Farfield Primary and Nursery School

Buttershaw Primary School Inspection report

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107238 Unique Reference Number Bradford Local Authority 324553 Inspection number 23–24 September 2008 Inspection dates Andrew Swallow 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 375 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 Mrs Lynn Marsden Chair Mrs Irene Brown (Acting Head) Headteacher 12 October 2005 Date of previous school inspection Not previously inspected Date of previous funded early education inspection Not previously inspected Date of previous childcare inspection Reevy Crescent School address Bradford West Yorkshire BD6 2BS 01274 678 545 Telephone number 01274 694 022 Fax number

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3–11 Age group 23–24 September 2008 Inspection dates 324553 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: Buttershaw Primary School, 23–24 September 2008

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Introduction

The inspection was carried out by three Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

Buttershaw is a larger than average primary school to the south of the city of Bradford. Most of the pupils live in the local community, a socially and economically disadvantaged area. The vast majority are of White British heritage. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals is well above average. The proportion of those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is similar to that found nationally. A new headteacher has been appointed recently, but has yet to take up post. At the time of the inspection two assistant headteachers were sharing the role of acting headteacher. The school has the Healthy Schools Award.

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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: Buttershaw Primary School, 23–24 September 2008

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Grade: 4

In accordance with section 13(3) of the Education Act 2005, Her Majesty's Chief Inspector (HMCI) is of the opinion that this school requires special measures because it is failing to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education and the persons responsible for leading, managing or governing the school are not demonstrating the capacity to secure the necessary improvement. Improvement since the last inspection has been inadequate. The school gives inadequate value for money. The school is not as effective as it should be, despite children getting off to a good start in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS). Overall standards have declined since the time of the previous inspection with school information showing that pupils' progress and achievement are inadequate. Children's attainment on entry to the Nursery is well below the level typical for their age. Many make good progress in reading and writing, although by Year 1 these skills

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Grade: 4

are still below national expectations. The skills they develop by the end of Reception in mathematics and in their personal and social development are in line with those seen nationally. However, by the time pupils leave Year 6, the standards they attain in English, mathematics and science are exceptionally low. Across Years 1 to 6, pupils fall behind with their learning and underachieve significantly. This is because the quality of teaching and learning is inadequate and many pupils do not learn well enough. The school, supported by the local authority, is aware that the quality of teaching, and pupils' learning and achievement are not good enough. Plans are in place to remedy this situation, but have not yet had time to improve teaching to the level where it accelerates pupils' progress. The school is over-generous in its assessment of itself as a satisfactory school. This is because its self-evaluation is not based firmly enough

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Grade: 4

on a rigorous analysis of pupils' achievements. Matters are compounded by the lack of a cohesive tracking system that allows teachers to know whether their pupils are in line to meet targets. Pupils' personal development and well-being are inadequate. This is because a significant proportion of pupils do not attend school regularly, and too many pupils do not develop the literacy, numeracy and enterprise skills required for later life. However, most pupils get on well together and are polite and welcoming. Their overall behaviour is satisfactory and the majority show respect for adults. The curriculum is inadequate, largely because it does not provide sufficient opportunities for many pupils to improve their reading, writing and mathematical competencies. Too many activities are insufficiently tailored to pupils' needs. Nevertheless, the range of enrichment activities and after-school clubs does make a significant contribution

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Grade: 4

to pupils' enjoyment. The overall quality of care, guidance and support for pupils is inadequate. This is, in the main, due to the shortcomings in tracking pupils' progress to tackle underachievement effectively. Pastoral care, however, is satisfactory. Parents value the way the school cares for their children. Although some parents express concerns about bullying, inspectors find that the school responds effectively whenever incidents occur. Despite recent support this term from the local authority, leadership and management are inadequate. Present acting headship arrangements ensure that the school operates efficiently on a day-to-day basis, but the roles and responsibilities of leaders, at all levels, are insufficiently developed. They are not focused on ensuring that pupils achieve as well as they should. There has been little analysis of how teaching influences pupils' progress. Consequently, the school

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Grade: 4

lacks clarity about where it should put its energies to raise achievement. Governance has been inadequate in holding the school rigorously enough to account for its standards. With significant 4 of 11 Inspection Report: Buttershaw Primary School, 23–24 September 2008 weaknesses in leadership, management, governance, teaching and assessment, there is, at present, no demonstrable capacity to improve.

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Grade: 2

Most children enter the Nursery with skills that are well below those expected for their age. In particular, their communication skills are weak. The vast majority make good progress so that by the end of Reception they are working towards the early learning goals. Children relate increasingly well to each other, and many develop competent mathematical ideas and methods to solve practical problems. Their reading and writing skills, however, remain below those typical for their age. The school's emphasis on children's social development starts effectively and, as a result, children know how to behave appropriately from an early age. Relationships are positive and staff participate regularly in children's work and play. All adults know the children well. There is a warm and welcoming environment and parents are actively encouraged to take part in their child's education. Consequently, children feel secure and move freely from activity to

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Grade: 2

activity They are able to work cooperatively, take turns sharing equipment, and talk about what they are doing, for example, making an imaginary bus to take them on a trip to the zoo. The indoor and outdoor environments are well resourced and afford a good range of learning opportunities. Good leadership means that staff work together as a team, providing levels of care that ensure children feel happy in their play. The day-to-day assessment of children's learning plots their progress well and the information is used effectively when planning activities.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Raise standards and improve achievement in English, mathematics and science.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Strengthen leadership and management, at all levels, to ensure accurate self-evaluation and rigorous monitoring. ■ Introduce thorough systems to track pupils' progress, eliminate underachievement, and raise standards. ■ Increase teachers' expectations of what pupils can do by ensuring that work is sufficiently challenging and engaging, and meets all pupils' needs. ■ Improve attendance to the national average.

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Grade: 4

Pupils do not build well enough on their good progress in the EYFS, and their achievement across Years 1 to 6 is inadequate. Overall standards are not high enough when set against pupils' capabilities and have declined since the last inspection. This is because teachers do not have sufficiently high expectations and lessons are not challenging and stimulating enough. Standards reached by the end of Year 2 are well below average in reading and mathematics, and exceptionally low in writing. They are average in science. By the end of Year 6, standards are exceptionally low in English, mathematics and science. Pupils' achievements in writing across the school are particularly poor. This is because teachers are not yet planning for all pupils to develop key reading and writing skills, across all subjects, in a systematic way. Despite the levels of care, pupils with individual learning difficulties make overall unsatisfactory progress

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Grade: 4

because their work is insufficiently matched to their needs. 5 of 11 Inspection Report: Buttershaw Primary School, 23–24 September 2008

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Grade: 4

Pupils' attendance is well below average and the school's measures to promote regular attendance are not having sufficient effect. Very low standards and achievement in literacy and numeracy skills, and an insufficient understanding of the world of work and enterprise, mean that pupils' preparation to take full advantage of the next steps in their education is poor. Nevertheless, pupils feel safe in school and their behaviour is satisfactory, for the most part, in and out of lessons. Pupils understand how important healthy lifestyles are. The members of the school council value opportunities to discuss important issues, but have not yet played a major role in improving aspects of the school's work. Pupils generally enjoy school, although some find lessons dull, particularly when they are not involved as much as they might be. Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is satisfactory. They are able to reflect on global issues because assemblies promote

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Grade: 4

these well. The link with a primary school in another area of the city helps to encourage the importance of respect for other cultures

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Grade: 4

Too many teachers have low expectations of what pupils can achieve. In too many lessons work is not carefully matched to pupils' individual needs, because assessment information is not used consistently to build on what they already know and can do. Whilst relationships are generally supportive and caring, many teachers do not provide enough opportunities for pupils to share their ideas with each other and to find things out for themselves. Tasks do not encourage a step-by-step approach, and therefore limit pupils' confidence in what they are learning and their potential to produce high quality outcomes. The pace of lessons is not always brisk enough. Very often teachers and teaching assistants are insufficiently precise in guiding pupils to improve their work. For example, there is not enough sharing of what a 'good one' looks like so that all pupils understand precisely what is expected of them. The marking of

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Grade: 4

pupils' written work is inconsistent. Consequently, many pupils do not have an accurate picture of how well they are doing and are unclear about what to do next. The use of modern technology to stimulate all pupils in their learning is not yet a common feature in all lessons.

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Grade: 4

The curriculum is not adequately matched to the needs of many pupils who experience difficulties in reading, writing and mathematics. It does not enable them to make progress towards their identified targets. There are insufficient links between subjects to ensure that key literacy, numeracy, and information and communication technology (ICT) skills are reinforced in a systematic manner. Teachers do not make effective use of links with local businesses to promote pupils' skills in writing and numeracy. There are too few opportunities for them to develop an understanding of how important saving money and budgeting is, and to take part in 'mini' enterprise activities. Nevertheless, visitors to the school and visits out-of-school, enhance pupils' self-confidence. An appropriate range of enrichment activities broadens pupils' horizons and helps to develop varied lifestyles; these include special events such as science days, and

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Grade: 4

6 of 11 Inspection Report: Buttershaw Primary School, 23–24 September 2008 popular clubs, for example a samba band and choir. These arrangements help to promote community cohesion.

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Grade: 4

Care, guidance and support are inadequate because the school's procedures for monitoring and guiding pupils' academic progress are ineffective. Many pupils do not know how well they are doing and are unclear about what they need to do to improve. Although the school is aware that pupils' attainment in reading, writing, mathematics and science is not good enough, it neither uses information systematically to match teaching to pupils' needs, nor tracks their progress well enough to tackle underachievement. Care for pupils' welfare and safety is satisfactory. Safeguarding procedures meet government requirements and arrangements for child protection are regularly reviewed. Procedures to promote safe routines work effectively and contribute to an atmosphere in which pupils value and respect everyone around them. Overall support for pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities, and particularly the small

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Grade: 4

number who speak English as a second language, is satisfactory. The school works successfully with families and local secondary schools to ease pupils' transition

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Grade: 4

The senior leadership team and governing body have been too slow in tackling falling standards and addressing poor quality teaching and learning. Although the EYFS is well led and managed, there is a lack of rigour in the way the school monitors other aspects of its performance and, because this is not focused on the progress pupils make, the school has lacked a clear sense of where to move forward. The interim leaders are working hard to give the school new impetus. Intensive support from the local authority has helped the school identify what it needs to do to become more effective. However, while these measures point the way forward for the school, it is much too early for any positive impact on standards and achievement. Current procedures for checking the quality of the school's work are inadequate. There has been little monitoring of the quality of pupils' work and the quality of teaching to date, largely because the roles of

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Grade: 4

senior leaders and subject managers are ill-defined and developed. Whilst everyone connected with the school can see that achievement should be higher, planning to make sure it happens has only just been put in place. Governance is inadequate. Governors recognise that they have not challenged the school sufficiently and asked critical questions. They accept their share of responsibility for the school's lack of capacity to improve. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: Buttershaw Primary School, 23–24 September 2008 .

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Grade: 4

in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 8 of 11 Inspection Report: Buttershaw Primary School, 23–24 September 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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needs of learners?

No 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? 4 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? 2 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

4 How well do learners achieve? 4 The standards 1 reached by learners How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners 4 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: Buttershaw Primary School, 23–24 September 2008

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learners?

3 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 3 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles 3 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices 3 The extent to which learners enjoy their education 4 The attendance of learners 3 The behaviour of learners 3 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? 4 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 4 How effectively leaders and managers use challenging targets to raise standards 4 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation 3 How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination eliminated 3 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? Yes Does this school require special measures? No Does this school require a notice to improve? 10 of 11 Inspection Report: Buttershaw Primary School, 23–24 September 2008

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Inspection of Buttershaw Primary School, Bradford, BD6 2BS Thank you very much for the welcome and help you gave to the inspectors when we came to your school recently. We liked how you talked to us in such a friendly way. I would like to share with you what we thought about your school. We think you get on well together. You are welcoming to visitors and show good levels of respect for the adults working with you. We were pleased to hear how much you enjoy all the extra activities the school puts on for you. These help you enjoy school. The Nursery and Reception class are successful because there are lots of exciting things for the youngest children to do. However, many of you are not doing as well as you could in Years 1 Ä 6. This is because a lot of teaching is not good enough to help you make the progress you should. In addition, too many pupils are not coming to school regularly. If you miss lots of lessons, it is difficult to

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

catch up. We have therefore told your acting headteachers that the school needs some extra help so that you can all get back on track. We are asking the school to do the following things to make sure that you get the best out of your time at school:

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Help you to make much better progress and reach higher standards in English, mathematics and science. ■ Make sure that your headteacher and senior staff concentrate on improving lessons, and raising standards and achievement further. ■ Keep a much closer check on the progress you make to help you do as well as you can in your work. ■ Improve lessons to make sure the work that is set for you is neither too easy nor too difficult.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Ensure that all of you attend regularly.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Our judgement is that your school requires 'special measures'. This means that inspectors will continue to visit your school regularly and there will be extra assistance to help it improve. I am sure you will work hard and do your best to help your teachers bring about the improvements we think are necessary. 11 of 11 Inspection Report: Buttershaw Primary School, 23–24 September 2008

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