Braunstone Frith Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Improve the quality of teaching in order to increase pupils’ progress and raise standards, particularly in mathematics, by:
  • ensuring that teachers use assessment information about pupils’ skills and knowledge to set work at the correct level of difficulty, including for disadvantaged pupils, pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities and the most able pupils.
  • teaching pupils to reason better and problem solve in mathematics
  • raising teachers’ expectations of the amount of progress that pupils should make, especially the most able and pupils who are disadvantaged.
• Improve the personal development, behaviour and welfare of pupils by:
  • ensuring that staff are skilled in managing pupils’ behaviour in the classroom in order to minimise disruption to learning.
  • ensuring that the school’s behaviour policy is applied consistently when responding to incidents of low-level misbehaviour.
• Improve the effectiveness of leadership and management by:
  • ensuring that there are effective systems in place to measure, track and evaluate pupils’ progress
  • ensuring that assessment information is used to accelerate the progress of all pupils and groups of pupils, such as disadvantaged pupils, pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities, pupils who access the school’s inclusion provision and the most able pupils
  • providing training and professional development in order to bring about improvements to the teaching of mathematics
  • ensuring that the quality of teaching and learning in the school’s inclusion provision is improved to meet the needs of all the pupils who attend. 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 can be improved.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

• Senior leaders have not secured consistently good teaching across the school since the last inspection. The rapid and recent increase in the number of pupils with significant needs and challenging behaviour has proved to be problematic for school leaders to ensure quality teaching. Pupils’ outcomes have not remained at the good standard reported at the time of the previous inspection.
• Senior and subject leaders do not have a secure knowledge of the progress that pupils are making. Leaders have had an unbalanced focus on pupils’ attainment. There has not been careful monitoring of the progress that pupils are making. As a result, some pupils do not make as much progress as they should.
• Leaders have not acted quickly enough to address the slow progress and low attainment of pupils in mathematics. Their checks made on the impact of the changes to the teaching of mathematics have not been sharp enough to ensure that the new approach meets the needs of pupils. Leaders do not have a secure understanding of the progress that pupils are making in mathematics.
• Leaders for the provision for pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities do not sufficiently check the progress that pupils are making. They do not have a secure understanding of how funding for these pupils is affecting the progress that pupils make. Leaders are not checking carefully the provision for pupils who attend the school’s inclusion unit. Activities are not planned well enough to meet the individual needs of pupils. As a result, some of these pupils do not make as much progress as they should.
• Leaders have not evaluated rigorously enough the use of the additional funding for disadvantaged pupils. Leaders do not have a secure understanding of how support provided has influenced the progress that these pupils make. This is a factor in these pupils not making as much progress as they should.
• Since the last inspection, leaders have responded to the rapid rise in the number of pupils joining the school who have significant behavioural needs. Leaders have set up an alternative provision at the school in order to cater for the complex and often considerable needs of these pupils. Pupils’ challenging behaviour is generally managed well in the provision, which has had the effect of there being less disruption to teaching in the main school. However, leaders have not carefully monitored the progress of pupils in the alternative provision. Pupils often complete the same tasks and as a result, some are not challenged and do not make the progress of which they are capable.
• Leaders have encouraged staff to take part in continuous professional development. Staff regularly evaluate their teaching and through a programme of coaching and collaboration, teachers and teaching assistants strive to improve their practice. This is particularly evident in the improvements to the teaching of reading and writing across the school, where teachers and teaching assistants work well together to deepen and develop pupils’ learning.
• Leaders have recognised that some pupils were not making as much progress as they should in reading. Through good-quality teaching and careful assessment of pupils’ reading levels, the school’s assessment information shows that pupils are making secure progress in reading.
• The additional funds provided through the physical education and sport premium are used well. Leaders recognise the importance of encouraging pupils to stay active, and successfully promote a range of physical activities for pupils, with a high proportion participating in these.
• Leaders have ensured that staff promote pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural education well. Leaders are keen for pupils to understand life in modern Britain, and pupils have a good understanding of equality and diversity. The well-structured curriculum provides pupils across the school with a range of opportunities to learn about the arts and significant events in history, to explore science and to develop their understanding of the world.
• The school has received some support from the local authority in setting up the school’s inclusion provision within the school. However, the school has had to manage in very difficult circumstances, and leaders have sought support from the local cluster of schools and external consultants.
• Leaders have demonstrated their capacity to improve aspects of teaching, pupils’ outcomes in reading and writing and to raise attendance and ensure that most pupils arrive at school on time.

