Brockley Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Improve the effectiveness of leadership and management by ensuring that:
  • checks on the quality of teaching and learning identify clearly the strengths and weaknesses in provision and their impact upon how well pupils are achieving
  • governors have an accurate view of the school’s performance and so are more effective in holding school leaders to account
  • the pupil premium funding has a direct impact on improving outcomes for disadvantaged pupils.
• Improve the quality of teaching so that it is consistently good throughout the school and over time by ensuring that:
  • in all subjects, teaching challenges the most able pupils
  • teachers use questioning effectively to promote learning.
• Improve the rates of progress of all pupils by ensuring that:
  • feedback to pupils and high expectations ensure that pupils do not persist in making the same basic errors in their writing
  • there are more opportunities in mathematics for pupils to develop their reasoning skills.
• Ensure that all groups of pupils, particularly those who are disadvantaged, regularly attend school. An external review of governance should be undertaken in order to assess how this aspect of leadership and management may be improved. An external review of the school’s use of the pupil premium should be undertaken in order to assess how this aspect of leadership and management may be improved.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

• The school’s headteacher and governors have had a positive impact in a number of areas since the previous inspection. There have been impressive improvements, for example in the quality of education in the early years and in the teaching of phonics. Pupils’ attitudes to learning, which were raised as an area for improvement at the previous inspection, are now good in the great majority of lessons. However, the quality of teaching overall has not improved quickly enough and outcomes in mathematics, for pupils by the end of key stage 2, are too low.
• The headteacher has been resolute in tackling underperformance. This has led to a considerable turnover of staff and has ensured that the school is now in a stronger position moving forward. However, it has also meant that the support and training that was put in place following the previous inspection has not had a lasting impact on improving the quality of teaching in the school.
• The senior leadership team is relatively new. The team is keen and enthusiastic to make Brockley a great school. However, some of its monitoring and evaluation activities lack rigour, and this limits the impact of its work. For example, when leaders conduct lesson observations or work scrutiny they do not identify clearly the factors that are preventing better progress. Consequently, their plans for improvement do not focus sharply on addressing the weakest areas of performance.
• The school’s curriculum includes a good range of interesting activities. It is enriched by educational visits and regular visitors to assemblies and lessons. The pupils particularly value the opportunities they have, each year in key stage 2, to experience a residential visit to a place of interest.
• Pupils are given good opportunities to learn about fundamental British values. For example, they learn about democracy through the election of the school council and have opportunities to help shape the curriculum through questionnaires. The school’s leaders ensure that its equalities policy is acted out in the daily life of the school. The success of this is demonstrated by the pupils’ unanimous view that the word ‘gay’ is never used as a form of abuse in the school.
• Effective systems to manage the performance of the headteacher and staff are in place. Staff value the professional development that they receive. Their views, shared with inspectors and through their online survey, show that the school’s leaders encourage and support them to be more effective members of staff.
• The curriculum promotes the pupils’ personal development well. Pupils are kind to one another and are sensitive to the needs of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities. They learn about the range of religious faiths followed in modern Britain and have opportunities to experience live theatre. The pupils who met with inspectors were particularly positive about the art work they enjoy in school.
• The pupil premium is not spent effectively because there is an insufficient focus on ensuring that the funding improves the progress that disadvantaged pupils make in reading, writing and mathematics or in their attendance. The school’s leaders, including governors, are rightly keen to remove the economic barriers that disadvantaged pupils face. They do use the additional funding appropriately to address these, for example through funding attendance at breakfast club, the provision of milk during the school day and helping with the purchase of school uniform.
• Leaders use funding provided to support pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities effectively to meet the very specific needs of individual pupils. However, overall, the academic progress of this group is no better than that of other pupils.
• Leaders use the physical education and sport premium effectively. They ensure that the funding is improving the quality of provision in this area. Extra-curricular clubs are well attended and pupils enjoy the increased opportunities to take part in competitions between local schools.
• The great majority of parents who spoke with inspectors, or who expressed their views through Parent View, are positive about the school and are happy with the education it provides for their children. They see the school as being at the heart of the local community. They value the links it has with other local agencies to provide support for any families in need. These links provide help with financial planning, feeding families and reducing isolation.
• Since being judged to require improvement, the school has received enhanced support from the local authority. Leaders appreciate the links with other schools that this support has helped to develop. However, despite the close contact since the previous inspection, the local authority has not challenged effectively the school’s overly positive view of its effectiveness or its failure to meet the reporting requirements on its use of the pupil premium funding.

Governance of the school

• Governors do not know the school’s strengths and weaknesses well enough. They have received training on how to hold the school’s leaders to account and how to interpret information about the school’s performance. However, they have not used this training to form an independent view of what the school’s assessment information says about how well pupils are achieving. Instead, they rely on what senior leaders and others supporting the school report to them. As a result, their view of how well the school is doing is too generous.
• Governors do not have a clear understanding of why pupil premium funding is not achieving better progress and attendance for disadvantaged pupils.
• Governors have supported the headteacher effectively when she has found it necessary to challenge underperformance by members of staff.
• Governors know the local community well and help ensure that the school is welcoming and supportive of all of its families. They are active in seeking the views of parents and understandably proud of the role the school plays when responding to the needs of its families.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• Pupils, staff and parents all agree that safeguarding is a strength of the school. Leaders have successfully established a culture where pupils are confident to share worries or problems with staff.
• Staff keep a close eye on their pupils and report promptly any concerns that arise. They are alert to signs of neglect or abuse. They are prompt to act if they learn of circumstances happening outside of school that put children at potential harm. Careful records are kept of all referrals of concern made by staff.
• Staff work effectively with families and local agencies to ensure the well-being of children whose circumstances may make them particularly vulnerable. The headteacher, in particular, is unswerving in her commitment to the safety of children. She is resilient when dealing with the challenges that are often faced by those working to protect young children.
• Governors prioritise safeguarding. They have received all appropriate training and monitor the school’s work in this area carefully. They are fully aware of their duty to protect pupils from the dangers of radicalisation.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

