Setting

Mrs Clare Daddy Buttershaw Primary School Reevy Crescent Bradford West Yorkshire BD6 2BS

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Special measures: monitoring inspection of Buttershaw Primary School

Following my visit with Andrew Clark and Robert Jones, Additional Inspectors, to your school on the 23 and 24 June, I write on behalf of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector to confirm the inspection findings.

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Special measures: monitoring inspection of Buttershaw Primary School

The visit was the second monitoring inspection since the school became subject to special measures in September 2008. The monitoring inspection report is attached and the main judgements are set out below.

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Special measures: monitoring inspection of Buttershaw Primary School

Progress since being subject to special measures – satisfactory

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Special measures: monitoring inspection of Buttershaw Primary School

Progress since previous monitoring inspection – satisfactory

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Special measures: monitoring inspection of Buttershaw Primary School

Newly qualified teachers may not be appointed.

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Special measures: monitoring inspection of Buttershaw Primary School

This letter and monitoring inspection report will be posted on the Ofsted website.

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Special measures: monitoring inspection of Buttershaw Primary School

I am copying this letter and the monitoring inspection report to the Secretary of State, the chair of governors and the Director of Children’s Services for Bradford.

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Her Majesty’s Inspector

CfBT Inspection Services Suite 22 West Lancs Investment Centre Maple View Skelmersdale WN8 9TG T 08456 40 40 40 enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk www.ofsted.gov.uk Direct T 01695 566 948 Direct F 01695 729 320 jkinsman@cfbt.com Page 2

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Evidence

Inspectors observed lessons in all classes, examined pupils’ work and scrutinised documents. They met with the headteacher, other staff, groups of pupils, the chair of governors, two representatives from the local authority and a group of parents.

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Context

There have been further changes to staffing since the last visit. The leadership team has been strengthened with the appointment of a new deputy headteacher who has been in post since April 2009. Staffing in Key Stage 2 has been stabilised with the appointment of a permanent teacher to Year 5 and a long term supply teacher in Year 3. Two teachers who were job sharing in Year 5 have moved to the parallel Year 3 class. A higher level teaching assistant has been appointed to deliver Key Stage 2 intervention programmes and a new inclusion mentor is supporting pupils across the school. Two teachers have left the school.

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Achievement and standards

Children make at least satisfactory progress across the Early Years Foundation Stage from their very low levels of knowledge and skills on entry to the Nursery class. Despite this, their language skills and understanding of number are still below average when they enter Year 1. The most recent standardised assessments at Key Stage 1 show a rise in the proportion of pupils attaining Level 2C in reading, writing and mathematics. This brings the school’s performance on this measure closer to, although still below, national averages. However, the proportion of pupils reaching the higher levels is very low and overall standards at the end of Key Stage 1 are well below average. Pupils’ lack of secure basic skills, together with teaching that was previously inadequate, has impeded their progress across Key Stage 2. Consequently, although there is now much good teaching in Key Stage 2, standards in the current Year 6 remain below average because of the cumulative effect of

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Achievement and standards

underachievement. Some improvement is evident in reading and mathematics but pupils’ writing skills are particularly weak.

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Achievement and standards

There are stronger foundations in place to accelerate pupils’ progress and raise end of key stage standards in subsequent years. Pupils’ progress in Years 1, 4 and 5 is improved because teaching is better matched to their needs and engages their interest. The proportion of pupils attaining at age-related expectations has increased significantly in these classes. The whole-school focus on improving teaching and learning in reading and mathematics is having a positive impact across the whole school. Page 3 Progress on the areas for improvement identified by the inspection in September 2008:

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Achievement and standards

 Raise standards and improve achievement in English, mathematics and science –

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Personal development and well-being

Pupils’ personal development and well-being has continued to improve since the last visit. Pupils are polite, friendly and happy. They treat others with respect and say that they feel safe and are well cared for. The recently reviewed procedures to promote good behaviour ensure that lessons run smoothly and the school is an orderly and calm community. Pupils feel there is very little bullying. Children develop positive attitudes to learning in the Early Years Foundation Stage and these are increasingly built on through the school. Pupils are proud of their achievements and appreciate the recognition and support they receive through teachers’ marking, certificates and team points. Only on the few occasions when teaching is not matched effectively to their needs, do pupils show any disinterest or lack of concentration on their learning.

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Personal development and well-being

Attendance continues to improve. The school closely monitors levels of absence and the percentage of persistent absences is declining. The increasingly effective role of the parental involvement worker and the system of rewards for good attendance is helping the school move closer to its targets and also to improve punctuality.

