Broadwas CofE Aided Primary School

Broadwas CofE Aided Primary School Inspection report

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116870 Unique Reference Number Worcestershire Local Authority 290661 Inspection number 27 June 2007 Inspection date Peter Callow 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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Primary Type of school Voluntary aided School category 4 °11 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 81 School

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The governing body Appropriate authority Simon York Chair Sandra Logan Headteacher 5 November 2002 Date of previous school inspection Broadwas School address Worcester WR6 5NE

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01886 821347 Telephone number 01886 821886 Fax number

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4 °11 Age group 27 June 2007 Inspection date 290661 Inspection number .

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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

Pupils who attend this small school come from a wide variety of backgrounds, but all are of White British heritage. Two thirds come from outside the village of Broadwas. A large majority of them join the school after the Reception year and most have learning difficulties or statements of special educational need. Overall, the proportion of these pupils in the school is about twice the national average. Half of the teaching staff has changed in the last year. The school has received a significant number of awards in recent years, including Investors in People, Eco Schools Silver, ArtsMark Gold, Healthy Schools, information and communication technology (ICT) Mark and NAACE (National Association of Advisors for Computers in Education) Mark.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 3 of 11 Inspection Report: Broadwas CofE Aided Primary School, 27 June 2007

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Grade: 1

Broadwas has made excellent progress since it was last inspected. Then it was judged to be good and now it is outstanding. This is the result of the headteacher, staff and governors having an extremely accurate understanding of the school's strengths and areas for development. Outstanding leadership and management at all levels ensure that every child, and particularly those who are vulnerable, develops confidence and feels happy and safe. As a consequence, pupils flourish. Whatever pupils' background or abilities, the excellent care, guidance and support they receive enable each one to make the progress of which he or she is capable. As one parent said, 'The school goes over and above what it needs to do. This makes for a really happy school where children blossom'. Pupils' achievement is outstanding and standards have been significantly above average at the end of Year 6 for three of the last four years. The only reason that standards are not consistently

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Grade: 1

and exceptionally high by the time pupils leave is because of the higher-than-average proportion of pupils in each year group who have learning difficulties and statements of special educational need. Whilst standards are above average at the end of the Reception year, they are generally broadly average at the end of Year 2 because of the numbers of these pupils who have recently joined the school. The very effective self-evaluation of the school's performance by leaders has led to a strong focus this year on trying to raise standards in writing in all year groups to the same high level as in reading. The gap has closed considerably, but the school is aware that there is scope for even more improvement. Children start to thrive as soon as they join the Reception year because of comprehensive induction procedures which help them to settle quickly and because of outstanding provision. Recent changes, inspired by a staff visit to Finland, provide an important emphasis on learning

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Grade: 1

through play, which is giving pupils even greater confidence and self-esteem. Outstanding teaching and learning, as well as the outstanding curriculum, begin in the Reception year and continue as pupils move up through the school. A real strength is the work that the school is doing in helping pupils to take more responsibility for their own learning and to think about the different ways in which they learn. Pupils' awareness and understanding of their next steps in learning is exceptional across the school as the result of a consistency of high quality marking and oral feedback and a very thorough approach to target setting. The use of 'Thinking Actively in a Social Context' (TASC), for example, is starting to develop problem-solving and thinking skills in some areas of the curriculum and staff realise the potential of developing this approach even further. The extremely strong pastoral care given by all adults greatly supports pupils' personal

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Grade: 1

development and well-being, which is outstanding. Pupils' behaviour is excellent. They have exemplary attitudes to their work and to each other. The school's Christian and family values are plainly evident in the considerable responsibilities that pupils undertake and the respect that they show. The contribution that they make to the wider community is highly significant, regularly organising fund-raising activities over a number of years to send a girl to school in India.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Raise standards in writing to the same high level as in reading. • Provide more opportunities for pupils to develop problem-solving and thinking skills across the curriculum. 4 of 11 Inspection Report: Broadwas CofE Aided Primary School, 27 June 2007

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Grade: 1

Pupils' achievement is outstanding. Children generally enter Reception with standards similar to those normally expected, although because year groups are so small, there is a lot of variation between years. The majority exceed the goals for learning expected by the end of the Reception year. Pupils of all abilities make good progress and nearly all make outstanding progress from whenever they join the school to the time they leave in Year 6. Standards in the current Year 2 are above average. However, standards, as indicated by national test results, are generally broadly average at the end of Year 2. This is because of the significant number of pupils with learning difficulties and statements of special educational need who join after the Reception year. In recent years, standards at the end of Year 6 have been significantly above average. However, in 2006, they were not as high as in previous years because a high proportion of pupils either

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Grade: 1

had learning difficulties or statements of special educational need. All pupils in the current Year 6 look set to meet or exceed the challenging targets that they have been given. Standards in writing this year have moved closer to the same high standards as in reading. This has been achieved though a well-planned programme of staff professional development and pupils having a carefully structured writing time each week, known as 'Big Writing'. Standards in art and ICT are well above average across the school.

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Grade: 1

Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is outstanding. They are very confident and friendly and extremely polite and helpful. Older pupils, for example, showed considerable care and consideration for younger pupils by looking after them recently on a school trip to the Great Malvern Show. Members of the school council acknowledged this by presenting congratulatory certificates to their peers in the act of worship that they led on the theme of special gifts and talents. Pupils of all ages are keen to talk about how much they enjoy school. They say how kind everyone is, that there is no bullying and that they know that they can talk to an adult if they do have any troubles. They speak with a great deal of understanding about what it means to lead a healthy lifestyle and keep safe. Their awareness of environmental issues is especially well developed. Pupils' excellent attitudes, their ability to work well in groups and the

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Grade: 1

responsibility that they take for their own learning mean that they are very well prepared for the next stage in their education. Attendance this year is much improved and has returned to above average as the result of the school working hard to reach its target.

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Grade: 1

Pupils show very high levels of engagement in lessons because they are extremely well prepared and pupils are given interesting tasks based on their previous knowledge and understanding. Consequently, progress in lessons for pupils of all abilities is always good and often outstanding. The grouping of pupils by ability across the school for literacy and mathematics means that they get the right amount of support and challenge in their work, particularly the more able. 5 of 11 Inspection Report: Broadwas CofE Aided Primary School, 27 June 2007 Questioning is used to very good effect, giving opportunities and sufficient time for pupils to think for themselves. Teachers have high expectations, good subject knowledge and an acute awareness of pupils' different learning styles. They make excellent use of ICT to support both teaching and learning. Teaching assistants make a significant contribution to the progress of

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Grade: 1

pupils, especially those with learning difficulties and statements of special educational need.

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Grade: 1

Pupils are really excited by the curriculum because every effort is made to make it relevant to their interests. One pupil said, 'Teachers make learning fun', and this demonstrates another reason why pupils enjoy school so much. An excellent balance has been achieved in the curriculum by providing opportunities for pupils to develop and practise skills, particularly those in literacy, mathematics and ICT, in other subjects. This, combined with a breadth and richness provided by a considerable range of visits, visitors, musical productions and after-school clubs, helps pupils to achieve so well. For example, pupils in the Reception class have recently been to a Sea Life Centre and beach. They are now learning in their 'sea cave' in the classroom how to write by sending messages in a bottle to the octopus and to count by using sea shells. The prominence given to values education, keeping healthy and staying safe considerably enhances

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Grade: 1

pupils' personal development. The use of TASC this year in science, in particular, has proved successful in beginning to develop pupils' problem-solving and thinking skills.

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Grade: 1

The care that each pupil receives is exemplary and has a major impact on pupils' outstanding personal development and well-being. Everyone is valued. The needs of all pupils, including those with learning difficulties and statements of special educational need and those who are gifted and talented, are extremely well met. Very effective systems for pupil tracking contribute significantly to this and help to ensure that the progress of pupils of different abilities is always good and usually outstanding. Systems for target setting are highly developed so that pupils are clear what their targets are in English, mathematics and science. They know what steps they need to take to reach their targets through rigorous marking and good discussion with the adults with whom they work. Pupils are playing an increasing role in setting their own targets. Child protection and health and safety procedures are rigorous and ensure pupils'

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Grade: 1

The headteacher maintains a determined focus on high standards and achievement for all pupils. She has a very thorough knowledge and understanding of the needs of each individual, which contributes significantly to pupils' outstanding personal development as well as to their excellent academic achievement. The strong leadership of the headteacher, supported by staff, governors and the very efficient administration, provides a clear sense of direction for the school. A drive for continual improvement is considerably enhanced by rigorous monitoring of the school's performance, leading to thorough self-evaluation. 6 of 11 Inspection Report: Broadwas CofE Aided Primary School, 27 June 2007 Leaders' high aspirations have resulted in them being rather modest in judging the school's overall effectiveness. However, their lack of complacency means that they have the very secure capacity to make this outstanding school even better. They encourage innovation so that staff

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Grade: 1

are supported in trying out new ways of working, particularly at the present time with regard to improving the early years' curriculum and to getting pupils to take more responsibility for their own learning. Good consultation with both pupils and parents is an integral part of a regular cycle of evaluation. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: Broadwas CofE Aided Primary School, 27 June 2007 .

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Grade: 1

in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 8 of 11 Inspection Report: Broadwas CofE Aided Primary School, 27 June 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? 1 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 1 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 2 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. 9 of 11 Inspection Report: Broadwas CofE Aided Primary School, 27 June 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? 10 of 11 Inspection Report: Broadwas CofE Aided Primary School, 27 June 2007

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

28 June 2007 Dear Pupils Inspection of Broadwas C of E Primary School, Broadwas on Teme, Worcester, WR6 5NE Thank you for being so friendly and welcoming when I visited Broadwas recently. It was good to see so many of you, despite the difficulties of getting to school because of the floods. You were keen to tell me that you really enjoy going to school because other children are kind and the staff look after you extremely well. You told me you go to a good school, but I would describe it as an outstanding school because of the great number of things that the school does very successfully. Whenever you join the school, each one of you is helped to do as well as you can. As a result, most you make outstanding progress by the time you leave. Lots of you told me that your teachers make learning fun by giving you interesting tasks. The teaching is outstanding because you are given work at the right level. It is sufficiently challenging, so that you can do your very

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

best, whatever your abilities. Visits and visitors are helping to give you an excellent curriculum where you learn from practical activities. Older pupils said how helpful they have found the use of a thinking-skills framework in group work this year, when you have to solve problems. I have asked that teachers try to find more opportunities to use this approach to your learning. As well as helping you to reach high standards in your work, your school makes sure that your personal development is outstanding. For example, your behaviour is excellent and you are growing up to be confident, polite and very responsible. I was very impressed by the act of worship that members of the school council led. They helped you to understand that a special gift can be something like caring for other people, as well as being particularly able at gymnastics. The headteacher, staff and governors are particularly good at working as a team so that your

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

school is extremely well led. They are very successful at making your school even better. For example, they have introduced 'Big Writing' this year so that standards in your writing get to the same high level as in your reading. I have said that this needs to continue and you can help by always having the same good attitudes to your work as I saw when I visited. Yours faithfully Peter Callow Lead Inspector 11 of 11 Inspection Report: Broadwas CofE Aided Primary School, 27 June 2007

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