Brant Broughton Church of England and Methodist Primary School

Brant Broughton Church of England and Methodist Primary School Inspection report

p.1

120594 Unique Reference Number Lincolnshire Local Authority 313686 Inspection number 24 °25 June 2008 Inspection dates Keith Sadler 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 Voluntary controlled School category 4 °11 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 91 School The governing body Appropriate authority Mr Tom Solven Chair Mrs Judith Dickin Headteacher 1 March 2004 Date of previous school inspection Mill Lane School address Brant Broughton Lincoln Lincolnshire LN5 0RP 01400272035 Telephone number 01400272035 Fax number

p.1

4-11 Age group 24 °25 June 2008 Inspection dates 313686 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 an Additional Inspector.

p.3

Description of the school

The school is much smaller than most primary schools, though it has doubled in size in the past five years and is over-subscribed. It serves the village of Brant Broughton and neighbouring parishes. However, an increasing number of pupils attend from some distance. Almost all pupils are of White British heritage and none are at an early stage of learning English. A below average proportion of pupils are entitled to free school meals. The number of pupils with learning difficulties is about half the national average; most of these pupils have moderate learning difficulties. Mobility of pupils is much higher than normally found. There is an exceptionally large discrepancy between the number of girls and boys registered, with the school having twice as many girls as boys. The current headteacher is retiring at the end of the term and governors have appointed a new headteacher from September 2008. The school has gained

p.3

Description of the school

the following awards: Investors in People, Healthy Schools and Sports Activemark.

p.3

Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 3 of 10 Inspection Report: Brant Broughton Church of England and Methodist Primary School, 24 °25 June 2008

p.3

Grade: 3

Brant Broughton provides a satisfactory standard of education. This matches the school's own evaluation. It is improving and has some strengths. Pupils are happy at school and this is reflected in their good attendance. As one Year 6 pupil said, 'Everyone is really friendly, no-one is mean and we all get on well together.' Parents rightly feel that their children learn in a caring school which has a very positive atmosphere. This is because the headteacher ensures that her passionate belief in the need to provide a nurturing environment is met in full. Behaviour is good in lessons and around the school and pupils have positive attitudes to school and learning. Achievement is satisfactory. Children enter the school with skills and abilities that are similar to those expected for their age. They make steady progress and their attainment in national tests is average at both seven and 11 though in the past, progress for the more able has been

p.4

Grade: 3

unsatisfactory, particularly in mathematics because teaching has not always challenged them sufficiently. However, the current Year 6 pupils are on course to improve on the standards reached in previous years although the number targeted to gain higher levels in mathematics remains relatively small. Achievement is improving because there have been developments in teaching that have speeded up progress. The priority to improve reading by taking part in the 'Rooted in Reading' project has also had the impact of raising standards in writing both in English and other subjects. It has also brought fresh vigour and enhanced resources to the teaching of reading. There is an improved use of data on pupils' progress to make sure that work is more challenging and leads to good learning. For example, in mathematics an analysis of assessments showed weaknesses in pupils' problem solving skills in practical situations. Following training for teachers, there

p.4

Grade: 3

has been improvement in this area of work and standards are rising. In addition, pupils are now helped to be much more clear about what is expected of them and they are given good guidance on how to improve. As a result of these improvements, although teaching remains satisfactory overall, much is good. Leadership and management are satisfactory. The school has an accurate view of its strengths and weaknesses as a result of appropriate monitoring and evaluation procedures. The recent improvements in provision and the resultant progress demonstrate a satisfactory capacity for further improvement.

p.4

Grade: 3

Many parents commented positively on how quickly their children settle into the well organised and welcoming classroom because there are well established and good daily routines. Children's progress is satisfactory overall though it is good in their communication, language and literacy skills because provision in this area is good. Changes in the way that letters and sounds are taught have brought benefits in children's reading and writing skills. There is an appropriate balance provided between activities that are directed by the adults and those that the children choose for themselves. However, provision is severely hampered by the lack of outdoor space. This limits opportunities for the staff to make full use of the good range of resources available to provide for all areas of learning when children are outside. Staff work well together and maintain good links with both the on-site village pre-school, and parents.

p.4

Grade: 3

4 of 10 Inspection Report: Brant Broughton Church of England and Methodist Primary School, 24 °25 June 2008

p.4

What the school should do to improve further

■ Continue strategies to raise standards in English, mathematics and science in all four classes.

p.5

What the school should do to improve further

■ Ensure that teaching challenges pupils consistently, particularly the more able.

p.5

What the school should do to improve further

■ Extend the outdoor learning area for children in the Foundation Stage.

p.5

What the school should do to improve further

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.

p.5

Grade: 3

Pupils' achievement is satisfactory although under-achievement of the most able means that only a small number have gained the higher levels in national tests for both seven and 11 year olds. Teaching has not been sufficiently challenging for these pupils in the past. However, an improved use of tracking information is being used to lift teachers' expectations. As a result, attainment at the end of Year 2 is better than it has been for some years and is now firmly average in reading, writing and mathematics. Furthermore, the progress of Year 6 pupils is improving and the number attaining higher levels is increasing. The current Year 6 pupils are on track to meet the national average in English and science. Pupils who have learning difficulties are supported appropriately and their progress matches that of their classmates.

