Broadmayne First School and Nursery

Broadmayne First School Inspection report

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113661 Unique Reference Number Dorset Local Authority 325854 Inspection number 5 November 2008 Inspection date Diane Wilkinson 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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First Type of school Community School category 4–9 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 120 School (total) 24 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 Lisa Workman Chair Melanie Austin Headteacher 5 December 2005 Date of previous school inspection Not previously inspected Date of previous funded early education inspection Not previously inspected Date of previous childcare inspection Knighton Lane School address Broadmayne Dorchester DT2 8PH 01305 852471 Telephone number 01305 852167 Fax number

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4–9 Age group 5 November 2008 Inspection date 325854 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 10 Inspection Report: Broadmayne First School, 5 November 2008

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Introduction

The inspection was carried out by two Additional Inspectors. The inspectors evaluated the overall effectiveness of the school and investigated the following issues: the quality of teaching; the progress of higher-attaining pupils in Years 3 and 4, particularly in writing; and the progress of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. Evidence was gathered from lesson observations, analysis of school tracking and assessment data, and discussions with the headteacher, senior staff, members of the governing body and pupils. The views of parents were gathered from the returns of the Ofsted and the school's own questionnaires. Other aspects of the school's work were not investigated in detail, but the inspectors found no evidence to suggest that the school's own assessments, as given in its self-evaluation form, were not justified, and these have been included where appropriate in this report.

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Description of the school

Broadmayne is a village first school that is growing in popularity, with some pupils travelling from outside the area. A significant minority of pupils join or leave the school other than in Reception and Year 4. Most pupils come from a White British background and none is at the early stages of learning English. Attainment on entry is around that usually found although it varies from year to year. At the time of the inspection, children in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) were attending part time. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is below average. The school holds the Healthy School, Activemark and Investors in People awards. It shares a site with the local Children's Centre, Broadmayne and West Knighton Pre-School, and the Base Club, which provides after school-care during term time. These settings did not form part of this inspection.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 3 of 10 Inspection Report: Broadmayne First School, 5 November 2008

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Grade: 2

Broadmayne is a good school, which provides good value for money. This is fully recognised by pupils as well as their parents who are full of praise for what the school offers. For example, one parent typically wrote, 'I cannot fault the school or its teaching methods, the teachers really understand the needs of the children.' Some aspects of the school's work are already outstanding. In particular, the very high quality care, support and guidance offered to pupils underpin their outstanding personal development. The school has built well on the strengths seen at its last inspection and there is a strong focus amongst the whole school community on how to make things even better. The school is poised well to improve further. Achievement is good including in the EYFS because staff set pupils challenging targets and work hard to help pupils achieve them. Pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and

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Grade: 2

the higher-attaining pupils make the same good progress as their classmates. By the time pupils leave in Year 4, standards are above average, indicating their good progress from when they started in the school. Pupils are well prepared for their future education and the world of work. Progress in reading is very good, with a considerable number of pupils reaching standards well above those expected in this aspect. Progress in writing has improved well in the younger classes and is good overall, as it is in mathematics. However, in Years 3 and 4 more pupils reach the higher levels in reading and mathematics than in writing. The school is well aware of what needs to be done to address this and is working hard to do so. Excellent attention is paid to pupils' health, safety and welfare and the school fully complies with government guidelines on the safeguarding of pupils. Those pupils most at risk receive

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Grade: 2

very good support. Pastoral support is excellent. As a result, pupils' behaviour is outstanding and they work and play very happily together. Pupils are very supportive of each other. This is demonstrated especially well in the very good paired and group work seen in lessons. Pupils love coming to school and work with great determination to achieve the challenging targets teachers set for them. One pupil commented, 'The school is brilliant and that's where I get my brain from.' Pupils have an excellent awareness of how to keep healthy and safe and very much enjoy contributing to school life, particularly through the work of the school council. Pupils say they are ready to take on even more responsibility. Their spiritual and cultural development is good. Pupils gain a good understanding of other cultures, including through the many opportunities to take part in art and music activities, although they are less aware of the

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Grade: 2

multicultural nature of British society. The curriculum is adapted well to meet pupils' needs and interests. Lesson activities are practical and fun and this, together with the exceptionally good range of enrichment activities, enhances pupils' learning and enjoyment of school. The school uses its very good outdoor accommodation to support learning well, especially for the creative arts and for science. Schemes of work have been adapted well to address the new programmes for literacy, numeracy and children in Reception. The new programme for recognising letter sounds is already enhancing progress in reading in the younger classes although the full effect of this on standards is still to be seen. Over the past year, an effective focus on developing oral language skills is also helping to raise standards in writing, especially in the younger classes. This year, the school is working hard to bring about similar improvement in writing in Years 3 and 4; for example, through the use of

