Manorbrook Primary School

Inspection Report Manorbrook Primary School

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130978 Unique Reference Number South Gloucestershire LEA 282153 Inspection number 23 May 2006 to 24 May 2006 Inspection dates Alison Grainger AI Reporting inspector

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

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Park Road School address Primary Type of school Thornbury Community School category Bristol BS35 1JW 4 to 11 Age range of pupils 01454 867225 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01454 867226 Fax number 210 Number on roll Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs Angela Evans Headteacher 19 June 2000 Date of previous inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 282153 23 May 2006 - 4 to 11 24 May 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

The school draws its pupils mostly from the surrounding estates of owner-occupied housing. Nearly all pupils are of White British heritage. The percentage of pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities is below the national average. On entry to the Reception class, children’s overall attainment is above the level expected for their age. There is one class in each year group and also a class that includes pupils from both Year 5 and Year 6.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Manorbrook Primary School, 23 May 2006 to 24 May 2006

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Grade: 3

This is a satisfactory school providing satisfactory value for money. The school is largely accurate in its evaluation of its performance, particularly in its judgement of pupils’ achievement, standards and the quality of teaching and learning, but is generous in its judgement of its overall effectiveness as good. The school and inspectors agree that there are still improvements to be made. Parents are pleased with the school, particularly the good quality of care and the way in which their children are helped to grow into well-rounded young citizens. Almost all pupils like school a lot. Behaviour is almost always consistently good and at times it is outstanding. Teaching and the curriculum support pupils in making adequate progress. Children in the Reception Year make steady progress because of the satisfactory quality of education they receive. Whilst progress is satisfactory in Years 1 to 6, it is better in

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Grade: 3

some years than in others. A few pupils in several classes do less well than they should, particularly the more capable ones in writing. This is because teaching is insufficiently well matched to pupils’ differing needs in some classes. Assessment information is also used insufficiently well to track pupils’ progress and to give them clear targets to help them to improve their work. The school has identified the main areas requiring improvement. There is already some good practice on which it can build. However, the pace of change is slowed by the school not analysing sharply enough how teaching and the curriculum impact on the learning of individuals and groups in different classes. This means that the school does not identify precisely what it needs to do better. Nevertheless, satisfactory progress has been made since the last inspection and the school has the necessary capacity to improve further.

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What the school should do to improve further

ensure that teaching is closely matched to all pupils’ needs so that they make consistent progress and do as well as they should, particularly the more capable ones in writing improve the use of assessment to track pupils’ progress and to give them clear targets to help them to improve their work ensure that the monitoring of teaching and the curriculum is sharply focused on how well pupils achieve so that effective action to improve their performance can be taken when needed.

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Grade: 3

Pupils make satisfactory progress in relation to their starting points and capabilities. In the Reception Year, steady progress is made in all areas of learning. As a result, standards remain above the level expected when children enter Year 1. 2 Inspection Report: Manorbrook Primary School, 23 May 2006 to 24 May 2006 In the national tests at the end of Year 2 in 2005, the school’s results were above average in reading, writing and mathematics. The results of pupils at the end of Year 6 were significantly above the national average in mathematics, above it in science, and slightly above it in English. Standards are similar now. Although progress is satisfactory in Years 1 to 6, there are examples of pupils doing less well than they should. This was evident in the English results of pupils at the end of Year 6 in 2005 when a small number of the more capable pupils did not reach the higher level for their age. There were also some other individual pupils, particularly

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Grade: 3

boys, who did not make the expected progress. Although the school met its target in 2005 for the percentage of pupils reaching the level expected for their age in Year 6, it did not achieve its target for the higher level in English in particular because of weaknesses in writing. In part, the movement of pupils in and out of the school affected the 2005 results. Examples of the most significant gains in pupils’ progress are found in Years 2, 5 and 6. Whilst most pupils are presently progressing at an acceptable rate, there are still a few in several year groups who are not moving on as well as they are capable of doing. There are instances of lower attaining boys underachieving in writing and mathematics, and more often the more capable pupils are not pushed on fully in writing.

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Grade: 2

Pupils’ personal development, including their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, is good. Pupils really enjoy school a lot and this is reflected in the attendance rate, which is above the national average. Behaviour is almost always consistently good and sometimes it is exemplary. Pupils are remarkably sensible and well behaved on the playground and when eating their lunch. It is only occasionally that attitudes and behaviour are not of a high standard, for example, when pupils have been sitting gathered on the carpet for a long time in lessons and they become restless. Pupils have an outstanding awareness of how to keep safe. The School Council very effectively helps to ensure that the school is a safe place. Pupils’ understanding of the importance of keeping fit and eating healthily is particularly well developed. Skills for their future lives develop well, such as in the mature way in which they relate to

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Grade: 2

others and are courteous and polite. Through taking responsibilities, for instance, as ‘peer supporters’, pupils make a really strong contribution to the school community. They also contribute well to the wider community, for example, by organising activities to raise funds for charities. Pupils’ moral and social development is a significant strength. Their understanding of the diverse values and traditions of people in modern multi-cultural Britain is not as strong as the other aspects of personal development. 3 Inspection Report: Manorbrook Primary School, 23 May 2006 to 24 May 2006

