Brookfield Primary School

Brookfield Primary School Inspection report

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100011 Unique Reference Number Camden Local Authority 323210 Inspection number 17–18 June 2009 Inspection dates Clive Lewis 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 3–11 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 424 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 Dr Sue Dickie Chair Mr Mark Stubbings Headteacher 10 July 2006 Date of previous school inspection Not previously inspected Date of previous funded early education inspection Not previously inspected Date of previous childcare inspection Chester Road School address London N19 5DH 020 7272 9627 Telephone number 020 7561 0056 Fax number

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3–11 Age group 17–18 June 2009 Inspection dates 323210 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: Brookfield Primary School, 17–18 June 2009

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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 popular, larger than average urban primary school with a diverse school population. Over half of pupils come from minority ethnic groups, and a quarter of the pupils speak English as an additional language, which is significantly higher than the national average. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is average. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals is much higher than average. The headteacher took up the post in January. A breakfast club is run on the school site and is managed by the governing body. Brookfield After School Club run by Camden Play Services on the school site was the subject of a separate inspection, and the report will be made available on the Ofsted website.

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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: Brookfield Primary School, 17–18 June 2009

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Grade: 2

Brookfield is a good and improving school. It has a number of outstanding features. Parents are overwhelmingly supportive of the school. One parent, typical of many, wrote, 'Brookfield is a very inclusive, welcoming school where children learn well in a happy environment.' Leadership and management are good. The headteacher provides a clear sense of purpose and direction which is clearly linked to school improvement. He has made good progress in his short time in the post in tackling weaknesses in pupils' writing and mathematics skills. Staff want the best for each child and, through working closely with families, they strive to meet this goal. Self-evaluation is good, and demonstrates a good understanding of the issues faced in raising standards further. Subject leaders for English, mathematics, science and information and communication technology have a good understanding of their areas of responsibility, although

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Grade: 2

foundation subject leaders are still at an early stage of gaining this expertise. The school is well supported by its knowledgeable and active governing body. Children enter the school with skills that are below those typically found, but they get off to a good start and make good progress in the Early Years Foundation Stage. This good progress continues in Years 1 to 6. Progress is very good in English due to the school's very good provision for encouraging pupils' enthusiasm for reading, so that, by the end of Year 6, standards are above those found nationally. While not as strong, progress in mathematics and science is good, and Year 6 standards are average. Teaching is good overall, although marking, while encouraging, does not always provide pupils with enough guidance about how they could improve their work. The curriculum ensures that pupils enjoy a wide range of exciting activities and experiences

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Grade: 2

through visits, residential stays and visitors to the school. These activities, in turn, give pupils lots to talk, think and write about. The school is currently reviewing its curriculum in order to make more links between subjects and make lessons more interesting and exciting for pupils. Pupils' personal development and well-being are outstanding. Pupils clearly enjoy learning, behave very well, and speak with great pride about the school. They have a very good awareness of how to stay healthy, remain safe and take responsibility for themselves and others. Their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is outstanding. As a result of rigorous systems, attendance levels are steadily improving and the great majority of pupils now attend school regularly. The pastoral care of pupils is outstanding. Staff care for pupils very well. There is a very strong ethos of inclusion and equality of opportunity. Systems for assessing and tracking

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Grade: 2

pupils' progress are rigorous, although the school is aware that data collection and analysis in the Early Years Foundation Stage needs to be more accurate. The school has made good improvements since the last inspection. Leaders have a clear understanding of how well it is doing and what needs to be improved further. The school has a good capacity to continue to improve.

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Grade: 2

Many children start school with personal development and communication skills that are below those typically found. Adults plan a varied, exciting and stimulating curriculum. In the Nursery this includes very good 'free flow' use of the outdoor and indoor learning environment. In Reception, although children have opportunities to work and play outside, these occasions are limited due to a lack of space and accessibility which limits opportunities for independent play. Children in both settings experience an appropriate balance of adult-led and child-initiated 4 of 11 Inspection Report: Brookfield Primary School, 17–18 June 2009 activities. Relationships are extremely positive. The children thoroughly enjoy coming to school and are happy and ready to learn. One parent said, 'My son loves going into Nursery and misses it when the school is closed.' Staff care effectively for children's physical, social and emotional

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Grade: 2

needs - for example, by encouraging them to work in cooperation with others, as when sharing resources in the role-play 'garden centre' or helping each other put on aprons in the wet play area. Leadership of the Early Years Foundation Stage is good. Teachers and key workers have a good knowledge of the children in their care and observe their progress in a variety of ways, including the use of photographs and focused observations. Most children reach the goals set for them by the end of Reception, so that standards are broadly average by the start of Year 1. Staff recognise, however, that they do not currently have sufficiently accurate assessment information regarding children's attainment at key points, such as on entry to Reception.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Improve achievement and standards in mathematics and science to match the standards achieved in English. ■ Develop expertise in the criteria for Early Years Foundation Stage assessment and tracking of children's progress.

