Bealings School

124595 Unique Reference Number SUFFOLK LEA LEA 281759 Inspection number 3 October 2005 to 4 October 2005 Inspection dates Mr. John Messer LI Reporting inspector

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

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Sandy Lane School address Primary Type of school IP13 6LW Community School category 4 to 11 Age range of pupils 01473622376 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01473622376 Fax number 96 Number on roll Ms.Michaela Parkin Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Mr. Duncan Bathgate Headteacher 27 March 2000 Date of previous inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 281759 3 October 2005 - 4 to 11 4 October 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 an additional inspector.

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Description of the school

The school is smaller than most primary schools. It takes children from the village and from a wider area through parental choice. The children start the school with skills, knowledge and understanding which are broadly average but which vary widely. The proportion of pupils entitled to free school meals is below average. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities is average but varies widely from year to year. There are no pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Bealings School, 3 October 2005 to 4 October 2005

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Grade: 1

The school considers that it provides an outstanding education for its pupils and inspection findings confirm this evaluation. Pupils, including those with learning difficulties and disabilities, make outstanding progress. In the national tests for pupils in Year 6 in recent years performance has been exceptionally high. The quality of teaching and learning is excellent. Pupils report that teachers make lessons exciting. Parents are pleased with the education provided and particularly impressed with their children's enjoyment of learning. A minority of parents feel that communications between home and school could be improved. Inspection findings show that the school has been successful in explaining its teaching and learning approaches but still has work to do to extend communication with parents. The quality of education in the Foundation Stage is exceptionally good and pupils make very good progress so that

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Grade: 1

they exceed most of the learning goals that children are expected to attain at the end of reception. The headteacher is a visionary who gives inspirational leadership and all staff are strongly committed to the school's highly innovative and imaginative teaching methods. These involve each class in establishing invented companies that accept pretend commissions from various clients. The school is very well managed and provides extremely good value for money. Improvement since the last inspection has been significant. The school is keen to continue improving the effectiveness of teaching and learning and is constantly examining the latest research. It is well placed to improve further.

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What the school should do to improve further

-Extend communication with parents in order to broaden further the partnership between home and school.

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Grade: 1

Pupils, including those with learning difficulties and disabilities, make outstanding progress. Pupils enter the school with standards that are average and leave at the end of Year 6 having attained standards in English, mathematics and science that are exceptionally high. Apart from 2005, when the year group had a high proportion of pupils with learning difficulties, all pupils in each of the past six years reached the standards expected for eleven year old pupils and a great many exceeded these. The school's distinctive approach to teaching and learning ensures that all pupils are constantly challenged to improve their performance. Pupils who need extra support are identified quickly and effectively. Pupils learn a wide range of ICT skills. 2 Inspection Report: Bealings School, 3 October 2005 to 4 October 2005

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Grade: 1

Pupils develop a great enthusiasm for learning. Children settle happily into the Reception class and particularly like making friends. Across the school pupils develop high levels of confidence. They become so engrossed in their learning that behaviour is not an issue. Pupils have an exceptionally good understanding of how to stay healthy and safe. Attendance is very good but some parents take children out of school during term time so they miss vital aspects of their work. Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is exceptionally good. Pupils tackle complex social issues, such as the treatment of asylum seekers and conservation. They are sensitive to the feelings of others. Through visiting story tellers, including one from Nigeria, they develop a good understanding of other cultures and beliefs. Their cultural development is fostered especially well by visits from artists and poets and through visits to art galleries in

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Grade: 1

Paris and Cornwall. Children work exceptionally well together. Each member of the class adopts a key role in the companies they form to undertake commissions for clients. The key commercial skills they develop when running their companies, including advertising campaigns and transportation of all members of the class to China to fulfil a filming commission, for example, prepares them well for the world of work. They take seriously their democratic responsibilities as members of the school meeting.

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Grade: 1

The school's approach to teaching and learning is different from that found in most other schools. The approach has evolved after far reaching research into how children learn. The works of leading educationalists from across the world have been studied and have informed the school's teaching methods. The school has responded wholeheartedly to the last inspection report, which urged the adoption of more realistic approaches to developing key skills. The school has developed an approach which it describes as 'Realistic Experiences for Active Learning.' The roles pupils adopt when organising projects are based on the assumption that they are experts in the field and are capable of undertaking the research necessary to complete assignments. Teachers plan the outline of projects meticulously to incorporate all aspects of the National Curriculum and to promote a range of exciting learning experiences. Years 1 and 2

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Grade: 1

have accepted a commission from the BBC to make a documentary about dinosaurs. Years 3 and 4 have established a company called 'Galactic Enterprises' that is developing a new heat shield for a client. Pupils in Years 5 and 6 run the long established map-making company known as 'Crown Cartographers'. Pupils adopt the 'Mantle of the Expert', as they enter into an extended and expanding project that involves assuming specific roles. Pupils stay in role for weeks but step out on occasions to examine how much they have achieved. Sometimes pupils have particular lessons that are outside the company's activities. Pupils and teachers find this approach highly stimulating and exciting. The quality of work that pupils produce, and test results by 3 Inspection Report: Bealings School, 3 October 2005 to 4 October 2005 the end of Year 6, speak for themselves and confirm that the teaching and learning are outstanding.

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Grade: 1

The school provides a unique curriculum designed to encourage the all round development of every single pupil. Subjects are not taught separately but are all woven into companies' activities. High quality work is ensured through the client's demanding requirements. The creative arts feature strongly and pupils have produced exceptionally good art work, dance and musical performances. The curriculum is well balanced and if one commission involves, for example, a great deal of mathematical activity, the next will be designed to redress the balance and may include a greater emphasis on the humanities. All commissions involve reading and writing and high levels of motivation are generated, creating a powerful force that impels pupils to make great leaps in their learning. The curriculum is enriched by a good number of specialist visitors. During the inspection visiting Shakespearian actors worked with pupils in Year

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Grade: 1

5 and 6 on Romeo and Juliet and a visiting poet helped pupils to create a piece of writing inspired by the play. Pupils learn other languages. There is a good programme of educational visits and sporting activities.

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Grade: 1

The quality of care is exceptionally good. The school has developed an excellent reputation for managing pupils with difficulties. Teachers and support staff are highly sensitive to the needs of all pupils. Pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities are fully involved in all commissions and the input from each pupil is vital to the company's success. Consequently, all pupils are firmly bound into the companies' activities and the teaching methods ensure that all succeed. The roles that pupils adopt help them to develop self-esteem and confidence in their ability as effective learners. Child protection procedures are in place, as are systems to deal with accidents and incidents. The school carries out detailed risk assessments to ensure pupils' health and safety.

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Grade: 1

The leadership and the management of the school are outstanding. The school has made significant improvements since the last inspection. The highly developed curriculum and the school's well-thought-through approaches to teaching and learning have raised the quality of provision. One of the school's major achievements is the development of learning styles which pupils and teachers describe as exciting. The school has been supported extremely well by parents in raising funds to build two new classrooms. Finances are managed carefully. The governing body provides strong and well informed support. The school analyses its performance accurately and in depth. The school is a place of learning for teachers, pupils and visitors. It is at the cutting 4 Inspection Report: Bealings School, 3 October 2005 to 4 October 2005 edge of educational advance and welcomes visitors from this country and abroad to study its methods. The school also sends its teachers out to bring back examples of

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Grade: 1

good teaching and learning. One senior teacher recently visited Reggio Emelia in Italy to study its famous early years education. This school is not standing still and there is a keen desire among all staff to refine their practice and to make learning experiences even more productive for children. Consequently, the school is in a good position to forge further ahead. 5 Inspection Report: Bealings School, 3 October 2005 to 4 October 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: Bealings School, 3 October 2005 to 4 October 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 2 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 1 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 1 How well do learners achieve? NA 1 The standards 1 reached by learners

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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

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learners?

NA 1 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development NA 1 The behaviour of learners NA 1 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 1 How effectively leaders and managers at all levels set clear direction leading to improvement and promote high quality of care and education NA 1 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 1 How effectively and efficiently resources are deployed to achieve value for money NA 1 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

I enjoyed visiting your school. Thank you very much for being so friendly and helpful. Bealings Primary School is outstanding and is becoming famous. Your headteacher organises the school excellently and works closely with all teachers to create exciting projects. You become so interested in your work that your behaviour in class is exceptionally good. You are extremely polite and sensible. You work and play happily together and make sure that nobody is bullied. The older ones take great care of the younger children. You all make exceptionally good progress so that, by the end of Year 6, standards are exceptionally high in English, mathematics and science. Above all you are very good at learning about all sorts of things through the companies you set up and by accepting the important jobs that your clients ask you to do. Your teachers work hard to help you and listen to your opinions. You understand how to stay safe and keep

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

healthy. All staff work together well to make sure that everything runs smoothly. The school spends its money sensibly so that there are enough adults to help you and there is all the equipment that you need in lessons, like paper, pencils and books. The main thing the school needs to do to make it even better is to talk to your parents more so that everybody understands what is going on in school. I wish you all every success in the future.

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