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Grade: 2

drama and role-play activities to encourage pupils to write well about different situations. The outstanding programme for personal, social and health education supports pupils' development especially well. 4 of 10 Inspection Report: Broadmayne First School, 5 November 2008 Teaching and learning are good with some outstanding features. In particular, staff use resources, including computers, especially well to engage pupils' interest and help them to learn easily. Adults are good at intervening when pupils find work hard, and question them effectively to make sure they really understand new work. Pupils' progress is tracked very carefully so that staff can intervene swiftly if this slows. Teaching is at its best when staff fully involve pupils in planning and carrying out their own work and when pupils are inspired to do even better through continually checking their progress towards their targets. This was demonstrated in a

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Grade: 2

Year 4 mathematics lesson when one pupil persevered for a long time to solve a difficult problem and showed great delight when this was achieved. However, on some occasions learning is not of such high quality. For example, pupils receive too much direction on how to do their work, which limits the development of their independent learning skills. In addition, pupils are not always encouraged to keep checking on how well they are doing which limits how much they can achieve. Leadership and management at all levels are good. The new headteacher has gained the confidence of staff and parents and has a very good understanding of how well the school is doing. As a result, development planning is effectively targeted at the areas where further improvement is needed, such as in writing and the need to achieve greater consistency in teaching quality. Partnerships with parents and other schools and agencies, especially through

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Grade: 2

the Dorchester Area Schools' Partnership, are outstanding. Parents provide exceptionally good support for the school, for example through helping in lessons and fund raising for the swimming pool. Links with the Children's Centre, playgroup and after-school club support pupils' learning and welfare especially well and are appreciated by parents. The school's contribution to community life is good and there are especially good links with the Broadmayne Parish Council. Governors are knowledgeable and support the school well, with enhanced arrangements now in place to monitor development planning.

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Grade: 2

Children make good progress because of the effective teaching and good choice of activities provided. By the time they enter Year 1 most children achieve average standards and a good proportion exceed them. Children's personal, social and emotional development is outstanding and in this area standards are high. There is a real sense of purpose in the classroom, with children having many opportunities to explore and investigate the world around them. Children are encouraged to become independent and to help each other. Children have lots of fun in the activities they choose for themselves, for example in the 'Cosy Bed Corner'. They enjoy role-play activities very much, especially when acting as the teacher and organising the 'Letter Spotters', checking off who has found which letter on their clipboard. Especially good teaching of early reading skills helps children to make a good start in this aspect.

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Grade: 2

Changes and developments in the EYFS are being led well. Record keeping is thorough and detailed. Staff build up a very good picture of each child from when they start in Reception and planning reflects the next steps well across all areas of learning. There is a good level of voluntary support, including from parents, which enhances children's progress. Rigorous attention is paid to children's safety and welfare, although the school recognises that more could be done to develop the outside area into a stimulating and exciting learning environment to encourage more outdoor activities. 5 of 10 Inspection Report: Broadmayne First School, 5 November 2008

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Ensure that pupils achieve as well in writing as they do in reading, particularly in Years 3 to 4, through enhancing the range of activities to encourage more pupils to reach the higher levels. ■ Gain greater consistency in the quality of teaching, especially by ensuring that all staff involve pupils more in planning and carrying out their own activities, and in checking on how well they are doing 6 of 10 Inspection Report: Broadmayne First School, 5 November 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. 7 of 10 Inspection Report: Broadmayne First School, 5 November 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?

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? 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

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. 8 of 10 Inspection Report: Broadmayne First School, 5 November 2008

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learners?

2 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 1 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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learners' needs?

How well do the curriculum and other activities meet the range of needs and interests of learners? 1 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 2 How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination eliminated 2 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? 9 of 10 Inspection Report: Broadmayne First School, 5 November 2008

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

6 November 2008 Dear Pupils Inspection of Broadmayne First School, Broadmayne, Dorchester, DT2 8PH Thank you for welcoming us to your school and being so friendly and helpful. I particularly want to thank the pupils who gave up their lunchtime to speak to us. We think your school is good and are delighted that you and your parents agree. Here are some of the things we found were good about the school:

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ We were especially impressed with your excellent behaviour and how well you all get on together. We think the way you work together in lessons is outstanding. ■ You have an excellent awareness of how to keep healthy and safe. You enjoy taking on responsibility for things and would like to do this more often. ■ You enjoy school very much because teachers plan interesting lesson activities, which help you to do well. ■ You make good progress and by the end of Year 4, standards are above average.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ You get many opportunities to do extra things like learn French and how to play a musical instrument, as well as having lots of clubs to attend. ■ Staff look after you very well and give you lots of very good advice on how you can improve.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Your new headteacher, staff and governors are working well together to help your school get even better. Here are some of the things we would like to see improved:

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ You make very good progress in reading and we have asked staff to try to help you make just as good progress in writing. You can help by working very hard on the writing activities they give you. ■ You are very good at planning and carrying out your own work and on checking on how well you are doing. When you do this in lessons, you make especially good progress so we have asked staff to make sure that you get more opportunities for doing this. Thank you again for all your help and good luck for the future. Yours faithfully Diane Wilkinson Lead inspector 10 of 10 Inspection Report: Broadmayne First School, 5 November 2008

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