The Bramptons Primary School

The Bramptons Primary School Inspection report

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121803 Unique Reference Number Northamptonshire Local Authority 292223 Inspection number 25 April 2007 Inspection date Tom Shine 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 Community School category 4 °11 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 56 School

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The governing body Appropriate authority Charlotte Patrick Chair J Zakis Headteacher 1 October 2002 Date of previous school inspection Harlestone Road School address Chapel Brampton Northampton NN6 8AW

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01604 842078 Telephone number 01604 842078 Fax number

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4 °11 Age group 25 April 2007 Inspection date 292223 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 two Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

This is a smaller than average school organised into three classes with children of mixed ages. The majority of pupils are from the White British community with few pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds. Although the percentage of pupils with learning difficulties is broadly average, it is very high in some year groups and they are not spread evenly throughout the school. Since last September the school has been led by an acting headteacher and a new headteacher will take up post after the summer break.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 3 of 10 Inspection Report: The Bramptons Primary School, 25 April 2007

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Grade: 3

This is an improving school whose effectiveness is satisfactory. Parents value the levels of care and support their children receive. 'I believe my child's confidence has been boosted because of the caring and supportive family atmosphere that this village school provides', is one comment typical of many received from parents. The acting headteacher has led the school well after a period, before his appointment, of instability in staffing and governance and falling roles, leading to low staff morale. He has appointed some new staff, and together they are all working satisfactorily as a team. Leadership and management are satisfactory. The management of the main subjects is relatively new, and teachers are still developing their roles in checking teachers' planning and the quality of pupils' work. Most of the governing body are also relatively new to their roles. They are supportive and committed and are aware they need to gain more

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Grade: 3

experience and receive more training to make a full impact on improving the work of the school. A number of effective initiatives have recently been introduced, such as a good tracking system to check pupils' progress. These actions demonstrate an adequate appreciation of the school's strengths and weaknesses and a satisfactory capacity to improve. While the overall quality of teaching is satisfactory, teachers' planning does not consistently ensure that the work set is matched adequately to the needs of all the pupils, particularly the more able. Pupils' achievement and progress are satisfactory, and standards are broadly average. The test results in Year 6 in 2006 were average, although there were some weaknesses in pupils' writing and science. Targets for the current Year 6 are more challenging than previously, and pupils are working well to achieve them. The school's care, guidance and support are satisfactory, with care and support being good.

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Grade: 3

Pupils enjoy school, feel safe and say there is no bullying. They like their teachers and other staff. Throughout the school, pupils' personal development and well-being are good as a result of the high value the school places on these areas. In the Reception year, where teaching and learning are satisfactory, children settle in well and make satisfactory progress in all areas, including language, numeracy and personal and social development. Pupils have a good awareness of the benefits of taking frequent exercise and appreciate the many opportunities to do so. Although pupils have a good knowledge of the benefits of healthy eating, they do not consistently put this knowledge into practice by making healthy choices in their selections of food at playtime and lunchtime. The curriculum is satisfactory and is enriched well by an interesting range of visitors and visits which adds excitement to pupils' learning.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Ensure that teachers' planning meets the needs of all groups of pupils, by setting work that is sufficiently challenging, particularly for the more able pupils. • Develop subject leaders' roles in checking teachers' planning and the quality of pupils' work so that they are fully effective in raising standards.

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Grade: 3

Children enter Reception with fluctuating levels of attainment as a result of small year groups, but generally they are broadly average. They make satisfactory progress and attain the levels expected for their age in all areas of learning. The results of the national assessments in Year 2 over the past five years have been broadly average in reading, writing and mathematics, 4 of 10 Inspection Report: The Bramptons Primary School, 25 April 2007 although they were above average in reading and mathematics in 2006. Current standards in Year 2 are broadly average. In recent years, standards in Year 6 have been broadly average overall, with pupils' writing and science being the weakest areas. Current standards remain broadly average. Standards in writing and science have improved because there are more opportunities for pupils to write at length and to focus on developing pupils' investigative skills. Most pupils, including those with learning difficulties, make sound progress and achieve

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Grade: 3

satisfactorily. However, the more able pupils are capable of doing even better than they currently do. Pupils' skills in literacy and numeracy prepare them adequately for the next stage of their education and beyond.

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Grade: 2

Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. Pupils' social skills improve as they move through the school and show an increasing awareness of others and their needs. Pupils' awareness of other cultures is satisfactory but they have a limited understanding of the ethnic diversity of the wider community. Pupils' enjoyment of school is reflected in their good attendance and in their good behaviour throughout the school. They also say, 'We love meeting the governors' at the governors' listening tea on Friday mornings. Pupils show a high degree of interest in everything they undertake and are developing increasingly mature attitudes to learning as they move through the school. They know they can make a difference in improving the school and are encouraged to do so. They make a good contribution to the life of the school and the community. Members of the school council for example, take their responsibilities very

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Grade: 2

seriously. They identify a number of improvements that have been made to the school environment as a result of their suggestions, such as the display table in the school foyer, which they designed, and the Playground Friend scheme where older children volunteer to mentor the younger ones.

