Bentinck Primary and Nursery School

Inspection Report Bentinck Primary and Nursery School

p.1

122407 Unique Reference Number CITY OF NOTTINGHAM LEA LEA 281254 Inspection number 15 June 2006 to 16 June 2006 Inspection dates Mr. John Francis AI Reporting inspector

p.1

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

p.1

Alfreton Road School address Primary Type of school NG7 4AA Community School category 3 to 11 Age range of pupils 0115 9151567 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 0115 9151568 Fax number 229 Number on roll Mr.Zaib Hussain Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Mr. J Illingworth Headteacher 18 October 1999 Date of previous inspection

p.1

Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 281254 15 June 2006 - 3 to 11 16 June 2006 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

p.1

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.

p.2

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.

p.2

Introduction

The inspection was carried out by two Additional Inspectors.

p.3

Description of the school

This is a smaller than average primary school serving an area of Nottingham that has high levels of deprivation. A significant proportion of pupils are entitled to a free school meal. A higher than average number of pupils have learning difficulties and disabilities. Attainment on entry is well below that normally found. The majority of pupils are from minority ethnic families, the largest groups being Pakistani and Black African. However, there are over 15 ethnic groups represented in the school including pupils from refugee families. There are around 25 different home languages spoken at the school and many pupils are at the early stages of learning English. Pupils' mobility is very high. With the long-term absence of the headteacher the deputy headteacher is currently the acting headteacher. The school is receiving additional support as part of a mini-Education Action Zone project with nine other schools.

p.3

Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Bentinck Primary and Nursery School, 15 June 2006 to 16 June 2006

p.3

Grade: 2

This is a good and an increasingly effective school that offers good value for money. It has improved since the last inspection and with the new systems becoming established, continues to do so. Its own evaluations are accurate and the newly formed leadership team is beginning to make an impact, particularly in improving the role of the subject leaders. However, governors lack information and strategies that would enable them to evaluate the school's work and their own effectiveness. The pupils are welcoming and very positive about school. Almost all enjoy being at school and are pleased with everything that the staff do for them. They like making decisions about things that affect them. They respect the teachers and each other and report that bullying is rare and quickly dealt with when it does happen. The quality of care and support for pupils is outstanding. This is particularly so for those pupils who are new

p.4

Grade: 2

into the school, or the country. This is recognised and welcomed by the parents who also appreciate the regular information they receive and the opportunities to give their views of the school. Teachers are confident in trying out different approaches and try to make lessons as interesting as possible. As a result, pupils apply themselves well and most achieve what they are capable of. Pupils who are at the early stages of learning English and those with learning difficulties and disabilities are exceptionally well supported. Good teaching and provision in the Foundation Stage gives children a flying start to their education, and while standards are below average, their progress is very good. With the problems of very high mobility and the low English skills of many pupils, overall standards in English and science are below average by Year 6. However, the school has analysed this information and is actively tackling areas of

p.4

What the school should do to improve further

- Continue the initiatives aimed at raising standards in English and science. - Develop the role of the subject leaders in monitoring and evaluating their subjects across the school so they can further improve standards and quality. - Introduce strategies that improve the governing body's knowledge of the school and enable it to fulfil its role in holding the school to account.

p.4

Grade: 2

Achievement is good overall and there is little difference between the achievements of any group of pupils. Good progress and good teaching in the Foundation Stage is continued through Key Stage 1. At Year 2, the most recent assessments show very good progress and an improvement over previous years that cannot just be put down to differences in the intake of pupils. At Year 6 standards are below average in English and science with many fewer pupils than average reaching the higher Level 5. While results in mathematics are average, more pupils than the national average attained Level 5. For all subjects, these standards represent good achievement. Pupils are set 2 Inspection Report: Bentinck Primary and Nursery School, 15 June 2006 to 16 June 2006 challenging targets each year and these achievements are the result of carefully tracking pupils' progress and taking action where necessary. The major barriers to higher overall

p.4

Grade: 2

standards are the increasingly large numbers of pupils joining the school who are at the early stages of learning English and the very high levels of mobility. However, the school's own tracking of individual pupils shows that those who are in school for a significant length of time achieve well by national and local standards.

p.5

Grade: 2

The school has a strong sense of community. Pupils' spiritual, moral and social development is good and, with the diverse backgrounds of staff and pupils, they learn a lot about their own and other cultures. Relationships are extremely good and those who have recently joined the school say they are made welcome and helped to settle well. Behaviour is satisfactory overall, but there are pupils who find it difficult to conform to life in school. These children are included well in school life and adults deal appropriately and consistently with any unacceptable behaviour: pupils understand the systems of rewards and sanctions. Pupils clearly enjoy their education, and say that lessons are interesting and fun. Most are keen to learn and when the work grabs their attention, such as a current project on the life cycle of the butterfly, they are very enthusiastic. They have a good awareness of how to keep safe and healthy and

p.5

Grade: 2

are developing the skills they need for their wellbeing in later life. Attendance is just below average but with the work the school is doing it is improving. Through the school council, pupils are developing a very good understanding of local and wider community issues, such as their involvement in the current development of the park and playground. Pupils are also active in fund-raising activities for the school and for charities.

p.5

Grade: 2

Good teaching and learning is having a positive impact on pupils' progress. The pupils tell how well teachers explain the work, help them to learn and how they are encouraged to take a full part in lessons and activities. A major strength is the extremely good relationships all adults have with the pupils. Teachers have good questioning skills and where the teaching is strongest they use imaginative and attention-grabbing methods to capture pupils' interest. For example, the use of role-play helped pupils appreciate more about the Queen's role, as part of the school's celebration of her birthday. Teachers mark pupils' work regularly and often make encouraging and helpful comments about what has been done well. However, opportunities to point out ways to improve the work are sometimes missed. Good use is made of staff's subject expertise, such as that in information and communication technology (ICT), to support

p.5

Grade: 2

and improve teaching and learning across the school. Outside expertise is also used well to promote learning, particularly in music and physical education. Teaching 3 Inspection Report: Bentinck Primary and Nursery School, 15 June 2006 to 16 June 2006 assistants play an effective role and their work succeeds in helping those who are at an early stage of learning English, or those with learning difficulties or disabilities, to make good progress.

p.5

Grade: 2

There is a great awareness of the needs of the diverse community, which is clearly taken into account in planning. The school is currently developing the curriculum so it is based more on skills and themes to improve provision further. The extremely good curriculum provision in the Nursery and Reception classes is preparing the children well for the next stage of learning. Projects to stimulate pupils' interest, such as science week, or special days, like the celebration of the Queen's birthday, are popular and contribute well to their progress. The expertise of teaching and non-teaching staff members is used very effectively to enhance pupils' learning in sport, ICT, dance, music and French. The outstanding provision for children with learning difficulties and disabilities enables them to achieve well as does that for those who are at an early stage of learning English. There is a broadly typical programme of extra-curricular

p.6

Grade: 2

activities, but the curriculum is further enriched through a wide range of visits, visitors and carefully planned trips linked to particular topics.

p.6

Grade: 1

The good personal development of pupils is the result of the outstanding levels of care, guidance and support. With the very high mobility, reliable data on prior attainment is not available for around a third of the pupils. In response to this, the school has a detailed tracking system that allows it to monitor the progress of individual students. The work of the support staff such as the mobility mentor, the school counsellor and the home-school liaison co-ordinator is a great strength. The outstanding provision for those pupils who are new to the school helps them to settle very quickly. Pupils value the approachability of the teachers and the specialist skills of the care staff. They always know they have someone to talk to and appreciate the school's efforts to help them where they have personal problems. The school's strong systems for personal guidance go hand in hand with those for academic support.

p.6

Grade: 3

The acting headteacher has taken a positive and dynamic lead towards further improving the school. She has set a clear direction and introduced systems that give much greater involvement to other key staff. This has also created a strong culture of improvement across the whole school. Senior managers and subject leaders are beginning to establish effective systems to monitor the work in their subjects. However, they are new to this way of working and the systems are too new to show their full impact. Further development is needed, for example, establishing a clear programme 4 Inspection Report: Bentinck Primary and Nursery School, 15 June 2006 to 16 June 2006 for subject monitoring and evaluation across the school. Parents' views are regularly sought, and they are kept informed through the monthly newsletter, and the views of pupils through the school council are given good consideration. This is a school

p.6

Grade: 3

that knows itself well through these consultations and self-evaluation. While the governing body is very supportive of the school it has little first hand knowledge and understanding of a number of key elements of school development and improvement. Through the stronger links being forged with the school's leadership, this is beginning to change but at present the governing body is inadequate in its role of holding the school to account. 5 Inspection Report: Bentinck Primary and Nursery School, 15 June 2006 to 16 June 2006 .

p.7

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

website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 6 Inspection Report: Bentinck Primary and Nursery School, 15 June 2006 to 16 June 2006

p.8

Overall

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

p.9

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 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

p.9

Achievement and standards

NA 2 How well do learners achieve? NA 4 The standards 1 reached by learners

p.9

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

p.9

learners?

NA 2 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development NA 3 The behaviour of learners NA 3 The attendance of learners NA 2 How well learners enjoy their education NA 2 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices NA 2 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

p.9

needs and interests of learners?

NA 1 How well are learners cared for, guided and supported?

p.9

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.

p.9

and supporting all learners?

NA 3 How effectively leaders and managers at all levels set clear direction leading to improvement and promote high quality of care and education NA 3 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 4 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

p.10

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

p.10

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

p.10

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

p.10

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

p.10

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Thank you for welcoming us to your school. We enjoyed talking with so many of you about your school and your work. All the things you and your teachers do make this a good school. What we particularly liked was that everyone in the school gets on well and cares for each other. Everyone thinks carefully about the needs of other children and helps those who are new to the school. In fact, everyone is really good at helping those who are new to the school settle well and giving them support when they have problems. The youngest children in school have a really good start to their learning. We also like the way your teachers plan lots of different and interesting work for you such as hatching your butterflies and the work you did leading up to your party for the Queen's birthday. Things like that help you to enjoy your lessons and do well in your learning. We know that your headteacher and the staff are determined to make

p.11

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

more improvements to help you to do even better in your work. We think that there are things that could improve standards further. What we have asked the school to do now is to improve some of the planning to help you become even better at your English and science and to give the subject teachers more opportunity to visit different classes to see what is happening so they can improve what you do. We have also asked the governors to find ways to help the school even more. I am sure that if you keep up your good attitudes and hard work and continue to enjoy all you do your school will become even better.

p.11