Broadwood Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Improve the quality of teaching so that it consistently ensures that pupils, and particularly boys, the most able pupils, disadvantaged pupils and the most able disadvantaged, make at least good progress from their starting points by:
  • raising teachers’ expectations of what their pupils can achieve
  • ensuring that teachers use the information they gather about pupils’ current skills, knowledge and understanding to plan work which moves pupils on quickly and challenges them to achieve highly
  • embedding the assessment system across the non-core subjects so that activities
  • can move pupils on quickly from what they already know and understand improving teachers’ skills in teaching mathematics so that pupils master skills briskly and securely, and can develop and apply their skills of reasoning and problem solving
  • tackling weak handwriting and presentation skills, and challenging sloppy work
  • ensuring that all teaching assistants are deployed effectively.
• Improve the quality of teaching further in the early years by:
  • making sure that adults have consistently high expectations of what children can do, and plan work that moves them on quickly from what they already know and understand, particularly in mathematical activities
  • maximising the opportunities for children to fully engage in investigation and problem-solving activities
  • ensuring that adults check what children are doing when they are not in adult-led activities. This is so that opportunities are not missed to celebrate their successes, or to make sure that they are fully involved in the wide range of activities on offer.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

• Significant turbulence in leadership has had a detrimental impact on the quality of education and pupils’ progress and attendance in recent years. Standards fell in 2015 and disadvantaged pupils’ progress was relatively weak in reading, writing and mathematics. Pupils’ attendance was too low and the number absent for long periods was too high.
• Some improvements came last year as a result of actions taken by the interim, part-time headteacher, including improvement in attendance rates. However, too few pupils made good progress from their starting points in reading and mathematics, particularly boys, the most able and the most able disadvantaged pupils.
• On arrival, the headteacher rapidly and accurately ascertained what was working well and what needed improving. He quickly raised expectations and, supported well by the deputy headteacher and governors, set about implementing a succinct improvement plan, prioritising the most important actions first.
• The immediate actions taken to improve teachers’ effectiveness in teaching reading has resulted in strong improvements in pupils’ reading skills and in their stated enjoyment of reading across the school. Other actions are too early in their implementation to have secured the intended improvements fully, particularly in mathematics.
• Systems to check the quality of teaching are sharper and involve senior and middle leaders. However, leaders know that more needs to be done to ensure that reviews of teaching focus more closely on the impact of teaching on pupils’ learning and progress, and not as much on what the teacher is doing. Work is ongoing to tackle this.
• Middle leaders report positively on their increasing roles and responsibilities, the development of their skills and their increased accountability in improving all aspects of the school’s work. They know that mathematics needs to be much better and are taking action to change how it is taught. They have looked outward to learn from best practice internationally and from a local outstanding school, Throckley Primary School.
• Leaders make checks on the regular assessments teachers now carry out on pupils’ progress in reading, writing and mathematics, alongside reviews of pupils’ work. However, the assessment system is new and is not embedded across all subjects. Consequently, some teachers are not adept at planning work to move pupils on quickly from what they already know and understand. This includes the early years.
• Leaders’ promotion of pupils’ personal development, welfare and behaviour is a strength of the school. These aspects have not been judged outstanding because persistent absence rates of disadvantaged pupils are still too high. Pupils’ behaviour is delightful around the school. Occasionally, in lessons, when teaching is not matched well to pupils’ needs, their attention wanes and their attitudes to learning dip to passive rather than fully involved. This slows the pace of their learning.
• Last year, additional money for disadvantaged pupils was not used effectively in upper key stage 2 because the difference between disadvantaged pupils’ progress in reading and mathematics and other pupils nationally was too wide. In key stage 1 and the early years, use of additional funding was more effective. For example, in the early years, the proportion of disadvantaged children achieving a good level of development was in line with that found nationally. Changes implemented this year mean that teachers are more adept at identifying when pupils are struggling with a concept or skill, and activities are quickly put into place to help them to understand.
• The additional resource for pupils who have a hearing impairment is used well. Pupils are supported to be fully included in school life. Specialist staff work alongside pupils and ensure that the work is well matched to their needs and also challenges them to do their best.
• The headteacher recognised immediately that the progress of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities, requiring additional in-school support, was too variable. He took on the role of special educational needs coordinator (SENCO) and has changed the way pupils’ needs are identified and then supported in class. He is developing a clearer, targeted approach that identifies precisely what teachers need to do to meet pupils’ needs, so that they can achieve the next steps in their learning quickly.
• The curriculum has been energised. It is more creative and care has been taken to ensure that it better meets the needs of boys to help diminish the differences between boys’ and girls’ achievements. A raft of extra-curricular experiences enhance the curriculum well. Science, mathematics, drama, computer coding, gardening clubs and choir are just some of the activities available. The highly valued residential visits and clubs (where pupils meet other pupils in the West End Schools’ Trust), build pupils’ confidence, self-esteem and team-building skills. Visits to the local university raise their aspirations.
• Physical education (PE) and sports funding is used successfully to broaden pupils’ sporting opportunities and increase their skills and enjoyment. It is also used to build teachers’ competence in delivering PE lessons effectively.
• Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is promoted well. Pupils report how the diverse faiths and cultures of pupils across the school are celebrated and studied. The strong focus on developing pupils’ understanding of respect and care for others, fundamentals of right and wrong and taking responsibility has resulted in a harmonious school community. This work and pupils’ charity work help them to understand and embrace the values at the heart of British society. Governance