p.5

Grade: 2

Personal development, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. Pupils are influential in helping to run the school, such as by choosing colours for the new toilets, being involved in the appointment of teachers and helping with the design of the sensory garden. They relish the many opportunities that are available for them to take responsibility, for example, by membership of the pupil council, being play leaders, or raising money for charity. Behaviour is good both in lessons and around the school. By the time that they reach Year 6, pupils have developed into thoughtful and mature young people. Their understanding of how to stay safe is good and they also have a good understanding of the importance of a leading a healthy lifestyle. They are appropriately prepared for their move to secondary education.

p.5

Grade: 3

The quality of teaching and learning has improved in the past year due to the positive impact of the recent initiatives. Some teaching is of good quality though some lessons are satisfactory. Teachers manage the pupils well, relationships are good and lessons are conducted in a calm and purposeful atmosphere. Teaching support staff make a positive contribution, particularly in their support of vulnerable pupils and those who have moderate learning difficulties. Teachers generally have appropriate expectations of what pupils can achieve though this is not always the case. Learning has been strengthened by teachers making sure that pupils are clear about what is expected of them. As a result, progress has quickened and achievement improved. 5 of 10 Inspection Report: Brant Broughton Church of England and Methodist Primary School, 24 °25 June 2008

p.5

Grade: 2

The curriculum is of good quality. It has benefited from a rigorous review that has led to an overhaul of the curriculum at Key Stage 2 and there are good plans in place to extend this to Key Stage 1. Curricular planning for the junior classes is very effective. Plans successfully link subjects together and make learning meaningful for pupils, with a good range of interesting activities. Work is successfully planned to develop pupils' skills as well as their knowledge, and it is now made progressively more challenging as the pupils become older. Pupils enjoy lessons. As one member of the school council said, 'Our teachers make learning fun because they always give us a reason for learning. They don't just tell us about stuff, they give us lots of practical things to do.' Pupils benefit from a good range of additional activities including learning musical instruments and a wide range of sporting opportunities.

p.6

Grade: 2

The school provides good pastoral care and support for its pupils. It is a caring community where pupils feel safe and secure and are confident in turning to an adult for help when needed. Procedures for safeguarding and protecting pupils are rigorous. Vulnerable pupils and those with particular needs are identified at an early stage and their needs are appropriately catered for. There have been improvements in teachers' marking and this is now generally good. Teachers make use of success criteria to mark work and this has helped pupils to understand how well they are doing and how to improve. Teachers are now embarking on using these criteria to train pupils to assess their own work.

p.6

Grade: 3

The headteacher ensures that the staff work closely as a team and that morale is high. However, until recently there has been insufficient focus on driving up standards. This is not now the case because there have been improvements in the school's monitoring and evaluation procedures and there are now well-conceived improvement projects to boost the quality of provision and pupils' achievement. Teachers with responsibilities carry out their duties well, although there is a lack of balance in workload across the teaching staff. Governance is satisfactory. Governors support the school well and are committed to the school's development. They have a deep appreciation of the school's strengths but do not sufficiently challenge the school to improve pupils' performance. 6 of 10 Inspection Report: Brant Broughton Church of England and Methodist Primary School, 24 °25 June 2008 .

p.6

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: Brant Broughton Church of England and Methodist Primary School, 24 °25 June 2008

p.7

Inspection judgements

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

p.8

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? 3 The effectiveness of the Foundation Stage 3 The capacity to make any necessary improvements

p.8

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.8

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

p.8

and interests of learners?

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

p.8

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: Brant Broughton Church of England and Methodist Primary School, 24 °25 June 2008

p.8

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? 9 of 10 Inspection Report: Brant Broughton Church of England and Methodist Primary School, 24 °25 June 2008

p.9

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

26 June 2008 Dear Pupils Inspection of Brant Broughton Church of England and Methodist Primary School, Brant Broughton, Lincoln LN5 0RP Thank you for making me so welcome when I visited your school. I was impressed with your good manners and behaviour and how you look after each other. I can see that you enjoy school and why you will miss Mrs Dickin when she retires next month. Your parents told me that they feel the same and many of them wrote about how they will miss her too because she makes sure that you are well cared for. Yours is a satisfactory school. There are some things that are good, including the way you care for each other and show respect to everyone. All the adults look after you well and help you to feel safe. There are some things that can be done to make your school better. I have asked your teachers to make sure that you make more progress in English, mathematics and science so that more

p.10

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

of you reach the higher level at the end of Year 6. I have also asked your teachers to set work for you that is consistently demanding. Finally, I have asked for the outdoor play space for the Reception Class to be made bigger for the youngest children. Thank you again for helping to make my time with you enjoyable and I hope that you will always be happy at school. With best wishes Yours sincerely Keith Sadler Lead inspector 10 of 10 Inspection Report: Brant Broughton Church of England and Methodist Primary School, 24 °25 June 2008

p.10