• The quality of teaching is not consistently good throughout the school. Since the previous inspection there have been a considerable number of staff changes. Four new members of staff started at this small school in 2016. As a result, many of the actions taken by the school’s leaders previously have not had a lasting impact.
• Teaching does not provide sufficient challenge for the most able pupils. For example, the best mathematicians often have to complete number problems that are too easy for them. When they do move on to ‘harder’ questions, these typically do not promote reasoning skills, but simply require the pupils to answer problems with larger numbers than before.
• The progress of lower-attaining pupils, particularly in lower key stage 2, is slowed when teachers do not point out the basic errors that they make in their written work. In some books, for example, pupils are making the same errors when spelling high-frequency words as they were at the start of the year. Similarly, pupils who were failing to use capital letters correctly, such as when writing the names of days of the week, are continuing to do so.
• Teachers’ use of questioning to check pupils’ understanding is not consistently effective. In lessons observed, teachers typically aimed questions at pupils who volunteered answers. This meant that the difficulties some pupils were having grasping the concepts being taught were not picked up and dealt with quickly.
• On other occasions, opportunities were missed to develop pupils’ thinking and reasoning skills by asking pupils to explain their ideas. This was particularly the case in mathematics. In this subject, teachers focused on getting correct answers to questions. They rarely prompted the pupils to share their strategies, justify their answers or identify emerging number patterns.
• The quality of pupils’ writing in their English books shows that pupils do now have good opportunities to write at length and that the quality of handwriting has improved. These were both concerns at the time of the previous inspection. However, generally, the quality of written work in history, geography and science is not of the same standard as it is in English books.
• Teachers and teaching assistants hear pupils read regularly. Pupils are encouraged to read at home, but not all families work with the school effectively to foster a love of reading. Occasionally, the books pupils read are not well matched to their ability.
• In the great majority of lessons, teachers manage behaviour well and pupils settle quickly to their work.
• The teaching of phonics is effective. Teachers and teaching assistants have good subject knowledge. They model the sounds letter make well and use imaginative teaching methods including role play and music. As a result, the proportion of pupils that achieve the expected standard in the Year 1 phonics screening check has increased since the previous full inspection. This lays the foundations for higher attainment in the future.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.
• There are many good opportunities for pupils to contribute to the life of the school. Pupils take pride in their work as anti-bullying ambassadors, prefects and members of the sports crew. The school council is active and, for example, has written to parents regarding road safety at the beginning and end of the school day.
• The pupils’ mature understanding of the unfairness and hurt caused by racist and homophobic attitudes reflects the school’s commitment to rights and responsibilities. Similarly, the high priority given in the curriculum and assemblies to enabling the pupils to recognise the difference between right and wrong helps to ensure that incidents of bullying are rare.
• Pupils’ understanding of personal safety is good because of input from groups such as the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children and the fire service. Online safety has a particularly high profile; pupils understand the potential dangers, and know what to do to stay safe online.
• Pupils speak thoughtfully about how to enjoy a healthy lifestyle. Teachers, and visitors, such as the drug awareness team, help pupils understand the dangers to health posed by smoking and the misuse of drugs and substances. There are a good range of after-school clubs for pupils to enjoy.
• The school’s commitment to the pupils’ welfare is particularly impressive. An example of this is how the headteacher and other staff voluntarily keep the school open for three days a week during the summer holidays. Their work ensures that pupils can engage in safe and fun activities, and be guaranteed a healthy meal, over the summer break.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils requires improvement.
• Despite a range of actions taken by the school, absence rates remain above the national average, particularly for disadvantaged pupils. Little progress is being made in securing better attendance, and this is having a negative impact on pupils’ learning.
• In a small minority of lessons, some pupils lose their concentration and distract the learning of other pupils.
• Pupils are confident and friendly when speaking to adults. They enjoy telling visitors about ‘The Brockley Way – Only my best is good enough’. The great majority have positive attitudes towards learning and are keen to do well.
• Pupils behave sensibly and appropriately around the school and in the playground. They know the school’s rules well and follow them responsibly. Pupils generally respond quickly to adults’ instructions.

Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

• In the each of the last two years, the school has not met the government’s floor standards. In 2016, progress in reading and writing at the end of Year 6 was close to the national averages. Attainment in writing, at both the expected standard and greater depth, were both well above the national averages. These outcomes were good improvements on pupils’ results in 2015. However, progress in mathematics remained significantly below average for all pupils.
• Disadvantaged pupils, in 2015 and 2016, underachieved in mathematics. In both of these years their progress in this subject, from their starting points, was significantly below average.
• The progress of pupils currently in the school, in reading, writing and mathematics, including those who are disadvantaged, varies between year groups. Unsettled staffing in lower key stage 2 has been a barrier to the pupils in these year groups making good progress this school year. However, in other areas of the school there are positive signs of better progress and higher attainment. Increasing proportions of pupils are working at, or exceeding, the standards expected for their ages.
• The most able pupils made below average progress in English grammar, spelling and punctuation in 2016. Just one out of five disadvantaged pupils who had achieved above-average standards at the end of key stage 1 reached a high standard at the end of Year 6. Written work in the pupils’ books shows that pupils have relatively few opportunities to practise these skills in subjects other than English. This means that they are not well prepared for the end of Year 6 assessments.
• The most able pupils do not make the rapid progress that they should. They are not challenged sufficiently in lessons, and expectations are not high enough. For example, in subjects other than in reading, writing and mathematics, they almost always receive the same tasks to complete as other pupils.
• Lower-attaining pupils do not make good progress in writing. Their workbooks show that they continue to make the same basic spelling, punctuation and grammar errors in their written work. Teachers do not have high enough expectations of what they are capable of achieving.
• Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities do not make good progress from their starting points. The school works effectively with agencies to support their behavioural and emotional needs but is not accelerating their learning in reading, writing and mathematics.
• Scores in the phonics screening check in Year 1 have improved. In 2016, the proportion of pupils achieving the expected standard was above the national average. This reflects the improved teaching of phonics in the early years and Year 1 since the previous inspection.
• Pupils’ outcomes in sporting activities are good. The school uses the physical education and sport premium effectively. Pupils enjoy the increased opportunities to take part in a range of sporting activities.

Early years provision Good

• In each of the last three years, the proportion of children achieving a good level of development has increased. In 2016, the proportion was slightly higher than the national average. This is good progress as the children start school with skills below those typical of children their age, preparing them well for learning in Year 1.
• Disadvantaged children make the same progress and attain similar standards to other children. Staff in the early years know the individual families well. They are willing to be very flexible to meet the needs of individual children so that any potential barriers to a child settling in are overcome.
• Staff identify quickly children who require any additional or specialist support. There is a particularly strong focus on developing communication skills where there are signs of delay. Staff are also skilled at ensuring that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities benefit from sensitive support.
• Staff take care to promote learning through themes that capture the children’s imagination. At the time of the inspection, for example, children worked well together building houses that would keep out the Big Bad Wolf or making tracks to develop their physical skills. When working in small groups, the children happily chatted and took turns as they learned.
• The school records the children’s progress in their learning stories. These include plenty of plenty of photographs highlighting the children’s achievement. However, the comments accompanying these pictures are not specifically linked to the early learning goals and so do not present a precise picture of the progress children are making in each area of learning.
• Staff are very successful in encouraging self-esteem and confidence among the children. Whether the children are writing, putting on coats or blending sounds when reading, adults time their interventions and support well. This promotes independence and ensures that the children see themselves as effective learners and behave well.
• Leadership of the early years has secured better provision and outcomes since the previous inspection. However, improvement planning does not identify clearly how provision can be further improved to achieve even better outcomes for the children.
• All parents with children in early years who spoke to inspectors, or completed the online questionnaire, were very positive about the quality of education and care their children receive. They said that they get regular information about their children’s progress and well-being. They judge, rightly, that the school keeps their children safe.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 112510 Derbyshire 10023110 This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. Type of school Primary School category Age range of pupils Gender of pupils Community 3 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 141 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Headteacher Telephone number Website Email address Helen Gregory Caroline Rogers 01246 823344 www.brockley.derbyshire.sch.uk info@brockley.derbyshire.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 13–14 January 2015

Information about this school

• Brockley Primary is smaller than most primary schools.
• The proportion of disadvantaged pupils, supported by the pupil premium funding, is higher than the national average.
• The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is close to the national average.
• The vast majority of pupils are White British.
• The school runs both before- and after-school clubs.
• The school does not meet the government’s current floor standards, which are the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 6.
• The school does not meet requirements on the publication of information about the use of the pupil premium funding on its website.
• The school has received enhanced support from the local authority since its previous inspection.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors visited all classes to observe teaching. Some of these visits took place with the headteacher.
• Inspectors asked pupils about their learning and what it is like to be a pupil at the school.
• Inspectors scrutinised pupils’ workbooks and heard pupils from Years 2 and 6 read.
• Inspectors took account of 24 responses to the Ofsted online questionnaire, Parent View, and had brief discussions with parents at the beginning of the school day.
• Eleven responses to the staff questionnaire were received and analysed, as were 13 pupils’ responses to their questionnaire.
• Discussions took place with the headteacher, senior leaders, teachers, members of the governing body and a representative of the local authority.
• Documents were analysed, including the school’s self-evaluation statement, the school development plan, minutes of governing body meetings and information about pupils’ achievement.
• Records relating to attendance and safeguarding were scrutinised.

Inspection team

Anthony O’Malley, lead inspector Elizabeth Mace Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector