Bucklesham Primary School

Inspection Report Bucklesham Primary School

p.1

124572 Unique Reference Number SUFFOLK LEA LEA 281753 Inspection number 6 July 2006 to 7 July 2006 Inspection dates Mr. Godfrey Bancroft AI Reporting inspector

p.1

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

p.1

Main Road School address Primary Type of school IP10 0AX Community School category 4 to 11 Age range of pupils 01473 659389 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01473 659389 Fax number 103 Number on roll Mr.Simon Miles Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs. Rosemary Scott Headteacher 27 March 2000 Date of previous inspection

p.1

Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 281753 6 July 2006 - 4 to 11 7 July 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 an Additional Inspector.

p.3

Description of the school

This is a much smaller than average primary school. It serves the village of Bucklesham, to the east of Ipswich. The socio-economic circumstances of the community are generally favourable. The percentage of pupils eligible for free school meals is below average. Attainment on entry is broadly average. The number of pupils from ethnic minority backgrounds is very low and there are no pupils who speak English as an additional language. The percentage of pupils who have learning difficulties or disabilities is below average but rising in the lower age groups.

p.3

Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Bucklesham Primary School, 6 July 2006 to 7 July 2006

p.3

Grade: 1

This is an outstanding school. The school judges itself too modestly, believing its effectiveness to be good overall. Pupils of all abilities achieve very well, making very good progress. Provision for children in the Foundation Stage is outstanding and they attain high standards. Overall, standards at the end of Year 2 are average. That said, standards in mathematics are just below average and the school is introducing measures to bring about improvements. By the end of Year 6, standards are well above average. Pupils' behaviour is outstanding. They are mature and sensible and have very good attitudes to learning. Teaching and learning are excellent. Lessons challenge pupils very well and meet their needs very effectively. The curriculum is also outstanding and is enhanced by a very good range of additional activities. The care, guidance and support are of the highest standard, enabling pupils to learn with confidence in a

p.4

Grade: 1

caring and secure environment. Leadership and management are outstanding, with the headteacher providing a very clear educational direction. Even so, the school improvement plan does not include specific criteria by which its success can be evaluated. Governors do a very good job. They are very supportive and knowledgeable about the school, although arrangements for them to evaluate the quality of provision are not linked closely enough to the school's plans for improvement. Parents and carers contribute very well to their children's education. They are very supportive and have very positive views of the school. All the issues identified at the time of the last inspection have been addressed successfully and improvement since that time is good. The school's capacity to maintain its improvement is good and it provides very good value for money.

p.4

What the school should do to improve further

- Continue with the current focus in Years 1 and 2 to improve standards in mathematics. - Identify criteria by which the success of the initiatives in the school improvement plan will be measured. - Create a formal structure linked closely to the initiatives in the school improvement plan to be used by governors to evaluate the quality of provision.

p.4

Grade: 1

Pupils of all abilities and backgrounds achieve very well and make very good progress. Pupils who have learning difficulties or disabilities also make very good progress. Children in the Foundation Stage make very good progress in all areas of their learning. By the time they leave the Reception class they attain standards that exceed those expected for their age, especially in their personal, social and emotional development and in communication, language and literacy. Because numbers in each year group are very small, percentages are very dependent on the performance of just a few pupils. Overall, standards at the end of Year 2 in reading and writing are average and currently just below average in mathematics. Standards have declined over the last three years. 2 Inspection Report: Bucklesham Primary School, 6 July 2006 to 7 July 2006 This is because of the increase in the number of pupils who have learning difficulties

p.4

Grade: 1

and the number of pupils who arrive or leave within these year groups. However, as pupils settle in at the school their progress in Years 3 to 6 is outstanding. Year-on-year, standards at the end of Year 6 in English, mathematics and science are well above average. This pattern is also evident in 2006, and standards in mathematics are currently very high. Throughout the school the standard of speaking and listening is very high. Pupils also attain good standards in a range of other subjects, including art and design, dance and drama, design and technology, information and communication technology and music. The school sets realistic and appropriately challenging targets for attainment that are usually met successfully.

p.5

Grade: 1

Personal development and well-being are outstanding. Provision for pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very good. Attendance is good. Pupils are confident, independent and mature young people who clearly have a passion for learning. They are very proud of their school and of their work. Behaviour in lessons and around the school is outstanding. Pupils relish taking responsibility and fulfil tasks with efficiency and enthusiasm. They are very caring and supportive towards each other. For example, playground 'Buddies' take their role very seriously. Pupils know how to keep themselves safe. They are knowledgeable about the need to eat healthily and to take regular exercise. They understand the values of their community and the needs of those less fortunate than themselves. Pupils acquire basic skills and apply them very well. They are well placed to contribute to their future economic prosperity.

p.5

Grade: 1

This is partly because the school's links with local industry are very strong.

