Brompton Community Primary School

Brompton Community Primary School Inspection report

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121372 Unique Reference Number North Yorkshire Local Authority 313965 Inspection number 11 January 2008 Inspection date Les Schubeler 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 148 School The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs Anne Baker Chair Mrs Jane Byrne Headteacher 9 February 2004 Date of previous school inspection Station Road School address Brompton Northallerton North Yorkshire DL6 2RE 01609 772657 Telephone number 01609 760561 Fax number

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3-11 Age group 11 January 2008 Inspection date 313965 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 one Additional Inspector. The inspector evaluated the overall effectiveness of the school and investigated the following issues: standards and achievement; teaching and learning; academic guidance and support; and leadership and management. Evidence was gathered from: the school's self-evaluation; national published assessment data and the school's own assessment records, policies and minutes; observations of the school at work; interviews with members of staff and pupils; and parents' questionnaires. Other aspects of the school were not investigated in detail, but the inspector found no evidence to suggest that the school's own assessments, as given in the self-evaluation, were not justified, and these have been included where appropriate in the report.

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Description of the school

This is a small school that serves mixed local authority housing and private developments in the local village and its surrounding area. Almost all pupils come from White British backgrounds. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is below the national average overall but varies from year to year. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals is also below the national average. Pupils are taught in mixed-age classes. Three of the five class teachers joined the school this year. The school has achieved the Investors in People and the Healthy Schools Awards.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 3 of 9 Inspection Report: Brompton Community Primary School, 11 January 2008

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Grade: 2

This is a good school where pupils flourish and achieve well because they feel safe and cared for in a happy environment that supports their needs. Parents appreciate how the school has, 'very noticeably improved' in the last two years and they are justifiably pleased with the quality of education that their children receive from a, 'very caring and understanding staff who are committed to providing a safe, happy environment for the children to learn in'. The school has now reached the point in its development where parents' views are succinctly summarised by the comment, 'Happy children, happy parents.' Since the school places a high priority on promoting the well-being of everyone, pupils and staff feel valued and well supported. As pupils say, 'Teachers are patient and determined that we do as well as we can.' Pupils are confident and well behaved. They make an excellent contribution to school life through the

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Grade: 2

active and successful school council, which, among other things, participates in interviewing candidates for teaching posts. They have a very good understanding of the importance of healthy lifestyles and enthusiastically participate in a wide range of physical activities. Their well developed social skills and good levels of numeracy and literacy prepare them well for the future. Standards are above average and achievement is good. The number of children who enter the Foundation Stage varies from year to year and the overall level of their skills and understanding is equally variable. The skills and abilities of children when they enter Year 1 also tend to vary, but in the last two years they have improved and been above expectations for their age. Historically, the progress of pupils at Key Stage 1 has been slower than that of pupils at Key Stage 2. At the end of Year 2, standards were broadly average until 2007, when they fell to

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Grade: 2

below average. However, as a result of careful monitoring and improvements in the quality of teaching, pupils in the current year are making faster progress than before. At Key Stage 2 pupils achieve well. They are eager to learn and work hard. They make good progress and standards are consistently above average by the time they reach the end of Year 6. Excellent relationships are a key feature of the good quality teaching that enables pupils to achieve well. Pupils say that they enjoy school and that teachers make lessons interesting and enjoyable. The school curriculum is good and teachers plan well structured lessons in detail. Expectations are made clear and pupils know what they will be learning. Pupils are given good opportunities to work together and they cooperate well. In the best lessons, the pace is brisk and ensures that pupils are kept on their toes. Teachers use skilful questioning techniques to

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Grade: 2

challenge pupils to explain and develop their ideas. An effective, developing feature of lessons is the encouragement that pupils are given to assess how well they have achieved, although this is not yet widespread throughout the school. Teachers' marking of pupils' work is regular and identifies what they have done well. It also clearly explains what pupils need to do in order to improve further. Leadership and management as a whole are good and the leadership of the headteacher is outstanding. She provides very clear direction and has developed, through her own example, a corporate commitment to continuous improvement. Strong, productive links have been forged with other schools to share ideas and resources that contribute to the school's development. The headteacher has created an effective and well-motivated team, which has set appropriate priorities for improvement with the support of a perceptive and challenging governing body.