Safeguarding

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

• The quality of teaching and learning is too variable across year groups and subjects. Over time, teaching has not been effective in ensuring that pupils make good progress from their starting points in reading and mathematics.
• Teachers’ expectations of what pupils can do have not been high enough. The headteacher is tackling this head-on. Changes he has made to the teaching of reading are already paying off. Pupils read every day. Teachers have been trained on effective questioning of texts. This strategy is extending pupils’ understanding well. Interesting books whet pupils’ appetites. For example, the novel, ‘Billy the kid’ is provoking real enthusiasm as well as reflection and discussion on difficult moral and social dilemmas.
• In reading, the work that pupils are expected to complete independently (while the teacher is working with other pupils) is not always challenging enough. Consequently, some pupils’ interest wanes and they sit passively. Adults do not always pick these instances up quickly enough and so precious learning time is lost.
• Improved teaching of phonics is ensuring that the least able readers are able to build unfamiliar words and tackle texts with confidence and self-belief. Teaching of phonics is particularly strong in Year 1, where staff are building quickly on pupils’ achievements secured when they were in the Reception class last year. Most-able readers welcome the wider range of books and the challenges brought to bear in reading and understanding more complex texts.
• In other subjects, and particularly mathematics, teaching does not consistently build on what pupils already know or can understand. For example, in lower key stage 2, pupils spend too much time repeating calculations that they have already mastered. Not enough opportunities are provided to strengthen pupils’ grasp of mathematical concepts and apply this to different problems, or in developing pupils’ reasoning skills.
• Relationships between pupils and adults are consistently strong, contributing to pupils’ positive attitudes. They are keen to respond to questions and apply themselves to their work. Pupils report their enjoyment of reading and subjects like art, religious education (RE) and science. Work in RE and science is not consistently demanding enough.
• Teachers do not challenge pupils’ poor handwriting, limited or sloppy work, sufficiently. In some books handwriting is so poor it is hard to read. Conversely, there are examples of some excellent presentation. Pupils report that they know their writing needs to get better. The headteacher is taking action to improve this.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare

Personal development and welfare

Good

quality relationships between adults and pupils and pupils themselves stand out as strengths in the school. Pupils express a sense of pride and belonging to Broadwood.

