Bramham Primary School

Inspection Report Bramham Primary School

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107844 Unique Reference Number Leeds LEA 277850 Inspection number 28 November 2005 to 29 November 2005 Inspection dates Mrs Lesley Clark CfBT Lead Inspector Reporting inspector

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This inspection was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Clifford Road School address Primary Type of school Bramham Community School category Wetherby, West Yorkshire LS23 6JQ 5 to 11 Age range of pupils

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01937 843682 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01937 845975 Fax number 69 Number on roll Mrs S Morgan Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Mr P Robinson Headteacher 13 September 1999 Date of previous inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 277850 28 November 2005 - 5 to 11 29 November 2005 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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This document may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that the information quoted is reproduced without adaptation and the source and date of publication are stated.

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Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the Education Act 2005, the school must provide a copy of this report 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.

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Introduction

The inspection was carried out by one additional inspector.

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Description of the school

This is a small village school south of Wetherby. Most pupils live locally. Socio-economic circumstances of the area are above average. The number of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is below average. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities (16%) is average. All the pupils are of white, British heritage. When children start school their attainment is generally above average. The number on roll has fallen steadily over the past three years. Since September 2005, the school has been led and managed by an acting headteacher who was the former deputy, supported by a headteacher from another school.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Bramham Primary School, 28 November 2005 to 29 November 2005

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Grade: 4

In accordance with section 13 (3) of the Education Act 2005, HMCI is of the opinion that this school requires significant improvement, because it is performing significantly less well than in all circumstances it could reasonably be expected to perform. The school is therefore given a Notice to Improve. Significant improvement is required in relation to leadership and management, teaching and learning, the assessment and tracking of pupils' progress and the achievement of more able pupils. Bramham Primary has declined in effectiveness in recent years and has not met adequately the issues raised at the last inspection. Its overall effectiveness, though judged by the school to be satisfactory, is inadequate. Although the school gives an acceptable standard of education, value for money is inadequate. The weaknesses in leadership and management, teaching, learning and assessment have been masked by reasonable results in national tests. More able pupils underachieve. Attendance, though

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Grade: 4

below average nationally, is improving but the exclusion rate is high and management of challenging behaviour is weak. The governing body, under new chairmanship, has taken effective measures to get the school back on its feet quickly. Satisfactory areas of the school's work include the progress and achievement of average and less able pupils, personal development, the care, support and guidance given to most pupils and the curriculum in Years 1 to 6. Provision for the Foundation Stage is inadequate. Pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities are given good support by teaching assistants and learn satisfactorily. However, their needs are not identified early enough and management of their programmes of work is inadequate. Pupils have satisfactory involvement in school and community activities and are aware of the need to lead healthy lives. The appointment of an experienced headteacher from another school

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Grade: 4

to work with the acting headteacher is proving successful and there have been many effective changes since the start of term. Parents feel things are getting better. The school has a clear improvement plan and is demonstrating its capacity to make rapid improvements.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Improve the leadership and management of subjects and also the management of provision for pupils who have learning difficulties and/or disabilities. • Improve teaching so more able pupils are challenged and lessons and learning are more interesting and fun. • Develop positive behaviour strategies so as to manage behaviour more effectively. • Develop effective assessment systems so that the progress of different groups of pupils can be tracked and the information used to target what pupils need to learn next. 2 Inspection Report: Bramham Primary School, 28 November 2005 to 29 November 2005

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Grade: 3

Pupils' achievement, including those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is satisfactory overall, despite inadequate teaching, because pupils are generally well motivated and receive good support from home or from teaching assistants. More able pupils, who account for 40% of the school's population, underachieve because the work they are set does not challenge them. Children in the Foundation Stage make satisfactory progress to reach generally above average standards by the start of Year 1 in all areas of learning. Standards by the end of Year 2 are usually above average and only pupils with learning difficulties struggle to reach expected standards. For the past three years, a smaller proportion of pupils has exceeded expected standards in reading, writing and mathematics than might be expected from their attainment on entry. It is a similar picture by the end of Year 6. The proportion exceeding expected

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Grade: 3

levels is low in mathematics though a little higher in English. This is because teachers have low expectations in mathematics, pupils are unaware of how to improve their writing and tasks are not well matched to ability. Subject leaders do not monitor progress and have received no training to ensure they manage subjects effectively. Standards in science, however, are consistently better with 60% of pupils exceeding the levels expected at the end of Year 6. This is because pupils learn through investigative work, which they enjoy. It challenges them to think and they recognise they 'have to be really precise'.

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Grade: 3

Pupils' personal development, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, is satisfactory rather than good as the school believes. Although pupils have good attitudes to learning, there is some restlessness in lessons and boisterous behaviour at other times. Recently, there have been several fixed period exclusions, one of a week's duration. Young pupils are unduly timid because teachers criticise rather than encourage. Pupils in Year 2, for example, were excessively nervous about where they would be taught when their teacher was absent. A number of parents have voiced their concern over these issues. While attendance is below the national average, this largely relates to specific families. The learning mentor has good systems to reward attendance that are leading to improvements. The majority of pupils, however, do enjoy coming to school, behave appropriately and are ready and willing to learn. They talk enthusiastically about art, dance and science

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Grade: 3

lessons, which they like because they are fun. The recent initiative to promote poetry is a resounding success with several pupils having poems published. Satisfactory opportunities are available for pupils to contribute to the school community, running a healthy tuck shop, for instance. Pupils are well aware of the need to live healthily. The well organised school council is involved in ordering playground equipment from money pupils raised recently in a sponsored fun run. 3 Inspection Report: Bramham Primary School, 28 November 2005 to 29 November 2005

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Grade: 4

Teaching and learning are inadequate overall. There are significant weaknesses leading to underachievement of more able pupils. Teaching methods do not sufficiently encourage or engage the pupils, which results in restlessness when pupils sit and listen for too long. The pace is slow and pupils rarely need to push themselves to complete tasks. Activities rely heavily on worksheets or completing examples from a text book so pupils do not have to think for themselves. Questioning is not brisk enough or at an appropriate level to keep pupils interested and help them to learn through discussion. Learning is not seen as enjoyable and pupils are eager to let off steam at playtimes. Teaching assistants and other classroom helpers give good support to pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and they learn satisfactorily. Their individual education plans, however, are not detailed enough to ensure better progress. Reception

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Grade: 4

children enjoy working with their support assistants but tend to do the same things as they have few choices of activities. Assessment information is used inadequately to plan future work for pupils. The level of challenge is often wrongly pitched and more able pupils rarely have tasks where they can use their initiative. Literacy and numeracy targets are too general and do not help pupils to understand what exactly they need to do to improve their work.

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Grade: 3

The curriculum is satisfactory. Strengths include an appropriate balance of subjects with due weight given to literacy and numeracy and to practising these skills in other subjects. Since September, the curriculum has been enriched and enlivened by weekly drama and music taught by specialists. A wide range of educational visits and visitors to school extend pupils' learning successfully and residential visits offer an extensive range of outdoor pursuits. There is a good range of sporting activities, which take place in school during the course of the year. Currently, the Year 5/6 class has specialist dance lessons every few weeks though they are convinced that they have fewer physical education lessons than others because sometimes their lessons are cancelled. Pupils would like more extra-curricular clubs - currently, there is only drama. The Foundation Stage curriculum is inadequate because too few opportunities are offered to children

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Grade: 3

to extend their learning outdoors and to learn from a wide range of interesting and challenging activities.

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Grade: 3

Care, guidance and support are satisfactory. There are undoubted strengths in the pastoral care and support given to pupils and there are effective systems to ensure 4 Inspection Report: Bramham Primary School, 28 November 2005 to 29 November 2005 child protection and pupils' health and safety and well-being, including healthy eating. Good relationships between most pupils and adults ensure that pupils have someone they can turn to if they need help. The school works well with most parents. Teaching assistants provide good support for pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities but until very recently pupils' needs were not identified soon enough. Decisive action this term has led to much improved provision in the mornings for pupils with significant behavioural problems in a specialist nurture group. However, inadequate behaviour management has slowed integration into afternoon school. The school's systems are

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Grade: 3

not followed in all classes and there is a tendency to focus on the negatives rather than the positives. The tracking of pupils' progress, started this term, is not linked to challenging targets designed to promote high achievement but personal development targets are good.

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Grade: 4

Leadership and management are inadequate. Because key weaknesses from the last inspection were not addressed, the quality of education offered by the school has declined. This has been masked by reasonable results in national tests that have only recently been analysed sufficiently rigorously to confirm the underachievement by more able pupils, identified at the time of the last inspection. The school's continued insularity has meant that staff have received minimal training to ensure their professional development and so teaching skills have not kept pace with the new demands to promote excellence, independence and enjoyment in learning. Subject leaders' skills have remained undeveloped. Staff have continued to work extremely hard but with increasingly less impact. Management of provision for pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is inadequate, an issue also outstanding from the last

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Grade: 4

inspection. The governing body, under new leadership, has now acted extremely swiftly, involving the local authority throughout last term to carry out stringent monitoring. As a result, efficient management structures, including financial management, have been set up to cope with falling rolls in a generously staffed school. This enabled the school to get off to a flying start in September and start to make immediate progress. The appointment of a mentor headteacher to support the former deputy in his role as acting headteacher resulted in an incisive and workable improvement plan which gives clear guidance as to how children's personal, social and educational needs are to be met. Parents express their appreciation of the changes. The rapidity and solidity of the improvements in the last three months indicate the school has the capacity to improve. The introduction of planning and preparation time is broadening staff's

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Grade: 4

outlook and raising their expectations though all recognise there is a long way to go. It is a measure of the staff's commitment that achievement has remained satisfactory overall, despite substantial weaknesses. 5 Inspection Report: Bramham Primary School, 28 November 2005 to 29 November 2005 .

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set out in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s

website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 6 Inspection Report: Bramham Primary School, 28 November 2005 to 29 November 2005

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Overall

Key to judgements: grade 1 is outstanding, grade 2 good, grade 3 satisfactory, and grade 4 inadequate

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learners?

NA 3 How well does the school work in partnership with others to promote learners' well-being? NA 4 The quality and standards in foundation stage NA 4 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation NA Yes The capacity to make any necessary improvements NA No Effective steps have been taken to promote improvement since the last inspection

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Achievement and standards

NA 3 How well do learners achieve? NA 2 The standards 1 reached by learners

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Achievement and standards

NA 4 How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners NA 3 How well learners with learning difficulties and disabilities make progress

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learners?

NA 3 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development NA 3 The behaviour of learners NA 4 The attendance of learners NA 3 How well learners enjoy their education NA 3 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices NA 3 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles NA 3 The extent to which learners make a positive contribution to the community NA 3 How well learners develop workplace and other skills that will contribute to their future economic well-being

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needs and interests of learners?

NA 3 How well are learners cared for, guided and supported?

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needs and interests of learners?

Grade 1 - Exceptionally and consistently high; Grade 2 - Generally above average with none significantly below average; Grade 3 - Broadly average; Grade 4 - Exceptionally low.

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and supporting all learners?

NA 4 How effectively leaders and managers at all levels set clear direction leading to improvement and promote high quality of care and education NA 4 How effectively performance is monitored, evaluated and improved to meet challenging targets, through quality assurance and self-review NA 3 How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination tackled so that all learners achieve as well as they can NA 4 How effectively and efficiently resources are deployed to achieve value for money NA 2 The extent to which governors and other supervisory boards discharge their responsibilities NA Yes The adequacy and suitability of staff to ensure that learners are protected

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The extent to which schools enable learners to be healthy

Yes Learners are encouraged and enabled to eat and drink healthily Yes Learners are encouraged and enabled to take regular exercise Yes Learners are discouraged from smoking and substance abuse Yes Learners are educated about sexual health

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The extent to which providers ensure that learners stay safe

Yes Procedures for safeguarding learners meet current government requirements Yes Risk assessment procedures and related staff training are in place Yes Action is taken to reduce anti-social behaviour, such as bullying and racism Yes Learners are taught about key risks and how to deal with them

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The extent to which learners make a positive contribution

Yes Learners are helped to develop stable, positive relationships Yes Learners, individually and collectively, participate in making decisions that affect them Yes Learners are encouraged to initiate, participate in and manage activities in school and the wider community

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The extent to which schools enable learners to achieve economic well-being

Yes There is provision to promote learners’ basic skills Yes Learners have opportunities to develop enterprise skills and work in teams NA Careers education and guidance is provided to all learners in key stage 3 and 4 and the sixth form NA Education for all learners aged 14–19 provides an understanding of employment and the economy

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Thank you for welcoming me to your school and for being so friendly. I enjoyed talking to you about your school and seeing you play outside at lunchtimes. I want to share with you what I thought about your school. I realise that most of you enjoy school reasonably well and appreciate the teaching and help you receive. I know that many of you are proud of your school and that you like some of the fun parts such as art, dance and drama and visiting interesting places. Your acting headteacher and governors have worked hard this term to try to improve the school. However, I have decided that there are a number of things the school needs to do as a matter of urgency to help you all learn to the best of your ability. - Your acting headteacher agrees that more able pupils need to be challenged to make better progress and reach higher standards. The school has been asked to improve your learning by developing teaching so that lessons are more interesting, challenging and fun and give you

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

more chance to take part rather than listening for long stretches of time. - The leadership and management of the school need to be improved. - Pupils who have learning difficulties and/or disabilities should have appropriate work sorted out for them much sooner so they do not fall behind in their work. - I noticed that behaviour was sometimes a bit boisterous and that some of you were bursting to get out of lessons when they ended. Some younger children seemed very anxious about coming 'upstairs' to work when their teacher was absent and those who stayed downstairs were worried about loud adult voices. I have asked the school to manage behaviour better so everyone is happy at school. - Lastly, the school needs to assess your work properly to check that you are learning what you need to know and that you are making the best possible progress. I appreciated talking to you about your work and watching you learn and wish you well for the

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