p.5

Grade: 1

Teaching and learning are outstanding, resulting in lessons that are exciting and enjoyable. Teachers have high expectations and what they intend pupils to learn is made very clear. Teachers plan their lessons thoroughly and set challenges that meet the full range of ages and abilities in each class very well. Pupils are very committed learners. They listen very well and the development of their speaking is excellent. Hence, the quality of pupils' answers to questions and their contribution to discussions is outstanding. Teachers are also insistent that pupils use the correct technical language in subjects such as mathematics and science. Teachers are very good at keeping pupils informed about the progress they are making; the marking of work provides pupils with good advice about how to improve. Teachers are also very good at consulting pupils about how they feel about their learning and progress. Teaching assistants

p.5

Grade: 1

support pupils' learning very well. 3 Inspection Report: Bucklesham Primary School, 6 July 2006 to 7 July 2006

p.5

Grade: 1

The curriculum is outstanding and meets the needs of pupils in mixed-age classes very well. There is also a very good range of additional activities that enhance pupils' learning. The school provides very well for pupils' creative and aesthetic development. It has embraced the recommendations in the curriculum guidance 'Excellence and Enjoyment' very effectively. Pupils are provided with excellent opportunities to apply the skills they learn in English, mathematics and information and communication technology in other subjects. The curriculum also makes very good provision for pupils' personal, social and health education and citizenship. The school provides a very good range of educational visits, including two residential experiences for older pupils. Additional activities, in which pupils participate with great enthusiasm, include association football, board games, cricket, French and gardening. Special art and music

p.6

Grade: 1

weeks also contribute very effectively to pupils' learning.

p.6

Grade: 1

Care, guidance and support are outstanding; arrangements to ensure pupils are safe are applied rigorously. Pupils' personal, social and emotional development is monitored closely and supported very well. Pupils are very confident about approaching teachers and other adults for help, knowing they will be listened to sympathetically. Support for pupils who have learning difficulties or disabilities is excellent. Links with partner special schools make a very effective contribution to the learning of these pupils. Arrangements to monitor pupils' academic progress are exceptionally good and pupils are well informed about the progress they are making. The school council provides a very good forum for pupils' views to be heard and responded to. Pupils who are members of the council undertake their responsibilities very well. Excellent links with partner schools ensure that pupils progress smoothly through their education.

p.6

Grade: 1

Leadership and management are outstanding. The headteacher provides strong and effective leadership, giving the school a clearly understood educational direction. Leadership is focused very well on maintaining high standards and is in no way complacent. Teachers who have management responsibilities, such as subject leaders and the special educational needs co-ordinator, fulfil their duties very well and provide very good support for their colleagues. Arrangements to ensure the continued professional development of all staff are very good. Improvement since the last inspection has been good, and the school is well placed for continuing improvement. The school's evaluation of its own performance, although underrating its quality, involves all interested parties in the process very well. Arrangements for the headteacher and staff to check on and evaluate how well the school is working are very good. The school improvement plan sets out clearly how the school intends to

p.6

Grade: 1

4 Inspection Report: Bucklesham Primary School, 6 July 2006 to 7 July 2006 improve. However, it does not include specific criteria to measure how successful the initiatives it includes might be. Governance is very effective. Governors are very supportive and well-informed about the strengths of the school. They also fulfil their role as 'critical friend' to the headteacher effectively. Even so, governors' visits to the school to evaluate the quality of provision are not linked closely enough to the initiatives in the school improvement plan. This is recognised in the governors' action plan for improving the way they work. Governors and the headteacher work together very well to manage the school's finances. They ensure they are used wisely to support pupils' learning and provide very good value for money. Parents and carers make a good contribution to their children's learning and think the school is very good. They

p.6

Grade: 1

are kept well-informed about their children's progress and about school events through frequent newsletters and consultation evenings. Involvement of the community and local business also benefits the school greatly. 5 Inspection Report: Bucklesham Primary School, 6 July 2006 to 7 July 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: Bucklesham Primary School, 6 July 2006 to 7 July 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 1 How well does the school work in partnership with others to promote learners' well-being? NA 1 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 1 How well do learners achieve? NA 2 The standards 1 reached by learners

p.9

Achievement and standards

NA 1 How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners NA 1 How well learners with learning difficulties and disabilities make progress

p.9

learners?

NA 1 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development NA 1 The behaviour of learners NA 2 The attendance of learners NA 1 How well learners enjoy their education NA 1 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices NA 2 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

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 1 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 1 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

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 making me welcome in your school and for taking your time to talk to me. Your school is amongst the very best. This is because your teachers enable you all to work very hard and reach standards that are much higher than those found in most other schools. I know you are proud to attend your school and, like me, think it is very good. Many of your parents and carers think so too. Your behaviour and the ways in which you work together and help each other are exemplary. Your teachers and teaching assistants are brilliant at making learning interesting and at helping you to do your very best. For example, I thought the dance presentation by pupils in Years 5 and 6 was superb. You are also very fortunate to have such an excellent range of educational visits and extra-curricular activities that make your learning even more enjoyable. All the staff are very good at taking care of you and making sure you are

p.11

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

safe. Your school governors and headteacher work very effectively to make sure that everything works well and that you have everything you need to help you to learn. There are some things that your headteacher and the governors will be doing to improve your school further. They will be continuing with their work in Years 1 and 2 to make you even better at mathematics. They will also be looking closely at the ways in which they check on and measure how successful your school is. Very well done to you all.

p.11