• Pupils of different faiths and cultures are welcomed. New arrivals settle in quickly as a result. Parents responding to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View, all reported that their children enjoy school, make good progress and are safe. Pupils say they value the ‘adult mentors’ whom they choose as a trusted adult to turn to in times of need. They also value the prefects and playground buddies who are also there to give a helping hand.
• Pupils feel safe. They spoke maturely about the range of work they undertake to understand risks to their safety and how to respond to them. Visits to places such as Safety Works provide hands-on experiences of risks from fire, parks and open water, trains and hazards in the kitchen. Pupils learn about road safety here and from visitors to school, and are well-versed in understanding the risks from social media.
• Pupils have many opportunities to learn how to be healthy in the curriculum, in the welcoming breakfast club and at lunchtimes. Such activities, together with the personal, social, health, citizenship and economic curriculum and the sex and relationships education, prepare pupils well as they move on from primary school. Visits locally and further afield, alongside topic work, the RE curriculum and assemblies help them to understand how to be active citizens in modern Britain successfully. Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good. Pupils’ behaviour as they move around school is exemplary. Pupils chat together in a friendly and sociable manner at lunchtimes. They speak enthusiastically about the chance to eat at the ‘special table’ adorned with tablecloths and vibrant placements, as a reward for good behaviour or attitudes.
• Pupils’ behaviour in lessons is usually good. They come to lessons promptly, display positive attitudes and are keen to respond to questions and requests. Occasionally, when activities are too easy or not linked well enough to what they already know and understand, pupils’ interest drifts away from their work and they sit passively.
• Incidents of bullying are rare. Pupils have a good understanding of different types of bullying. They report that name-calling or the use of discriminatory language is very rare. Pupils say, and records show, that occasional incidents are tackled robustly.
• Work to improve pupils’ attendance made its mark last year and rates improved from well below average to slightly above. Pupils like the attendance tree that helps them to learn how to value school and celebrates their good attendance.
• The parent support worker works closely with families whose children are at risk of prolonged absence. As a result, the proportion of pupils absent for long periods has reduced well, although it remains slightly above that found nationally. Reducing the number of disadvantaged pupils absent for long periods has been more difficult. While rates are falling effectively this term, they were too high last year.

Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

• Outcomes require improvement because over time, not enough Year 6 pupils (particularly boys, disadvantaged pupils, the most able and the most able disadvantaged) make good progress from their starting points across a range of subjects, including mathematics.
• In 2016, there was good improvement in the proportion of Year 6 pupils making expected progress in writing, grammar, spelling and punctuation. However, very few pupils made more than expected progress from their starting points. There was also improvement in the proportion of Year 1 pupils meeting expectations in their phonics assessments. Outcomes of the phonics screening check were above average, including for disadvantaged pupils.
• Pupils’ achievement in science was good last year. This year, work is more variable due to changes in the curriculum. In some lower key stage 2 classes, it is not sufficiently challenging. The limited work in pupils’ books is often of a poor quality.
• Observations of learning, reviews of pupils’ books and the school’s current assessment information indicates that pupils’ progress is improving but remains variable across classes and year groups. For example, current assessments show that achievement is stronger in Year 3 than in Year 4, and better in Year 5 than in Year 6. Pupils’ progress in Year 1 and Year 2 has improved because of the actions taken to ensure good leadership in the phase. Evidence also shows that the differences between disadvantaged pupils and other pupils in school are diminishing.
• Pupils who have a hearing impairment make good progress in their learning because the specialist support and high-quality teaching are targeted precisely at their needs in class. Progress in lessons is more variable for pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities and who have been identified as requiring additional in-school support. This is because activities are not always well matched to their needs and current levels of ability. The SENCO is working with staff to tackle the anomalies, particularly in writing.

Early years provision Requires improvement

• The early years requires improvement because the quality of teaching is not consistently good. As a result, children currently in the early years do not make sufficiently good progress in their learning and development.
• That being said, the proportion of children achieving a good level of development improved well in 2016, from below average to average. This represented good progress from children’s typically below-average skills and knowledge on entry. The early years pupil premium funding was used effectively and, as a result, the proportion of disadvantaged children achieving a good level of development also improved well.
• The early years leader has a good understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of provision and is taking action to tackle weaker practice. Not all staff implement her actions for improvement rapidly. For example, staff have been asked to make sure that when working with groups of children, they keep an eye on others who are working on self-chosen tasks. On occasions during the inspection, children were succeeding in self-chosen tasks but no adult noticed. Consequently, successes went unrecognised. Additionally, when children moved away from activities and became unproductive, not enough checks were made to entice them back to learning quickly, meaning precious learning time was lost.
• In some mathematical activities, staff did not provide work that moved children on from what they already knew, slowing the pace of learning. Staff do not always challenge pupils to solve problems for themselves or extend their investigatory skills.
• Nevertheless, a wide range of interesting, effectively planned activities and experiences are on offer inside and outdoors in both Nursery and Reception. The environment ensures that each area of learning is catered for. For example, the camouflaged ‘hide’ helped children to explore ‘wildlife’ enthusiastically and develop their ideas and language development creatively. They were seen to thoroughly enjoy making hedgehogs and three-dimensional animals.
• Relationships between adults and children are strong. Children settle in quickly and soon get accustomed to routines. They behave well and know the boundaries and respect them. Children are friendly and keen to share their ideas and work with adults. The focus on developing children’s language and communication skills that are often below average on entry helps children to express their ideas with adults and their classmates successfully. Children are keen to talk and explain their ideas to adults and visitors.
• The teaching of phonics is good. Adults were seen working systematically, with a set of clear questions, focusing on initial and final sounds in the words children were decoding. They were adept in helping children to identify the common sounds they had already mastered.
• Partnerships with parents are strong. They are welcomed each morning to share and celebrate their children’s learning experiences. There is good liaison between home and school. Family days are becoming regular to increase parental participation in children’s learning and development, and to develop further these important partnerships.
• A pre-school playgroup introduces families and children to the staff and shows children that school and learning can be fun.
• The early years leader makes sure that all welfare requirements are met and children are safe. Children grow in confidence and self-esteem during their time in Broadwood and are prepared effectively for Year 1.