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Grade: 3

Satisfactory teaching ensures that most pupils make adequate progress. There are examples of good teaching that move pupils’ learning on well. There are also aspects of teaching, particularly the use of assessment, that require improvement. There are examples of good teaching where pupils make the most progress in Years 2, 5 and 6. This good teaching is sharply focused on the full range of pupils’ needs. Expectations of the standards that all pupils are capable of attaining are high. Often, a lively approach engages and motivates the pupils well, such as in a well paced Year 2 English lesson. In this lesson, the teacher was very effective in getting the pupils to think about and reflect on their learning. They really knew what it was that they were trying to achieve in their writing. In most lessons, teachers explain the purpose of activities clearly. Management of pupils and activities is usually effective. However, teaching is not always well enough

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Grade: 3

based on an assessment of the needs of all the pupils in the class. When this happens, it is usually the more capable pupils who are not challenged well enough. There are also examples of lower attaining pupils, particularly the boys, not being moved on as well as they should be.

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Grade: 3

The curriculum meets pupils’ needs satisfactorily. There is a good balance of adult-directed activities and those that children select for themselves in the Reception Year. In Years 1 to 6, an appropriate emphasis is given to English and mathematics. Recently, there has been a focus on improving pupils’ writing. This is starting to compensate for some slow progress in the past but further work is required. For example, the more capable pupils sometimes spend too long going over basic aspects of writing, without enough opportunity to develop skills in writing at length. There are examples of good opportunities for pupils to write in subjects such as history, particularly in Years 2 and 5. However, such opportunities are not given to pupils in all classes. Enrichment of daily lessons through clubs, visits out of school including a residential visit in Year 6, and visitors who talk to pupils is good. These additional opportunities,

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Grade: 3

and a good programme of personal, social, health and citizenship education, contribute significantly to pupils’ personal development.

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Grade: 2

The overall care, guidance and support for pupils are good. Some outstanding features contribute to pupils’ personal development and well-being. For example, the School 4 Inspection Report: Manorbrook Primary School, 23 May 2006 to 24 May 2006 Council is involved very well in ensuring that the school is a safe, calm and harmonious place. Council members have helped to bring about some substantial improvements, such as in the condition of the toilets. Pastoral care is very strong and pupils know that a good range of support is available should they need it. Child protection arrangements are properly in place. The monitoring and tracking of pupils’ progress is satisfactory overall but the school recognises that it needs improving. There are some examples of good guidance to pupils about how they can develop their school work. In Year 2, for instance, pupils have clear individual targets to support their progress in writing and, in Year 5, the

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Grade: 2

teachers’ marking gives good guidance. However, this quality of support is not consistent across the school.

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Grade: 3

Satisfactory leadership and management ensure that pupils have a satisfactory education. The headteacher, senior staff and governors are committed to developing pupils as well-rounded young citizens and are successful in achieving this. They want the pupils to be happy and confident at school and the many strengths in the quality of care they provide do much to achieve this aim. Effective day-by day management is supported by good communication among staff and with parents. The school works effectively with parents, consults them, and involves them well in identifying things that could be better. Pupils are given a strong voice in the school through the School Council. The school’s self-evaluation satisfactorily identifies the main areas for improvement. For example, some appropriate action is being taken to improve the use of assessment and pupils’ progress in writing. However, the action in these areas is not as sharply

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Grade: 3

focused and effective as it needs to be. Improvement is slowed by insufficient analysis of the effect of teaching and the curriculum on pupils’ learning particularly with regard to how individuals and the different groups of pupils progress. Nevertheless, the school has made satisfactory progress since the last inspection. It has examples of good practice which it can share and spread more widely, and it has the necessary capacity to improve. 5 Inspection Report: Manorbrook Primary School, 23 May 2006 to 24 May 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: Manorbrook Primary School, 23 May 2006 to 24 May 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 2 How well does the school work in partnership with others to promote learners' well-being? NA 3 The quality and standards in foundation stage NA 3 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 3 How well do learners achieve? NA 2 The standards 1 reached by learners

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Achievement and standards

NA 3 How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners NA 3 How well learners with learning difficulties and disabilities make progress

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learners?

NA 2 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development NA 2 The behaviour of learners NA 2 The attendance of learners NA 2 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 2 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 2 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 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 3 How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination tackled so that all learners achieve as well as they can NA 3 How effectively and efficiently resources are deployed to achieve value for money NA 3 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

Thank you for helping us when we visited your school. We enjoyed talking with you and finding out about all the different things you do. Your School Council is very impressive and you all contribute a lot to the school. We found that you are very sensible and grown up for your age. You behave well, and get on well with each other and with the adults in school. Your behaviour on the playground and when you are eating your lunch is outstanding. You are very courteous and polite. It was lovely to be greeted by smiling faces and even to have some of you ask us to visit your classrooms. The adults in school look after you well. They also work well with your parents to ensure that you are cared for. You are making steady progress with your school work. A few of you do not always do as well as you should, particularly those of you who could do harder writing tasks. We have asked your teachers to make sure that all of you do well enough all the time.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

We have also asked the teachers to check more carefully how well each of you is making progress. Then, they will know even more quickly who needs extra help. They are going to do more to give you targets and guidance to improve your work. They are also going to look even more closely at what they do to make sure that they always do the best they can for you. Thank you once again for your help and for making us very welcome.

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