difficulties, but the school is managing them well.

p.17

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The vision and high aspirations of the headteacher have forged a strong sense of teamwork between staff and governors in tackling the key issues from the previous report. • Arrangements for checking the performance of the school are good and have played an important role in raising standards in English, mathematics and science. • Changes to the curriculum and the management of behaviour have been carried out well and have led to boys being more involved in activities and their achievement being raised. • Improvements to the provision for ICT have been successfully managed, so that pupils now attain satisfactory standards and achieve well. • Governors lack first-hand knowledge of the school development plan process to be fully involved in the school’s improvements.

p.17

Commentary

30. The headteacher has led the school well since the last inspection and has been at the centre of the good improvement made in the last two years. Staff have been motivated well and an able senior management team has been created to deal successfully with the key issues of raising pupils’ achievement, improving their behaviour and ensuring that the provision for ICT enables pupils to attain in an appropriate manner. The headteacher gives the school a clear sense of direction so that all staff know what they are working towards. This inspiration has created a climate in which all staff and governors can work successfully, as a team, to help all pupils achieve as well as they can. The reflection of the school’s aims, values and policies in its work is good. The commitment to ensuring that pupils feel valued and develop positive self-esteem makes a valuable contribution to their improving standards and achievement. The school has a

p.17

Commentary

policy to ensure racial equality, which is monitored appropriately.

p.17

Commentary

31. Managerial responsibilities have been delegated wisely so that successful teams have been developed. The deputy headteacher has played an important role in the school’s improvement, with her expertise and enthusiasm providing a good role model for other staff and pupils. The deputy headteacher has had an important role in the development of the curriculum and teaching, whilst also managing well the provision for those pupils with special educational needs Britannia Bridge Primary School - 17 so that their particular requirements are well met. Subject management has been developed well because co-ordinators are empowered to check the quality of teaching and learning and then put into place arrangements for improvement. Governors play a more active role in the life of the school and so are able to act well as critical friends, being willing to challenge the proposals of the senior management team. Governors are insufficiently involved in the various

p.17

Commentary

stages of development planning, to have an even stronger understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses. Teachers’ performance management is well linked to school improvement priorities and their own professional needs.

p.18

Commentary

32. An important part of the improvement since the last inspection has been the involvement of all staff in school improvement planning. The plan is a detailed document, which contains criteria against which the school can measure its success in achieving its targets. As a result, the school has been able to thoroughly check and evaluate its work and, in the light of this, set further targets for action. A good example of this is the way the school has much improved its systems for checking the progress that pupils make. This has enabled target setting to be refined, so as to better meet the needs of individual pupils.

p.18

Commentary

33. The curriculum has been redesigned to more actively involve pupils, especially boys. This has successfully improved their behaviour and made a significant contribution to raising standards and achievement throughout the school. The provision for ICT has been much improved, with timetabled whole-class teaching of computer skills, so that pupils now achieve well and reach satisfactory standards.

p.18

Financial information for the year April 2002 to March 2003

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 536,526 Balance from previous year 28,926 Total expenditure 516,880 Balance carried forward to the next 48,926 Expenditure per pupil 2,343

p.18

Financial information for the year April 2002 to March 2003

34. The high carry over figure reflects the additional financial support ( £ 20,000) of the local educational authority to help the school manage its short-term financial problems related to staffing that have now been resolved. Britannia Bridge Primary School - 18

p.18

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

Provision for children in the Foundation Stage is good and has improved since the last inspection particularly in respect of accommodation. The school has created, very successfully, a unit for children in the nursery and reception classes. Teachers and their assistants have worked very hard to reorganise the rooms and resources to allow the curriculum to be well taught and give children ample opportunities for educational play either directed by the staff or freely chosen by the child. All children now have good access to an outside play area, whereas in the past children in the reception class lacked such a facility. This provision is a strength of the school.

p.19

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

Children start school in the nursery following their third birthday. About two-thirds of the children attending the nursery transfer to the school’s reception classes where they are joined by other children, not all of whom have attended nurseries or playgroups elsewhere. Prior to the nursery, some children have attended the well-organised parents and toddler group which is held daily in the unit.

p.19

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

Children start in the nursery with attainment that is generally well below that expected for their age, except in physical development where children’s attainment is below expected levels. They have, for example, very limited experience in playing with a wide range of materials, enjoying books and speaking about numbers, letters and words. Children achieve well over two years and, by the end of the reception class, most are on course to be below the nationally expected in all areas of learning except in physical development where they are likely to meet requirements. This achievement represents a good step forward in children’s attainment.

