Busbridge CofE Aided Junior School

Inspection Report Busbridge CofE Aided Junior School

p.1

125186 Unique Reference Number Surrey LEA LEA 281911 Inspection number 19 September 2005 to 20 September 2005 Inspection dates Christopher Gray AI Reporting inspector

p.1

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

p.1

Brighton Road School address Junior Type of school Godalming Voluntary aided School category GU7 1XA 7 to 11 Age range of pupils 01483417302 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01483427852 Fax number 240 Number on roll Mr David Hallam Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Miss Carolyn Holmes Headteacher 7 February 2000 Date of previous inspection

p.1

Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 281911 19 September 2005 - 7 to 11 20 September 2005 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

The school is average in size for its type. Almost all the pupils are from white British backgrounds and none is at the early stages of speaking English. Most pupils come from homes whose socio-economic circumstances are more favourable than average. The proportion of pupils entitled to a free school meal is well below average. The percentage of pupils on the special educational needs register is slightly above average, though the proportion of those with statements is average. Children's attainment on entry to school is above average.

p.3

Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Busbridge CofE Aided Junior School, 19 September 2005 to 20 September 2005

p.3

Grade: 2

This is a very good school which gives its pupils a good standard of education and provides good value for money. Inspectors' judgements corroborate the school's own evaluation. The school has many strengths, chief of which are pupils' outstanding personal development and excellent behaviour. Standards are high, the school is well led and managed and the teaching and curriculum are good. Pupils are well cared for and parents express much confidence in and support of the school.The school has no major weaknesses. Minor issues are that boys do not achieve as well in writing as they do in reading, though their progress is nonetheless good. The school's planning for improvement could be sharper in a few areas, and the good provision for meeting pupils' needs is not consistent in all lessons. The school has improved well since the last inspection and has a strong capacity to make further improvements.

p.4

What the school should do to improve further

* enable boys to improve in writing as much as they do in reading* sharpen school improvement planning to include more specific targets against which success can be measured* ensure greater consistency in the way teachers meet the needs of specific groups of pupils such as the more able.

p.4

Grade: 2

Pupils enter Year 3 with standards that are above average and leave with attainment that is well above average. This represents good achievement. The school sets challenging targets and enables its pupils to meet them. Standards in mathematics had been a little lower in previous years, but the school focused its teaching on what it accurately identified as weaker areas. As a result achievement in mathematics is now similar to that in English and science, as shown by the 2005 national test results. Standards are also high in information and communications technology (ICT).School data show that all groups of pupils achieve well. The school is particularly good at developing pupils' reading, especially that of boys. However, many of these boys do not make as rapid progress in writing, and this is an area for the school to improve next. Higher attaining pupils make good progress, though they could do better on a

p.4

Grade: 2

day-to-day basis. Pupils with learning difficulties are well supported by teachers and assistants and make good progress towards their personal targets.

p.4

Grade: 1

Pupils' personal development is outstanding. Pupils enjoy their lessons, and get on very well with each other and with the adults in the school. Their social and moral development is excellent and behaviour is outstanding. Pupils make a positive contribution to the wider community through schemes such as harvest festival parcels. 2 Inspection Report: Busbridge CofE Aided Junior School, 19 September 2005 to 20 September 2005 Spiritual development is good and pupils experience frequent opportunities to think beyond the material world. The school provides very good opportunities for children to learn about their own cultures as well as some of the other cultures found in Britain and the wider world. For example, the school is to set up its own African drumming group. The school actively encourages pupils to eat healthily and to take regular exercise - for example, by walking or cycling to school. Children speak well of the

p.4

Grade: 1

choice of healthy alternatives they have at mealtimes and are enthusiastic about the healthy snacks they bring for break. Pupils' attendance is broadly average, although authorised absences are higher than in many other schools because a number of families take their children on holiday during term time.

p.5

Grade: 2

Teaching and learning are good. Teachers have very good relationships with their classes and pupils report that they enjoy their lessons. This was clear in an outstanding art lesson for Year 3 pupils, where groups were making close observational drawings to a high standard of pots of sunflowers. They used hand lenses to examine the arrangement of seeds and knew that they were going to collect and dry them to grow next spring. Another group was preparing batiks of Celtic pots and spoke in some detail of who the Celts were and where and when they lived.Teachers generally make good provision for all groups of pupils, as the school's test results show. Classroom assistants are also important in this work. However, there are a few lessons where higher attaining pupils could begin challenging work sooner, without having first to get through the same work as the other pupils.

p.5

Grade: 2

The school provides an interesting and varied curriculum which effectively meets the needs of all its pupils and enables them to develop good basic skills. The breadth of the curriculum is considerably enriched in a number of areas - for example, a strong focus on art, the use of specialist music teachers and extra time for sport and exercise. An award-winning environmental area was completed last year and is beginning to contribute well to pupils' scientific understanding. Their efforts in gardening extend their awareness of healthy eating; their crop of runner beans was eaten at school lunch in the first week of term and pumpkins are currently ripening for a competition. A Year 6 'Young Engineers' Club' provides excellent opportunities for pupils to experience financial matters, when they design, make and evaluate projects to stay within a given budget. This club is assisted by a governor and several professional engineers from a

p.5

Grade: 2

firm in Godalming. This very positive link with the community develops pupils' understanding of the commercial world. 3 Inspection Report: Busbridge CofE Aided Junior School, 19 September 2005 to 20 September 2005

p.5

Grade: 2

The quality of care provided by the school for its pupils is good. All adults in the school show a high level of commitment and competence in promoting the health and safety of the children. All requirements for child protection are fulfilled. Each pupil is known well and treated as an individual and this contributes strongly to the harmonious and welcoming atmosphere. The school is beginning to develop more effective methods for keeping track of pupils' progress. However, information from day-to-day assessment could be used more effectively in planning. Records on the specific needs of pupils with special needs are good and are used as the basis for effective support. The school works very well with parents and other agencies to ensure that pupils make good progress.

p.6

Grade: 2

Inspectors agree with the school's self evaluation that the overall quality of leadership and management are good. The headteacher has a very clear understanding of the school's strengths and areas that need further development. The school's self evaluation process is good, although subject improvement plans do not always include specific targets to measure success. The headteacher is a very good leader and has a clear vision that she communicates well to staff at all levels. Everyone, including parents, pupils and governors, is involved and valued in the planning process. New staff, including newly qualified teachers, feel very welcome and are already playing an effective part in the life of the school.There is a clear drive towards continuous improvement. A good example is the way that analysis of mathematics results has led to direct action, producing higher standards. The school's capacity to continue

p.6

Grade: 2

improvements is good.Governors are actively and productively involved in the life of the school. They are very supportive and are becoming increasingly more effective in their role as critical friend. 4 Inspection Report: Busbridge CofE Aided Junior School, 19 September 2005 to 20 September 2005 .

p.6

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

website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 5 Inspection Report: Busbridge CofE Aided Junior School, 19 September 2005 to 20 September 2005

p.7

Overall

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

p.8

learners?

NA 2 How well does the school work in partnership with others to promote learners' well-being? NA NA 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.8

Achievement and standards

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

p.8

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.8

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 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 1 How well learners develop workplace and other skills that will contribute to their future economic well-being

p.8

needs and interests of learners?

NA 2 How well are learners cared for, guided and supported?

p.8

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.8

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

p.9

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.9

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.9

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.9

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.9

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Inspectors enjoyed visiting your school and want to thank you for the friendly way you welcomed them and shared your work with them. One of the things that most pleased inspectors was your excellent behaviour in all parts of the school and your very good manners. You and your parents said how much you and they value your school and all the work the adults there do for you. Inspectors think you are lucky to attend such a good and happy school, where you do very well in your learning. The school is good at teaching you about healthy lifestyles and we liked the way you follow this by eating healthy snacks at playtime. Teachers and assistants usually make your lessons fun and interesting, like the art lesson we saw when Year 3 pupils were drawing sunflowers. Activities such as the Young Engineers' Club widen your experience of life. We admire your environmental area and Peace Garden and know that you make good use of them. Teaching is good in your school and the headteacher is a very good

p.10

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

leader. There are only a few, small things that need to be done to make your school even better. Most of you make good progress in reading and writing, but, in writing, girls tend to get on faster than boys. Boys - you are trying very hard with your reading and need to get on as well in writing as you do in reading. Another improvement concerns those of you who learn quickest. You do very well in tests but, in daily lessons, teachers sometimes need to give you work which is harder. There is also a minor change which teachers need to make to the yearly plan they write for making the school better, so that they will know when they have succeeded.

p.10