Bradway Primary School

Sir Harold Jackson Primary School Inspection report

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107033 Unique Reference Number Sheffield Local Authority 309294 Inspection number 19–20 November 2008 Inspection dates Derek Pattinson Reporting inspector

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This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. The registered childcare, managed by the governing body, was inspected under section 49 of the Childcare Act 2006.

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Primary Type of school Community School category 5–11 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 320 School (total) 0 Government funded early education provision for children aged 3 to the end of the EYFS 0 Childcare provision for children aged 0 to 3 years The governing body Appropriate authority Mr Steve Randall Chair Mr Paul Stockley Headteacher 15 June 2005 Date of previous school inspection Not previously inspected Date of previous funded early education inspection Not previously inspected Date of previous childcare inspection Bradway Drive School address Sheffield South Yorkshire S17 4PD 0114 2363723 Telephone number 0 Fax number

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5–11 Age group 19–20 November 2008 Inspection dates 309294 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. 2 of 11 Inspection Report: Sir Harold Jackson Primary School, 19–20 November 2008

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Introduction

The inspection was carried out by three Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

This is a larger than average primary school situated to the south of Sheffield. Most pupils are of White British heritage. Over half live in the immediate area and an increasing number travel from further afield to attend. The proportions of pupils eligible for free school meals and from minority ethnic groups are much lower than the national averages. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is below average. Children start school in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) in the term in which they become five years old. There is an after-school club on site, which is run by a private provider and did not form part of this inspection. The school has achieved the Sports England Activemark, Artsmark and Healthy Schools Award and is a Creative Partnerships school.

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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: Sir Harold Jackson Primary School, 19–20 November 2008

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Grade: 2

This is a good school with particular strengths in the quality of its impressive curriculum and the outstanding personal development of its pupils. 'The school is moving from strength to strength,' is a typical parent comment. Its success owes much to strengths in leadership, management and teaching. Although a small number hold negative views, parents are overwhelmingly supportive of the school and appreciate the very good care the school takes of their children. The headteacher's high quality leadership has ensured that the school's track record of improvement is good. The school has a strong capacity for continued improvement. When children enter Reception, their skills are above those expected and they learn well because of the good teaching and provision. Most pupils, including those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and the small number of ethnic minority pupils, achieve well as they move

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Grade: 2

through the school. This is because of good teaching, high quality support and very good relationships, all of which enhance pupils' learning. As a result, achievement is good and standards are mostly well above average by the time pupils leave the school at the end of Year 6. When teaching and learning are at their best, pupils 'learn through enjoyment' as the apt school motto states and there is a buzz of industrious activity. In a few lessons the pace is not brisk enough and pupils do not have sufficient time to work independently. Furthermore, teachers do not always use assessment information to match work to the precise needs of the most able pupils. Where these weaknesses occur, pupils' progress is slower. As a result of the outstanding quality of pastoral care and support, pupils' personal development, including their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, is excellent. This helps explain

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Grade: 2

why many pupils demonstrate self-confidence and maturity in their attitudes and behave very well around school. The outstanding and increasingly creative curriculum ensures that most pupils love school and helps to explain their above average attendance. A kaleidoscope of enrichment opportunities including a wide range of visits, visitors, special events and very popular extra-curricular activities, bring learning to life. Furthermore, numerous links with different organisations help pupils develop important skills and enhance learning. Regular checks are made on what pupils know and understand. However, teachers do not always use learning targets and marking effectively to aid pupils' learning and help guide their academic performance. Consequently, pupils do not always have a good understanding of what they are learning and what they need to do to improve. The headteacher leads the school well and has established an effective climate for sustained

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Grade: 2

improvement. There is no complacency among senior managers, who strive to give pupils a good education. However, the school's checks on the quality of teaching do not focus enough on pupils' learning to help facilitate the best possible progress. The governing body plays its part in actively supporting the school and holding it to account. The Healthy Schools Award shows that it is successful in promoting the necessity for pupils to keep fit, healthy and safe. Pupils are prepared well for the world of work because important life skills are given strong emphasis. The school makes effective use of its resources and increasingly the many different skills of its workforce and provides good value for money. 4 of 11 Inspection Report: Sir Harold Jackson Primary School, 19–20 November 2008

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Grade: 2

The effective leadership and management of the EYFS, good quality teaching and learning, and very good relationships ensure that provision is good and children achieve well. Children's skills when they start in Reception are above those typical for their age. Children are well cared for in a spacious, safe and secure environment. As a result, they enjoy learning and behave very well. There is a good balance between teacher-led tasks and independent activities which encourage children to make choices and to take responsibility for their learning. Most activities are carefully planned to ensure that children derive maximum benefit. The well laid out areas for learning and good quality resources encourage children to investigate and explore. However, some areas of the classroom are insufficiently language rich to help boost learning. The outdoor area is used well as an extension of the classroom to help children learn. Very good induction

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Grade: 2

arrangements for new children ensure that they respond well to the warm welcome they receive and settle quickly into planned routines. Teaching assistants make a good contribution to children's learning and personal development. They work effectively with the teacher to help children make good progress.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Make better use of assessment information to ensure that work is always challenging enough for the more able pupils. ■ Ensure that all pupils are clear about what they are learning, know how well they are doing and what they must do to improve.