School details

Unique reference number 108468 Local authority Newcastle upon Tyne Inspection number 10019375 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 Foundation 3–11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 324 Appropriate authority Local authority Chair Headteacher Telephone number Website Email address Lynn Stephenson David McLeod 0191 274 1684 www.broadwood.newcastle.sch.uk david.mcleod@broadwood.newcastle.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 26 September 2012

Information about this school

• The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website.
• Broadwood is a larger than average-sized primary school. Numbers on roll have risen since the previous inspection.
• Around half of the pupils are known to be eligible for the government’s additional funding for disadvantaged pupils. This is well above average.
• The proportion of pupils of minority ethnic heritage is above average and increasing.
• A higher than average proportion of pupils are identified as in need of additional school support for their special educational needs and/or disabilities. An average proportion of pupils have an education, health and care plan.
• The school has a hearing impaired additional resource centre (HIARC), resourced by the local authority. Ten pupils currently attend the centre. The hearing impaired service’s specialist teachers and teaching support staff work alongside pupils in their classrooms wherever possible. Additional one-to-one activities are provided in the centre when required. Other local authority specialists support pupils in the school setting when needs are identified, such as specialists from the visually impaired team.
• The early years comprises a Nursery class and Reception class. Children attend both classes full time.
• The school provides a breakfast club each morning and an after-school club.
• Broadwood became part of the West End Schools’ Trust (WEST), on 1 February 2015. Other schools include Bridgewater, Canning Street, Hawthorn, St John’s, St Paul’s and Wingrove primary schools.
• There have been three changes in headship in the last two years. Last year, the headteacher from Bridgewater, an outstanding school in the trust, led the school for half of the week. The current headteacher has been in post since September 2016. Transition arrangements were in place during the summer term.
• The school did not meet the government’s floor standards in 2015. These are the minimum standards expected for pupils’ attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of key stage 2. Provisional performance information suggests that the school is likely to meet the 2016 floor standards.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors observed learning in a range of lessons. The headteacher and deputy headteacher observed some lessons jointly with members of the inspection team.
• Inspectors listened to a range of pupils read and checked pupils’ work in books across the curriculum.
• Pupils’ behaviour in lessons and during break and lunchtime was observed and reviews of written records of any misbehaviour were taken into account.
• Inspectors talked informally to pupils in lessons and around the school, and held formal meetings with three groups of pupils.
• Inspectors held discussions with the headteacher, senior leaders, subject leaders and staff. A discussion also took place with the leader of the hearing impaired centre. A meeting was held with five representatives of the governing body, all of whom came to the end of inspection feedback. A discussion was held with the school’s achievement partner, brokered by the local authority.
• Inspectors scrutinised a range of documentation including leaders’ evaluation of their effectiveness, school improvement plans and assessment information on the progress pupils in school are currently making.
• They checked information on how leaders monitor and review teaching and learning. They also reviewed documentation and case files regarding the safeguarding of pupils in the school and reports to, and minutes of, recent governing body meetings.
• Inspectors took into account the views of 23 parental responses to Parent View.

Inspection team

Margaret Farrow, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Olie Flitcroft Alison Aitchison Colin Lofthouse

Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector