Breckon Hill Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Improve the rate of progress pupils make, so that more pupils are able to reach the standards expected of them for their age by:
  • consistently providing opportunities for pupils to deepen their learning in a range of subjects
  • ensuring work in books is of high quality and consistently in line with the school’s presentation policy.
• Strengthen the role of subject leaders in analysing pupils’ information from assessment, so they play a greater part in improving outcomes for pupils.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• The headteacher offers calm and purposeful leadership. She is dedicated to the many pupils in her care. It is this dedication that underpins the nurturing ethos of this challenging school and creates a haven for its pupils.
• The headteacher is ably supported by the senior leadership team. Collectively they acknowledge the varied and complex barriers that impact on pupils’ learning. They take decisive and insightful actions to ensure that progress for pupils is good.
• The inclusion leader is highly effective. She has developed a comprehensive system for checking pupils’ starting points and manages the subsequent support that is put in place well. This means that disadvantaged pupils, those in need of catching up and pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities are making good gains in their learning and good progress from their starting points. Consequently, the additional funding for special educational needs is used effectively.
• A comprehensive programme for staff training and development is in place. Leaders use the shared expertise from schools within the trust and other agencies to support this programme. Teachers new to the profession value greatly the support given to them.
• The headteacher has established clear procedures for checking the performance of all staff. These procedures are demanding in their expectations and are differentiated according to the responsibilities of staff. They are used well to address any teaching that does not meet the nationally expected standard.
• Leaders’ evaluation of pupils’ achievement is accurate. They acknowledge that in 2015 pupils’ progress in all subjects was not as strong as it should have been. As a result, they introduced a new approach for checking on pupils’ progress that is precise in pinpointing where support is needed. The impact of this is seen in the improved progress and outcomes in 2016, particularly for reading and mathematics. It is also evident in the good progress seen in all subjects for pupils currently in the school.
• The curriculum is broad and balanced and is delivered through a ‘topic’ approach. Topics are chosen specifically to entice pupils into their learning. Pupils of all ages talk excitedly about their work. For example, pupils in Years 5 and 6 shared their ideas for enchanted items for an adventure, as part of a broader topic on ‘Merlin’. While coverage of all subjects is secure, opportunities for pupils to deepen their learning in a range of subjects are inconsistent.
• Subject leaders are relatively new to their role. They are clear about the strengths and weaknesses in their subjects and identify the correct priorities for improvement. For example, the English subject leader rightly identified that pupils need to develop their speaking and listening skills to give them greater confidence to write. They do not, as yet, play a full enough part in analysing information on pupil progress sharply, so as to evaluate the impact of their work.
• Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development and the promotion of fundamental British values are explicitly taught. The impact of this work is embodied in the very good attitudes to learning demonstrated by all pupils and the strong and inclusive relationships that exist in school.
• Leaders are committed to ensuring that all pupils have equality of opportunity and ensure that additional support is provided where needed, to enable all pupils to achieve their potential.
• The physical education (PE) and sport grant for primary schools is spent wisely. It is used to employ the services of a sports coach to strengthen the teaching of PE and to provide a range of after-school clubs. This is contributing to pupils’ enthusiasm towards sport and their increasing awareness of how to keep themselves fit and healthy.
• Leaders use the pupil premium funding well to support disadvantaged pupils’ academic, personal and social development. External agencies are secured to support pupils to overcome any difficulties they face in their learning. The support received from behaviour therapists, for example, is particularly effective in improving the emotional well-being of some of the schools’ most vulnerable pupils.
• The local authority offers ‘light touch’ support to the school, through termly visits that check on pupils’ outcomes.

