Clayton Brook Primary School

Clayton Brook Primary School Inspection report

p.1

119331 Unique Reference Number Lancashire Local Authority 291385 Inspection number 12 °13 July 2007 Inspection dates Sue Sharkey Reporting inspector

p.1

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

p.1

Primary Type of school Community School category 3 °11 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 230 School

p.1

The governing body Appropriate authority Mr John Ion Chair Mrs Anne Smith Headteacher 1 November 2002 Date of previous school inspection Great Greens Lane School address Bamber Bridge Preston Lancashire PR5 8HL

p.1

01772 313878 Telephone number 01772 313878 Fax number

p.1

3-11 Age group 12 °13 July 2007 Inspection dates 291385 Inspection number .

p.1

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.

p.2

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.

p.2

Introduction

The inspection was carried out by two Additional Inspectors.

p.3

Description of the school

■ Clayton Brook is an average-sized primary school, with a Nursery class, in an area in which there is significant social and economic disadvantage. Year groups vary in size and the level of pupil mobility is above average. The percentage of pupils entitled to free school meals is more than three times the national average. Children’s skills on entry to the Foundation Stage are well below those typical for their age, particularly language skills and personal and social development. A small proportion of pupils are from minority ethnic backgrounds but none are at an early stage of learning English. The percentage of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is above the national average. The Nursery was closed at the time of the inspection because of the opening of the new Children’s Centre.

p.3

Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 3 of 11 Inspection Report: Clayton Brook Primary School, 12 °13 July 2007

p.3

Grade: 3

Clayton Brook Primary School provides a satisfactory education for its pupils. It has good features, especially in pupils’ personal development and the variety of experiences offered to pupils. It is a caring school in which staff ensure that pupils feel safe, secure and valued. One parent said, ‘I know that my children are safe,’ and other parents agree with this. Parents say that the school is a friendly place where they feel happy to approach staff about their children. Pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities are fully included in the life of the school. They learn to play, act safely, live healthily and enjoy what the school offers and does for them. Pupils’ achievement is satisfactory. Teaching is satisfactory and some good lessons were seen. However, teaching varies between classes so that pupils’ progress is inconsistent. Throughout the school, the more able pupils are not given hard enough work. The provision for the

p.4

Grade: 3

Foundation Stage is satisfactory. Children make satisfactory progress from their low starting points at entry to the school, although standards at the end of the Reception year are below those expected for their age. Progress is good in Key Stage 1, although the results of the teachers’ assessments at the end of Year 2 are below average. Pupils make satisfactory overall progress in Key Stage 2 but standards should be higher because some of the more able pupils are not reaching their potential. The headteacher and deputy headteacher have put in place a system for tracking pupils’ progress and tackling underachievement but these are not yet fully effective; consequently, underachieving pupils are not always identified early enough. Attendance is satisfactory and the school is working hard to improve it so that pupils can make better progress. The relationships between staff and pupils are good and underpin pupils’ good

p.4

Grade: 3

behaviour. Pupils’ personal development and well-being are good, including their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Pupils learn to take on tasks and responsibilities from an early age; for example, as a school councillor. This helps them to grow in confidence and express their views clearly. They have satisfactory basic skills; they play and work well with each other and older pupils are prepared satisfactorily for secondary school. Pupils have a good understanding of how to eat healthily and why it is necessary to take exercise. The curriculum is well planned and meets pupils’ needs. The curriculum for pupils’ personal, social and health education is good. A good range of extra-curricular activities, particularly sports, gives pupils opportunities to exercise and learn team skills. The leadership and management of the school are satisfactory. The school’s leaders are very caring and foster an ethos in which pupils can achieve well in their personal development.

p.4

Grade: 3

Subject leaders are developing in their role and have begun to monitor their subjects. School improvement planning reflects some of the school’s weaknesses and leads to the school’s evaluation of its own effectiveness being too generous. The school needs to make it clearer what action should be taken to raise standards. The school provides satisfactory value for money.

p.4

What the school should do to improve further

■ Set harder work for the more able pupils so they can reach their potential.