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Personal development and well-being

Progress on the areas for improvement identified by the inspection in September 2008:

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Personal development and well-being

 Improve attendance to the national average – satisfactory

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Quality of provision

The quality of teaching and learning has improved. A greater number of good and satisfactory lessons were observed during this visit and the proportion of inadequate teaching has decreased. Good quality professional development has helped teachers develop a clear understanding of effective teaching strategies and they are more confident in their skills. Lessons are generally better structured to provide a range of activity to engage pupils’ interest. Where teaching is at its best, pupils participate enthusiastically and are highly motivated. All classrooms provide a positive learning environment and the ‘Working Walls’ are used effectively to enhance learning.

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Quality of provision

The strongest teaching and learning was observed in the Nursery and in Years 4, 5 and 6. Weaker teaching was observed in Years 2 and 3 and in the teaching of writing across much of the school. Children make a good start in the Nursery where vibrant activities capture their interest and develop their skills across all areas of learning. The consistently good teaching in Years 4, 5 and 6 is well matched to Page 4 pupils’ needs and interests. Pupils are making good gains in their learning in these classes and the quality of their work has improved. In the most successful lessons, teachers’ clear explanation and their skilful questioning helps pupils develop their thinking and skills across the curriculum. Teachers check pupils’ progress at regular intervals by summarising their learning and enabling pupils to talk about what they have learned. In the weakest lessons, teachers work through a sequence of tasks

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Quality of provision

with the pupils and do not build sufficiently on pupils’ prior knowledge or take account of their learning needs.

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Quality of provision

The school has continued to develop robust systems to track pupils’ progress, based on accurate, moderated assessment of pupils’ work. This work is central to improving the quality of teaching and improving teachers understanding of their role in raising achievement. Regular progress meetings with the headteacher support teachers in using tracking information to assess pupils’ achievement, plan the next steps in their learning and provide additional support where needed. There are several examples of good practice, but the information is not consistently being translated into effective teaching in all lessons. The approach to marking and use of pupils’ targets is, however, being more consistently applied across the whole school. Most pupils now have a good understanding of their individual targets and a clearer idea of how they can improve their work.

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Quality of provision

Teachers and teaching assistants work well together and generally provide satisfactory support for pupils who are under achieving or have learning difficulties and/or disabilities. Some teaching assistants are very skilled in asking questions and prompting pupils to develop their independence. Others, however, have a tendency to over support and do too much for pupils meaning that pupils do not make as much progress as others in class. In some classes, the movement of pupils in and out of intervention programmes interrupts the flow of teaching and learning for both the teacher and pupils concerned.

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Quality of provision

Progress on the areas for improvement identified by the inspection in September 2008:

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Quality of provision

 Increase teachers’ expectations of what pupils can do by ensuring that work is sufficiently challenging and engaging, and meets all pupils’ needs – satisfactory  Introduce thorough systems to track pupils’ progress to eliminate underachievement and raise standards – satisfactory

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Leadership and management

Leadership has been further strengthened with the appointment of the deputy headteacher and recent allocation of leadership responsibilities to three members of staff. The deputy headteacher has quickly established her role in improving the quality of teaching and learning through monitoring provision and coaching teachers. Both she and the headteacher have the full confidence and support of all staff who continue to work hard to improve the school. Subject leaders’ roles have yet to be Page 5 fully developed, but the creation of these posts is an important step in devolving leadership across the school, utilising existing expertise and sharing best practice. Governing body committees which had been recently formed at the time of the last visit have become established and are playing a more active role in supporting and challenging leaders in improving the school. The chair of governors has a very good

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Leadership and management

overview of strengths and weaknesses and excellent understanding of improvements required.

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Leadership and management

Self-evaluation is accurate and based on rigorous monitoring systems. Lesson observations are firmly focused on learning outcomes and provide good quality advice for teachers. This gives leaders a very good overview of strengths and weaknesses in teaching across the school. Support has been put in place where teaching is weak. Tracking of pupils’ progress is well developed and is used effectively by leaders to monitor pupils’ achievement and teachers’ performance. Regular meetings between the headteacher and each member of staff provide teachers with a better understanding of level descriptors and raise their expectations of what pupils can achieve.

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Leadership and management

The policies and systems which had recently been put in place to improve lesson planning, assessment and behaviour management at the time of the last visit are having a positive impact. Where the whole school has taken action to improve aspects of provision, for example, in the teaching of reading and mathematics, there has been improvement. With the improving quality of teaching and strengthened leadership, the school is well placed to bring about further necessary improvements.

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Leadership and management

Progress on the areas for improvement identified by the inspection in September 2008:

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Leadership and management

 Strengthen leadership and management, at all levels, to ensure accurate self- evaluation and rigorous monitoring - satisfactory

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External support

The local authority has continued to support the school well. The provision of varied and extensive professional development opportunities have enhanced teachers’ skills and support for the developing leadership team is proving effective.

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Priorities for further improvement

 Improve the teaching of writing skills and raise pupils’ achievement in writing.

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