Broadfield Community Primary School

Inspection Report Broadfield Community Primary School

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134220 Unique Reference Number Rochdale LEA 282495 Inspection number 1 February 2006 to 2 February 2006 Inspection dates Mrs June Sharpe CfBT Lead Inspector Reporting inspector

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

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Sparrow Hill School address Primary Type of school 0 Community School category 0, Rochdale OL16 1QT 4 to 11 Age range of pupils 01706 647580 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01706 526115 Fax number 393 Number on roll Mrs Nasreen Akhtar Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs Catherine Knight Headteacher Not applicable Date of previous inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 282495 1 February 2006 - 4 to 11 2 February 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 three additional inspectors.

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Description of the school

This large primary school is close to the town centre of Rochdale. It opened in September 2004 with a new headteacher, following the amalgamation of two primary schools that were based initially on three sites. The school moved into the new premises in April 2005, and construction work outside has still to be completed. Most of the children are of Pakistani heritage, and a few are from a very wide variety of ethnic and social backgrounds, including refugees and asylum seekers. The first languages spoken by most children are Panjabi, Urdu or Bengali, and many children are still learning to speak English. The number of children claiming free school meals is above average, and the proportion with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is broadly average.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Broadfield Community Primary School, 1 February 2006 to 2 February 2006

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Grade: 3

Inspectors agree that this is a satisfactory school with good features. It gives satisfactory value for money. The school has improved at a good rate in the short time since it opened. This is mainly because of the outstanding leadership of the headteacher, who has steered everyone successfully through the many challenges of a very difficult amalgamation of two schools. Good leadership, management and governance ensure that satisfactory, and improving, teaching and learning enable all groups of children to make satisfactory progress. Standards of achievement are satisfactory. Standards and the quality of education in the Foundation Stage (nursery and Reception classes) are good. Children of all ages enjoy coming to school, and their good behaviour and attitudes make it a happy, harmonious and purposeful place to learn. Attendance is improving because of strong efforts to reduce the length and frequency of visits abroad. This is a caring school, where all children are safe, secure

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Grade: 3

and valued equally. They do not know enough, however, about how well they are doing and what they need to do to reach higher levels of work. The school, rightly, wants to improve how well teachers assess the children and match their work to their differing needs. It is also correct to want to find out more about how well it is doing by consulting everyone involved. Plans to focus in the future on fewer priorities for improvement link very well with taking stock of the many improvements so far.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Raise standards by ensuring that children's work always takes account of accurate National Curriculum assessments, and that they know how they need to improve. • Find out more about how well the school is doing and agree a manageable number of priorities for improvement.

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Grade: 3

The school's view of inadequate achievement and standards is based on the very limited available information about performance in national tests for one year only. Although the 2005 results of Year 6 tests in English, mathematics and science were inadequate, the school is working hard to ensure improvement in the 2006 tests. The school's current assessments, along with evidence of children's progress in lessons, show that achievement is now satisfactory and standards are broadly average. When children start nursery, their attainment is below expectations. In the Foundation Stage they make good progress overall, especially in the Reception classes. The 2005 below average Year 2 assessments in reading, writing and mathematics, like the Year 6 test results, relate to children who suffered serious disruption to their education as a result of the amalgamation. Results do not reflect the satisfactory progress, at least,

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Grade: 3

that all groups of children are now making in lessons because of a more settled education and improving teaching. The school has set appropriately challenging targets for the 2006 Year 6 tests and most children are on track to meet them. The school is 2 Inspection Report: Broadfield Community Primary School, 1 February 2006 to 2 February 2006 right to give attention to improving children's speaking and listening skills. Although achievement is satisfactory, it is often good for children very new to speaking English when they work with bi-lingual teaching assistants. Children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities progress at the same pace as other children in their classes.

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Grade: 2

Inspectors agree that children's personal development and well-being are good. Staff and children have worked hard to encourage positive relationships in their new school. The Peer Mediators and Playground Pals scheme makes an outstanding contribution to creating harmony throughout the school. Parents and carers show overwhelming support for the school's work and aims. Children are proud of their school, behave well and are eager to learn. The newly formed School Council is enthusiastic and ambitious. The school's good efforts to make outdoor playtimes safe and enjoyable are hampered because of lack of progress by building contractors in completing the playground and school field. Attendance, although improving steadily is broadly satisfactory. Improvement is the result of good links between home and school, especially in reducing the length and frequency of extended visits abroad. Philosophy lessons, assemblies, circle times and learning about different cultures and religions

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Grade: 2

raise children's understanding of spiritual, moral and social matters. Very good experiences of sport, theatre, dance, art, music and educational visits extend their social and cultural development. Children learn about healthy lifestyles, and the school is actively seeking the prestigious Healthy Schools Award. As a result of the good provision for spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, children are learning how to play an important part in their school community.

