Shield Road Primary School

This inspection was carried out under section 3 of the School Inspections Act 1996 and was deemed a section 10 inspection under the same Act

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South Gloucestershire Education Authority

Dates of inspection: 22-23 March 2004 reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that all extracts quoted are reproduced verbatim without adaptation and on condition that the source and date thereof are stated.

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South Gloucestershire Education Authority

Inspection reports are available on the Ofsted web site (www.ofsted.gov.uk).

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Basic information about the school

Name of school: Shield Road Primary School

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Basic information about the school

Address of school: Shields Avenue Northville Bristol BS7 0RR

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Basic information about the school

Name and address of appropriate authority: The governing body, address as above

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Basic information about the school

Local education authority area: South Gloucestershire

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Basic information about the school

Name of reporting inspector: Mrs A Baird HMI

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Basic information about the school

Dates of inspection: 22-23 March 2004 Inspection Report Shield Road Primary School

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Introduction

1. Shield Road Primary School is situated on the border between Bristol and South Gloucestershire. It is bigger than average with 263 on roll. Approximately 21 per cent of the pupils are entitled to free school meals, which is in line with the national average. Nineteen per cent of the pupils have been identified as having special educational needs, which is close to the national average, including three pupils who have a Statement of Special Educational Needs. Five pupils come from minority ethnic communities, but none is at an early stage of learning English.

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Introduction

2. The school was inspected in September 2002. The inspection was critical of many aspects of the work of the school and the school was made subject to special measures because it was failing to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education.

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Introduction

3. The governors drew up an action plan to address the key issues from the inspection of September 2002. The school was visited by Her Majesty’s Inspectors of Schools (HMI) on three occasions to monitor the progress being made.

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Introduction

4. In March 2004, two HMI inspected the school, assessing the standard of education provided and the progress the school has made, in particular in relation to the main findings and key issues in the inspection report of September 2004.

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Main findings

5. In accordance with section 14 of the School Inspections Act 1996, I am of the opinion that the school no longer requires special measures, since it is now providing an acceptable standard of education for its pupils. The main findings of the inspection are:

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Main findings

 at Key Stage 1, the school’s performance in the National Curriculum tests in 2003 has shown a marked improvement since 2001 and a more significant one since 1999. When compared with the national figures for similar schools, the pupils’ performance was very good in each aspect of the tests in 2003;

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Main findings

 at Key Stage 2, the results in the National Curriculum tests in 2003 in English, mathematics and science were very low when compared with the national figures. However, when compared with similar schools, the results were closer to the average in English, mathematics and science. The trend has been upward over time;

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Main findings

 standards of attainment were at or near national expectations in 13 lessons and below this level in the remaining four. Standards have improved gradually through the key stages and are at their best at the end of both keys stages, particularly at Key Stage 1;

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Main findings

 in the reception class, most of the pupils make satisfactory progress towards achieving the nationally set Early Learning Goals. The pupils generally responded well to the appropriately planned provision, particularly in the Inspection Report Shield Road Primary School

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Main findings

22-23 March 2004 Page 2 outdoor area where they had good opportunities to explore the environment and to develop their language skills;

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Main findings

 the pupils made satisfactory progress in all lessons and good or better progress in eight. The progress was best where the work was well matched to the pupils’ learning needs and where the teaching was assured;

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Main findings

 standards in English are at or above national expectations in the majority of lessons except in the lower ability classes. At the end of both key stages, a greater proportion of the higher attaining pupils achieve at above the age- related expectations;

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Main findings

 standards in mathematics are slightly lower than that generally found in primary schools. The higher attaining pupils reach standards in line with those expected for their age. Standards are improving rapidly for all pupils;

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Main findings

 standards in science are slightly lower than that generally found in primary schools in Key Stage 1. The work of the pupils in Key Stage 2 is close to the level expected for the age group;

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Main findings

 standards in information and communication technology (ICT) and the foundation subjects are generally close to age-related expectations, except in geography where they are unsatisfactory;

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Main findings

 the pupils are polite and well behaved. Their behaviour in lessons and around the school is good overall. The pupils’ attitudes to learning are good and sometimes very good. There has been a significant improvement in the presentation of their work;

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Main findings

 attendance figures have improved over the last year and are close to the national average for primary schools. However, the number of authorised absences is slightly higher than the national figure. A small number of the pupils are persistently late for school and this disrupts their learning and that of the other pupils in their classes;

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Main findings

 provision for the pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. The pupils have access to a very good range of opportunities to gain an understanding of areas of local interest and they develop knowledge and understanding of different world faiths and cultures through their work in class and assemblies;

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Main findings

 the quality of teaching was at least satisfactory in all 17 lessons, and it was good or better in nine;

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Main findings

 the curriculum is suitably broad and balanced at each key stage, and the wide range of extracurricular activities enriches the provision for sport and the arts;

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Main findings

 the school has sound systems to assess, track and record the progress of the pupils in mathematics and English. Most teachers’ plans identify extension Inspection Report Shield Road Primary School

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Main findings

22-23 March 2004 Page 3 activities for the more able pupils but there is no formal register of gifted and talented pupils nor a system for tracking their progress;

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Main findings

 the marking of the pupils’ work is increasingly focused on identifying when the pupils have achieved the objective of the lesson and on helping them improve their work. It is mostly of a good quality though there is some variation in the marking of work in foundation subjects;

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Main findings

 the pupils who have special educational needs make good progress in lessons and substantial gains in their learning over time. Those pupils for whom English is an additional language also make good progress in lessons because of the improvements in planning and the greater attention that is given to matching work to the needs of the pupils;

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Main findings

 the acting headteacher provides good leadership; he and the senior management team have worked effectively together to secure continuing improvement. The subject leaders have grown in confidence and most are involved in some aspect of monitoring and evaluation of standards and provision in their areas of responsibility;

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Main findings

 the chair of the governing body offers a strong lead and has been proactive in developing the skills and expertise of the governors, including those most recently appointed;

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Main findings

 the local education authority (LEA) gives well-targeted support in the areas that the school requires and oversees its progress regularly.

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Key issues

6. In order to improve the pupils’ quality of education further, the governors, headteacher, senior managers and staff need to:

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Key issues

 continue to improve standards in all subjects, and quickly improve standards in geography, where they unsatisfactory;

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Key issues

 increase the proportion of good and very good teaching in the school so that it is in line with primary schools nationally;

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Key issues

 further develop the role of key staff in monitoring and evaluation;

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Key issues

 ensure that those pupils who are gifted or talented receive appropriate provision. Inspection Report Shield Road Primary School

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Standards achieved by the pupils

7. At Key Stage 1, the school’s performance in the National Curriculum tests in 2003 has shown a marked improvement since 2001 and a more significant one since 1999. When compared with the national figures for similar schools, the pupils’ performance was very good in each aspect of the tests in 2003. The school has exceeded its targets in all the core subjects.

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Standards achieved by the pupils

8. At Key Stage 2, the results in the National Curriculum tests in 2003 in English, mathematics and science were very low when compared to the national figures. However, when compared to similar schools, the results were closer to the average in all core subjects. The trend is generally upward over time. The progress the Year 6 pupils have made since they were tested in Year 2 is average both nationally and when compared with similar schools. Recent analysis of the school’s own assessment data in English and mathematics shows sustained improvement over the year.

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Standards achieved by the pupils

9. Standards of attainment were at or near national expectations in 13 lessons and below this level in the remaining four, two of which included observations of groups of pupils who had special educational needs. Standards have improved gradually through the key stages and are at their best at the end of both key stages, particularly at Key Stage 1.

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Standards achieved by the pupils

10. In the reception class, most of the pupils make satisfactory progress towards achieving the nationally set Early Learning Goals. The pupils generally responded well to the appropriately planned provision, particularly in the outdoor area where the pupils had a good range of opportunities to explore the environment and to develop their language skills.

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Standards achieved by the pupils

11. Standards in English are at or above national expectations in the majority of lessons, except in the lower ability classes. At the end of both key stages, a greater proportion of the higher attaining pupils achieve at above the age-related expectation. Increasingly, the pupils speak confidently and the use of talking partners allows them to rehearse what they want to say. A few have difficulty in using technical language accurately or with ease. Progress in reading is sound at both key stages and the more careful planning for the guided reading sessions has had a positive effect. At the end of both key stages, the pupils’ ability to organise their writing coherently and to ensure it is accurate has improved. The pupils are more careful in how they present their work and handwriting has improved.

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Standards achieved by the pupils

12. Standards in mathematics are slightly lower than that generally found in primary schools. The higher attaining pupils reach standards in line with those expected for their age. Standards are rising rapidly for all the pupils and there are improvements in a number of aspects; for example, in the rapid recall of multiplication and addition facts. This is speeding up the pupils’ work and making it more efficient. The pupils were confident in their use of numbers and calculations. The pupils’ skills in investigative mathematics, where they have to apply their knowledge and learn to solve problems, were weaker. They were sometimes insecure in identifying the process and steps they needed to follow when reading written problems. Throughout the school, the pupils’ work was neatly set down, and showed a good Inspection Report Shield Road Primary School

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Standards achieved by the pupils

22-23 March 2004 Page 5 understanding of place value. The pupils were competent at handling data, and charts and tables were neatly drawn.

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Standards achieved by the pupils

13. Standards in science are slightly lower than that generally found in primary schools in Key Stage 1. The work of the pupils in Key Stage 2 is close to the level expected for the age group. The emphasis on investigative work has improved the pupils’ understanding and has resulted in better progress being made and has raised standards. The teachers used a good range of strategies to develop the pupils’ skills in science, and group work was well organised and productive. There were good links made between science and mathematics through the use of charts and tables.

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Standards achieved by the pupils

14. Standards in ICT and the foundation subjects are generally close to age-related expectations, except in geography where they are unsatisfactory.

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The pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

15. The pupils are polite and well behaved. Their behaviour in lessons and around the school is good overall. The pupils’ attitudes to learning are good and sometimes very good. Behaviour and attitudes were at least satisfactory in all the lessons; they were good in ten lessons and very good in three. This is a very positive profile and is a strength of the school. There has been a significant improvement in the presentation of the pupils’ work.

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The pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

16. Attendance figures have improved over the last year and are close to the national average for primary schools. However, the number of authorised absences is slightly higher than the national figure. A small number of pupils are persistently late for school and this disrupts their learning and that of the other pupils in their classes.

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The pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

17. Provision for the pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. The staff give clear messages to the pupils about right and wrong behaviour and they also present good models in their interactions with pupils. Assemblies provide the whole school with the opportunity to celebrate and to reflect on matters of importance. The pupils have a very good range of opportunities to gain an understanding of areas of local interest and they develop knowledge and understanding of different world faiths and cultures through their work in class and assemblies.

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The quality of education

18. The quality of teaching was at least satisfactory in all 17 lessons, and it was good or better in nine. Planning across the school is consistent; it takes account of the pupils’ different ability levels, cross-curricular links and opportunities for assessment. A few teachers annotate their planning to record the pupils’ responses.

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The quality of education

19. The curriculum is suitably broad and balanced at each key stage; the national strategies for literacy and numeracy are followed and the schemes of work for most of the other subjects draw upon nationally published guidelines. There is a suitable emphasis given to each of the core and foundation subjects and the wide range of extracurricular activities enriches provision for sport and arts. Inspection Report Shield Road Primary School

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The quality of education

22-23 March 2004 Page 6 20. The school has sound systems to assess, track and record the progress of the pupils in mathematics and English. It makes relevant use of the information it holds to identify specific needs and to plan appropriate work. Although most teachers’ plans identify extension activities for the more able pupils, there is no formal register of gifted and talented pupils nor a system for tracking their progress.

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The quality of education

21. The marking of the pupils’ work is increasingly focused on identifying when the pupils have achieved the objective of the lesson and on helping them to improve their work. It is mostly of a good quality though there is some variation in the marking of work in foundation subjects.

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The quality of education

22. The pupils who have special educational needs make good progress in lessons and substantial gains in their learning over time. There are clear criteria for assessing the pupils and identifying their particular needs. Some of the pupils are working from a low base. The individual educational plans have small, easily monitored steps that are achievable and that are shared with the pupils. The learning assistants and the teachers note when the pupils have successfully met a criterion but these would be more informative if they were dated.

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The quality of education

23. The provision for special educational needs is good and effectively organised. The co-ordinator for special educational needs has undertaken intensive training in inclusion, which has been disseminated effectively to teaching and non-teaching staff at school meetings. Training for learning support assistants is improving their skills and they have shared this with other staff. This gives their work with individuals or groups of pupils a sharper focus and makes the system more effective.

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The quality of education

24. There remain difficulties in involving all the parents of the pupils with special educational needs in the reviews of their children’s progress and setting targets for the following term. The school continues to work well with outside agencies .

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The quality of education

25. Those pupils for whom English is an additional language also make good progress in lessons because of the improvements in planning and the greater attention that is given to matching work to the needs of the pupils.

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Leadership and management

26. The acting headteacher provides good leadership; he and the senior management team have worked effectively together to secure continuing improvement. The subject leaders have grown in confidence and most are involved in some aspect of monitoring and evaluation of standards and provision in their areas of responsibility. The staff work well as a team and are adopting a more positive approach to tackling whole-school issues.

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Leadership and management

27. The chair of the governing body offers a strong lead and has been proactive in developing the skills and expertise of the governors, including those most recently appointed. The governing body holds the school to account effectively and its monitoring committee regularly asks a range of well-targeted and appropriate questions on how the school is progressing.

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Leadership and management

28. The LEA gives well-targeted support in the areas that the school requires and oversees its progress regularly. Most recently it involved the school in a leadership initiative Inspection Report Shield Road Primary School

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Leadership and management

22-23 March 2004 Page 7 which has been instrumental in increasing the expertise of a wider group of staff, helping to develop their roles in management, monitoring and evaluation. The LEA has established an appropriate longer-term strategy for working with the school; this identifies how it will support the newly appointed headteacher as he takes up his post in the summer term of 2004. It also anticipates and has planned that the school will become more self-sustaining.

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Implementation of the action plan

29. The inspection report of 2002 required the school to address nine key issues. These principally related to: raising standards; improving teaching and learning; securing the effective leadership and management of key staff; ensuring the pupils had acceptable levels of behaviour and catering for their personal development; improving the range and quality of the learning opportunities; appropriately addressing the needs of the pupils with special educational needs; checking and providing support for the personal and academic progress of the pupils; rectifying the identified health and safety issues; and improving the attendance and punctuality of the pupils. Overall good progress has been made and the tasks identified in the action plan have been completed diligently.

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Implementation of the action plan

30. Good support from the LEA to most subject leaders has improved their subject knowledge. The regular monitoring and evaluation by the subject leaders gives them a clear view of standards and of the areas where improvements need to take place. The use of targets for individual pupils is well established in literacy and numeracy at both key stages, and the teachers make effective use of the data to target cross-school weaknesses, individual pupils and group of pupils.

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Implementation of the action plan

31. Although not all teachers are fully secure in their subject knowledge in science and geography, this is being addressed satisfactorily. The management of the pupils is good and a consistent approach is adopted. The teaching activities are well matched to the needs of the pupils, and generally effective use is made of assessment information to inform the teachers’ planning. The quality of the teaching has improved; the practice of some of the teachers is regularly good or very good.

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Implementation of the action plan

32. The leadership and management of the headteacher are good and key staff are better able to monitor and evaluate standards and provision in their areas of responsibility. The subject leaders show an increasing understanding of their role in school improvement. The governing body takes its responsibilities seriously and is constantly seeking ways to improve its work, and become less dependent on the additional governors appointed by the LEA.

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Implementation of the action plan

33. The pupils’ attitudes to learning were at least satisfactory in all lessons, and in 13 they were good or very good. In all the classes, the pupils worked co-operatively and shared equipment and books sensibly. School rules for teamwork are displayed prominently and the headteacher’s influence is evident in the respect that the pupils and adults show to each other and to visitors. Most pupils are unfailingly polite and well mannered and the staff are supportive of their needs.

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Implementation of the action plan

34. The school has closely followed the agenda set out in its action plan and has altered and improved its curriculum, which is balanced and enhanced by a good range of additional activities. Inspection Report Shield Road Primary School

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Implementation of the action plan

22-23 March 2004 Page 8 35. The new co-ordinator for special educational needs is experienced and has a secure grasp of the pupils’ needs and the training the staff require. The provision is good and well organised. Better assessment practices and teaching have enabled the school to reduce the scale of individual support.

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Implementation of the action plan

36. Assessment systems have continued to develop and the school has more data to monitor the progress made by the pupils as they move from class to class. Marking has improved and there is more consistency.

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Implementation of the action plan

37. The issues of health and safety have been addressed and rectified.

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Implementation of the action plan

38. The school has worked hard to improve the attendance of the pupils and has achieved some success over the last year as the attendance figures have risen. It monitors the number of authorised absences but these remain high. A few pupils and their parents have not responded to the school’s exhortations for punctuality and there is still some disruption to the pupils’ learning through late arrivals. Inspection Report Shield Road Primary School

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Appendix – Information about the inspection

The school was inspected under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 by a Registered Inspector and a team of inspectors in September 2002. The inspection was critical of many aspects of the work of the school and, in accordance with that Act, the school was made subject to special measures because it was failing to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education.

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Appendix – Information about the inspection

The school was visited by HMI in March, June and November 2003 to assess the progress it was making to implement its action plan and address the key issues in the inspection report of September 2002.

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Appendix – Information about the inspection

In March 2004, two HMI returned to inspect the school for two days. The inspection was carried out under section 3 of the School Inspections Act 1996, which gives Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Schools the authority to cause any school to be inspected. The inspection was also deemed a section 10 inspection under the same Act.

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Appendix – Information about the inspection

Seventeen lessons or parts of lessons, one assembly and several registration sessions were inspected. The pupils were observed at break and lunch times and samples of their work were inspected. Meetings were held with the headteacher, senior staff and representatives from the LEA and the governing body. Informal discussions were held with other staff and pupils. A wide range of the school’s documentation was scrutinised. Account was also taken of the evidence from previous monitoring inspections.

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Appendix – Information about the inspection

The inspection assessed the quality of education provided and the progress the school has made, in particular in relation to the main findings and key issues in the inspection report of September 2002 and the action plan prepared by the governing body to address those key issues. Inspection Report Shield Road Primary School

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