Brooklands Primary School

Inspection Report Brooklands Primary School

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106301 Unique Reference Number Trafford Local Authority 287477 Inspection number 2 February 2007 Inspection date Dee Brigstock Reporting inspector

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

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Woodbourne Road School address Primary Type of school Sale Community School category Cheshire M33 3SY 4 °11 Age range of pupils 0161 9733758 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 0161 9620520 Fax number 534 Number on roll (school) Mr D Cockayne Chair The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs Riley Headteacher 26 February 2001 Date of previous school inspection

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Inspection number Inspection date Age group 287477 2 February 2007 4 °11 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 one Additional Inspector.

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Description of the school

Brooklands is a large, popular school. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals is well below average. The majority of pupils are from a White British background. A below average proportion of pupils have learning difficulties and/or disabilities and the number of pupils with a statement of educational need is also below average. The school has Investors in People, and is working towards achieving the Healthy Schools award.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Brooklands Primary School, 2 February 2007

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Grade: 1

This is an outstanding school. Due to the good curriculum and excellent care, guidance and support, pupils' personal development is exemplary. Pupils have a very good knowledge of how to stay fit and healthy, their behaviour is excellent, they take on extra responsibilities willingly and, by Year 6, they develop into mature, thoughtful, literate young people with first-rate social skills and a secure knowledge of the difference between right and wrong. Almost all pupils' achievement is outstanding. Children receive a good start to their education in the Foundation Stage and by Year 2 and Year 6 standards in English, mathematics and science are high, and have been so for several years. This achievement is due to teachers' very high expectations of themselves and of their pupils. Achievement for pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is good. Some of these pupils achieve exceptionally well, reaching the standards expected for their

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Grade: 1

age by Year 6, but a small group of them make satisfactory rather than excellent progress. This is because not all teachers' planning is consistently tuned well enough to meet their learning needs. The quality of teaching and learning is outstanding. Teachers set very challenging targets for pupils to achieve in English, mathematics and science. Pupils know what they have to do to improve even further, and how to do it. Pupils' gifts and talents are promoted successfully within a curriculum which is enriched extremely well, particularly in modern foreign languages. Effective additional coaching within the school's very successful tradition of sports and music promotes pupils' self-esteem and health very well indeed. The excellent headteacher is experienced but relatively new to the school. She has initiated a lot of changes to the school to broaden the curriculum and place an increased focus on pupils' personal development, health and safety. Governors have

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Grade: 1

encouraged her to do so. She has restructured the staffing in school, creating a new 2 Inspection Report: Brooklands Primary School, 2 February 2007 senior management team. This team is trained to monitor the work of the school, including making judgements on the quality of teaching. The school has a very accurate view of its performance. The headteacher has quickly assessed how to make pupils' learning more enjoyable and interesting and put strategies in place to achieve these aims. Leaders in the school underestimate the school's effectiveness, the quality of teaching and learning, pupils' personal development and the quality of leadership and management. These aspects are outstanding rather than good. This demonstrates the lack of complacency in the school as it builds on its clear strengths. Leaders' plans to develop the school further are very well constructed, and experienced, forward-thinking

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Grade: 1

governors use their expertise very effectively to support and challenge the school. The school has achieved much with limited resources and its improvement since the last inspection has been very good indeed. This demonstrates its outstanding capacity to improve further. Brooklands provides excellent value for money.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Ensure that teachers' planning takes into full account the learning needs of those few pupils who find learning more difficult.

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Grade: 1

Pupils' views are: 'Our brains are tested. It's challenging!' Pupils' achievement is outstanding. On entry to Nursery, standards are broadly average; they are above average by the end of Reception and children make good progress in all aspects of their learning. By Year 2, standards are significantly above average in reading, writing, mathematics and science. They are also significantly above average by Year 6 where currently pupils are striving to meet extremely challenging targets for 2007. Very high standards and very good achievement have been maintained over a period of several years and pupils clearly make very good progress throughout the school. Pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities achieve well. However, some of them are expected to learn in ways they find too challenging. This is because not all teachers plan work that specifically addresses their learning needs.

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Grade: 1

Pupils' views are: 'People on the student council grow up more. We've got a job to do. We've matured.' 3 Inspection Report: Brooklands Primary School, 2 February 2007 Pupils' personal development, including their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, is outstanding. As many parents commented, pupils are happy and eager to attend school. Pupils' achievement and the way the school celebrates this increases their self-esteem without making them think too highly of themselves. Pupils' charitable work in the local and worldwide community promotes their understanding of economic and environmental issues well and they develop a strong sense of responsibility towards younger pupils and those less fortunate than themselves. Pupils behave extremely well and remark with vehemence that there is, 'definitely no racism.' They have a good knowledge of how to stay fit and healthy, taking part enthusiastically in the

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Grade: 1

extra-curricular sports activities. They also have an excellent understanding of how to stay safe, reinforced by their own care of younger children. Pupils' well above average attendance, their punctuality, their attitudes to work, and the high standards they attain equip them extremely well for their future.

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Grade: 1

Pupils' views are: 'Throughout the school, teachers specialise in one subject, but are good at other subjects as well.' Teaching and learning are outstanding. Teachers in the Foundation Stage plan themed work, which interests children and successfully 'joins up' different aspects of their learning. Throughout the school, teachers have very high expectations of pupils' achievement and good classroom management skills. No time is wasted in lessons. Teachers are beginning to make effective links between different subjects, which pupils enjoy. Teaching assistants are well qualified and work closely alongside teachers, contributing very effectively to pupils' learning. Teachers' use of interactive whiteboards to focus pupils' attention and illustrate how to solve problems is also effective. Teachers' marking is good; their use of targets and pointers on how pupils can improve their work even further is very specific.

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Grade: 2

Pupils' views are: 'We have Spanish, Italian and French.' 'We've mixed in our English and history. In history we go quite deeply into it and that makes it more exciting.' The curriculum is good. The Foundation Stage curriculum is good and improving. This improvement is a current target for the school, which is working successfully to include more outdoor learning. In Key Stages 1 and 2, the curriculum is enriched extremely well, particularly in modern foreign languages, sports and music, for which the school has a strong tradition. Pupils enjoy a very good range of visitors and visits that enrich their learning, and include a wide, healthy range of extra-curricular sporting clubs and events. The most able pupils are given work that extends their learning very well but 4 Inspection Report: Brooklands Primary School, 2 February 2007 the curriculum is not adapted as well as it could be for some pupils with learning

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Grade: 1

Pupils' views are: 'We feel safe.' The overwhelming majority of parents feel that their children are well cared for and supported. The school makes every effort to ensure that pupils are safe and secure and procedures are fully in place for child protection and for vetting staff. Risk assessments are thorough. Pupils say they are confident that their teachers will help them if they have any difficulties and that teachers' marking is 'good and helpful'. Their progress is tracked rigorously and the information gained is used effectively to help pupils make outstanding progress. Links with outside agencies are extremely effective, particularly in extending the curriculum to provide specialist learning in modern foreign languages and music and in providing additional support for vulnerable pupils.

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Grade: 1

The experienced headteacher's outstanding leadership is reflected in her drive to broaden the curriculum and make pupils' learning more varied and fun. To achieve this she has quickly trained senior staff to help manage the school. This level of delegation is new for some senior staff, which is why their leadership is good rather than outstanding. Their support for the school's new vision has contributed to the forward thinking and controlled management of change in all aspects of the school's provision. Pupils' progress is tracked very closely and challenging targets are even higher this year. Leaders, including governors, challenge complacency at every turn as they seek to promote a vision for the school where all stakeholders' views are valued. This is particularly relevant as, since the headteacher's appointment, several parents have expressed dissatisfaction at the lack of information they receive about their

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Grade: 1

children's learning. Some parents of children in Key Stage 1 and the Foundation Stage receive more information about their children's curriculum, and extending this to parents throughout the school is a target for the school. Pupils' well-being and the principles of Every Child Matters lie at the heart of the school development plan, which is comprehensive, well written and organised. It very accurately reflects the issues identified for improvement in the school's own evaluation of its work. 5 Inspection Report: Brooklands Primary School, 2 February 2007 .

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Grade: 1

set out in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 6 Inspection Report: Brooklands Primary School, 2 February 2007

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Inspection judgements

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

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Overall effectiveness

How effective, efficient and inclusive is the provision of education, integrated care and any extended services in meeting the needs of learners? How well does the school work in partnership with others to promote learners' well-being? 2 The quality and standards in the Foundation Stage 1 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation 1 The capacity to make any necessary improvements Yes Effective steps have been taken to promote improvement since the last inspection

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Achievement and standards

1 How well do learners achieve? 1 The standards 1 reached by learners How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners 2 How well learners with learning difficulties and disabilities make progress

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learners?

1 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 1 The behaviour of learners 1 The attendance of learners 1 How well learners enjoy their education 1 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices 1 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles 1 The extent to which learners make a positive contribution to the community How well learners develop workplace and other skills that will contribute to their future economic well-being

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and interests of learners?

1 How well are learners cared for, guided and supported?

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and interests of learners?

Grade 1 - Exceptionally and consistently high; Grade 2 - Generally above average with none significantly below average; Grade 3 - Broadly average to below average; Grade 4 - Exceptionally low. 7 Inspection Report: Brooklands Primary School, 2 February 2007

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and supporting all learners?

How effectively leaders and managers at all levels set clear direction leading to improvement and promote high quality of care and education How effectively performance is monitored, evaluated and improved to meet challenging targets How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination tackled so that all learners achieve as well as they can How effectively and efficiently resources, including staff, are deployed to achieve value for money The extent to which governors and other supervisory boards discharge their responsibilities Yes Do procedures for safeguarding learners meet current government requirements? No Does this school require special measures? No Does this school require a notice to improve? 8 Inspection Report: Brooklands Primary School, 2 February 2007

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Thank you for making me so welcome in your school and for talking with me so willingly. I hope you see that I have included some of your comments in my report. I really enjoyed talking with you and would have liked to stay longer. I think you should be very proud of your school and your work. It is an excellent school and you make excellent progress. Here are the things I particularly appreciated. • The standards you reach in your work are very high. • There are a lot of interesting learning activities for Nursery and Reception children. • Your teachers expect you to work hard and mark your work really well. • Everyone seems to get on well with one another and your behaviour is excellent. • Your headteacher and governors are doing an outstanding job in always trying to make the school even better. • Your music making, learning of different languages, and the amount of sports you do are highly commendable.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Although most of you are doing really well in all your subjects, I have asked that in every class lessons are planned in ways that will also help those of you who find learning more difficult. I hope you will carry on enjoying learning and I wish you all the very best for your future. 9 Inspection Report: Brooklands Primary School, 2 February 2007

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