Governance of the school

• The governing body is aware of the current strengths and areas for development. The expertise of governors is used well to provide challenge to leaders. For example, governors carried out a review of the teaching of reading across the school, which has helped prompt the improvements in the teaching of reading.
• Governors understand the pressures that the school faces, and were supportive of the leadership team in the establishment of the alternative provision for pupils with behaviour needs. Although governors have evaluated the behaviour support pupils receive, they have not yet fully checked the impact that this provision has had on the academic progress that pupils are making.
• Governors have challenged the leadership team to improve the teaching of mathematics across the school. They have focused on increasing the proportion of pupils who achieve the expected standard at the end of key stage 1 and 2, but do not have a secure understanding of the progress that pupils are making in other year groups.
• Governors know the attainment of disadvantaged pupils and pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities, and are challenging leaders to ensure that more pupils reach the school’s age-related expectations. However, they do not have a secure understanding of the progress that these pupils are making from their different starting points.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Leaders have ensured that records are fit for purpose and are well maintained. The leaders meet regularly to ensure that all are kept up to date with safeguarding concerns. The designated safeguarding leads hold strategic roles across the school, where they have regular contact with parents and carers and pupils.
• The designated safeguarding leaders are tenacious in following up concerns. Leaders work well with parents and other agencies to ensure that pupils and families are well supported. Where cases do not meet the local authority thresholds for involvement, staff are committed to providing the best possible support to ensure that needs are met. Staff, including newly qualified teachers and lunchtime staff, have a good understanding of different safeguarding concerns. They know what they should do if they have concern about a child.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