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Grade: 2

Since her appointment, thorough analysis of data and careful monitoring of the school's performance, have enabled the school to identified accurately its strengths and areas for 4 of 9 Inspection Report: Brompton Community Primary School, 11 January 2008 improvement. Recent organisational change has resulted in an improved management structure in which all staff work with a common sense of purpose to move the school forward. Appointments to the leadership team and astute redeployment of staff within the school have helped to address the areas for development effectively. Improvements have been made to the quality of teaching and the support arrangements for pupils in need. An effective system is used to track the progress of all pupils in English and mathematics. Teachers make good use of this assessment information to focus attention on individuals. They plan a range of different activities that are well matched to pupils' needs and they set appropriate targets for

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Grade: 2

improvement. Well managed programmes of support are also effective in ensuring that pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities do not fall behind. The school sets itself challenging targets and has a good capacity for further improvement. This is shown by the effective way in which it has addressed issues that had slowed the progress of children in the Foundation Stage. The effectiveness of the actions taken by the school is now being seen in the improving picture of pupils' progress in Years 1 and 2. The challenge for the school now is, as the leadership recognises, to sustain that improvement in order that standards are raised even further.

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Grade: 2

As a result of improved leadership and higher quality teaching, children make good progress in the Nursery and Reception classes. Trusting, supportive relationships and constructive guidance provide a solid foundation for learning and children make particularly good progress in their personal, social and emotional development. They behave well and they work and play happily together. Clear routines are quickly established and help the children to settle well so they are confident, secure and motivated to learn. A good balance is struck between practical activities and the teaching of key skills. Provision is well led and managed. Since the previous inspection, improvements have been made to the outdoor facilities and good, practical activities are now enjoyed both inside and outside the classroom. Achievements are assessed systematically and thoroughly, which provides information for planning further challenges. This ensures good

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Grade: 2

progress across the stage so that by the time children start Year 1 many of them are achieving beyond their expected goals. Parents are well informed as to their progress. They are welcomed and encouraged to be active in their children's learning and express their appreciation that, 'Staff are always happy to help.'

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Ensure that the rate of progress of pupils in Years 1 and 2 matches that of pupils in other parts of the school. 5 of 9 Inspection Report: Brompton Community Primary School, 11 January 2008 .

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What the school should do to improve further

in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 6 of 9 Inspection Report: Brompton Community Primary School, 11 January 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 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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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. 7 of 9 Inspection Report: Brompton Community Primary School, 11 January 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? 8 of 9 Inspection Report: Brompton Community Primary School, 11 January 2008

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Inspection of Brompton Community Primary School, Northallerton, DL6 2RE Thank you for the warm welcome you gave to me when I inspected your school recently. I would like to thank you for being so courteous and friendly. I enjoyed talking to you and finding out your views about the school. I spent a lot of time discovering how well you learn in your lessons, looking at your work and talking to your headteacher and school staff. I came to the conclusion that Brompton is a good school. Your teachers and teaching assistants care for you and look after you well. This helps to keep you safe and healthy. I know, too, that you enjoy all of the extra activities that are arranged for you and that you like using the school council to express your views and put forward suggestions. It was very pleasing to see that you get on well with one another and all the adults who work with you. I think that you are working well and making good progress. The younger

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

pupils are now beginning to make faster progress than in the past. I have asked your headteacher and staff to make sure that they continue the good work so that pupils in Years 1 and 2 can learn as quickly as the older pupils do. I am sure that you will carry on enjoying school and continue to build on the improvements that you are making now. Most of all, I hope that you will continue to work hard and help all the staff to make Brompton an even better school in the future. 9 of 9 Inspection Report: Brompton Community Primary School, 11 January 2008

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