Brocklewood Primary and Nursery School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Ensure that teachers teach pupils effectively about cultural diversity to better prepare them for life in modern Britain.
• Make certain that teachers make better use of assessment to set work that challenges pupils right from the start of their lessons and stretches their learning, to further accelerate their progress in all subjects.
• Ensure that all pupils, particularly disadvantaged pupils, attend school regularly.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• Senior leaders provide strong and focused leadership for the school. They are well respected by parents, pupils, governors and staff.
• Leaders from the school and the trust are united in their ambition and determination to provide the best for all pupils. As a result, the school has improved rapidly.
• The Transform Trust has provided effective support through shared training and staff development opportunities. Through rigorous monitoring and decisive actions, the trust has enabled the school to secure good teaching and improved outcomes for pupils. Leaders and teachers speak highly of the opportunities they have to develop their practice.
• The special educational needs coordinator has ensured that extra funding received by the school is allocated and monitored effectively to raise standards and improve provision for eligible pupils. These pupils receive skilled support which is carefully tailored to their needs. As a result, they make good progress. Parents of these pupils who talked with inspectors spoke highly of the quality of support their child receives.
• Middle and subject leaders are passionate about improving standards for the pupils in their care. They know what needs improving in their areas of responsibility and check regularly on the progress being made.
• The pupil premium leader has ensured that funding is allocated and monitored well. A well-designed curriculum, careful planning and extra-curricular opportunities ensure that these pupils make at least good progress.
• Effective use is made of the primary physical education and sport premium funding to provide specialist teaching and training for staff. The school also provides a range of after-school clubs, such as basketball and handball. As a result, pupils’ physical development and understanding of the importance of keeping fit to stay healthy are good.
• Pupils show tolerance and respect for others. They understand democracy and the importance of rules and laws. One pupil told the inspector: ‘Being able to vote is important, it gives us rights. Without the chance to vote, we can’t say what we think is right and what we think is wrong.’
• Leaders have ensured that the curriculum is broad and balanced. They have included a range of topics that inspire and motivate pupils, particularly boys. At the beginning of each topic, pupils are consulted about what they would like to learn and how. This has contributed to the good progress pupils make across the curriculum.
• Pupils value the rich extra-curricular activities which develop their sporting, musical, art and academic skills. For example, pupils spoke enthusiastically about their success in sporting competitions and their opportunities to design and create a garden area with the artist in residence.
• Leaders have ensured that performance management is precisely linked to improvements in teaching and learning. They know where teaching is strongest and where additional support is required. They use this information to ensure that good progress for pupils is sustained. However, leaders have not ensured that teachers use assessment information precisely so that challenging opportunities are provided early on in lessons so that pupils can make even better progress.
• Leaders have ensured that the wider curriculum is effective at securing good levels of spiritual, moral and social understanding and pupils are increasingly well prepared to take their place in modern Britain. Nevertheless, pupils’ understanding of cultural diversity is limited. Leaders’ evaluations of this aspect of the curriculum have not been thorough enough.

Governance of the school

• Members of the governing body have a good overview of the school and are ambitious for its future. They ensure that performance management procedures are in place and are effective at securing improvements in teaching and learning.
• Governors are conscientious, prioritising the areas for improvement identified by senior leaders. The Transform Trust has provided effective training which has brought increased rigour to governors’ actions. They use the school’s performance information well to challenge school leaders and hold them to account. They visit the school regularly to check on leaders’ actions and work closely with staff to be better informed.
• Governors monitor the use of additional funds, such as the pupil premium and funding for pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities. Governors ensure that they receive regular updates from leaders on the outcomes for different groups of pupils. They work very effectively with leaders from across the wider trust to review provision and ensure value for money. As a result, those pupils who require additional support are making good progress across the school from their starting points.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Staff and governors receive regular training, which includes how to identify ways that pupils may be at risk from extremist views. Leaders keep precise and detailed records which show effective work with external agencies.
• The culture of safeguarding within the school is evident in the way pupils feel safe and in the way adults are rigorous when pursuing concerns. Pupils trust adults in the school and say they know who to talk to if they are worried. Pupils who spoke to inspectors talked knowledgeably about how the school keeps them safe, including how to stay safe online and from the risk of ‘grooming’.
• Parents and pupils value the strong focus on pastoral support which has ensured that pupils are nurtured and well cared for. Leaders are determined that pupils will receive the best care and are highly committed to ensuring that pupils’ needs are met. As the leader for safeguarding said, ‘We are the voice for the child.’