Governance of the school

• Governors are committed to securing the very best provision for the pupils at Breckon Hill. They have an accurate picture of strengths and weaknesses because of effective monitoring procedures.
• Governors challenge leaders to secure the best possible progress for all pupils and groups of pupils and pay particular attention to those pupils who have only attended Breckon Hill. Minutes of their meetings are reflective of this.
• Governors use their collective skills well to direct the focus of their work and ensure that additional monies for pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities, disadvantaged pupils, and PE and sport, are used wisely.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• Leaders ensure that a culture of safeguarding is embedded among all staff, by offering an extensive programme of training. Thorough induction procedures enable all staff to have a very good understanding of their responsibilities and what is expected of them.
• There are clear systems in place for reporting incidents. Record-keeping is chronological and detailed and monitored regularly by senior leaders.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• Teachers across the school plan well to ensure that pupils make good progress. Plans are considerate of pupils’ wide-ranging needs. Teachers are usually skilful in adapting their plans to accommodate the very high levels of pupil mobility experienced at the school.
• Teaching assistants are well deployed and offer purposeful support to individuals and groups of pupils. As a result, pupils in receipt of intervention and individual support are making rapid progress in diminishing any differences in their learning.
• The teaching of writing focuses on using quality texts to engage pupils in the writing process. There is a strong emphasis on short, ‘snappy’ writing and developing pupils’ speaking skills, as a rehearsal for more extended writing. This is giving pupils, particularly those who are reluctant to write, greater confidence. These improving skills are also supporting the improved progress rates for pupils currently in the school. Leaders recognise that greater consistency towards the teaching of spelling is needed.
• Pupils are heard to read every day. Any pupil whose achievement has fallen six months behind their target is given additional support to catch up. As a result, pupils demonstrate positive attitudes and are confident in their reading.
• The teaching of phonics is effective. Sessions are organised to focus on the needs and abilities of pupils. In all lessons pupils are encouraged to use and apply their phonic skills for reinforcement. Outcomes in the 2016 screening check were lower than the national average. However, from information gathered by inspectors, outcomes in 2017 are already improved and demonstrate good progress from pupils’ starting points.
• Teachers ensure that pupils receive opportunities to work practically and use resources to support their mathematical understanding. These are effective tools in supporting pupils’ good progress. Of the books reviewed there is evidence of pupils’ strong understanding of calculations; however there is less evidence of pupils receiving consistent opportunities to deepen their understanding by using and applying their skills.
• The school’s new approach for checking on pupils’ progress is ensuring that the small proportion of most-able and most-able disadvantaged pupils are making good progress. Improved identification and more effective use of the information from pupils’ assessments are ensuring that work is planned to meet their needs.
• Homework is set in line with school policy and is linked to the topic work being studied. Pupils were keen to share their love of homework and express how much it helped them to learn in school.
• The teaching of PE is a strength of the school. Safety is prioritised and routines well established. Pupils quickly acquire skills and conform to the high expectations set for cooperation and teamwork. It is to be commended how quickly pupils who have never played sport before become cooperative members of a team.
• Although leaders have developed a presentation policy, it is not consistently applied by all staff. This means some of the pupils’ books do not consistently demonstrate the high expectations set.
• Pupils demonstrate great enthusiasm for learning; however, opportunities to deepen their understanding of a wide range of subjects other than English and mathematics are not consistent across all year groups.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.
• At the heart of the school curriculum is a strong emphasis on developing pupils’ personal, social and emotional well-being. The impact of this manifests itself in the positive relationships that exist in this happy school.
• Pupils demonstrate tolerance and empathy for others. In studying philosophy, pupils work collectively to respond to thought-provoking questions; for example: ‘Would there be a time when it was right to steal?’ Pupils’ responses demonstrated great insight into the plight of others.
• Pupils have a good understanding of bullying and all its forms. They say they feel safe and know the steps to take to keep themselves safe when using the internet.
• Pupils have great confidence and trust in the staff at Breckon Hill and know that there is always someone they can talk to, to share their concerns.
• Although pupils are proud of their school, not all pupils ensure that their work is consistently well presented and in line with the school’s policy.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good.
• The very strong relationships that are nurtured in school ensure that pupils conduct themselves well in lessons and around school. As a result, there have been no exclusions at the school for several years.
• Pupils demonstrate great respect for the adults in school and for each other. Playtimes are harmonious occasions, where pupils play happily together and no one is left out.
• Pupils experiencing behavioural difficulties are managed very well, with highly effective support.
• Attendance is broadly in line with the national average for similar schools. The average in autumn and spring term is much higher, but the impact of extended holiday during the summer term impacts on the overall attendance figure for the school.
• Those pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities and some of the school’s ethnic minority groups have higher levels of persistent absenteeism. The headteacher monitors this closely and a range of services are provided to support parents in getting their child to school. As a result, current attendance figures, particularly for these groups, demonstrate improvement on previous rates.

Outcomes for pupils Good

• Within every year group there are high levels of pupil mobility, which impact on the overall standards reached by pupils. For example, the Year 6 comprises 66 pupils, but since Reception, 125 pupils have entered and 50 pupils have left the year groups at times different from those expected. Despite this high mobility, the achievement of pupils from their varied starting points is good – particularly for those currently in the school.
• Pupils enter school with skills well below those typically expected for their age. By the time pupils leave, outcomes have historically remained significantly below the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics. However, only a small proportion of pupils would have completed the whole of their primary education at Breckon Hill. For this group of pupils their outcomes were broadly in line with the national averages.
• Over time, despite low outcomes, pupils’ progress has been good. In 2015 this was not the case and progress for pupils was less than expected. Leaders were swift to address this and developed robust systems to manage the high levels of pupil transience and to be reflective of the demands of the new curriculum. As a result, pupils settle quickly into learning, demonstrate positive attitudes to learning and make good progress.
• In 2016, both attainment and progress were strengthened and were closer to the national averages. This looks set to continue in 2017, as the progress of pupils and groups of pupils currently in the school is good.
• Leaders check carefully the achievement of pupils who have always attended Breckon Hill. Their outcomes in reading, writing and mathematics are closer to the national averages and from their low starting points this represents accelerated progress.
• The assessment of pupils’ achievement in school is accurate. In order to validate this information, inspectors checked the achievement information provided by the school against pupils’ books. This shows that the improvements in pupils’ progress seen in 2016 are being sustained and that for pupils currently in the school progress is good in reading, writing and mathematics.
• Outcomes for the small number of most-able pupils and most-able disadvantaged pupils are strengthening. The rise in the proportions of pupils reaching the higher standard in 2016 and those already identified for 2017 is indicative of this.
• Pupils who have special educational needs and /or disabilities have detailed programmes of support in place. Programmes are evaluated regularly to ensure they remain appropriate. As a result, pupils are making good gains in their learning and the same good progress as their peers.
• Disadvantaged pupils and those in need of catching up are in receipt of high levels of additional support. They are making accelerated progress from their starting points and there are few differences between their achievement and that of other pupils in the school. Those pupils who have always attended Breckon Hill do well compared with other pupils nationally in both attainment and progress.
• Outcomes in other subjects are not accelerating at the same rate as those in English and mathematics. This is because subject leaders are not fully involved in analysing outcomes for their subjects. Additionally, pupils are not consistently provided with opportunities to deepen their understanding.

Early years provision Good

• The early years leaders have great enthusiasm for their role. They understand the learning needs of very young children and have successfully created a stimulating learning environment that is focused and purposeful and in which children can thrive.
• Children work well together and are engrossed in their learning. This is because of the good emphasis adults place on developing children’s personal, social and behavioural skills.
• Adults ask thoughtful questions to make children think about what they are doing and to deepen their knowledge and understanding. As a result of effective teaching and encouragement, children are developing their skills to play with increasing independence.
• The great majority of children enter the early years with skills that are well below those which are typically found. This is generally because children start school with limited or no English and few self-help skills. Teachers ensure that the support they give pinpoints children’s needs precisely. Consequently, children make good progress from their starting points and increasing proportions are able to reach a good level of development by the end of Reception. For those children who have completed two full years within the early years classes, this is close to the national average.
• Outdoor provision is well organised and well considered and offers a wide range of learning opportunities in which children can explore and build. Children are able to sustain interest, because of the quality of resources available and the skilful intervention of adults.
• The teaching of phonics is highly effective, with children making rapid progress in acquiring skills. Every opportunity is taken to reinforce these skills in the development of early writing and mark-making. Children were observed taking their phonics skills into the reading area and independently teaching each other the sounds just learned.
• Progress in personal, social and emotional development is good and this accounts for the strengths seen in children’s behaviour and in their relationships with adults. They are encouraged to take turns and to consider others.
• Leaders use the pupil premium funding well to target support for disadvantaged children’s’ academic and personal development. As a result, children are making rapid gains in their learning, with almost half of them already reaching a good level of development. This would represent improvement on outcomes from previous years, should the profile of learners remain the same.
• Learning journals provide an accurate picture of the key stages in a child’s development and they provide a record for parents of their child’s achievements. They would be strengthened further with the capture of more children’s commentary about their learning.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 111587 Middlesbrough 10023924 This inspection was carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. The inspection was also deemed a section 5 inspection under the same Act. Type of school Primary School category Age range of pupils Gender of pupils Co-operative Trust 3 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 527 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Headteacher Telephone number Website Email address Ian Mawson Cherry Diemoz 01642 243044 www.breckonhillprimary.co.uk contact@breckonhillprimary.co.uk Date of previous inspection 23 April 2013

Information about this school

• The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website.
• This is a larger than average primary school.
• The proportion of disadvantaged pupils, eligible for support through pupil premium funding, is above the national average.
• The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is above average.
• The early years provision consists of a 39-place part-time Nursery and three Reception classes.
• The school has increased in size since it was last inspected and has increased the size of its senior leadership team to reflect this.
• The mobility of pupils entering or leaving the school at times other than those expected is high. A large proportion of these pupils enter the school with little or no English and limited experience of the English school system.
• The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds is higher than the national average, with the highest proportions drawn from Pakistani and eastern European Gypsy Roma backgrounds.
• The school meets the government’s floor standards, which are the minimum expectations for pupil attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 6.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors observed pupils learning in 24 lessons. All of them were observed jointly with senior leaders of the school.
• In addition, the inspection team looked at examples of pupils’ work in a range of subjects and listened to pupils reads from Year 1, 2 and 6.
• The inspectors met a group of pupils, the headteacher, senior leaders, members of the governing body and a representative of the local authority.
• Information from the school about pupils’ recent and current progress was examined, as well as the school’s evaluation of how well it is doing. Records of leaders’ monitoring of the quality of teaching, records relating to behaviour, attendance and those relating to safeguarding were also scrutinised
• In addition to meeting with parents the inspection team took account of 25 responses to the online questionnaire, Parent View, and outcomes from the school’s own parental consultation documents.

Inspection team

Diane Buckle, lead inspector Ian Clennan Christopher Pearce Julie McGrane John Paddick Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector