Bailey Green Primary School

Bailey Green Primary School Inspection report

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108587 Unique Reference Number North Tyneside Local Authority 309733 Inspection number 19 °20 June 2008 Inspection dates Rosemary Rodger 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 3 °11 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 424 School The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs Cath Bailey Chair Mrs Catherine Falkenstein Headteacher 1 October 2004 Date of previous school inspection West Bailey School address Killingworth Newcastle upon Tyne Tyne and Wear NE12 6QL 0191 2008356 Telephone number 0191 2008407 Fax number

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3-11 Age group 19 °20 June 2008 Inspection dates 309733 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 three Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

This is an larger than average primary school situated in an area of social and economic disadvantage. The proportion of pupils eligible for a free school meals is average. Most pupils are of White British heritage. There are a small number of pupils from minority ethnic groups, none of whom is in the early stages of learning to speak English as an additional language. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is below average, as is the proportion of pupils with a statement of special educational need. The school has undergone several staff changes since the previous inspection; the current headteacher was appointed in April 2007. There is a popular daily breakfast club on site. Pupils have access to wrap-around care in the Killingworth Children’s Centre next to the school and a neighbouring out-of-school club. The school has achieved several awards, including Silver Artsmark, Intermediate

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Description of the school

International School award, Basic Skills, Healthy schools, Activemark and Investors in People awards as well as national recognition for its work in modern languages. It is also part of a Primary Partnership working with the local authority.

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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: Bailey Green Primary School, 19 °20 June 2008

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Grade: 2

Bailey Green is a good school with an outstanding curriculum. It is successfully living up to its mission statement, ‘Enabling all to Succeed’. Pupils make good progress based on their below average starting points when they start the Nursery. Parents are fulsome in their praise of the way in which their children’s problems are resolved, and the recent innovations by the headteacher, such as the new behaviour policy and weekly, informative newsletter. A caring and stable environment ensures good support for pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. Pupils build well on their good progress in the Foundation Stage so by the end of Year 2 standards are above average in English, mathematics and science. Good progress continues in Key Stage 2. By the end of Year 6, standards are above average, although standards in mathematics fell in 2007. However, there is currently evidence of good improvement to standards

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Grade: 2

in mathematics, which the school had identified as a priority. This is the result of a detailed analysis of pupils’ progress and consequent improvements in teaching. Pupils’ personal development and well-being are good. They understand the need to eat healthily and to keep fit. They say they are safe in school because playground ‘buddies’ provide stability for all pupils. Teaching is good. Pupils enjoy learning; they particularly like the opportunities to develop their skills in French. Progress in lessons is good because teaching is well planned and all staff have very good relationships with pupils. Behaviour is good because pupils have good levels of respect for their teachers. Pupils are encouraged to assess what they have learned in some lessons, but in others the comments on their written work do not provide enough guidance on how they could improve. Information and communication technology (ICT) is not used enough

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Grade: 2

in many classes to help pupils learn in mathematics. The curriculum is outstanding. The array of excellent displays around the school provides a full picture of many visits and visitors to the school. Pupils’ care, guidance and support are good. Assessment data are thoroughly analysed and used to identify pupils in need of additional support. Leadership and management are good. The headteacher works diligently to improve the school. The senior leadership team provides good support. The impact of their strong teaching is very helpful. School self-evaluation is very thorough and is contributing well to the good rate of progress. The school has good capacity to improve and this can be seen in the rapid improvements in the recent months. Value for money is good. Effectiveness of the foundation stageGrade: 2 The quality of the Foundation Stage is good. Children’s skill levels on entry to the nursery vary,

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Grade: 2

but for a significant number standards are below those typical for their age. Standards at the end of Reception are at least in line with national expectations, and for some pupils, above this level. Children start Nursery shortly after their third birthday and good induction procedures, personalised to individual children’s needs, mean most settle quickly. They make at least good progress during the Foundation Stage. Progress in personal, social and emotional development is outstanding. Well deployed adults and planned activities with appropriate learning objectives ensure all children learn well. Teaching is good. Clear explanations and questioning encourage children to think; as a result, children are making consistently good progress in basic skills in both Nursery and Reception. When presented with exciting resources like seaweed in the water or big boxes to build with, children enjoy learning and explore using language with enthusiasm.

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Grade: 2

Nursery children have good access to the outdoors but the main focus of the environment is 4 of 11 Inspection Report: Bailey Green Primary School, 19 °20 June 2008 on pupils’ physical development. Reception children have limited opportunities outdoors to develop in all curriculum areas. Leadership is good with clearly identified priorities to develop the Foundation Stage.

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Grade: 2

The quality of the Foundation Stage is good. Children’s skill levels on entry to the nursery vary, but for a significant number standards are below those typical for their age. Standards at the end of Reception are at least in line with national expectations, and for some pupils, above this level. Children start Nursery shortly after their third birthday and good induction procedures, personalised to individual children’s needs, mean most settle quickly. They make at least good progress during the Foundation Stage. Progress in personal, social and emotional development is outstanding. Well deployed adults and planned activities with appropriate learning objectives ensure all children learn well. Teaching is good. Clear explanations and questioning encourage children to think; as a result, children are making consistently good progress in basic skills in both Nursery and Reception. When presented with exciting resources like seaweed in the water

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Grade: 2

or big boxes to build with, children enjoy learning and explore using language with enthusiasm. Nursery children have good access to the outdoors but the main focus of the environment is on pupils’ physical development. Reception children have limited opportunities outdoors to develop in all curriculum areas. Leadership is good with clearly identified priorities to develop the Foundation Stage.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Improve the quality of the outdoor provision in the Foundation Stage to provide children with the opportunity to learn outdoors in all areas of the curriculum. ■ Increase the use of ICT as a teaching aid to provide visual support for learning in mathematics.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Provide pupils with more consistent guidance on how to improve their written work.

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Grade: 2

Standards are above average by the time pupils leave Year 6. This is evident through national test results in recent years, and also in the work of current pupils. Given their starting points, this represents good progress and achievement. Standards in national tests at age seven are sustained at above average in recent years. Pupils in Key Stage 1 make brisk progress. In Key Stage 2, progress has fallen slightly in recent years. Current evidence is that the school’s priorities for improvement are having a strong impact in promoting better achievement for Key Stage 2 pupils. The school has rightly identified progress in mathematics, including the progress of higher attaining pupils, as an issue for further improvement. There are indications that the strategies for dealing with this are having the desired effect. No significant differences exist in the progress of boys and girls. Pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and those

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Grade: 2

who are potentially vulnerable make good progress given their starting points.

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Grade: 2

Personal development and well-being are good. Pupils are developing into mature and confident individuals. Their acquired sense of well-being is successfully reflected in their good spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Behaviour is uniformly good throughout the school 5 of 11 Inspection Report: Bailey Green Primary School, 19 °20 June 2008 and at times in lessons it is exemplary. As a result, pupils are well placed to develop as good learners. Pupils have a healthy lifestyle that is reflected in the several Healthy Schools awards over the years. They know what constitutes a good diet and participate eagerly in physical activities. Pupils know how to be safe and keep safe. Parents and pupils alike agree that school is enjoyable and this supports their good achievement. Pupils make a strong contribution to the community, both that of the school and that beyond the school. This is exemplified by the

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Grade: 2

initiatives undertaken by the articulate and vigorous enterprise group and the charities and other groups supported by the school. Pupils have a good understanding of moral and ethical matters, and Year 6 pupils benefit from a weekly philosophy lesson. This makes a good impact on developing their confidence and their ability to reason and make a case for and against moral issues. Pupils are thoroughly prepared for their future adult life.

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Grade: 2

The quality of teaching is good. Some is outstanding. Pupils are encouraged to read and understand learning objectives. Precise expectations and probing questioning are used very effectively to challenge the more able pupils. Pupils are regularly involved in learning through paired discussions and in self-assessment at the end of lessons. Their attitudes and behaviour are consistently good because of the very good relationships between teachers and pupils in every class. Support staff are well skilled in supporting pupils with emotional and behavioural problems so they are able to be fully involved in lessons. Where teaching is outstanding, pupils are kept fully involved so they enjoy learning and do not want to go out at playtimes. Pupils are fully involved in decision-making, for example by answering, ‘What kind of graph could be used?’ However, across the school there is not enough use of ICT to provide pupils with vibrant,

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Grade: 2

visual prompts to help them learn, particularly in mathematics. Pupils’ work is marked satisfactorily, but guidance to help them to know what to do to improve is inconsistent.

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Grade: 1

The curriculum is outstanding. The overall curriculum has a clear focus on developing the basic skills pupils will need in life. Provision for literacy and numeracy and ICT is good and statutory requirements are met. Modern foreign language teaching is well established and is nationally recognised as a strength of the school. French is taught from Year 2 and there are Spanish and German clubs. International work is outstanding and reflected in the recent Intermediate International School award. A recent example linked to this was a popular French breakfast week and a dance display by Zulus in traditional costume. Weeks focusing on healthy living and international dimensions have made a positive impact on extending learning in basic skills in other subjects. Enrichment activities are outstanding. A wide range of local visits and visitors are arranged throughout the year. Pupils from Year 3 upwards have the opportunity to take

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Grade: 1

part in residential visits. Year 6 pupils can participate in a week-long visit to France. The school offers a wide range of clubs and activities catering for a variety of interests and talents. These contribute well to developing healthy lifestyles and making a positive contribution to the community. 6 of 11 Inspection Report: Bailey Green Primary School, 19 °20 June 2008

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Grade: 2

The care, guidance and support provided for pupils are good, ensuring their personal development and giving impetus to their achievement. National requirements for safeguarding are met fully. Detailed logs are kept of all incidents. Policies for the care, guidance and support of pupils are up to date, including an internet safety policy so pupils know about safe and responsible practices. Child protection arrangements are securely in place and all staff have completed recent training. Health and safety checks are rigorously completed. The school is watchful in its monitoring of the well-being of all pupils. Arrangements for keeping a close eye on attendance are good and as a result it is above average. The school’s duty of care for potentially vulnerable pupils is particularly rigorous. Regular lessons to develop pupils’ understanding of moral and ethical issues are good. Good relationships are maintained with

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Grade: 2

parents and supportive agencies beyond the school. Academic progress is monitored well. Accurate information is held to show how well individuals are achieving and this information is used well to promote further learning.

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Grade: 2

The leadership and management of the school are good. The headteacher provides very effective leadership and is systematically tackling issues to improve the school. She is innovative in her aspirations for the school, which is well reflected in the outstanding curriculum and the school’s international work. Teamwork is a strong feature, along with the very good support provided by the senior leadership team. A successful overhaul and implementation of the behaviour policy has been effective across the school. Actions are underway to improve achievement in Key Stage 2 and are having a good impact on pupils’ progress, particularly in mathematics. Self-evaluation accurately pinpoints the school’s strengths and weaknesses. The school sets realistic and challenging targets that are firmly based on an analysis of pupils’ learning. Systematic monitoring of teaching and learning, and the introduction of a system to track

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Grade: 2

pupils’ progress throughout each year, are effectively highlighting areas for improvement and those pupils making less than expected progress. Governors are well briefed through informative and regular reports. Their talents are used well to support the school. The school has a good capacity to improve based on recent improvements. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: Bailey Green Primary School, 19 °20 June 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: Bailey Green Primary School, 19 °20 June 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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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

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 disabilities make progress

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learners?

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

2 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: Bailey Green Primary School, 19 °20 June 2008

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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 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: Bailey Green Primary School, 19 °20 June 2008

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

23 June 2008 Dear Pupils Inspection of Bailey Green Primary School, North Tyneside, NE12 6QL Thank you so much for the welcome you gave me when I visited your school recently. You work hard and enjoy school. It was a pleasure to watch the Year 6 PowerPoint presentation showing where you went on your recent trip to France. I was really impressed with the confidence shown by Year 1 pupils as they each said something about healthy lifestyles to their parents and other pupils in their assembly. Well done! I have judged that your school is good. Because you work hard your work is getting better, especially in mathematics. Your behaviour is good and I know you said you liked the awards systems introduced recently. Star pupils, and rewards such as pencils or notebooks are all leading to improvements in your behaviour. You understand the new rules well. You all enjoy school and feel safe and well cared for. There are many sporting activities and competitions

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

for you to enter which you really like. Many of you are quite fluent in speaking French. The arrangements to transfer to your new schools are good too. Your teachers and headteacher all work hard to make sure you make good progress. Your school has been asked to provide more opportunities for the youngest children to learn outside. To help you learn even more, especially in mathematics, I’ve suggested that ICT could be used more, and the guidance you are provided with when teachers mark your work needs to tell you what to do to improve your work. Enjoy the rest of your time at Bailey Green School and continue to work hard. Best wishes Rosemary Rodger Lead inspector 11 of 11 Inspection Report: Bailey Green Primary School, 19 °20 June 2008

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