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Grade: 2

Throughout the school, pupils of all abilities achieve well. Pupils consistently make good progress, particularly in their English skills, as they move through the school. As a result, by the end of Year 6, standards in the latest national tests were well above average in English, while they were broadly average in mathematics and science. This progress reflects teachers' high expectations and the good use of systems to track pupils' progress, particularly in Years 1 to 6. Pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities, including those with moderate learning difficulties or physical disabilities, make good progress because of the individual attention they receive. Pupils with English as an additional language and those from minority ethnic groups also achieve well. The school recognises that standards in mathematics and science could be improved further, and has successfully put in place strategies and initiatives that are beginning

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Grade: 1

Pupils are extremely reflective about being part of the school community. They show their great concern for others by, for example, helping younger pupils and those who are not playing with other children. The great majority have a very clear understanding of what is right, and play and work together in exemplary fashion. As one school council member said, 'Everyone is different, but we all get along.' Pupils have a good understanding of cultural differences through the school's links with schools in Brazil and France. The school's work to gain a Healthy School Award ensures that pupils have an excellent understanding of the how to live a healthy lifestyle and the need to keep safe. Pupils really enjoy coming to school. They say that they particularly like the interesting lessons, playground activities and additional opportunities provided by the school. Pupils make an excellent contribution to the community. The school council is very

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Grade: 1

active. Pupils feel consulted and proud of their input on playground equipment, school meals 5 of 11 Inspection Report: Brookfield Primary School, 17–18 June 2009 and raising funds for a variety of charities. Their excellent personal skills and the good standards achieved will serve them well in their future education.

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Grade: 2

Teaching meets the needs of the full range of learners well. Strengths in teaching include thorough planning for pupils at different levels of ability, good additional guidance given to pupils who need this by teachers and teaching assistants, and the good pace and variety in the majority of lessons. As a result, more-able pupils make good progress due to the challenging work provided. Pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities, and those with English as an additional language, also make good progress. Teachers' lesson management skills are good, with the result that pupils behave well and are keen to learn. Learning objectives are used well, and this ensures that pupils know what they are being asked to do in order to learn. Most teachers make very good use of interactive whiteboards to interest and motivate pupils. Most lessons are conducted at a good pace, although in a minority of lessons, the pace slows and

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Grade: 2

pupils' levels of motivation and concentration fall as a result.

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Grade: 2

The curriculum meets the full range of learners' aspirations and capabilities in enjoyable and challenging ways. Provision is particularly good in music, physical education and French, where considerable expertise is available to enhance the depth of learning. The curriculum focuses effectively on developing pupils' speaking, listening, writing, number and computer skills, and prepares them well for the next stage of their schooling. The school's excellent range of external networks contributes well to the wide variety of learning experiences that pupils encounter. Good use is made of visits out of school, and the curriculum is enhanced effectively by a wide range of well-attended extra-curricular clubs which include a range of sporting activities. The school has developed some good cross-curricular links in order to make work more meaningful and motivating, but is aware that this is not yet consistent across all subjects.

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Grade: 2

The very high quality of pastoral care, guidance and support makes a very important contribution to securing pupils' good achievement and outstanding personal development. Vulnerable pupils, including those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities, are supported exceptionally well through a range of initiatives and extremely good links with external agencies. Rigorous procedures are in place to ensure the safeguarding of pupils and to promote their safety and well-being. Arrangements to support pupils on entry from the many feeder nurseries and on transfer to secondary schools are highly effective. The analysis of data, including the tracking of pupils' progress, is thorough in Years 1 to 6, although the school is aware that improvements are needed to ensure that Early Years Foundation Stage data are more secure. Teachers work effectively to ensure that every pupil is supported. However, although some pupils know their

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Grade: 2

targets, not all do, because these are not consistently used to inform pupils of their next steps. 6 of 11 Inspection Report: Brookfield Primary School, 17–18 June 2009

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Grade: 2

Leaders have a clear focus on raising standards. Methods for evaluating the school's work, the effectiveness of decisions, and the areas to be improved are rigorous. Consequently, the school knows itself well, and accurately prioritises the important areas for development. In his relatively short time in post, the headteacher has initiated and supported a number of noteworthy improvements, including the recent whole-school drive to raise standards in writing and mathematics, and to improve the attainment of boys. These strategies are showing clear signs of success. The regular evaluation of lessons provides senior management with a clear view of the quality of teaching. The coordinators of English, mathematics and science have a good overall whole-school view of their areas of responsibility, and understand how to use the assessment data to check on the school's performance. However, leaders of other subjects are

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Grade: 2

at an early stage of developing their monitoring and evaluation roles. The governors are hard-working and use their good understanding of the school effectively to hold it to account. The school is highly inclusive, so that all children have their welfare needs fully met and achieve well, regardless of their background. The school makes an outstanding contribution to community cohesion through its excellent local links, and its very good links with schools and organisations in the UK and overseas. There was an exceptional response to the parents' questionnaire, and the overwhelming majority of parents responding have very positive views of the school. One, typical of many, wrote: 'Brookfield is a great community school with an exciting new leadership team.' 7 of 11 Inspection Report: Brookfield Primary School, 17–18 June 2009 .

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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: Brookfield Primary School, 17–18 June 2009

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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: Brookfield Primary School, 17–18 June 2009

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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 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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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 1 How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination eliminated 1 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: Brookfield Primary School, 17–18 June 2009

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

02 July 2009 Dear Pupils Inspection of Brookfield Primary School,London,N19 5DH I would like to thank you for your help during the recent inspection of your school. My colleagues and I very much enjoyed our visit. Brookfield is a good school with some outstanding features. Your headteacher and staff are leading the school well. They care for you very well and give you good support to help you to enjoy your lessons and learn well. The adults make sure that you understand how to look after yourselves and keep safe. You told us that you really like your school, and that there are lots of things to do and enjoy. We agree with you. Your behaviour is good. You work hard and try to succeed in all that you do. I have asked the headteacher and staff to do a couple of things that will make your school even better.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Make sure you all do as well in mathematics and science as you do in English.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Make better use of the information collected about the youngest children when they arrive in the Nursery, and about how they make progress in the Early Years Foundation Stage. Yours faithfully Clive Lewis Lead Inspector 11 of 11 Inspection Report: Brookfield Primary School, 17–18 June 2009

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