Brookfield Park Primary School

Brookfield Park Primary School Inspection report

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134603 Unique Reference Number Lancashire Local Authority 328931 Inspection number 5 February 2009 Inspection date Shirley Herring 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 222 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 Cllr Syd Jones Chair Miss Paula Evans Headteacher 20 June 2006 Date of previous school inspection Not previously inspected Date of previous funded early education inspection Not previously inspected Date of previous childcare inspection School Lane School address Chapel House Skelmersdale Lancashire WN8 8EH 01695 724042 Telephone number 01695 550738 Fax number

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3–11 Age group 5 February 2009 Inspection date 328931 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: Brookfield Park Primary School, 5 February 2009

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Introduction

This was a reduced tariff inspection carried out by two Additional Inspectors. The inspectors evaluated the overall effectiveness of the school and investigated the following issues.

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Introduction

■ Achievement of children in the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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Introduction

■ The level of challenge for more able pupils in Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2.

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Introduction

■ The effectiveness of guidance in helping pupils to improve.

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Introduction

Evidence was gathered from performance data and other school documentation; observations of teaching and learning; the work produced by pupils; parents’ questionnaires; and discussions with pupils, staff and governors. Other aspects of the school’s work were not investigated in detail. The inspectors found that all of the judgements made in the school’s self-evaluation form were justified and these have been included, where appropriate, in this report.

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Description of the school

This average sized primary school serves an area of social and economic disadvantage. Almost all pupils are from a White British background. The number of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is above average. There is a small number of looked after children. The school is currently undergoing extensive building work to improve the accommodation and extend links with the adjacent school for pupils with severe learning difficulties and/or disabilities.

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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: Brookfield Park Primary School, 5 February 2009

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Grade: 2

This is a good school. It provides an outstanding level of care, guidance and support for its pupils. Personal development, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. Pupils enjoy coming to school and this is reflected in their good attitudes to learning and excellent behaviour in lessons and around the school. The attendance of most pupils is good but figures overall are affected by a very small minority who, despite the school’s best efforts, fail to attend consistently. Pupils feel safe and secure as they are confident that they can approach an adult to help them solve any problems. They are very aware of how to lead a healthy lifestyle because of healthy school lunches and advice on packed lunches. Pupils enjoy many opportunities for vigorous exercise. They make a good contribution to the school community as they are helpful and caring towards each other and feel they can make a difference through the school council

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Grade: 2

and also contribute to the wider community. Pupils learn about different World Faiths and cultures in lessons such as geography and religious education. This is reinforced in assemblies, preparing pupils well for life in a culturally diverse society. As a result, community cohesion is good. Pupils have sound basic skills and varied opportunities to work with others to prepare them well for the future. Children enter the school with a range of skills below the levels usual for their age. They make good progress during their time in school and they attain broadly average standards by the time they leave Year 6. The school monitors its work carefully and uses the information effectively to identify and address any areas of weakness, particularly in literacy and numeracy. This has led to a good improvement in standards in Key Stage 1 over the last three years. In the 2008 assessments in Year 2, standards were broadly average and pupils achieved well. Pupils

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Grade: 2

make good progress in Key Stage 2. In the 2007 national tests in Year 6 standards in English and mathematics were broadly average. Provisional results for 2008 show a similar picture and pupils exceeded their targets in English and mathematics by quite a margin. Pupils make satisfactory progress in science, though the number achieving or exceeding the expected level for their age is slightly below average. This is because pupils are not confident enough in using scientific language to describe, analyse and record their practical experiments. Pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and potentially vulnerable pupils achieve well because of the high quality care and support they receive. Leadership and management are good and the senior leadership team is firmly focused on raising standards. The school’s highly accurate evaluations are based on rigorous monitoring of its work and the results are used effectively to pinpoint areas for development to bring about

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Grade: 2

improvement. The leadership team works closely with teachers so that whole school approaches to improvements can be implemented in lessons. This has led to better writing throughout the school. The impact of the building work has been managed well to keep any disruption to pupils’ learning to a minimum. The school has close links with the adjacent school for pupils with severe learning difficulties and/or disabilities. Governance is also good. Teaching is good and pupils learn well. Teachers plan interesting lessons which engage pupils and involve them actively in their learning. Marking is thorough and gives pupils good guidance on how they can improve. Teachers have begun to use available information well to provide a suitable level of challenge in lessons. This has not yet had a full impact on the number of pupils 4 of 10 Inspection Report: Brookfield Park Primary School, 5 February 2009 exceeding the levels expected for their age. Lessons move at a quick pace; occasionally