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• Pupils are well supported by teachers and teaching assistants, who use effective questioning to check pupils’ understanding. As a result, pupils are focused on learning and behave well.
• Support from senior leaders and the trust has ensured that quality teaching and learning are rapidly improving pupils’ standards of attainment and all groups of pupils make good progress.
• Senior leaders have strengthened the teaching of phonics. Training and restructuring of the curriculum have ensured that teaching and learning in this area have significantly improved so that pupils receive good-quality phonics teaching. Pupils who read to inspectors were observed using their phonics knowledge well to attempt unfamiliar words. They were keen to share their books and enjoyed using characterisation.
• After a dip in reading results in 2016, leaders introduced a different approach to teaching the subject which is successfully improving standards. Teachers engage pupils through exciting and imaginative texts. For example, through the topic of World War Two, Year 6 pupils talked in-depth to inspectors about their class text: ‘The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas’. They showed great empathy towards the main character in the story and were able to demonstrate good understanding of the language used by the author.
• Pupils are encouraged to develop their reading skills by engaging in discussions that extend their understanding. They talk enthusiastically about their love of books and enjoy the planned opportunities to share their books with other pupils across the school.
• Teaching assistants are highly skilled and support pupils very well. Pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities are sensitively and skilfully supported so that they achieve the best they can.
• Pupils’ achievements in mathematics have continued to improve. Teachers plan lessons that are well structured and build on pupils’ prior learning. Pupils regularly practise and apply their skills. They have frequent opportunities to use reasoning and explain what they have done and why.
• Teachers plan lessons that enable pupils to practise their English and mathematical skills in different subjects. Pupils’ topic work in subjects such as history and science often reinforces pupils’ learning in writing and data handling, for example. This helps pupils to deepen their learning over time.
• Teachers pay close attention to the development of key skills, such as handwriting, presentation, spelling and grammar, in pupils’ writing. Pupils write for a range of purposes, over extended periods, and this helps to build their resilience as writers. Inspectors’ scrutiny of pupils’ workbooks over time shows improvements in the quality and maturity of content which becomes increasingly engaging for people reading their work.
• Pupils’ workbooks and some lessons observed by inspectors show that teachers do not consistently use assessment information effectively. As a result, some pupils, particularly the most able pupils, are not consistently challenged to do their best.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good. From starting school in the early years, pupils are taught to respect each other and their school environment. The majority of pupils show pride in the presentation of their work and the condition of the school building.
• Pupils know how to stay safe in different situations and can explain the steps taken to look after them at school. Pupils can talk about the ways they keep themselves safe when using the internet, for example. They trust school staff to deal with any fall-outs quickly and effectively. Pupils have a good understanding of what constitutes bullying. They say that incidents of bullying are rare and that staff deal with these incidents quickly and effectively.
• Leaders effectively promote healthy lifestyles. Pupils were able to explain to inspectors how to stay healthy by eating well and exercising regularly. Furthermore, pupils say they enjoy the range of sporting, gardening, art and musical activities provided by the school. One pupil enthusiastically explained: ‘We can go ice skating, swimming, play handball or sing with the choir. We can grow our own vegetables and create mosaics in the garden. I like to play in the band when we do concerts!’
• Pupils hold positions of responsibility in school. Elections for these positions have helped pupils to understand fundamental British values such as democracy and the importance of law. Year 6 pupils explained how a recent project had helped them to think about how stealing has extended to financial abuse: ‘People can take your money without you knowing. It can be online or by using someone’s bank card. It’s still stealing and people who do it are breaking the law.’
• There is a strong ethos of friendship and tolerance. Pupils are able to demonstrate their ability to empathise with others from different backgrounds or lifestyles: ‘Just because people look different on the outside, they can be just as kind as us on the inside.’
• Nevertheless, pupils’ understanding of different cultures is limited because leaders have not ensured that teachers explicitly teach pupils about cultural diversity.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good.
• Pupils are polite and well-mannered and their conduct is consistently good at different times of the school day. The vast majority of pupils respond quickly and appropriately to adults’ instructions.
• Pupils are proud of their school and talk positively about the improvements that have happened. They enjoy receiving rewards and understand the sanctions should they choose to misbehave.
• Leaders keep detailed records of any behaviour-related incidents. These incidents are analysed closely in order to set appropriate targets for individual pupils. Effective strategies are in place, in accordance with the school’s behaviour policy.
• Leaders’ provision of behaviour support mentors and the school counsellor is greatly appreciated by pupils. This support is carefully tailored to meet the emotional, social and behavioural needs of pupils and their families. Pupils are able to refer themselves for support from the counsellor through the ‘Go to Jo’ initiative. Pupils acknowledge that this has significantly reduced the number of playtime incidents because they feel they ‘always have someone to talk to, no matter how we feel’.
• Procedures for monitoring the attendance of pupils are rigorous. Leaders use a range of creative and appropriate strategies to encourage pupils to attend school regularly. The pastoral team and attendance officer monitor attendance closely on a daily basis. Although these strategies are gradually improving attendance, leaders are aware that further improvements need to be made to ensure that specific groups of pupils are not disadvantaged by non-attendance.

Outcomes for pupils Good

• Pupils, including those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities, make good progress from their different starting points.
• Since 2016, key stage 1 outcomes for all pupils, including disadvantaged pupils, have improved significantly in reading, writing and mathematics. Outcomes at the end of key stage 2 remain lower than the national averages but have significantly improved for reading and mathematics. Outcomes in writing have remained in line with 2016 results. Leaders have acted promptly to identify that this is due to pupils’ inconsistent application of spelling and grammar skills. As a result, leaders are introducing specific focused interventions to better teach pupils how to accurately apply spelling and grammar rules in their writing.
• In 2016, the proportions of pupils achieving the expected standard in the national phonics screening checks in Year 1 and Year 2 were low. Leaders acted promptly to retrain teachers and teaching assistants in developing pupils’ phonics skills. Leaders’ regular checks on pupils’ progress show rapid improvements so that, currently, the proportion of pupils attaining the expected standard is significantly higher than it was last year.
• Pupil premium funding is used effectively to improve the attainment of disadvantaged pupils. They make good and sometimes better progress over time and in relation to their starting points. Their progress is tracked carefully and teachers and teaching assistants tailor additional support specifically to meet individual academic, social and emotional needs. The difference between the outcomes of disadvantaged pupils and non-disadvantaged pupils lessens during the early years and this is sustained by the end of key stage 1. At key stage 2, the differences are diminishing.
• Leaders’ careful monitoring and restructuring of provision for vulnerable pupils, including those eligible for the pupil premium funding and those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities, have enabled these pupils to make accelerated progress from their starting points.
• Inspectors’ scrutiny of pupils’ work shows that the vast majority of pupils are making progress that is at least good across a range of subjects. It is evident that, over time, pupils’ skills and knowledge are improving and their understanding is deepening.
• Nevertheless, some pupils, particularly the most able, are not challenged early enough in their learning and do not make rapid enough progress.