p.19

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

The curriculum is well planned to provide a wide range of interesting, relevant and imaginative activities, which are well matched to children’s needs. Adults act as very good role models for the children and manage children very well. There is a good ratio of adults to children ensuring that the needs of all are well met. For example, the small group of children in public care are well taught and looked after in school. All staff work well as a team, carefully monitoring children’s progress. This includes the Learning Mentor who works productively with individual children. The assessments staff make, and the uses made of these assessments, strongly enhance children’s progress.

p.19

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

It is not possible to make an overall judgement about provision in knowledge and understanding of the world because not enough of the curriculum was seen. Nevertheless, children appear to make good progress and achieve well owing to the well-planned activities they experience.

p.19

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

The imaginative way in which the story of Handa’s Surprise is treated helps children to gain a great deal of understanding about Africa. In talking to a surprise visitor dressed as an explorer in Africa, looking for Handa’s village, some children showed a detailed knowledge of Kenyan life, the equator and the type of fruit found in Africa, such as avocados and tangerines. Most children were desperate to tell the explorer what they knew, but often they were let down by their inability to speak quickly and coherently. By contrast, one higher attaining child said correctly and with confidence that, “Avocados tasted buttery.” Teaching has given children a wealth of information which was well rehearsed during this surprise visit.

p.19

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

Children in both the nursery and reception classes plan and make their own musical instruments to play in Handa’s pretend village. They make a reasonable job of fixing the materials together, but find it hard to make choices about those to use, partly because they lack experiences in this sort of decision-making.

p.19

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

Similarly, it is not possible to make an overall judgement of provision or standards in creative development , but as a result of the many opportunities to enjoy make-believe play, in pursuit of their mathematical learning in the shop or developing ideas from their African story, children make good Britannia Bridge Primary School - 19 progress. It was not possible to hear children sing or see them dance, but photographs taken last year show that the curriculum is well planned for these things to happen.

p.19

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in personal, social and emotional development is good .

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children become confident self-disciplined learners. • Innovative teaching enhances children’s ability to think logically and creatively. • Children find it hard to express feelings and talk in general about their work and learning.

p.20

Commentary

35. Children come into the unit in the morning with confidence and good humour. Their parents are pleased with the enthusiasm that they display and speak very highly of the teachers and their assistants for the way in which their children have been inducted into this new setting. Most children feel so at home that they easily decide what to play with before they are called for a class discussion. Relationships between adults and children are open and collaborative. Children feel comfortable and ready to learn and, as a result, they are achieving well. However, they are not on course to achieve the nationally expected level by the end of the reception year. This is because, in general, children find it hard to initiate ideas and talk about their feelings and experiences.

p.20

Commentary

36. There is an air of self-discipline while children are working in both classes. They show care for each other and know when another child has broken a rule and what they should do about it. This is as a direct result of the care shown towards children, the helpful discussions about behaviour promoted by teachers and the high expectations for personal development exhibited by all adults.

p.20

Commentary

37. The innovative system of teaching thinking, adopted by the school, is very well implemented in the nursery and reception classes. This is an initiative that is being developed throughout the school, but the dedication with which it has been introduced in these two classes has had particularly productive results. It helps children to talk about the way that their ideas are formed and enhances their feelings of self-esteem when they can communicate successfully. For example, a reception child capable of higher attainment spoke animatedly about the methods used in making a musical instrument. Children are encouraged to identify the particular coloured hat that is associated with the kind of ideas that they are talking about. This system successfully adds structure and purpose to conversations.

p.20

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Provision in communication, language and literacy is good .

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Successful teaching provides good opportunities for children to read, write and talk about their experiences. • Many children have a limited vocabulary with which to verbalise their thoughts and opinions. Britannia Bridge Primary School - 20

p.20

Commentary

38. Good teaching goes a long way in compensating for children’s lack of experience with books and writing. The multiplicity of interesting experiences provided in the nursery class helps children, for example, to draw, paint and try out their own form of writing. Teachers and their assistants clearly understand the value of these experiences in the development of writing and talk well to children about them. This good teaching is continued in the reception class. For example, in one very well taught lesson, children made up short sentences to describe an elephant and some higher attainers spoke well about the need for capital letters and a full stop. Reading in both classes is equally well taught. Teachers make books come alive. The story of Handa’s Surprise, for example, has become the subject of children’s play and many imaginative conversations about the fruit and animals described in the story. In this way children gain a

p.21

Commentary

great interest in reading and some children are beginning to read words easily in the reception class. Mostly, children are not on course to achieve the national expectations by the end of the year, but they are achieving well.

p.21

Commentary

39. Children’s development is hampered by their general lack of ability to ask their own questions and respond to what has been said in an inquisitive way. Most are good at answering direct questions from an adult, particularly those capable of higher attainment. Some children find difficulty in talking fluently about their work because they have gaps in their general knowledge. For example, in the nursery, some children were playing in the fruit and vegetable shops. They knew about carrots and bananas, but were tongue-tied when it came to potatoes and sweetcorn. Their limited vocabulary prevents them from entering fully into collaborative play with other children and attaining the nationally expected levels by the end of the reception class in mathematics and knowledge and understating of the world, for example.

p.21

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in mathematical development is good .

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Learning is well planned to reinforce mathematical ideas in many aspect of work. • Teaching is adept at providing play activities that reinforce learning about numbers. • Children find it hard to initiate mathematical conversations.

p.21

Commentary

40. The curriculum is well designed to give children a broad understanding of numbers, shapes and patterns. Well-planned teaching takes every opportunity to incorporate counting into activities. This applies well to situations when visitors talk to children, for example, Bob the Builder and some mothers with their babies. Resourceful teaching provides large-scale activities as well as table-top ones, such as counting the number of animals of each colour in the toy farm. Children build large three-dimensional structures out of construction kits and talk enthusiastically about their size and shape.

p.21

Commentary

41. Play in the shop is a very important way in which children acquire an understanding about mathematics. Teachers and assistants usefully demonstrate, as an aspect of good teaching, how to play with the toy fruit and vegetables, the coins and the till. Well-produced shopping lists direct children to collect, count and pay for items in the shop. Children in the nursery learn well to match items in the basket with goods listed in their shopping lists. By the time children are in the reception class, they are beginning to add two items together and check their answer on a calculator. Children’s attainment is hampered by their limited conversational skills when left to their own devices. For example, when playing after being started off by the teacher, children in the nursery could not maintain the momentum of the role-play about shopping, quantities and Britannia Bridge Primary School - 21 costs. Nevertheless, children in both classes achieve well owing to the good teaching they

p.21

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in physical development is good .

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The plentiful opportunities for hands-on experiences ensure that children make good progress

p.22

Commentary

42. Teaching is well organised to give children ample opportunities to develop physically. Their manipulative skills on a small scale, such as rolling, cutting, building, picking up and holding pencils, are practised very regularly. Teachers and their assistants pay close attention to children when they are playing freely and intervene when necessary to help them achieve a better grip or technique. All children are encouraged to put apparatus away and tidy up the shop, for example, after play. This helps their physical co-ordination considerably. The new unit provides all children with the facility to play on large-scale climbing equipment inside and out of doors. They also use, with some skill, the bicycles and tricycles on the hard surface outside. Children achieve well and are on course to reach the nationally expected standards by the time they reach the end of the reception year. Britannia Bridge Primary School - 22

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards have improved since the last inspection and achievement and the quality teaching are now satisfactory. • Good assessment enables teachers to match learning well to pupils’ individual needs and to keep a close eye on their progress. • The school develops pupils' speaking and listening skills well. • Arrangements to improve and widen reading are good, but library skills are not developed enough. • Pupils do not write enough in other subjects, such as science.

p.23

Commentary

43. Results in the 2003 national tests showed improvement on the previous year and on standards at the time of the last inspection two years ago. However, reading and writing were below average by the end of Year 6. By the end of Year 2, reading standards were below average and writing remained well below. Girls continued to do better than boys following a national pattern . However, the school is narrowing the achievement gap by improving boys’ progress, caused by their poor behaviour in the past, particularly in Years 3 to 6. Their behaviour is now often good in lessons, despite the occasional lapses when the pace of the lesson flags.

p.23

Commentary

44. Inspection findings show the same picture of below average standards and improving achievement. Good leadership and management have improved the quality of teaching and learning through good use of the National Literacy Strategy and the latest national guidance and initiatives. The overall quality of teaching is satisfactory, with good teaching in Years 2 and 5 and very good teaching in Year 6. There is now no unsatisfactory teaching and the pupils’ achievement is satisfactory.

p.23

Commentary

45. Experienced and well-trained support staff make important contributions to the pupils’ progress. They are well briefed, understand pupils’ needs and know how to meet them. As a result, pupils with special educational needs, those with English as an additional language, asylum seekers and those identified as gifted and talented achieve as well as others. Where they were once underachieving, they are now achieving as well as can be expected. Improvement in this respect has been good since 2001. Good quality assessment of pupils’ learning is improving achievement. Teachers test pupils regularly, assess their work accurately and keep useful records of their progress. This helps them know where pupils are up to and in what aspects they need to improve. These methods and the use of the information generated represent a great improvement in provision from the time of the last inspection.

p.23

Commentary

46. The pupils’ good concentration in most lessons underpins their sound progress in speaking and listening. Teachers set good examples of expressive speech, give clear directions and listen attentively to pupils' responses. Skilled questioning enlarges answers, and draws in those who lack confidence. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 learn to take turns, speak out and listen carefully to whoever is speaking. Speech develops well in role-play, class assemblies and opportunities to talk to each other about their learning. In Years 3 to 6 class discussions and debates develop persuasive speaking and thoughtful listening. In a few lessons there is little development of such skills when teachers talk too much and pupils have to sit and listen for too long.

p.23

Commentary

47. The co-ordinator has made sure that there are good arrangements for developing pupils’ reading abilities. The good teaching of letter sounds in Years 1 and 2 maintains progress in early reading after the good start in the nursery and reception classes. Good quality books and Britannia Bridge Primary School - 23 teachers’ lively readings and discussions of quality texts spur pupils on to master this key skill. The dispersal of the school library to class libraries has improved access to books. However, there are not enough opportunities to develop research, reference and library skills. The lack of a library has caused teachers to undervalue the skills that need to be developed. As a result, pupils’ ability to use reference material is lower than expected for their ages.

p.23

Commentary

48. Below average standards in speech and reading reflect in writing, where shortage of vocabulary limits expression. Teachers’ hard work to remedy this unsatisfactory achievement is turning the tide. For example, they use the information from assessment well to guide pupils’ learning, they make sure that pupils that need an extra boost get it and they place pairs of pupils together to criticise, constructively, each other’s writing. However, under-achievement in writing in the last three years, particularly by boys, shows up in weaknesses in punctuation, presentation, fluency and speed. Moreover, the school does not give enough emphasis to good handwriting. Many pupils find writing a struggle because they have not learned to join letters when they were ready to. It is then hard for them to move from printing to joined-up handwriting. It is this backlog in learning and the inconsistent use of writing across the curriculum that causes many

p.24

Commentary

of the present problems in writing. Progress in spelling is sound because it is thoroughly taught, learned and tested throughout the school.

p.24

Language and literacy across the curriculum

49. Teachers create good opportunities to develop speaking and listening in most lessons. However, with the exception of some history lessons, there are not enough planned opportunities to develop writing skills in other subjects. For example, the filling in of worksheets rather than explaining ideas in prose, is the main method of firming up new learning in science. Because many pupils find writing difficult, teachers avoid natural opportunities for pupils to use and develop their skills. In lessons in ICT, work in pairs nearly always sparks off lively speech, and word processing improves presentation. However, very limited typing skills delay progress and much reduces writing opportunities. Therefore, pupils find it hard to use their developing skills in word processing across the curriculum.

p.24

MATHEMATICS

Provision in mathematics is satisfactory .

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Leadership and management are good and have successfully dealt with the underachievement of pupils, particularly boys, indicated in the previous report. • Teaching in some classes is of high quality and enables pupils to achieve well. • The planning and assessment arrangements are thorough, so that pupils’ needs are well met. • Pupils have positive attitudes to their work, which helps them to concentrate well and have a good work rate. • Pupils’ skills in solving problems and interpreting data are underdeveloped. Britannia Bridge Primary School - 24

p.24

Commentary

50. Over the past few years, the results of the national tests for 11 year olds have been well below or below average. The school has successfully dealt with the key issue of underachievement for pupils and pupils now achieve in a satisfactory manner, even though standards are just below average for most pupils in the current Year 6 class. This shows that the school has made good improvement since the last inspection. Lessons contain a variety of interesting problem-solving activities delivered at a fast pace, which appeal to boys in particular, who were bored with the pedestrian pace of some lesson in 2001.

p.25

Commentary

51. The co-ordinator leads and manages the subject well and has played an important role in the good improvement made since the last inspection. Liaison is good between the school and the local education authority and, as a result, teachers have benefited from a variety of training to develop their teaching expertise in mathematics. Close monitoring of the subject has identified correctly the need to increase the use of ICT to support pupils’ learning and to provide more opportunities for them to develop their skills in solving problems along with making sense of the information gained in their mathematical investigations. Pupils’ progress in problem solving is satisfactory, but sometimes hampered by their inability to explain their ideas well enough. They find it difficult, for example, to explain the strategies they have used to work out answers to problems.

p.25

Commentary

52. Teaching is satisfactory overall, and for pupils in Years 2, 5 and 6 it is particularly lively and interesting. Pupils in these classes are given work that matches closely their individual needs and so they make good progress and achieve well. This was illustrated in a lesson for pupils in Year 6 in which they achieved very well when learning how to measure angles to the nearest degree, because the work was so well planned according to their abilities. Teachers have good subject knowledge and so are able to ask relevant questions and use accurate mathematical vocabulary to develop the pupils’ knowledge and understanding. The introductions to lessons have good pace, which results in pupils making good progress in their quick mental recall skills. In other classes, the teaching is enthusiastic, but the lessons lack sufficient structure and result in pupils losing concentration and becoming restless. For example, the introductions are too

p.25

Commentary

long and pupils do not have enough time to be involved in practical activities.

p.25

Commentary

53. Pupils respond positively, showing a great deal of interest in their mathematical activities. Their behaviour is good and so they are able to maintain their concentration for suitable periods of time. They work well together in pairs and small groups and handle the mathematical resources with care.

p.25

Commentary

54. The planning procedures, based on the National Numeracy Strategy, are successful in ensuring that all pupils are given work that matches their ability and so are able to progressively develop their learning. Assessment arrangements are good and allow teachers to have a clear view of their pupils’ attainment and to know what is needed next to improve their performance in the subject.

p.25

Mathematics across the curriculum

55. There are satisfactory opportunities for pupils to apply and develop their mathematical skills in real situations in other subjects. For example, they measure accurately when making products in design and technology and collect data in science, record their scientific data and present their findings in charts and graphs. For instance, in science, the pupils in Year 1 have made a pictogram to show the most common eye colour in the class. Britannia Bridge Primary School - 25

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards have improved since 2001/2 when pupils were significantly below the national average by the end of Year 6. • The best teaching channels pupils’ enthusiasm powerfully into productive investigations and flexible thinking. • Improvements have been brought about by insightful leadership and management of the subject. • Some pupils still find it hard to work quietly in groups and contribute their ideas orally in lessons. • There are missed opportunities for developing pupils’ skills in ICT and writing.

p.26

Commentary

56. At the time of the last inspection pupils’ attainment was significantly below the national average and they were underachieving. Some teaching was unsatisfactory and pupils became bored and badly behaved. The school has made rapid improvements owing to the good leadership and management provided by the co-ordinator. Teaching and learning have been strengthened through the training of staff in investigational skills and the purchase of resources for practical work. Improvements in National Curriculum test results were evident in 2003 when 80 per cent of pupils in Year 6 reached the expected level or above for their age. Standards were, however, ultimately well below the national average because too few pupils achieved the higher level. Currently, more pupils are on course to reach the higher level. Standards are still slightly below the national expectation. but pupils are now achieving satisfactorily.

p.26

Commentary

57. Teaching in Year 6 exemplifies the improvements that have been made. The school has increased the amount of time that pupils spend on investigating for themselves, interpreting results and presenting findings. These factors were very well incorporated into the Year 6 lesson devoted to examining the factors that effect the dissolving of sugar. Pupils progressed very well because so much was expected of them in terms of asking their own questions, discussing preliminary findings within their groups and interpreting the graphs created from their results. Their strong achievement was fuelled by the teacher’s high aspirations and the slick organisation of the lesson. Good teaching, similar in style, is present in other classes. Lively dialogue between teachers and pupils and the emphasis on setting up tests to find things out, appeal to all pupils, particularly the boys who might otherwise, in the past, have been bored and

p.26

Commentary

disaffected. Teaching assistants work well to make sure that pupils with special educational needs are included well in lessons and make similar progress to the rest of the class. Those pupils capable of higher attainment are inspired to think flexibly about the theme of the lesson using the correct terminology for the different kinds of thinking. For example, in Year 5, pupils thought logically about the obstacles that might occur in their investigation into micro- organisms.

p.26

Commentary

58. Teaching is satisfactory overall. but problems of inattention and restlessness still exist in some otherwise satisfactory lessons. If there are minor weaknesses in the organisation of the lesson, a few pupils can lose interest and become too loud. Sometimes, as in the case of a lesson observed in Year 3, pupils find it hard to collaborate in groups. They have not yet fully acquired the skills of investigation; an aspect of science in which they were very weak at the end of Year 2. Some pupils find it very hard to speak clearly about their findings, make statements and ask questions. This shortcoming hinders their progress and limits achievement. Not enough time in lessons is devoted to teaching pupils how to converse about these matters. Furthermore, some opportunities are missed to use computers and to encourage pupils to write more extensively about their findings. This hampers their overall progress.

p.26

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

Provision in information and communication technology is satisfactory .

p.27

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The last two years has seen much improvement in provision, and pupils have achieved well to reach satisfactory standards. • Improvements are the result of good leadership and management. • Pupils are given interesting things to do and they enjoy their work. • ICT is not used well enough to support learning in other subjects.

p.27

Commentary

59. Improvement has been good since the last inspection, with the school having recently increased resources for teaching and learning. This means that the pupils have increased opportunities to use computers and are developing their skills at a faster rate than before. This rate of progress has been helped by the variety of training that all teachers have had, which has improved their expertise and confidence in teaching the subject. Teaching is satisfactory overall and often good in Year 6. Pupils are generally given work that matches their ability which helps hem to achieve well and reach the nationally expected standards.

p.27

Commentary

60. The co-ordinator leads and manages the subject well. The subject’s strengths and weaknesses are well known and there is a clear and focused action plan for taking the subject forward. This includes teachers’ planning being improved, so that more opportunities can be provided for pupils to use their ICT skills to support their learning in other subjects. This is a relative weakness at the moment.

p.27

Commentary

61. Pupils have positive attitudes to the subject and enjoy their work on computers. They are confident in their ability to work independently of their teacher and show good motivation in so doing. This was evident in a lesson for pupils in Year 1, in which they were using a word bank to label different parts of a car. Pairs of pupils work well, in general, using laptop computers to produce their labelled pictures. Pupils in Year 5 showed the same sort of enthusiasm when devising a computer-generated plan of their classroom. Teaching in both cases was knowledgeable and well organised, but not quite sharp enough to prevent one or two boys from becoming silly when not supervised closely.

p.27

Commentary

62. Teachers plan their ICT lessons well to develop the pupils’ skills in all aspects of the subject. The activities maintain the pupils’ interest and concentration well. Pupils’ motivation, stemming from an engaging activity, was evident in a lesson for pupils in Year 6 on learning how to use a computer program to design their own Dream Bedroom . The teacher used the electronic whiteboard adeptly to explain and demonstrate how to develop their designs. The way that teachers encourage pupils to work collaboratively in pairs on the computers makes a good contribution to their personal and social development.

p.27

Information communication technology across the curriculum

63. Pupils are able to use their ICT skills to support their work in other subjects in a satisfactory manner. These opportunities are provided in the newly established computer room. For instance, in Year 4 they have word processed a poem and then added interest to it by changing the size, style and colour of font. However, pupils do not have enough opportunities to practise and refine the ICT skills, when back in the classroom, particularly in English, mathematics and science.

p.27

HUMANITIES

Britannia Bridge Primary School - 27 There was not enough evidence to judge provision in geography and history . The few lessons and the small amount of pupils’ work seen suggest that the school maintains the average standards previously reported.

p.28

HUMANITIES

Sometimes pupils achieve higher standards in geography than might be expected for their age. In a well taught Year 5 lesson observed, pupils gained good understanding of life in an African village. This was because the teacher set up a challenging investigation into water quality and supply and made good use of discussion and ICT work.

p.28

HUMANITIES

Planning for lessons in history shows a good choice of interesting topics, following the latest national guidance, to develop stimulating learning opportunities. Pupils, therefore, achieve sound knowledge and understanding of the passage of time, change and the influence of important civilisations and historical figures, such as Florence Nightingale and Henry VIII. Written work in Years 5 and 6 shows accurate appreciation of children’s lives in Victorian Britain and ancient Greece. Conversations with Year 6 pupils show the strong impact on their learning of role-play, drama, study of artefacts and visits. They have a satisfactory knowledge of different types of historical evidence, heritage and how people may learn from past events.

p.28

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Lessons balance learning from and about religion nicely because teachers relate learning closely to pupils' lives. • Teachers link work in religious education successfully to learning in other subjects. • There are not enough resources for some aspects of the work, including the use of ICT.

p.28

Commentary

64. The school maintains the average standards previously reported in the last inspection report of 2001. The quality of teaching is satisfactory and enables pupils of all capabilities and backgrounds to make sound progress in their learning. Lessons meet the statutory requirements of the locally agreed syllabus. Some good teaching makes the subject come alive and extends learning into other subjects. In Year 2, for example, the story of the Chinese New Year was told in an enthralling way, including a chance for pupils to act out sections. Pupils not only learnt about Chinese myths, but practised valuable skills in drama and learnt to appreciate the difference between a myth, a legend and the truth.

p.28

Commentary

65. Pupils are interested in learning about great world religions and their influence on people's lives because teachers link lessons to their experiences. Lessons make strong contributions to pupils' moral and social development. For example, Year 6 pupils connected the decision to hand in a wallet full of money to the police to the 10 commandments, the temptation of Christ and the precept to "treat people as you would like to be treated." This is a good example of the way in which religious stories are well linked to pupils’ everyday experiences.

p.28

Commentary

66. Sound leadership and management have significantly improved artefacts and book resources since the last inspection, but the school has correctly judged that there are not enough resources for pupils to study the faiths of Islam and Hinduism. Moreover, there is a shortage of computer software to allow pupils to research more widely and write about their findings. Britannia Bridge Primary School - 28

p.28

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

There were no lessons seen in music or design and technology and only one in art and design. It is therefore not possible to make a firm judgement about provision in these subjects. Nevertheless, co- ordinators and pupils were interviewed and pupils’ past work was examined in art and design and design and technology.

p.29

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

Standards in art and design are above the national expectation by the end of Year 6. At the time of the last inspection some superb clay work predominated, but now pupils experience a much wider range of media and work with artists in residence. Pupils in Year 4, for example, have produced some imaginative and carefully crafted collages after working with an artist who specialises in this type of work and, in Year 5, some striking batik has been created. In one lesson in Year 6, pupils composed dramatically visual still-life pictures using charcoal, ink and chalk. They took great delight in smearing and smudging the ink and charcoal with their hands to create the desired effect. All pupils were totally absorbed in this very well taught lesson. Their achievement was very good as a result of the expert tuition they received and the studio-like atmosphere that was created in the classroom. Similarly exciting work is created in Year 2. Pupils have produced pictures of an

p.29

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

imaginary world beyond a fantasy doorway. These mature images are detailed and use perspective and colour very well.

p.29

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

The subject is well led. Pupils’ work is assessed and these assessments guide teachers in planning future lessons. The breadth of the curriculum is the result of some productive leadership and management. Pupils’ work is not saved systematically to form a collection of pieces that can be used to advise staff about the kind of standards possible. This limits the quality of lesson plans and expectations held by teachers.

p.29

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

In design and technology the curriculum is well planned, so that pupils have opportunities to use a wide range of materials to develop their skills in the subject. Standards appear to be in line with the national expectations and pupils achieve satisfactorily. Pupils learn how to design and make products, make simple evaluations of their quality and say how they might be improved. There are suitable links made to other subjects, such as when pupils in Year 4 use their scientific knowledge and understanding of simple levers to make books with moving parts. The co-ordinator leads the subject well, giving useful advice to her colleagues.

p.29

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

Teachers are now confident to teach music because the school has successfully invested in a scheme of work that enables non-specialists to cover the curriculum. Consequently, standards are in line with national expectations by the end of Year 6. A well-organised programme of activities is provided for all pupils which includes regular visits from musicians provided by the local education authority who demonstrate musical instruments and play a range of music for the pupils to appreciate. Pupils in Year 6 talk confidently about their own compositions. They make notes in pictures and writing that describe their compositions and can then use these jottings to reproduce their musical creations. Pupils have regular opportunities to listen to recorded music and discuss it as well as being able to perform in the Wigan Productions that involve pupils from several schools collaborating to put on a musical. The subject has been well led since 2001 in supporting all staff to

p.29

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

teach music. Britannia Bridge Primary School - 29

p.29

PHYSICAL EDUCATION

Provision in physical education is satisfactory .

p.30

Main strengths and weaknesses:

• There is a good range of extra-curricular activities that extend learning beyond the school day. • Leadership and management are good, with the co-ordinator being a good role model for staff and pupils. • Some lessons are planned well by introducing pupils to new sporting techniques. • The monitoring of teaching and learning is underdeveloped.

p.30

Commentary

67. Most pupils reach standards typical for their age and achieve in a satisfactory manner.

p.30

Commentary

68. There is a good range of extra-curricular activities that makes a positive contribution to the pupils’ personal and social development. These include football, rugby and athletics. This provision is enhanced by the use of professional coaches to develop the pupils’ skills in these areas. A notable feature of the curriculum is the provision for all pupils from reception to Year 5 to take part in swimming lessons, to promote their awareness of water safety as well as developing their swimming skills. As a result, pupils achieve well in this respect.

p.30

Commentary

69. The co-ordinator leads the subject well and provides good support and advice for colleagues. As a result, lessons are well planned, better resourced and the school hall is organised to facilitate good quality gymnastics and games lessons. The school works closely with other local schools to share ideas to improve physical education and is working towards achieving the Active Mark Award. Teachers show secure subject knowledge that enables them to explain to pupils how to set about their activities and how to improve their performances. Teachers’ dress appropriately for physical education lessons and set good examples, as a result, they are able to demonstrate well and introduce pupils to new sporting techniques. This was evident, for example, in a Year 5 lesson, in which the teacher showed pupils new hockey skills in dribbling the hockey ball and passing the ball at speed. However, the monitoring of teaching and learning is not developed

p.30

Commentary

enough to provide the co-ordinator with a comprehensive view of provision throughout the school.

p.30

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

Provision for personal, social and health education and citizenship is good .

p.30

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils progress well in these elements of their personal education because teachers plan provision carefully. • Visits and discussions give pupils a good introduction to citizenship education. • Some pupils cannot discuss well in groups and express their opinions succinctly.

p.30

Commentary

70. Good leadership and management have generated thoughtful planning, ensuring careful development of personal education through lessons in personal, social and health education and citizenship and learning in other subjects. The quality of teaching and learning is good because lessons help pupils to make useful links between issues being studied and the various ways that they are being taught to think about them. For example, pupils in Year 3 considered how they might spend £100 and in doing so, practised successfully the six ways of thinking being Britannia Bridge Primary School - 30 promoted throughout the school. They receive appropriate health and sex education mainly through their science lessons. These also give them clear guidance on healthy living and the dangers of smoking and drugs. Talks by the school nurse and local constabulary strengthen this provision.

p.30

Commentary

71. Sometimes the good provision of activities is in advance of pupils’ ability to respond. In some lessons pupils do not discuss well in groups finding it hard to listen well to others and reply appropriately. The structured approach to developing pupils’ thinking is beginning to tackle this shortcoming, but progress is uneven throughout the school.

p.31

Commentary

72. The school promotes citizenship education well. Pupils have good opportunities to play responsible parts in looking after the school community. Year 6 pupils’ visits to local councils, role-play, and meetings with the Mayor and Mayoress give them first hand experience of the workings of democracy in the local community. Geography work relates this to the exploration of local traffic and road improvement issues. History contributes to the contrasting systems of government in Athens and Sparta. Arrangements for assessment and monitoring this wide- ranging provision are at an early stage of development and do not yet contribute significantly to pupils’ progress. Britannia Bridge Primary School - 31

p.31

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The overall effectiveness of the school 4 How inclusive the school is 3 How the school’s effectiveness has changed since its last inspection 3 Value for money provided by the school 4

p.32

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Overall standards achieved 5 Pupils’ achievement 4

p.32

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

p.32

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 3 How well the curriculum meets pupils needs 3 Enrichment of the curriculum, including out-of-school activities 4 Accommodation and resources 3 Pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety 3 Support, advice and guidance for pupils 3 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 3 The school’s links with other schools and colleges 2

p.32

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The leadership and management of the school 3 The governance of the school 3 The leadership of the headteacher 3 The leadership of other key staff 3 The effectiveness of management 3

p.32

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).

p.32