• The quality of teaching and learning requires improvement because it is not consistently good. Improvements to the teaching of mathematics are not yet consistent, and as a result, pupils’ progress is not as rapid as it could be.
• Leaders have recently introduced a new approach to the teaching of mathematics. This new approach aims to deepen pupils’ understanding of mathematics, and focuses on pupils learning together. Sometimes, the work set does not meet the needs of all pupils, and the work can be too hard or too easy for some pupils.
• On occasion, in mathematics, teachers do not challenge pupils enough. Tasks are not well matched to pupils’ abilities, and all pupils complete the same task. Teachers do not sufficiently develop pupils’ problem-solving and reasoning skills. Their expectations are too low of the progress the disadvantaged and the most able pupils should make.
• Senior leaders do not check regularly enough on the effectiveness of the support for pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities, including those pupils who access the school’s inclusion provision. Leaders do not have a secure understanding of the progress that these pupils are making. Teachers do not always use their knowledge of what these pupils can do well enough to plan activities that will develop their learning. As a result, some pupils who attend this provision are not making as much progress as they should.
• The monitoring of the progress of disadvantaged pupils is not sharp enough. Teachers focus on small groups of disadvantaged pupils, and do not provide all disadvantaged pupils with tasks that meet individual needs. As a result, some pupils do not make as much progress as they should.
• Where learning is more effective, teachers use their knowledge of what pupils can do to set tasks that challenge pupils. Questioning is used effectively by teachers and teaching assistants to prompt and develop pupils’ learning. Teachers and teaching assistants work well together to ensure that all pupils make progress. This is particularly evident in the teaching of English, where teachers use their secure subject knowledge to develop pupils’ understanding and skills in reading and writing.
• The structured teaching of reading excites and challenges pupils to read more. Teachers track pupils’ reading levels carefully and their understanding is checked regularly to make sure that they are reading books that will challenge them. As a result, pupils are making secure progress in reading.
• Teachers provide pupils with a wide range of opportunities to write across the curriculum. Teachers use their knowledge of what pupils can already do to set tasks that challenge pupils, and provide effective direction to pupils to develop their writing further.
• The teaching of phonics is effective in the early years and key stage 1. Pupils use and apply their knowledge of phonics to read and spell unfamiliar words.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare requires improvement.
• Leaders are quick to assess the needs of pupils new to the school, and do what they can to support pupils and families. Sometimes, however, the support provided may not be in the best interests of the pupil or of other pupils in the school. Sometimes leaders cope with issues in school when external support would be more effective.
• Pupils are confident and are happy to talk about their learning. However, on occasion pupils do not show resilience in their learning and do not focus fully on the tasks in hand.
• Pupils have a good understanding of different types of bullying. Pupils who spoke with inspectors said that incidents of bullying at the school were rare, and hardly ever happen.
• Pupils have a good understanding of different cultures and faiths. They know that pupils at the school come from different backgrounds, and many different languages are spoken at the school. Pupils value the range of clubs and sporting opportunities that are available to them. They know how to keep themselves healthy and safe, including online.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils requires improvement.
• The school’s own records show that while incidents of poor behaviour have reduced significantly in the last year, there are still several occasions where pupils are asked to leave the classroom and miss out on learning in order to manage behaviour.
• Some teachers and teaching assistants are not skilled enough in managing the behaviour of some pupils. These staff rely too heavily on leaders intervening to deal with incidents. Pupils who spoke with inspectors said that occasionally, the poor behaviour of other pupils interrupts learning.
• Sometimes, pupils are not sufficiently challenged and find the work too easy, because teachers do not have high enough expectations of what they can achieve. As a result, some pupils disengage from their learning and are not encouraged to get back to their work straight away.
• Staff in the school’s inclusion provision generally manage pupils’ behaviour well. They have a good understanding of pupils’ emotional needs and work hard to support them. However, occasionally staff are too quick to intervene, and pupils’ poor behaviour escalates.
• Behaviour around the school is well ordered. Pupils are polite and respectful of visitors, greeting them and holding doors.
• Leaders monitor the attendance of pupils at the school carefully. The zero tolerance approach to pupils being late to school has resulted in an improvement in punctuality. The overall rates of attendance are improving, with fewer pupils persistently absent.

Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

• Pupils’ outcomes require improvement because pupils are not making good progress throughout the school. In 2016 and 2017, the proportion of pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics in key stage 1 and 2 was below the national average. Middle- and high-attaining pupils did not make the progress of which they are capable in reading and mathematics.
• Pupils are not making enough progress in mathematics in key stage 2. For the last three years, the average progress of pupils in mathematics has been well below the national average. The school’s own assessment information is not focused sharply enough on the progress that pupils are making.
• The proportion of disadvantaged pupils achieving the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of key stages 1 and 2 is below the national average. The use of the pupil premium funding is not targeted well enough to improve the progress that these pupils make. Disadvantaged pupils, including the most able disadvantaged, do not make as much progress as they should.
• Some pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities do not make good progress. The progress that these pupils make is not checked regularly and the expectation of what these pupils can achieve is sometimes too low. Teachers do not plan carefully enough for pupils who access the school’s inclusion provision. Pupils often complete the same tasks and as result, some are not making the progress of which they are capable.
• Pupils’ attainment in reading has been below the national average in key stages 1 and 2. However, in 2017, the proportion of pupils achieving the expected standard increased, and in key stage 1 was close to the national average. In key stage 2, the progress that pupils make in reading has accelerated and is now closer to the national average. The school’s own assessment information shows that the proportion of pupils working at age-related expectations in reading is increasing rapidly.
• In writing, the proportion of pupils achieving the expected standard in 2017, in key stages 1 and 2, was below the national average. Pupils’ workbooks show that teachers are providing pupils with a wide range of opportunities to write. Guidance from teachers is helping pupils to develop their writing. As a result, the progress that pupils make in writing is improving rapidly.
• The proportion of pupils reaching the expected standard in the Year 1 phonics screening check is in line with the national average.

Early years provision Good

• The early years leader and the staff are determined to provide children with the best possible learning opportunities available. Staff have worked successfully to develop positive relationships with parents, and to share children’s learning experiences between school and home.
• Staff use assessment information astutely to identify children’s next steps in learning. Teachers plan activities to provide children with a wide range of experiences that they may not encounter elsewhere. Staff use technology where possible to enhance children’s learning experiences, such as using television screens to provide backdrops for different role-play activities.
• The early years leader regularly monitors the quality of teaching and learning in the early years. Staff are encouraged to think carefully about how their practice affects the learning experiences of the children. As a result, staff have high expectations of themselves and the children.
• Adults plan activities well to challenge all children. Children show independence and access the many different activities available for them. Adults target children when necessary to ensure that throughout the week, all take part in the different opportunities available, and that no learning is lost.
• Teachers and teaching assistants use questioning skilfully to target children’s different needs. Adults develop and extend understanding well, and do not set restrictions on what children can achieve. As a result, children are keen to learn and make rapid progress.
• Children behave well and are kind and caring towards one another. They are keen to share their learning with others. They are eager to learn and take an active part in their learning. Children demonstrate resilience and concentration when completing the tasks available. They are unafraid to exclaim their joy when achieving something new.
• Safeguarding in the early years is effective. Teachers and teaching assistants have a good understanding of children’s needs, and are swift to act when additional support is required.
• The early years leader has comprehensive assessment systems in place to track the progress that children make from entry to the nursery. Additional support is put in place swiftly to support disadvantaged children and those who have SEN and/or disabilities. Teaching assistants support these children in small groups or as individuals to develop their social skills, phonics skills or language development.
• The proportion of children achieving a good level of development at the end of the Reception Year is below the national average. However, the school’s own assessment information shows that children in the early years are making good progress towards the early learning goals, with an increasing proportion well prepared for Year 1.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 120031 Leicester 10041590 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 654 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Headteacher Telephone number Website Email address Keith Lishman Amelia Smith 0116 2872487 www.braunstonefrith.org.uk office@braunstonefrith.leicester.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 24–25 June 2015

Information about this school

• Due to the recent increase in the proportion of pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities since the last inspection, the school has established an inclusion provision for pupils aged between five and 11 with behaviour and special educational needs.
• Leaders have received support from the local authority and from local school leaders.
• In 2017, the school met the government’s current floor standards, which are the minimum expectations of pupils’ attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of Year 6.

Information about this inspection

• The inspectors observed learning in a number of lessons, some of which were observed jointly with the headteacher or senior leaders. They observed the teaching of early reading skills and listened to pupils read. The inspectors also talked with pupils about their school and looked at examples of pupils’ work in all year groups to gain a view of the impact of teaching over time.
• Meetings were held with the headteacher, deputy headteachers, subject and middle leaders, newly qualified teachers and representatives of the governing body. The inspectors also spoke with the local authority link advisor.
• The inspectors spoke with parents informally and considered the 19 responses to the online parent questionnaire, Parent View.
• The inspectors looked at a range of documents, including: the school’s self-evaluation and plans for improvement; the most recent information on the achievement and progress of pupils; information relating to the health, safety and safeguarding of pupils; the most recent data relating to the attendance of pupils and minutes from meetings of the governing body.
• The inspectors considered the range and quality of information provided on the school’s website.

Inspection team

Helen Williams, lead inspector Liz White Debbie Beeston David Heald Her Majesty’s Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector