Bevois Town Primary School

Inspection Report Bevois Town Primary School

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116088 Unique Reference Number Southampton LEA LEA 279745 Inspection number 8 June 2006 to 9 June 2006 Inspection dates John Earish AI Reporting inspector

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

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Cedar Road School address Primary Type of school Southampton Community School category SO14 6RU 4 to 11 Age range of pupils 02380221467 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 02380220700 Fax number 203 Number on roll Mr Adam Warren Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs Harrie Atkinson Headteacher 15 January 2001 Date of previous inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 279745 8 June 2006 - 4 to 11 9 June 2006 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 two Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

Bevois Town serves an area of Southampton which has been identified as having significant social and economic deprivation. Many children leave and join the school throughout the year, and the proportion entitled to free school meals is higher than average. The profile of the intake is much changed since the last inspection in 2001. The large majority of pupils are from minority ethnic groups and well over half are believed not to have English as a first language. An above average proportion is at the early stages of learning English. When children start school, their skills and abilities are very much lower than those expected of four-year-olds. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities is greater than that found nationally.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Bevois Town Primary School, 8 June 2006 to 9 June 2006

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Grade: 2

This is a good school in the view of inspectors and of the school itself. It values all its pupils equally and provides good value for money. All groups of pupils achieve well because they are taught effectively. By the time they leave the school, standards in English, mathematics and science are broadly average. However, limited language skills on admission to school hamper their attainment in some aspects of English. Teachers know the pupils' needs well and are good at using what they know to plan the next stages of their learning and to identify those who need extra support. The capacity to improve is good and has been demonstrated in the school's good improvement since the last inspection. Pupils make a good start in the Foundation Stage. They are taught well and are helped successfully to settle into school life because of the welcoming family feel of the whole school. Throughout the school pupils' personal development is outstanding because

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Grade: 2

they are exceptionally well cared for and, as a result, feel secure and happy. Their behaviour is excellent. The very good leadership of the headteacher promotes a purposeful climate of openness which permeates the school. All adults are totally committed to raising standards and improving the achievement of all pupils. They are good at monitoring progress to ensure the school meets it challenging targets. The school has recently revised the curriculum to promote greater creativity and enjoyment and devised new systems to record pupils' assessments. However, it has yet to rigorously evaluate the impact of these changes on pupils' attainment. The quality of teaching and learning is good overall with examples of outstanding practice. There are many exciting ways for pupils to develop their writing and language skills.

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What the school should do to improve further

‡ Sharpen up the evaluation of recent changes to better inform strategies to maximise student attainment, particularly in English.

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Grade: 2

All groups of pupils achieve well during their time at school. They make particularly good progress in mathematics and science between Years 2 and 6, and the rate of improvement has increased over the last two years. Progress in English is good but limited language skills on admission to school hamper their attainment in some aspects of English. Good achievement is due to the good teaching and the detailed tracking of pupils' progress towards their challenging targets so that no groups underachieve. Children enter the Reception class with well below average attainment. They make good progress and are well prepared for later learning because teaching is of good quality. However, they do not reach their learning goals by the time they start in Year 1 because they start with low level language skills. Pupils continue to make good 2 Inspection Report: Bevois Town Primary School, 8 June 2006 to 9 June 2006

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Grade: 2

progress throughout the school and by the end of Year 6 standards are broadly average in English, mathematics and science. Predictions for the current Year 6 show that pupils are on track to meet their challenging targets. All groups of pupils are achieving well, including those with English as an additional language and those with learning difficulties and disabilities. At the time of the last inspection, standards in information and communication technology (ICT) were unsatisfactory and pupils were not making sufficient progress. However, pupils are now attaining standards that are appropriate for their age and all groups are achieving well.

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Grade: 1

Pupils' personal development, including their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is outstanding. The school is an orderly community where each individual is highly valued and achievement is widely celebrated. As a result, pupils are confident and happy. Their behaviour is outstanding and they report that bullying is rare. Pupils make an outstanding contribution to the community and are fully involved in raising funds for different charities. As Junior Neighbourhood Wardens, they are helping to improve the local area by painting over graffiti and picking up litter. They can be trusted to complete tasks on their own and have a strong sense of personal responsibility. Pupils understand how to stay safe and have an excellent knowledge of healthy lifestyles. They choose healthy eating options and take full advantage of the games and physical activities before school and at lunchtimes. Pupils develop appropriate

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Grade: 1

skills in basic literacy, numeracy and ICT which prepares them well for the world beyond school. Concerted efforts to raise attendance have been successful for most pupils. However, the poor attendance of a very small number of pupils due to long term illnesses and extended holidays brings the school's annual attendance rate just below the national average.

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Grade: 2

Teaching and learning are good. Pupils make good progress and are keen to learn because lessons are interesting, relevant, well-planned and based on practical experiences. Pupils confidently talk of enjoying a variety of lessons including ICT, mathematics, sport and art. Pupils at the early stages of learning English are making good progress due to a strong emphasis on speaking and listening in all lessons. One young pupil explained that, 'Our friends learn English quickly because we are encouraged to teach them, they listen to all we say and they learn'. Pupils with learning difficulties or disabilities make good progress because they are supported well and enabled to play a full part in all learning activities. 3 Inspection Report: Bevois Town Primary School, 8 June 2006 to 9 June 2006 In order to be outstanding, the school is striving for greater consistency in the quality of teaching so that it is good or better at all times. Occasionally, the introduction to

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Grade: 2

tasks is too long and more able pupils spend too much time going over work they already know. Pupils find teachers' comments on their work encouraging and helpful. Assessments are thorough and used well by teachers to match work pupils' individual needs. However, the systems to record these assessments are new and have not yet been fully reviewed.

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Grade: 2

Inspectors agree with the school's judgement that the curriculum is good. It meets the needs of all pupils, including those with learning difficulties and those who are learning to speak English. The teachers have recently revised the curriculum to promote greater creativity and enjoyment, to capture the enthusiasm of the many groups represented within the school and to increase its relevance to their lives. However, the school has yet to systematically evaluate the effectiveness of these changes to ensure the maximum benefit to pupils' learning. Teachers forge useful links between subjects in order to make learning more interesting. The pupils speak excitedly about the recent improvements in provision for ICT. Adults use computers well to present their ideas using interactive whiteboards and pupils confidently create their own presentations and manipulate information using databases.The school ensures that

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Grade: 2

all pupils have the opportunity to participate and enjoy a wide range of enrichment activities and after school clubs. A residential visit for the older pupils, visitors from the community and outings to places of interest all add to the pupils' enjoyment of learning. Such experiences, together with learning in personal, social and health education, and the emphasis on staying safe and healthy, teach skills that contribute to their future economic well-being.

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Grade: 1

Care, guidance and support are outstanding. Pupils described their school as a 'community' or 'family', in which everybody is valued and cared for exceptionally well. The overwhelming majority of parents praise the school's work and feel their children are safe and well cared for. Child protection procedures are robust and widely understood. As a result, pupils feel safe and secure. Systems to ensure pupils' health and safety are secure and reviewed regularly. Pupils are successfully developing healthy lifestyles through drinking plenty of water, eating nutritious food and taking exercise. For example, older pupils jog three times a week before lessons begin. Their academic and personal development is carefully monitored and, as a result, their needs are met very effectively. The school has a clear system for rewarding good attendance and pupils appreciate the opportunities for celebrating their success.

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Grade: 1

4 Inspection Report: Bevois Town Primary School, 8 June 2006 to 9 June 2006

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Grade: 2

Good leadership and management contribute significantly to pupils' outstanding personal development and their good academic achievement. The very good leadership of the headteacher has resulted in a very positive ethos where all pupils and staff are highly valued. Team work is a strong feature of this school and all adults fully understand what they must do to play their part in raising standards. The overwhelming majority of parents hold the school in high regard. The school seeks their views and effectively respond to their needs and concerns. One parent commented, 'I wish I had found this school earlier' and another was pleased that, 'Standards and expectations were high which gives pupils a really good start in life'. The school's self evaluation is of good quality although judgements about personal development and care are modest. Nevertheless, the senior management team has a clear understanding of what the school does well, particularly in teaching and learning,

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Grade: 2

which has enabled them to plan their development effectively. They have recently made changes to the curriculum and ways of recording pupils' assessment information. However, senior managers have yet to rigorously and systematically evaluate the effectiveness of these changes to ensure the maximum benefit to pupils' learning, particularly in English. The governing body is good at supporting and challenging the school and in meeting its statutory responsibilities. Good progress has been made since the last inspection and there is a good capacity for further improvement. 5 Inspection Report: Bevois Town Primary School, 8 June 2006 to 9 June 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: Bevois Town Primary School, 8 June 2006 to 9 June 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 1 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 2 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 1 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development NA 1 The behaviour of learners NA 3 The attendance of learners NA 1 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 1 The extent to which learners make a positive contribution to the community NA 1 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 1 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 1 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

Pupils Following our visit to inspect your school we would like to tell you what we think about how well you are getting on and how well your school is helping you to learn. We enjoyed being with you, seeing you work and listening to your experiences and views. There are lots of things that we like about your good school. Some of them are: ‡ You learn in a very friendly and caring school. Your behaviour is excellent and you get on very well with each other.‡ Mrs Atkinson and the teachers are good at helping you to do your best.‡ You listen carefully to what your teachers have to say and try very hard in your lessons.‡ You are very friendly and you look after each other. The oldest pupils very willingly help the youngest children to enjoy school when ever they can.‡ Your teachers spend a lot of time looking at what you have done in class and working out how to help you to make your work even better. ‡ You like all the clubs and visits the school has organised for you.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

We think your school is already good. To make it even better we have asked the staff to think carefully about how new ideas and projects are helping you to learn. We enjoyed being in your school. We hope that in the future it is even more successful in helping you to do as well as you possibly can. Yours sincerely John Earish Lead Inspector

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