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Grade: 2

explanations are too long for pupils to sustain concentration. The curriculum is good. The strong focus on developing literacy and numeracy skills has led to an improvement in standards. The good programme for personal, social and health education and citizenship makes a strong contribution to pupils’ personal development. Wide-ranging enrichment activities enhance pupils’ learning and enjoyment. Care, guidance and support are outstanding, based on high levels of support and encouragement. All the recommended systems for safeguarding pupils are in place and these are reviewed regularly. Excellent assessment procedures are used well to track pupils’ progress. The system of setting targets for pupils is used consistently through the school to ensure that they make sufficient progress. Pupils know what they need to do to improve and this is helping to raise standards. Those needing extra help are identified at an early stage and the high quality support

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Grade: 2

they receive underpins their good achievement. The school works well with other professionals to get specialist help if needed. Improvements in standards and in systems to assess and track pupils’ progress indicate a good capacity to improve. The school provides good value for money.

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Grade: 2

Provision for children in the Early Years Foundation Stage is good. Children enter the Nursery with skills that, overall, are below those usual for their age, and their language and social skills are particularly weak. They make good progress and their attainment is just below average as they enter Year 1. There is an extensive range of purposeful, practical activities that promotes children’s development in all areas of learning. The strong emphasis on personal, social and emotional development enables children to achieve particularly well in this area. Children achieve less well in mathematical development and knowledge and understanding of the world because some have not yet developed the necessary language to reason things out. Personal development is good. Children respond well to adults’ high expectations of them to try for themselves. For example, Nursery children all attempted to put on their coats before

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Grade: 2

going out to explore the snow. Despite the building work, staff ensure that children have daily access to a large outdoor area to maintain the good provision for outdoor learning. Children feel safe and secure in the welcoming environment and they relate well to adults. They learn the benefits of a healthy lifestyle by eating healthy snacks and enjoy regular vigorous exercise. Children are learning to contribute well to the school community by working well with each other, for example, as ‘chatty’ partners. Provision for children’s welfare is outstanding. The very good system for introducing children to school helps them to settle quickly and so they develop a good attitude to school from the start. All the recommended procedures for safeguarding children are in place. Relationships between adults and children are very good and there is a well- developed system for linking children to a key adult who monitors their progress closely and who also relates well to their

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Grade: 2

parents. The very good systems for assessing children’s progress are used effectively to identify and support those who need extra help at an early stage. The Early Years Foundation Stage is led and managed well. 5 of 10 Inspection Report: Brookfield Park Primary School, 5 February 2009

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What the school should do to improve further

■ In order to raise standards in science, provide more opportunities for pupils to become familiar with scientific language, including technical vocabulary and the precise recording of experiments. 6 of 10 Inspection Report: Brookfield Park Primary School, 5 February 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: Brookfield Park Primary School, 5 February 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? 3 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: Brookfield Park Primary School, 5 February 2009

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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 2 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices 1 The extent to which learners enjoy their education 3 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 1 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: Brookfield Park Primary School, 5 February 2009

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

6 February 2009 Dear Pupils Inspection of Brookfield Park Primary School, Lancashire, WN8 8EH Thank you for making us so welcome when we inspected your school. We enjoyed talking to you in lessons and meeting the school council. We think Brookfield Park is a good school and in fact the way it takes care of you all is outstanding. You play your part by working hard and joining in lessons enthusiastically. Your behaviour is excellent. You told us that you enjoy coming to school and that everyone gets on well together. You feel safe because any problem you may have is sorted out very quickly. You clearly enjoy the healthy lunches and snacks. Good teaching and the wide range of activities planned for you help you to make good progress during your time in school. We feel that the way you are thinking about your targets in lessons is helping you to improve. By the time you leave Year 6, most of you are working at the level that is expected for your age in English and mathematics.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

It is part of our job to suggest ways in which even a good school could be better. For your school, we have made just one suggestion:

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ provide more opportunities for you to become familiar with the technical language in science in order to raise standards. Good luck to you all and I hope you enjoy all the improvements when the building work is finished. Yours sincerely Shirley Herring Lead inspector 10 of 10 Inspection Report: Brookfield Park Primary School, 5 February 2009

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