Early years provision Good

• Leadership and management of the early years is good. Leaders have a comprehensive and accurate knowledge of the children as a result of good relationships with local nurseries and pre-schools. They use this information to ensure that children are well cared for and make a good start to school life. This has enabled the early years leader to establish effective links with parents which ensure that children settle quickly and grow in confidence.
• The Nursery and Reception classes are stimulating and enjoyable places to learn because of the exciting curriculum and the broad range of learning opportunities. Staff meet children’s needs effectively. Teaching assistants support learning well.
• The vast majority of children enter Reception with skills and knowledge below those typically expected for their age. From these low starting points, they make good progress as a result of improved teaching and learning. The proportion of children achieving a good level of development has improved over time. Current performance data shared with inspectors by senior leaders shows that disadvantaged children attain the same or better than other children nationally.
• Teachers in Nursery and Reception classes use careful, ongoing assessment to plan targeted and structured opportunities to develop children’s skills, particularly in language development. Consequently, by the end of their year in Reception, children are well prepared for Year 1.
• Teachers use questioning and role play to involve children in their learning and challenge their understanding. For example, children were seen engrossed in retelling the story of ‘Goldilocks and the Three Bears’. The adult guided the children’s learning effectively so that children were using resources and their knowledge of the story to act out the main events. As a result, the children began to use expressive language when imitating the voices of the bears. Other children were seen engaged in imaginative play in the mud kitchen where the adult skilfully encouraged the children to think about the quantity of mud and water they needed in order to get the right consistency for their ‘cake’ creations. The well-planned activities capture the children’s imagination, which results in children being engaged and enthusiastic learners.
• Teachers work with other schools within the trust and outside the trust to ensure that provision and standards in the early years continue to improve. For example, support from the Transform Trust, as well as from external agencies, has helped teachers to gain a better knowledge and understanding of how they can meet the needs of children in the early years.
• The leader responsible for the early years sets high expectations across the early years team. She has ensured that there is clarity, consistency and progression across Nursery and Reception classes. Recent improvements in the teaching of phonics and reading have been effective.
• Adults encourage safe play and use of resources. Children are kept safe at all times and are well looked after by the caring staff. This ethos ensures that children play happily and fairly together. Parents speak highly of the provision their children receive.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 141397 Nottingham 10035944

This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

Type of school Nursery/Primary School category Age range of pupils Gender of pupils Number of pupils on the school roll Academy sponsor-led 3 to 11 Mixed 518 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Headteacher Telephone number Website Email address Peter Munro Heather Tarrant 01159 153272 www.brocklewoodprimaryschool.co.uk admin@brocklewood.nottingham.sch.uk Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

Information about this school

• The school complies with Department for Education guidance on what academies should publish.
• The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website.
• This is the school’s first inspection since opening when it became part of the Transform Trust in January 2015.
• Brocklewood Primary and Nursery School is a larger than the average-sized primary school.
• The majority of pupils are of White British heritage. The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds is above average. The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is below average.
• The proportion of disadvantaged pupils is more than double the national average.
• The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is average.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors observed teaching in all year groups, including joint observations with the headteacher and deputy headteacher. They observed the teaching of reading and listened to pupils reading. Inspectors talked to pupils about their school and looked at examples of pupils’ work.
• Inspectors held meetings with the headteacher, deputy headteacher, senior and middle leaders, trustees and representatives of the governing body and the chief executive officer of the Transform Trust.
• Inspectors spoke with parents informally at the start of the school day. They took account of the 32 responses to the Ofsted online questionnaire (Parent View).
• Inspectors looked at a range of documents, including: the school’s self-evaluation of current performance and plans for improvement; the school’s most recent information on the achievement and progress of pupils; information relating to the safeguarding of pupils; the school’s most recent information relating to the attendance of pupils; and minutes from a number of governing body meetings.

Inspection team

Stephanie Innes-Taylor, lead inspector Andy Jeffery-Clarke Mark Mitchley Her Majesty’s Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector