Bailiffe Bridge Junior and Infant School

Bailiffe Bridge Junior and Infant School Inspection report

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107499 Unique Reference Number Calderdale Local Authority 309412 Inspection number 7 °8 November 2007 Inspection dates Marie Cordey 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 194 School The governing body Appropriate authority Mr Dave Dennett Chair Miss Helen Proctor Headteacher 3 November 2003 Date of previous school inspection Victoria Road School address Bailiff Bridge Brighouse West Yorkshire HD6 4DY 01484 713039 Telephone number 01484 722870 Fax number

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4-11 Age group 7 °8 November 2007 Inspection dates 309412 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 small village school. The vast majority of the pupils are White British. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals is below average. The number of pupils who have learning difficulties and/or disabilities is average. There has been significant staffing turnover in recent years. Bailiffe Bridge has gained Investor in Pupils status, the National Sports Award and is also a 'Healthy 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: Bailiffe Bridge Junior and Infant School, 7 °8 November 2007

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Grade: 3

Bailiffe Bridge is a satisfactory and improving school. The school has been adversely affected by significant changes in staffing which have been managed effectively. The pupils are happy and well behaved because they are valued and respected by everybody around them. This is at the heart of the school's character and is backed up by the vast majority of parents. They comment, for example, 'My child has done really well and I am pleased with his progress', and, 'The school is very friendly. The headteacher and staff love the children.' A small number of parents expressed the view that they wanted to be able to come into school more easily but inspection evidence found that security was necessary to ensure the pupils' safety. Some parental concerns about staff changes were found to be justified, although the school is managing to make the quality of teaching and learning more consistent. Throughout a period

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Grade: 3

of staffing changes and challenge, the headteacher has shown a remarkable determination in improving the school. This has included refurbishing the school environment and ensuring that all are treated equally. This is reflected in the many effective systems to train new staff and provide continuity in the pupils' learning. Pupils' personal development and well-being are good. The school's contribution to the pupils' adoption of healthy lifestyles is outstanding and pupils consciously eat healthily and keep fit. Teaching is satisfactory. Pupils enjoy their lessons, especially those in which they are actively involved in their own learning. This is not as apparent in lessons in Years 3 to 6 where more able pupils, in particular, are not challenged as appropriately as elsewhere in the school. The curriculum has been adapted to challenge these pupils more effectively and to improve the performance in English. This has begun to have an effect and is enhanced by good

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Grade: 3

extra-curricular activities. The lunchtime clubs run by pupils in Year 6 are well attended and encourage responsibility and independence. Pupils reach average standards by the end of Year 6 and achievement is satisfactory. Standards dipped a little in English in 2007 but thanks to swift action, led by the headteacher, this is no longer apparent in lessons. Overall, standards have also risen because of good partnerships with the local authority, which has established strategies for improvement. There is now a sharper focus on pupils' standards and a clear vision for school improvement in all areas of the school's work. More rigorous systems have been introduced recently to check how well pupils are progressing. Middle leaders coordinate their subjects effectively, although they are only beginning to develop their monitoring of pupils' progress throughout the school. Pupils reach their challenging targets overall, although they are not quite as high as the school expects in

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Grade: 3

reading and for the numbers reaching Level 5 in Key Stage 2 tests. Arrangements for safeguarding pupils are appropriate and links with outside agencies, such as educational psychologists, attendance officers and local authority partners, make a good contribution to the pupils' well-being and achievement. Leadership and management are satisfactory overall but the headteacher has a clear vision for improvement. Leaders and managers recognise that more needs to be done in the evaluation of teaching and learning if standards are to rise. The school has moved on sufficiently since the last inspection and it provides satisfactory value for money. 4 of 11 Inspection Report: Bailiffe Bridge Junior and Infant School, 7 °8 November 2007

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Grade: 2

Children in the Foundation Stage are well provided for and quickly settle into the Reception class. Teaching and learning are good and the children make good progress from widely differing but broadly average starting points when they arrive. Children's communication skills are slightly below average. The enthusiastic and knowledgeable teacher works well with the teaching assistant and they make a good and effective team. They plan a range of activities to promote literacy learning, in particular, and are especially good at settling new children into school. The teaching of early writing skills is imaginative and children engage joyfully in lessons. Activities are stimulating and well planned so that the children become self-reliant and gain in confidence. The children have insufficient opportunity to work and play outdoors and this hampers the development of their physical skills as well as partnership building. There are effective systems

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Grade: 2

in place to track children's individual progress and to support them when needed.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Ensure that pupils in Years 3 to 6 are consistently challenged to achieve their full potential.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Ensure middle leaders become more involved in monitoring the performance of pupils in their subjects and link this to whole-school improvement. ■ Refine assessment practice so that all pupils know exactly how they are doing in their work and precisely what they need to do in order to improve it. A small proportion of the schools whose overall effectiveness is judged satisfactory but which have areas of underperformance will receive a monitoring visit by an Ofsted inspector before their next section 5 inspection.

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Grade: 3

Although children enter school with a wide range of attainment, most have the skills expected of this age group. In Years 1 to 6, progress is satisfactory with elements of good progress in Key Stage 1. Standards at the end of Key Stage 2 are average overall, although they are not quite as high in reading as they are in science and mathematics. The development of reading in a range of contexts, especially of test materials, is beginning to address the issue. Precise assessments are not used consistently enough so that the pupils know what they need to do to make their work better. Pupils who have learning difficulties and/or disabilities make satisfactory progress. Their needs are identified quickly and speedy action is taken including individual support, specialist teaching, close liaison with home and regular reviews involving their teachers and their parents.

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Grade: 2

The school is rightly proud to be an 'Investor in Pupils' and pupils have many responsibilities throughout the school. Peer mediators are active in resolving any problems that other pupils may have and they take their jobs seriously. Assemblies encourage pupils to reflect and celebrate their lives and achievements. This might include good attendance or individual successes. Pupils take an active role in their community and learn to be tolerant and sensitive to the needs of others. They develop a strong belief in themselves that prepares them for the future. Pupils are responsible citizens and are particularly active in the school council. Nonetheless, there is 5 of 11 Inspection Report: Bailiffe Bridge Junior and Infant School, 7 °8 November 2007 limited opportunity for pupils to learn about the diversity of multi cultural backgrounds of many people living in Britain today. Food is well presented and nutritious and pupils enjoy

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Grade: 2

eating in an attractive, pleasant dining room. They also take part in a wide range of sporting activities and games. Attendance is good because of the concentrated actions of the school and the pupils' enjoyment of what it offers them.

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Grade: 3

Most lessons are well organised and teachers explain to pupils what they are to learn. Relationships are good and almost all pupils are responsive, well behaved and eager to learn. Expectations of behaviour are clear, although on occasions, teachers are not specific about their expectations for good behaviour. Pupils with additional learning needs and the most vulnerable pupils receive sensitive support from well-deployed classroom assistants. Work is marked regularly and most comments provide clear guidance for the pupils on how well they are doing and what is needed to improve further. This useful feedback is not consistent for pupils across Key Stage 2. Pupil progress is carefully recorded and used to set targets for individuals. Occasionally, the wording of the targets is too vague for pupils to understand the next steps they need to take in order to improve their learning.

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Grade: 3

The curriculum meets the needs of the pupils adequately and the opportunities for enrichment are good. Pupils enthuse about their learning when they are actively involved in creative activities such as role play. They appreciate the wide range of after-school activities and visits made to places of interest such as Eden Camp, Manchester Science museum and Eureka. Healthy living and the importance of keeping fit are embedded in curriculum programmes and daily school life. Curriculum assessment records clearly indicate expectations for the different levels of learners and these are used effectively by new staff, in particular, to ensure continuity and relevance. The curriculum is planned sensitively to meet the needs of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. There has been limited development of skills in information and communication technology. Pupils in Year 5 worked in groups to produce brief Powerpoint

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Grade: 3

presentations about Roald Dahl but these were brief and not challenging enough for the skills of the pupils involved.

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Grade: 3

Child protection procedures are fully in place; staff and governors have relevant training and this is updated regularly. New security systems and a much improved building ensure that pupils are taught in a safe, secure environment. Pupils feel safe and are confident that there are always adults around to help them if they experience any problems. Clear induction procedures are published for new pupils, new staff, staff in new roles and new governors. The provision for pupils who have learning difficulties and/or disabilities is planned carefully and, consequently, these pupils make the progress expected of them. Academic guidance is satisfactory but marking does not always give pupils enough feedback on how they can improve their work. 6 of 11 Inspection Report: Bailiffe Bridge Junior and Infant School, 7 °8 November 2007

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Grade: 3

Leadership and management are satisfactory with good features, primarily in the good leadership of the headteacher and governing body. Despite numerous staff changes, including at senior management level, the headteacher provides strong and inspirational leadership. She is a role model for all staff and provides vision and strength. Good care for the professional development of the staff has resulted in speedy promotions and this is partly why there have been so many changes in staffing. The capacity for improvement is good because the good links with the local authority have led to more stable staffing. Leaders are aware of the strengths and weaknesses of the school and have identified appropriate areas for improvement. Governance is improved and becoming increasingly effective under the experienced leadership of the chair of governors. Governors challenge the school and effectively hold it to account. Governors also welcome training from the headteacher. As a result, they

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Grade: 3

now feel that they ask, in their words, 'the right questions' in order to understand and support the school better. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: Bailiffe Bridge Junior and Infant School, 7 °8 November 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. 8 of 11 Inspection Report: Bailiffe Bridge Junior and Infant School, 7 °8 November 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? 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 effectiveness of the Foundation Stage 2 The capacity to make any necessary improvements

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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?

3 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 1 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles 2 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices 2 How well learners enjoy their education 2 The attendance of learners 2 The behaviour of learners 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. 9 of 11 Inspection Report: Bailiffe Bridge Junior and Infant School, 7 °8 November 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 3 How effectively leaders and managers use challenging targets to raise standards 3 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation 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: Bailiffe Bridge Junior and Infant School, 7 °8 November 2007

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

On behalf of the inspection team, I wish to thank you for your help and for talking to us when we visited your school. You were very polite and welcoming. We would especially like to thank the peer mediators and members of the school council who took the time to talk to us. You are cared for in the right way and looked after so that you feel safe and confident. Well done for your good attendance. You are well behaved and look after each other. The older pupils take care of the younger pupils very well. Children in the Reception class settle down quickly and are doing well. We know that it has been difficult for you and your headteacher because of the many changes in teachers you have had in the past few years. Your school has done a good job of making sure you still do as well as you should despite these changes. We think that all your teachers should be checking how well you are doing in your work. Some pupils in Years 3 to 6 are not

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

making the same progress as pupils in the Reception class and in Years 1 and 2.These pupils are not sure exactly how to improve their work and some of you who learn more quickly are not given work that would challenge you enough to reach higher standards. We think that you can help by asking your teachers to give you some more difficult work and checking what you could do to improve it. 11 of 11 Inspection Report: Bailiffe Bridge Junior and Infant School, 7 °8 November 2007

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