p.4

What the school should do to improve further

■ Make better use of the tracking of pupils’ progress to identify underachievement earlier. 4 of 11 Inspection Report: Clayton Brook Primary School, 12 °13 July 2007 ■ Make it clearer in the school’s improvement planning how actions to be taken will raise standards. A small proportion of the schools whose overall effectiveness is judged satisfactory but which have areas of underperforming will receive a monitoring visit by an Ofsted inspector before their next section 5 inspection.

p.4

Grade: 3

Pupils’ achievements are satisfactory although standards are below average. Children’s skills when they join the Nursery class are well below those typical of children their age and there are particular weaknesses in language skills and personal and social development. The children make satisfactory progress towards the expected levels but standards are still low at the end of the Reception year. Standards are just below average in Year 2 and this shows that pupils make good progress in Years 1 and 2 from their low starting points. Teachers are working to raise standards and improvements are most noticeable in writing and mathematics; although, boys achieve lower standards than the girls. Results in the national tests at the end of Year 6 show that, despite satisfactory progress, standards are below average. Pupils make better progress in mathematics and science than in English. The unvalidated results for 2007 are not as high as those of last year because some

p.5

Grade: 3

more able pupils did not as well as they should. This is why, throughout Key Stage 2, standards are lower than they should be. The tracking of their progress does not sufficiently identify underachieving pupils so that they can be suitably challenged in lessons and to make the progress they should. In particular, some of the most able pupils are not reaching their full potential because their work is too easy for them. Pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities make satisfactory overall progress but make good progress when they are targeted for support.

p.5

Grade: 2

Pupils’ personal development is good because the staff provide good care, support and guidance. The drive to promote healthy lifestyles is effective and pupils talk confidently about healthy eating and taking regular exercise. Children in the Reception class have learnt school routines and, with the care they receive, they are laying firm foundations for future learning. They learn skills to socialise, to play and to enjoy learning with each other. Behaviour throughout the school is good and pupils talk about how much they enjoy school; they like lessons and say that school is safe and secure and that teachers look after them so that they feel safe. Pupils say the ‘Buddy Stop’ ensures that everyone has a friend and someone to play with at playtime. Members of the school council learn to help support the running of the school. They contribute well to their community and are proud that they are in Chorley’s Junior Neighbourhood Wardens.

p.5

Grade: 2

This scheme enables them to talk to councillors about improvements they would like to see in their community. Relationships are good and the pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is also good. Attendance is satisfactory. The school’s learning mentors work effectively with families to improve attendance and punctuality. 5 of 11 Inspection Report: Clayton Brook Primary School, 12 °13 July 2007

p.5

Grade: 3

Teaching and learning are satisfactory and some good teaching was seen. In these good lessons, teachers were imaginative with their approaches and captured pupils’ interest. Such variety and enthusiasm are less evident in other classes and occasionally the pace is insufficiently brisk to capture pupils’ interest. Most teachers match work to different abilities in their planning but it is not always at the correct level, especially for the more able pupils who should be set more challenging work. A positive feature of all lessons is the very good relationships that staff have with their pupils. Behaviour is managed in a positive and encouraging manner so that lessons run smoothly. Teaching assistants offer effective support, especially for pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. Teachers are at an early stage of including pupils in their own assessment but older pupils can identify strengths and areas to develop in their work.

p.6

Grade: 3

The marking of pupils’ work often shows them how to improve. However, this good practice is not fully consistent throughout the school and teachers’ comments are not always followed up to check if they have had the desired effect on pupils’ learning.

p.6

Grade: 2

The school has given good attention to adapting the curriculum to the needs of the pupils. Teachers are very aware that many children start school with a limited knowledge of the wider world and instantly set to work to improve this. It was not possible to see provision in the Nursery but photographs show that children in the Nursery and Reception classes enjoy several visits that make school really exciting. Their faces are a delight to see as they observe the animals at the farm. This focus on excitement continues and older pupils have really benefited from their residential visit. Visitors also make learning interesting and promote pupils’ understanding of the need for keeping safe and healthy. This awareness of matching the curriculum to the particular needs of the pupils is also evident in the school’s successful topic approach to planning, which combines subjects and makes learning more relevant to pupils.

p.6

Grade: 2

For example, while learning about the Tudors in Year 4, pupils also practised their poetry writing and artistic skills. Personal and social development is a strong aspect of the curriculum and leads to a calm and orderly school, which has a positive impact on pupils’ learning. Pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities receive good support and have full access to the curriculum. The curriculum is enhanced through a good range of after-school activities, particularly in physical education, which contribute well to pupils’ understanding of the benefits of keeping fit.

p.6

Grade: 2

Care, guidance and support are good overall but the pastoral side of this aspect of the school’s work is stronger than the tracking of academic support. This is a very caring school because of the good attention given to pupils’ well-being. Parents are very happy that their children are well looked after in school. Safeguarding procedures are in place. Systems to introduce children to school and to guide the older pupils as they move on are helpful. The school checks carefully on the background and suitability of all adults working in school. Good links with external agents are especially beneficial for pupils with learning difficulties and those seen to be more 6 of 11 Inspection Report: Clayton Brook Primary School, 12 °13 July 2007 vulnerable. These pupils also receive additional help from the very caring learning mentors whose support extends to families and the community. Systems to monitor and advise pupils about their academic progress are satisfactory. The school

p.6

Grade: 2

tracks pupils’ progress from one year to another as they move through school. However, monitoring on a termly basis to identify pupils who are falling behind is not good enough; therefore, intervention and support are not put in place promptly enough to enable all pupils to make the progress of which they are capable.

p.7

Grade: 3

Leadership, management and governance are satisfactory. A strength of the leadership is the headteacher’s determination and drive to maintain the care and well-being of the pupils and in this she is most successful. She is well supported by her senior leadership team who have made positive strides in adapting the curriculum to meet pupils’ needs. Self-evaluation is not always accurate and does not always focus on pupils’ achievement. Governors bring a good range of skills to their work; they are supportive and committed to the school’s development. The governing body plays an active part in the life of the school but governors do not challenge the professionals enough as critical friends. Subject leaders are developing their skills of monitoring the teaching of their subjects but are not yet using the results of this monitoring to set priorities for improvement. Their action plans do not make it clear enough how success can be measured or how they are to raise standards. Improvement

p.7

Grade: 3

since the last inspection is satisfactory and the school has a satisfactory capacity to improve further. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: Clayton Brook Primary School, 12 °13 July 2007 .

p.7

Grade: 3

in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 8 of 11 Inspection Report: Clayton Brook Primary School, 12 °13 July 2007

p.8

Inspection judgements

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

p.9

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

p.9

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

p.9

learners?

2 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 2 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

p.9

and interests of learners?

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

p.9

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: Clayton Brook Primary School, 12 °13 July 2007

p.9

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: Clayton Brook Primary School, 12 °13 July 2007

p.10

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

16 July 2007 Dear Pupils Inspection of Clayton Brook Primary School, Preston, Lancashire, PR5 8HL. We are writing to thank you for making us feel welcome during our visit to your school and to share our views with you. We enjoyed talking to you and were impressed by how friendly you are, not just towards us but also towards each other and your teachers. We were impressed with how keen you were to talk to us, telling us how much you enjoy school and how you are helping to improve your local area. We saw how well behaved you were in lessons, in the playground and as you moved around school. We looked at other parts of school life, including how teachers help you to understand about being healthy. When we asked you about this you knew the importance of the right food and exercise. We agree with you that your headteacher and teachers help you to feel safe and secure in school and listen to you when you have problems. Your headteacher ensures that you have

p.11

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

a very caring place in which to learn. When we came into lessons we looked at the work you were doing and have suggested to your teachers that you are given harder work so that some of you can reach higher standards, especially in Years 3, 4, 5 and 6. Your teachers work hard and we have talked to them about making better use of the information they have about your progress so that they can help you to improve even more. We have also asked them to explain more clearly how they will use this information to achieve this. Your teachers provide you with a good range of activities in and outside normal school time; such as, learning French, going on visits to other places and looking after baby chicks. Your school council told me about the important work you do to raise money for charities such as the Air Ambulance and Red Nose Day. The work you do to improve the area in which you live is tremendous. Well done.

p.11

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Yours sincerely Mrs Sue Sharkey and Mrs Jennie Platt Additional Inspectors 11 of 11 Inspection Report: Clayton Brook Primary School, 12 °13 July 2007

p.11