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Grade: 3

Teachers have good relationships with their pupils and manage their classes well. They use their teaching assistants appropriately to support pupils' learning, particularly those who have learning difficulties. They also use wall displays well to enhance their classrooms. However, teachers do not always take enough care in planning their lessons to ensure that the work they set is matched well enough to the full range of ages and abilities in their classes. In a few lessons, for example, the same work was given to pupils in two age groups, with some of the older pupils finding the work too easy. The lack of sufficient challenge for more able pupils tends to inhibit their progress and achievement. In addition, teachers' marking is generally not as helpful as it could be in showing pupils how well they are doing and how to improve their work.

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Grade: 3

The satisfactory curriculum is well planned over a two-year programme to ensure that children learn in a consistent way, building carefully on earlier learning. During the last year more focus has been placed on improving the curriculum for writing and science and these initiatives are 5 of 10 Inspection Report: The Bramptons Primary School, 25 April 2007 beginning to bear fruit in raising standards. Until very recently there has been an over reliance on published schemes of work that do not always take account of pupils' backgrounds and interests. Teachers are beginning to use pupils' interests as the bedrock of their planning whilst using the schemes to support learning. The school uses expertise from local schools to shore up gaps in provision such as in art. The curriculum has been enhanced with newly purchased computers for each of the three classrooms. It is enriched by visits to local places of interest

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Grade: 3

and visitors such as artists, writers and a circus act. There is a satisfactory range of extra-curricular activities and clubs for a small school.

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Grade: 3

Pupils benefit greatly from, and appreciate, the school's good care and support. The school places a strong emphasis on the welfare of its pupils through its well managed systems. The high levels of care and the watchful eye of all staff enable pupils to feel safe and secure and to enjoy their learning. Arrangements for pupils' personal well-being and safety are good, as is the attention paid to health and safety and child protection. Pupils with learning difficulties are given good pastoral support by teaching assistants and are fully integrated into school life. Academic guidance is satisfactory. Pupils understand the personal targets they are set in literacy and numeracy, but are not given enough information when their work is marked about how they are progressing towards them. Pupils with learning difficulties receive satisfactory support to enable them to make sound progress. The good systems recently introduced to track pupils'

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Grade: 3

progress in learning enable teachers to target those pupils achieving less well than they should. These systems are only in the very early stages of being used effectively to have a noticeable impact on raising standards.

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Grade: 3

Leadership and management are satisfactory. The acting headteacher has led the school well since his appointment, and has introduced a number of initiatives to raise standards further, including a good tracking system to check pupils' progress and the introduction of a programme of monitoring teaching. The main subject leaders are new to their roles in monitoring teachers' planning and the quality of pupils' work throughout the school and have relied heavily on the leadership of the acting headteacher in implementing procedures that are beginning to raise standards. Whilst most of the members of the governing body are relatively new to their roles, this lack of experience is counter-balanced by enthusiasm and a strong commitment and willingness to learn. They are aware of the strengths and weaknesses in the school, are supportive and committed, and know that they need to gain more experience in order to fulfil their role

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Grade: 3

effectively in holding the school to account for its performance. Capable administrative staff ensure that the school runs well on a day-to-day basis. 6 of 10 Inspection Report: The Bramptons Primary School, 25 April 2007 .

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Grade: 3

in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 7 of 10 Inspection Report: The Bramptons Primary School, 25 April 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 2 The behaviour of learners 2 The attendance of learners 2 How well learners enjoy their education 2 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices 3 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?

3 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. 8 of 10 Inspection Report: The Bramptons Primary School, 25 April 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? 9 of 10 Inspection Report: The Bramptons Primary School, 25 April 2007

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

26 April 2007 Dear Pupils Inspection of The Bramptons Primary School, Chapel Brampton, NN6 8AW Thank you very much for all the help you gave to us when we came to your school recently. We liked talking to you and to your teachers and coming to your assembly. The education and teaching you receive are satisfactory and things are getting better. These are the things we liked most about your school. • The standards of your work are improving in English and science and are broadly average by the end of Year 6. • You enjoy school and attend regularly. • Your headteacher, who leads the school well, makes sure that those of you who need extra help get it. • You told us you feel safe and staff give you good care and support and sound levels of guidance. • You all behave and get on well with each other and with all members of staff. • You understand the importance of taking exercise. These are the things that we think could be better.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

• We have asked the school to make sure that when teachers set you work it is at the right level to help you make good progress, especially for those who find some of the work too easy. • We have asked those teachers responsible for the main subjects to check regularly on the quality of your work and teachers' planning. We really enjoyed talking to you about your work and watching you learn and wish you all well for the future. Yours sincerely Tom Shine Lead Inspector 10 of 10 Inspection Report: The Bramptons Primary School, 25 April 2007

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