Glenfrome Primary SchoolOfsted inspection, 14 Feb 2007

Inspection Report Glenfrome Primary School

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108931 Unique Reference Number Bristol, City of Local Authority 288227 Inspection number 13 °14 February 2007 Inspection dates David Clegg 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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Cottisford Road School address Primary Type of school Eastville Community School category Bristol BS5 6TY 4 °11 Age range of pupils 0117 9516017 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 0117 9523053 Fax number 155 Number on roll (school) Olga Simpson Chair The governing body Appropriate authority M Edwards Headteacher 26 February 2001 Date of previous school inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 288227 13 °14 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 two Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

This average-sized school serves a very diverse community. There are substantial groups of minority ethnic pupils, including a sizeable proportion who are asylum seekers or refugees. English is an additional language for over half the pupils and about 15% are at an early stage of learning English. There is a high proportion of pupils with learning difficulties, including a significant number with statements of special educational need. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals is higher than normally found. There is a high level of mobility amongst pupils. Since the last inspection there have been disruptions to teaching owing to long-term staff absences and difficulties in recruiting suitably qualified and experienced staff.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Glenfrome Primary School, 13 °14 February 2007

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Grade: 3

The school works in very challenging circumstances and succeeds in providing pupils with a satisfactory education. There are a number of strong features, particularly in the good level of care, support and guidance that underpins pupils' good personal development. The school successfully integrates pupils from very different backgrounds, circumstances and cultures. This produces a strong sense of community and an ethos of care and respect. As one parent wrote, 'My children now have friends from all over the world and their understanding of the other cultures is a pleasure to see and hear about'. Pupils achieve satisfactorily from a very low base of skills when they start in Reception. Children in Reception make steady progress, although the activities they are given are not always well matched to their levels of understanding and skills. This hinders their progress a little in lessons. When they start Year 1, pupils' language skills remain very

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Grade: 3

low. In the rest of the school, pupils move on steadily, although progress accelerates slightly towards the top of the school. Despite this, standards at the end of Year 6 remain below average. The school is successfully tackling weaknesses identified in writing. As a result, pupils now make better progress in this area of their work. Teaching is consistently satisfactory. Lessons are well planned and pupils are generally well managed, despite the significant proportion whose behaviour problems are a barrier to their learning. Most pupils benefit from small-group work that is generally closely matched to their abilities. The curriculum caters satisfactorily for most pupils' needs and interests. However, across the school, the expectations of what the more able pupils might achieve are not as high as they could be. Pupils with particular problems are given personalised help where it is needed. The school supports and

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Grade: 3

cares for vulnerable pupils very well. Leadership and management are satisfactory. The headteacher provides a good sense of direction and purpose. The school has a clear view of its strengths and weaknesses. There are regular checks on teaching but these concentrate on how behaviour is managed and do not focus enough on how well pupils are learning. The school makes good use of performance data to track pupils' progress. This informs how groups are organised and helps teachers make adjustments to the curriculum. It is, for instance, the recognition of weak progress in English that has resulted in the school putting in place the new structured approach to teaching the subject. The school has the capacity to make steady progress.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Ensure that the curriculum for the Reception Year more consistently meets children's needs. • Raise expectations of what more-able pupils could achieve. • Make sure that the checks on teaching pay enough attention to the quality of pupils' learning. 2 Inspection Report: Glenfrome Primary School, 13 °14 February 2007

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Grade: 3

Pupils achieve satisfactorily, although standards are below average. The rate of progress varies a little, with pupils in Years 5 to 6 generally making more rapid progress than in earlier years. This is because pupils become more proficient in English as they move through the school and so learning speeds up. However, the variation is also due to influxes of pupils into some year groups at short notice. These pupils often have limited English and/or limited experience of school. This creates significant demands on teaching. This also sometimes depresses the school's national test results ° as was the case with the Year 6 tests in 2006. When children enter the school they have skills well below the levels expected. They make steady progress in Reception but their skills remain significantly below expected levels of attainment, particularly in language skills, by the time they start Year 1. This trend in weaker language skills remains evident in

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Grade: 3

the standards at the end of Year 2, where attainment in mathematics is stronger than reading or writing. The results at the end of Year 2 in 2006 were particularly low because pupils experienced significant disruptions to their teaching. The pupils currently in Year 2 are making better progress and standards are higher as a result of more consistent teaching. Girls do better than boys, mainly because a significant number of boys struggle to concentrate and apply themselves in lessons. Those pupils who are learning English as an additional language make similar progress to others and often make good progress in acquiring new vocabulary. Pupils with learning difficulties benefit from the support they get in small groups and make progress similar to other pupils. Higher-attaining pupils do not reach the standards that they should because expectations of what they might achieve are not as high as they need to be.

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Grade: 2

This is a good feature as a result of the school's success in dealing with a significant proportion of pupils who present a range of behavioural challenges. Pupils' social, moral, spiritual and cultural development is also good. The pupils are remarkably positive about living and working in a very diverse community. They enjoy learning about different cultures and love to explore the festivals and celebrations enjoyed by different pupils. Pupils generally have a positive attitude to lessons, enjoy learning and work hard. They feel safe, secure and have confidence in the staff. They understand the need to eat healthily and take exercise. An innovative project to grow and eat organic food is very popular. Pupils make a constructive contribution to the life of the school through the school council and through becoming sports leaders. They are also involved in the local community through, for example, links with local businesses. Overall, pupils are

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Grade: 2

soundly prepared for the next stage of education. 3 Inspection Report: Glenfrome Primary School, 13 °14 February 2007 Behaviour is sound despite a number of pupils who have significant difficulties in keeping focused on learning. These are mainly, but not exclusively, boys. Attendance is below the national average, although it has improved significantly in the last twelve months.

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Grade: 3

Teachers take good account of the wide range of pupils that the school provides for. The teachers make good use of learning support assistants to provide for the different groups of pupils. Much of the teaching is very sharply focused on the needs of specific groups of pupils. Occasionally the pace of the learning is a little too slow and activities are not entirely appropriate in meeting the needs of all pupils. For example, there are occasions when the work is too demanding or pupils are sat listening for too long rather than getting involved in activities. A good proportion of the lessons are lively and demanding. Teachers use questioning well to challenge pupils and extend their language skills. The aspirations for the higher-attaining pupils are occasionally too low and so work is not always planned to stretch and push these pupils. Teachers generally manage pupils well despite some very challenging and immature

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Grade: 3

behaviour, often at the lower end of the school. Older pupils benefit from effective behaviour management strategies and have good insights into their own behaviour. They comment on how much the staff have helped some pupils to improve their behaviour

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Grade: 3

The range of activities for the Reception children is not consistently meeting their needs because the level of expectation is too high and the work is occasionally too hard. There is a good range of special programmes throughout the school that are successfully meeting a wide range of pupils' learning needs. For example, a number of pupils benefit from one-to-one support to boost their reading. The recently introduced programme to improve literacy skills is already having a positive impact. Early assessments show pupils making good progress in both reading and writing. Those pupils who are learning English as an additional language are successfully helped to access work in lessons through the support they are given. Pupils' personal development is given a high priority. The curriculum is enriched through a number of visits, such as to the local library, and by visitors to school. There are a number of activities after school that are popular and well attended. These include

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Grade: 3

sport, gardening and information and communication technology. 4 Inspection Report: Glenfrome Primary School, 13 °14 February 2007

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Grade: 2

The provision of a high level of care and support is at the heart of the school's work and ensures pupils develop positive attitudes. The school takes great care to ensure pupils' safety and well-being. They work closely with a number of partners to ensure that all vulnerable pupils are well provided for and given the support they need. The partners include a range of specialist services, parents and carers and a number of local schools. The procedures for ensuring pupils' safety are fully up to date. The school takes extensive measures to encourage good attendance and punctuality. As a result, attendance levels have risen. The school also provides pupils with a good level of academic guidance. Pupils know their learning targets and teachers maintain a careful record of the progress pupils are making. Marking is generally positive, but there is some variation in the extent to which pupils are given clear ideas about how to improve. Marking is particularly good

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Grade: 3

The headteacher has provided good leadership through a period when the school has changed in character and there have been significant disruptions to teaching. There is a strong sense of teamwork amongst senior leaders, all of whom play a full part in how the school is managed. The school has a sound grasp of its strengths and weaknesses. There is good use made of performance data to identify which pupils need extra support. The regular checks on teaching have focused mainly on how well behaviour is managed without enough attention given to how well pupils are learning. This has improved behaviour management but not always picked up on how well pupils are progressing. There has been no specific focus on, for instance, whether more- able pupils are being suitably challenged. The governing body fulfils its responsibilities. The acting chair has a close affinity to the school, knows its strengths and weaknesses

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Grade: 3

and provides an appropriate level of challenge. 5 Inspection Report: Glenfrome Primary School, 13 °14 February 2007 .

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Grade: 3

set out in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 6 Inspection Report: Glenfrome Primary School, 13 °14 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? 3 The quality and standards in the Foundation Stage 3 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation 3 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

3 How well do learners achieve? 3 The standards 1 reached by learners How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners 3 How well learners with learning difficulties and disabilities make progress

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learners?

2 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 3 The behaviour of learners 3 The attendance of learners 2 How well learners enjoy their education 2 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices 2 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles 2 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?

2 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: Glenfrome Primary School, 13 °14 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: Glenfrome Primary School, 13 °14 February 2007

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Many thanks for the warm welcome you gave to us when we visited your school recently. We enjoyed the time we spent with you. We appreciate the help that some of you gave us by talking about how much you enjoy being at your school. I am writing to tell you what we thought about the school. The school is giving you a satisfactory education. It is particularly good at taking care of you and making sure you have clear learning targets. The school is good at helping you to grow up and learn how to behave. It is clear that you like to be in a school where you make friends with children from different backgrounds and cultures. Teachers help you to learn and what you are taught is usually at the right level. We do think that some of you who find learning a bit easier could do harder work and that some activities for the children in Reception could be better. All the adults are working hard to make the school as good as possible. The checks that are

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

made on lessons are good at seeing how well you behave but they need to make sure that you are all learning as much as possible. Once again, thank you for your help. I wish you all the best for your futures. 9 Inspection Report: Glenfrome Primary School, 13 °14 February 2007

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