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Grade: 3

The school's view that the quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory is correct. The effects of significant upheaval and staffing changes following the closure of two schools and the opening of this school are gradually being overcome. There is now enough good teaching to ensure that children make satisfactory progress. Hardworking teachers and support staff work together successfully to meet the diverse learning needs of the children. Adults have high expectations of children's behaviour, and good relationships ensure that lesson time is not wasted on dealing with behavioural problems. The planning of lessons has improved and it ensures that work is purposeful. The quality of teaching and learning in the Foundation Stage, although satisfactory overall, is consistently good in the Reception classes, because of teachers' strong expertise in how to teach young children. In other classes, teachers are working on

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Grade: 3

improving their assessment of children's attainment in the National Curriculum in order to match work more precisely to children's specific needs. Although there are a few examples of good assessment, such as in marking children's work, inconsistencies 3 Inspection Report: Broadfield Community Primary School, 1 February 2006 to 2 February 2006 between classes restrict children's overall achievement. Linked with this, children rarely know enough about how well they are doing and how they need to improve their work.

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Grade: 3

The curriculum is broad and balanced, meets statutory requirements and enables all children, including those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and those speaking English as an additional language, to make satisfactory progress. The school is committed to making enough provision for children to learn the basic skills of literacy and numeracy. This ensures satisfactory provision for their future economic well-being. Children have stimulating and varied opportunities for learning. Raising funds for the school and for local and national charities, for example, provide opportunities for children to enjoy contributing as individuals or in teams. The school is developing meaningful links between subjects, including links with information and communication technology. Staff have put good plans into place for making further improvements to the curriculum in the near future. The aim to improve provision for speaking and

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Grade: 3

listening is appropriate, although the impact of initiatives is variable and inconsistent. The introduction of timetabled philosophy lessons, however, is beginning to improve children's ability to listen carefully and to express their ideas and feelings more confidently.

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Grade: 2

This is an inclusive school that values all children equally. Parents and carers are pleased with the way that the school looks after their children. Two parents said that the school has come through a very turbulent time, and children are now settled and doing very well. Children feel safe and secure in the orderly school atmosphere. A good programme for personal, social and health education ensures that children have a good understanding of how to keep themselves healthy. There are thorough arrangements for child protection and health and safety, including regular risk assessments. Learning mentors and teaching assistants work closely with teachers to support children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and children who are learning to speak English as an additional language. Good procedures for tracking the progress of children are being put into place. A lack of assessment information prior to the opening of the new

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Grade: 2

school, however, has prevented some early identification of underachievement.

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Grade: 2

In the fairly short time since the difficult amalgamation of two schools, the outstanding leadership of the headteacher has helped everyone to overcome the many problems and challenges they have had to face. Although there is still much to do, the supportive senior management team is increasingly involved in taking the school forward and in ensuring that the school meets the diverse needs of all its children. As a result, teaching, 4 Inspection Report: Broadfield Community Primary School, 1 February 2006 to 2 February 2006 learning and standards are improving, and there is a good capacity for further improvement in the future. The school runs very smoothly on a daily basis because good routines and practices are in place. Good relationships ensure that everyone works together amicably to improve children's education. Although the governing body is fairly new, governors make a good contribution to improving the quality of

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Grade: 2

children's education and to establishing the school's good reputation in the community. Improvement since the school opened is good. The headteacher has ensured that a vast number of necessary practices and procedures have been put into place in order for the school to meet statutory requirements. The quality and effectiveness of self-evaluation is satisfactory. Now that the school is firmly established in the new premises and running successfully, staff and governors are right to want to do more to find out how well they are doing, including more consultation with stakeholders. They are also right to reduce the number of priorities to be considered in the near future. 5 Inspection Report: Broadfield Community Primary School, 1 February 2006 to 2 February 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: Broadfield Community Primary School, 1 February 2006 to 2 February 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 2 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 NA 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 3 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 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

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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 2 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 2 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 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

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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 being so friendly and for making us feel so welcome when we visited your school. We enjoyed our time with you, especially talking to you and finding out about all the interesting things that are happening in your new school. What we liked most about your school: - you like coming to school and everyone gets along very well together - your headteacher has worked very hard to get everyone settled in the lovely new building - teachers and classroom assistants work hard to help you to learn - your behaviour is good and you work hard - the school keeps you safe and happy - your parents and carers are pleased with the new school. What we have asked the school to do now: - make sure that your work is never too hard or too easy for you - make sure that you know how well you are doing and how you need to improve your work - do more to find out more about how well your school is doing and concentrate on

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

improving just a few things at a time. We hope that you continue to be a happy school.

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