Borough Green Primary School

Borough Green Primary School Inspection report

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118847 Unique Reference Number Kent Local Authority 326909 Inspection number 2 July 2009 Inspection date Helen Hutchings 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 Foundation School category 4–11 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 345 School (total) 48 Government funded early education provision for children aged 3 to the end of the EYFS 26 Childcare provision for children aged 0 to 3 years The governing body Appropriate authority Tim Coppard Chair Steven Gorst Headteacher 22 June 2006 Date of previous school inspection 22 July 2008 Date of previous funded early education inspection Not previously inspected Date of previous childcare inspection School Approach School address Borough Green Sevenoaks TN15 8JZ 01732 883459 Telephone number 01732 882169 Fax number

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4–11 Age group 2 July 2009 Inspection date 326909 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: Borough Green Primary School, 2 July 2009

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Introduction

The inspection was carried out by two additional inspectors who evaluated the overall effectiveness of the school and investigated the following issues:

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Introduction

■ provision in the Early Years Foundation Stage

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Introduction

■ the impact of the school's revised assessment systems

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Introduction

■ the effectiveness of the curriculum in meeting the needs of all pupils.

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Introduction

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, were not justified, and these have been included where appropriate in this report.

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Description of the school

The school is larger than most other primary schools. The on-site nursery 'Steps to School Day Nursery' was taken over by the school in July 2007 and caters for babies, toddlers and pre-school children. The nursery buildings are currently being upgraded. Older children in the Early Years Foundation Stage are taught in the Reception classes within the school. The school also offers an extended school day through breakfast and an after school club. Most pupils are from White British backgrounds. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is average, but has increased since the last inspection. These include a number of pupils with emotional and behavioural difficulties, moderate and specific learning difficulties and visual or physical impairment.

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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: Borough Green Primary School, 2 July 2009

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Grade: 2

This is a good school. Almost all parents are extremely positive about it, making comments such as, 'Fantastic school' and 'A sheer delight. We couldn't be happier.' They also pay tribute to the work of all staff, for example, 'The school is warm and welcoming. The people in the school office – the front line for parents - are particularly helpful, friendly and well organised.' Pupils share their parents' views, saying that the school is 'brilliant'. The headteacher is a strong leader and has used his insight very effectively to ensure staff have built well on the strengths apparent when the school was last inspected. Staff are ambitious for their pupils and set high targets for their performance. Teamwork is exceptionally strong across the school and staff have an excellent understanding of the school's strengths and what needs to be done next. The school now has several outstanding aspects to its work, giving it an excellent capacity to

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Grade: 2

continue improving further. Such achievements have been recognised in a number of awards, including Eco-School and Healthy School status, Basic Skills Quality Mark and Activemark. Provision in the Nursery and Reception classes provides children with a firm foundation for later learning. Strong links have been established between these classes and the rest of the school. This means progression is well planned, for example in a unified approach to the teaching of letters and sounds and handwriting. Pupils achieve well throughout the school because their progress is reviewed regularly and prompt action is taken if any pupil is not reaching their targets. The school's very effective system to track pupils' progress and use the information to plan work for them is just one of the areas improved since the last inspection. The school uses national guidance very well to ensure that pupils know exactly what they have to do to

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Grade: 2

improve their work further. By the time pupils reach Year 6, standards are above the national average. The early results for the National Curriculum tests for Year 6 pupils this year show similar performance, and pupils have done particularly well in attaining the higher levels. All groups of pupils, including those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities, achieve well. Performance in writing has been a little more variable than in mathematics and science. The school has identified a number of changes to its English curriculum for next year, in order to promote pupils' writing skills further. The additional facilities provided by the Nursery and after-school care are used well to establish very strong links with families, and make a strong contribution to community cohesion and pupils' outstanding personal development. Pupils' academic achievement and strong personal skills, such as an ability to work cooperatively, together with financial awareness gained through

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Grade: 2

enterprise activities, place them very well for their future working lives. The highly effective focus on personal, social and health education certainly helps pupils to enjoy school and they have excellent attitudes and behaviour. Pupils are mature and thoughtful of others and their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is outstanding. One parent rightly commented, 'The school not only provides our children with an excellent education but is also a kingpin in our community.' Pupils make a very strong contribution to their own and the immediate community, for example by acting as peer mediators and links with the local church. They have a good awareness of their role within the global community through charity work and contacts with a school in Malawi. The swimming pool is an excellent facility contributing to pupils' understanding of how to lead a healthy lifestyle. The school's outstanding care, guidance and

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Grade: 2

support is seen in the very good use of its strong partnerships with outside agencies to support children from the baby room through to Reception and throughout the school. The school's procedures to safeguard pupils are robust, and pupils described the school as 'safe and caring.' 4 of 10 Inspection Report: Borough Green Primary School, 2 July 2009 They understand how to take care of themselves, partly as a result of the school council's involvement in establishing health and safety rules. A rich range of curricular experiences have an exceptionally positive impact on pupils' enjoyment of their learning. Teaching and learning are consistently good across the school, and teachers are passionate about securing further improvement. Many teachers are recognised as leading teachers in their subjects and work collaboratively with other schools locally. Specialist teaching is effectively enriching pupils' experiences. Teachers make learning interesting and relevant

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Grade: 2

for pupils, for example by tasting Mexican food, or requiring pupils to use skills learned in literacy to produce a poster in French. The French curriculum from Reception to Year 6 is a particular feature of the school's curriculum, recognised by a local authority award. This is only one of many interesting activities including music and sport, and arts, book and multicultural weeks, giving pupils opportunities to share their learning with others across the school. There is a wide range of well attended clubs and the Year 6 residential visit is a much looked forward to event. The headteacher is highly respected by parents, who value the efforts made by the school to keep them involved and informed. As one parent commented, 'The headteacher and staff 'bend over backwards' to inform parents; for example, the extremely inspiring and inspired maths evening for parents.' Parents also appreciate the support provided at key transition points,

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Grade: 2

such as transfer into secondary school and the individual interviews before joining Reception. Good leadership and management are evident across the school. Initiatives are planned very thoroughly to ensure that they have the desired effect on pupils' achievements. Currently, careful consideration is being given to using the school environment more effectively to develop pupils' scientific investigative skills because these are less well developed than their knowledge and understanding of science. Governors provide good support and challenge for the leadership team and are fully involved in key decision making.

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Grade: 2

Parents value the school's full range of services catering for babies, toddlers and pre-school children as part of its nursery provision, together with Reception classes in the main school. Parents' satisfaction is seen in the high numbers choosing to move their children from the Nursery into Reception. Children are exceptionally well looked after within a safe and secure environment. Staff know the children and their individual needs well and use this knowledge to plan interesting activities which promote children's well-being and learning effectively. For example, one parent commented how the teacher has recognised her child's 'personality at a very early stage' and has used this to give him a 'fantastic start'. Children develop confidence and independence, and have excellent relationships with one another and with the adults who care for them. Children's attainment when they join Reception varies from year to year, but is generally around

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Grade: 2

that expected for their age. The good progress they make means they join Year 1 having reached higher standards than are typical nationally. There is an effective balance of activities which are chosen by children and those led by adults, helping children to become enthusiastic learners. Children are motivated by an exciting range of indoor learning and outdoor activities, many of which help children to understand the need for exercise as part of a healthy lifestyle. There are plans in place to improve outdoor provision further when other building work has been completed. The effectiveness of the leadership of the Early Years Foundation Stage is seen in 5 of 10 Inspection Report: Borough Green Primary School, 2 July 2009 the excellent links developed with parents and the information provided and meetings held to ensure a smooth transition into Key Stage 1.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Implement the plans to develop pupils' writing and investigative science skills. 6 of 10 Inspection Report: Borough Green Primary School, 2 July 2009 .

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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: Borough Green Primary School, 2 July 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? 1 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. 8 of 10 Inspection Report: Borough Green Primary School, 2 July 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 1 The attendance of learners 1 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? 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 1 How effectively leaders and managers use challenging targets to raise standards 1 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation 1 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: Borough Green Primary School, 2 July 2009

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

3 July 2009 Dear Pupils Inspection of Borough Green Primary School, Borough Green, TN15 8JZ Thank you for the way you made us feel so welcome when we visited your school recently. We thoroughly enjoyed visiting your classrooms and talking to you. This letter is to tell you about what we found out about your good school.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ You clearly enjoy school very much and this helps you to achieve well.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Your behaviour is excellent and you are very considerate of one another.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ You are exceptionally well cared for and you told us that you feel safe in school.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ You are lucky to have such interesting things to do in lessons and you have an excellent range of special events to make learning even more fun. ■ Teachers give you good help to improve your work by making useful comments, and setting targets for you when they mark your work. ■ You have a huge number of clubs to attend, and many of you enjoy the breakfast and after-school club as well as sport and music. ■ The headteacher and staff work very well together and are always trying to find ways to make things better for you. We agree with your teachers' plans about the most important things to do next. They plan to use new ways to help you to improve your writing skills further and to use the school grounds more so that you have different opportunities for science investigation. We know that you will all continue to do your best to enjoy and learn from the many interesting things that happen in school. Please thank your parents for returning the questionnaires. It was very helpful to hear what

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

they had to say about the school. We wish everyone at Borough Green Primary School well for the future. Have a good summer holiday and best wishes to Year 6 pupils in their new school in September. Yours faithfully Helen Hutchings Lead Inspector 10 of 10 Inspection Report: Borough Green Primary School, 2 July 2009

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