Bradley Barton Primary School and Nursery Unit

Inspection Report Bradley Barton Primary School and Nursery Unit

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113241 Unique Reference Number Devon LEA 279122 Inspection number 24 January 2006 to 25 January 2006 Inspection dates Deborah Zachary AI Reporting inspector

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

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Ogwell Mill Road School address Primary Type of school Newton Abbot Foundation School category Devon TQ12 1PR 3 to 11 Age range of pupils 01626 203450 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01626 336769 Fax number 327 Number on roll Mrs Karen Jenks Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Mr Michael Rutkowski Headteacher 24 January 2000 Date of previous inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 279122 24 January 2006 - 3 to 11 25 January 2006 Inspection Report: Bradley Barton Primary School and Nursery Unit, 24 January 2006 to 25 January 2006

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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 three Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

The school is bigger than most primaries and includes a nursery with 39 pupils who attend either in the morning or the afternoon. Almost all the pupils are White British, and none speaks English as an additional language. They come from a range of backgrounds but the proportion claiming free school meals is typical of most schools. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities is also broadly average, but an unusually high number of pupils have difficulties that are severe enough for them to have a statement of special educational needs. These pupils are not evenly distributed between the year groups and attainment on entry, whilst broadly average overall, varies from year to year.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Bradley Barton Primary School and Nursery Unit, 24 January 2006 to 25 January 2006

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Grade: 2

This is an effective school. It has improved in key areas since its last inspection, for example, in monitoring and in Key Stage 1, and has proved that it can identify where standards are not high enough and then take appropriate action. It has the capacity to improve further. The headteacher is extremely well organised and has successfully guided the school through a period of major staffing instability, even though this instability has put some limitations on the oldest pupils’ progress. Despite this, and despite high numbers of pupils with significant learning difficulties and disabilities, progress through Years 3 to 6 has improved year on year, and the 2005 Year 6 national test results were above average. Pupils make good progress in Years 1 and 2. They also achieve well in Nursery and Reception, because of good teaching. They make particularly good progress in their personal and social skills in the Foundation Stage, and personal development is a

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Grade: 2

strength throughout all years. The school is a friendly place and pupils are very well cared for. Guidance is generally good, but not all pupils are aware of what they are aiming to learn in a lesson. Teachers’ plans identify the right activities, and plans for younger pupils show exactly what needs to be learned next. This is not as consistent in Years 3 to 6. Nevertheless, teaching is good overall. The school tends to track pupils’ standards rather than analyse and quantify their longer-term progress. However, the school’s self-evaluation is satisfactory and leads to the right overall judgements of effectiveness and to improvement. Governance is good and finances are well controlled. The school gives good value for money.

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What the school should do to improve further

•Use the wealth of data about standards to make more detailed analyses of patterns in pupils’ progress, in order to identify where improvements can be made. •Make sure that teachers consistently identify in their plans and to the pupils themselves what they want pupils of different abilities to learn in lessons.

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Grade: 2

Achievement is good overall. Standards are broadly average, and are better than this in some subjects in some year groups. Pupils enter the nursery with standards that are broadly average but often with weaknesses in communication skills. They make good progress through the Foundation Stage, and very good progress in communication and in personal, social and emotional development. They continue to make good progress through Key Stage 1. The school sets its own challenging targets and last year in Key Stage 1 a significant number of pupils exceeded them. Progress has recently varied between year groups in Key Stage 2 but it is satisfactory overall. In 2004-5, pupils in Years 3 and 4 made better progress than those in Years 5 and 6, even though the Year 6 pupils reached above- average standards in their national 2 Inspection Report: Bradley Barton Primary School and Nursery Unit, 24 January 2006 to 25 January 2006

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Grade: 2

tests. There has been significant staffing instability in Years 5 and 6, out of the school’s control. However, many of the current Year 5 and 6 pupils are now making good progress in response to good teaching, and strategies such as grouping by ability and extra support are also having a positive impact. Year 6 pupils are making up the ground they lost last year. Although the school did not explicitly analyse progress, it identified that these pupils’ expected results for the end of Year 6 fell during Year 5, especially in reading. The school responded in the Autumn term by targeting a group of pupils and raising their reading skills at around twice the pace that would normally be expected. These were lower-ability pupils, but more generally in the school there is no difference in the progress of pupils of different abilities.

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Grade: 2

Pupils develop good personal qualities that help them to learn. They show good attitudes to their work, behave well and enjoy happy, meaningful relationships. Pupils talked confidently about their efforts to improve, for example, “I’m making good progress now that I have learned to apply myself more.” The school strives to improve attendance, which is satisfactory. The pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. They described how older pupils support younger ones, for example, as ‘Redcaps’, and showed their understanding of the differing religious beliefs of others. Pupils are happy to undertake tasks or to serve on the school council. Members commented, “We try to blend everyone’s ideas together for the good of the school and our new, more friendly signs are a good example of this.” Pupils appreciate being able to play a full part in reducing minor incidents of bullying, for example, by identifying locations where they might

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Grade: 2

occur, and they also make a positive contribution to the community through charitable appeals. Pupils showed their very good understanding of health and safety by explaining their lunch choices and by the way they adapted their play at break times to avoid collisions during football games. Pupils are well prepared for their future life beyond school; they apply for positions of responsibility, know how to work with others and adapt well to changing expectations as they grow older.

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Grade: 2

Teaching and learning are good, with consistent strengths in the Foundation Stage. Here the teaching is well focused on meeting the needs of the individual pupils and promotes learning through carefully chosen practical activity. During the inspection some outstanding teaching was seen. In a lesson for eight Key Stage 1 pupils, teaching assistants used short, very well targeted tasks to keep interest high. A constant demand for pace meant learning was excellent. 3 Inspection Report: Bradley Barton Primary School and Nursery Unit, 24 January 2006 to 25 January 2006 In an outstanding Year 6 lesson one of many exemplary features was the feedback on pupils’ previous work, which was highly specific and challenged pupils to reach higher levels. This specific focus on what needs to be learned to reach higher levels is not evident in all lessons. Many lesson plans include different activities for pupils at

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Grade: 2

different stages of learning, but in some lessons the key things that pupils of different levels should be aiming for are not made explicit. Sometimes this leads to more able pupils carrying out a task and succeeding in it, but not gaining new skills quickly.

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Grade: 2

The school provides a stimulating curriculum that promotes effective learning. It has very good breadth, including significant enrichment through, for example, the teaching of French and daily physical exercise. Sometimes, however, planning lacks sufficient focus on what pupils with different abilities need to learn next. Pupils’ awareness of health and safety is nurtured successfully. A range of activities, including residential visits in Years 3, 4 and 6, bring enjoyment and help to meet pupils’ differing needs. When interviewed, the pupils praised these experiences, especially the sporting opportunities, stating, “We like the fact that the school provides something for everyone.” The curriculum for pupils in the Foundation Stage is particularly strong in developing pupils’ independence.

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Grade: 2

Pupils are very well cared for and receive good support and guidance. They feel that teachers are approachable and are, “There for you when you need them.” Arrangements for ensuring the health, safety and protection of the pupils are secure and very well monitored. The school is a community where all are welcomed and feel safe. Support for pupils who are vulnerable and those with significant learning difficulties and disabilities is strong – one parent stressed her delight and pupils commented, “The teachers are really nice.” Pupils find the marking of their work useful, and the majority are well aware of their termly targets for numeracy and literacy. However, they are not always so sure of what they are aiming for in lessons.

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Grade: 2

Leadership and management are good. The school listens to parents and pupils, and gives lots of opportunities for them to put their views. The headteacher provides highly organised leadership, which is flexible and alert to new developments. For example, recent national changes in using support staff were adopted quickly and are having a particularly good impact – on progress in Year 6 and through releasing teachers to drive developments forward. Improvement planning is detailed and very tightly monitored. The acting deputy headteacher demonstrates great enthusiasm and 4 Inspection Report: Bradley Barton Primary School and Nursery Unit, 24 January 2006 to 25 January 2006 significant skills in planning and evaluating short-term projects, such as the urgent work to improve reading progress in Year 6 last term. In addition to leading important innovations, the headteacher has also faced challenging staffing changes. Though these have had some negative impact on progress, the school

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Grade: 2

has proved that it can manage the situation. In general, however, leaders tend to track pupils’ standards rather than routinely analyse and quantify the progress pupils make. This can lead to a slightly more positive view of achievement than the facts justify, although overall judgements match those of the inspectors and judgements about lessons also closely match. Governors, too, are more aware of standards than what these standards show about progress, but governance is good. The governing body, again, is well organised; it is well informed about what is happening, and ready to challenge and give strategic direction. 5 Inspection Report: Bradley Barton Primary School and Nursery Unit, 24 January 2006 to 25 January 2006 .

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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: Bradley Barton Primary School and Nursery Unit, 24 January 2006 to 25 January 2006

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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 2 How well does the school work in partnership with others to promote learners' well-being? NA 2 The quality and standards in foundation stage NA 3 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation NA Yes The capacity to make any necessary improvements NA Yes Effective steps have been taken to promote improvement since the last inspection

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Achievement and standards

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

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Achievement and standards

NA 2 How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners NA 2 How well learners with learning difficulties and disabilities make progress

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learners?

NA 2 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development NA 2 The behaviour of learners NA 3 The attendance of learners NA 2 How well learners enjoy their education NA 1 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices NA 1 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles NA 2 The extent to which learners make a positive contribution to the community NA 2 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 2 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 2 How effectively leaders and managers at all levels set clear direction leading to improvement and promote high quality of care and education NA 2 How effectively performance is monitored, evaluated and improved to meet challenging targets, through quality assurance and self-review NA 2 How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination tackled so that all learners achieve as well as they can NA 2 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

26 January 2006 Dear Children Thank you for welcoming us to your school, and a special thank you to those of you who met Mr Baxter and Mr Megee to tell us about your work. We think you are lucky to be at such a good school. These are some of the things we especially liked: •You are cared for very well and you also look after each other. •The teaching is good and you also get a lot of help from teaching assistants. •Mr Rutkowski is really good at organising the school and making sure things work well for you. •The youngest children get a very good start to school in the Nursery and Reception. •You are given a very wide range of interesting things to do. •You yourselves make a very good contribution to improving your school. We think these things should be worked on next: •The teachers know how good your work is, but they need to look more closely at how quickly you are moving on. •Teachers need to tell you exactly what new thing you should be able to

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

do by the end of a lesson. This might be different for different people. You can help by making sure you understand what it is you are going to learn. With best wishes Deborah Zachary Lead Inspector

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