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Grade: 2

Pupils, including those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and the very small number who speak English as an additional language, achieve well as they move through the school. Standards are mostly well above average. Since 2006, In Key Stage 1 standards have been rising since 2006, reflecting the good progress that most pupils make in Years 1 and 2. In the most recent national assessments at the end of Year 2, girls performed better than boys in writing, whereas boys performed better in mathematics. The school's own assessment data relating to the performance of Year 6 pupils in 2008, indicates that a much higher proportion of pupils reached both the expected level and the higher level than in the previous year. Standards in reading were higher than in writing, with girls doing better than boys in both reading and writing. The pupils reaching the expected level made very good progress between Year 2 and

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Grade: 2

Year 6. However, despite recent improvements in the rates at which more able pupils are learning, the school recognises that their rates of progress are not yet as good as other groups because some work for them lacks sufficient challenge.

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Grade: 1

Pupils enjoy coming to school, work hard and are friendly, polite, thoughtful and caring. Attendance is good and this reflects pupils' enjoyment of school. Pupils say that they feel safe and secure, and, despite the concerns of a small minority of parents, they are adamant that bullying is extremely rare and is dealt with quickly and effectively. Behaviour is outstanding. Pupils support one another, get along well together and work enthusiastically. They know how 5 of 11 Inspection Report: Sir Harold Jackson Primary School, 19–20 November 2008 to stay healthy. For example, they enjoy healthy lunches and make excellent use of the wide and varied opportunities to take part in physical exercise, both in the playground and after school. Pupils have excellent opportunities to contribute to the school community, for example as playground helpers and playground leaders. Pupils have a strongly developed awareness of

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Grade: 1

the local and wider community, including how culturally diverse modern Britain is. They are aware of the needs of others, especially through links with a neighbouring special school. The school council gives pupils a strong voice and has a major influence on playground developments and improving the facilities in school. The development of their basic skills and events, for instance the 'World of Work' week, effectively help prepare pupils for their future lives.

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Grade: 2

Secure relationships, the effective management of pupils and the regular use of praise and encouragement are consistent features of the good teaching and learning. As a result, teachers make an important contribution to the good progress pupils make and the above average standards they reach. 'The approachable and committed staff have high expectations and generate enthusiasm,' is a typical parental comment. Classrooms are often lively and exciting places, where pupils are well motivated. Questions are usually used well to develop and check pupils' understanding and provoke thought. All pupils, particularly those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities, benefit from high quality support provided by committed teaching assistants. Furthermore, relatively new, but increasingly effective, procedures to track pupils' progress underpin lesson planning and give staff the necessary information to match work carefully to

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Grade: 2

the abilities of most pupils. However, in some lessons progress is restricted because the pace is too slow, pupils do not have sufficient time to work independently and the more able pupils are not challenged well enough. Teachers are not always clear about what they want pupils to achieve and marking does not often guide pupils towards the next step in their learning.

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Grade: 1

The school's outstanding, increasingly creative and innovative curriculum is rich, varied, often exciting and brings learning to life. It seeks to involve pupils in directing their own learning to give them a greater 'voice' in its development. A diverse range of projects, such as 'Igniting Writing' and the Creative Partnership project 'Inside Out' and opportunities for pupils to access improvement programmes in mathematics, are helping to drive up standards. Information and communication technology (ICT) is used widely to support learning. Provision in music is outstanding. French is a popular subject and is strongly represented. High quality displays provide strong evidence of curriculum breadth and quality. The curriculum promotes community cohesion in the wider world very effectively. There is a very good range of well supported clubs and activities. These include sport and a wide variety of trips, including residential experiences

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Grade: 1

for all pupils in Key Stage 2. These successfully promote the development of new skills and further extend pupils' learning. Strong links with the local specialist language college and a local special school further enrich the curriculum and contribute significantly to pupils' learning and their personal development. 6 of 11 Inspection Report: Sir Harold Jackson Primary School, 19–20 November 2008

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Grade: 2

Outstanding pastoral care lies at the heart of all that the school does. Excellent relationships ensure that all children feel safe and know where to turn to if they need help. The programme for promoting pupils' social and emotional learning, (SEAL) is used effectively to create a positive climate. Strategies to support vulnerable pupils are good. Pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities are rapidly identified and supported with sensitivity. Child protection and health and safety procedures meet statutory requirements, are secure, monitored regularly and applied rigorously. Staff have a good awareness of individual children and their family circumstances and pay close attention to the well-being of each pupil. Clear and consistently applied rules ensure that good attitudes and behaviour are rewarded. Pupils are very well prepared for their transfer to secondary school. New systems to track pupils' progress are still being embedded, and although academic progress

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Grade: 2

is carefully monitored, staff do not consistently use this information to identify the next steps in learning. Consequently, pupils are not always clear about their targets and do not always understand what they must do next to improve their work.

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Grade: 2

Leadership and management are good and are key factors in the school's continued success. The headteacher, ably supported by his deputy headteacher, has played a pivotal role in maintaining and building further upon the school's successes since the last inspection. He knows the school well and is steadily developing shared responsibility and accountability. The school has a largely accurate, but in some areas a little overgenerous view of its own performance. Priorities for development are appropriate. Targets are realistic and challenging for all but the more able pupils. Data from national tests is now analysed closely to help teachers identify and overcome weaknesses in pupils' learning. Both issues from the last inspection have been successfully addressed. This is not a school that is happy to 'rest on its reputation'. It has demonstrated how it rigorously and effectively tackles areas of relative weakness, such as in

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Grade: 2

boys' writing, indicating a strong capacity to improve further. Morale in the school is high and teamwork is a real strength. For example, all staff play a crucial role in monitoring the school's work and performance. Leadership is further enhanced by the governors of the school, who are supportive and challenging and play a full part in holding the school to account. The governing body is also taking a lead in seeking to develop local community cohesion among all parents and carers of pupils of the school to ensure that all are fully supportive of its ambitions. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: Sir Harold Jackson Primary School, 19–20 November 2008 .

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Grade: 2

in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 8 of 11 Inspection Report: Sir Harold Jackson Primary School, 19–20 November 2008

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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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needs of learners?

Yes Effective steps have been taken to promote improvement since the last inspection How well does the school work in partnership with others to promote learners' well being? 2 The capacity to make any necessary improvements

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EYFS?

2 How well do children in the EYFS achieve? How good are the overall personal development and well-being of the children in the EYFS? 2 How effectively are children in the EYFS helped to learn and develop? 1 How effectively is the welfare of children in the EYFS promoted? 2 How effectively is provision in the EYFS led and managed?

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Achievement and standards

2 How well do learners achieve? 2 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/or disabilities make progress

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Achievement and standards

1 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: Sir Harold Jackson Primary School, 19–20 November 2008

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learners?

1 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 1 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles 1 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices 1 The extent to which learners enjoy their education 2 The attendance of learners 1 The behaviour of learners 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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learners' needs?

How well do the curriculum and other activities meet the range of needs and interests of learners? 2 How well are learners cared for, guided and supported?

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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 2 How effectively leaders and managers use challenging targets to raise standards 2 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation 2 How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination eliminated 2 How well does the school contribute to community cohesion? 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: Sir Harold Jackson Primary School, 19–20 November 2008

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Thank you for being so friendly and talking to the inspectors when we visited your school recently to find out how well you are learning. We very much enjoyed being in your school, visiting your lessons and listening to what you had to say. Many of you told us that you like your school very much and believe that you go to a good school. We are pleased to say that we agree with you! There are lots of things that are really good about your school.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ We especially like the friendly atmosphere and the way in which staff take good care of you so that you feel safe and happy. ■ They staff organise lots of visits, visitors, different clubs, exciting events and residential trips to help make learning more interesting for you. ■ We saw that almost all of you work hard and behave very well.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ You know about the importance of staying healthy and keeping safe.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ We are especially pleased that so many of you come to school regularly and arrive on time.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Most of you make better progress as you move through the school in English, mathematics and science than pupils in most other schools do. We have found just two things that your headteacher and teachers could do to make your school even better than it is now.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ I've asked them to help those of you who find learning easy to learn at a faster rate than you do now. You can help by telling them if the work they give you is too easy for you. ■ Your teachers should make sure that you are always clear about what you are learning and that you know your targets and what you need to do to achieve them. I was pleased by the way your headteacher and all school staff work hard to give you a good education. They check carefully and often on how you are doing so that they can give you extra help if you are falling behind. Thank you for being so helpful when we inspected your school. It was really good to find that you are happy and doing well. 11 of 11 Inspection Report: Sir Harold Jackson Primary School, 19–20 November 2008

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