Bedenham Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Improve leadership and management by:
  • increasing the precision with which key assessment information is evaluated and acted on
  • ensuring that governors know their roles and are able to exercise their duties fully
  • strengthening the leadership of core subjects.
• Improve outcomes, especially for boys and disadvantaged pupils, by:
  • setting increasingly demanding and challenging targets based on accurate assessment of what each pupil already knows, understands and is able to do
  • ensuring that teaching enables pupils to catch up or close gaps in their knowledge and skills
  • ensuring that all staff can access, understand and use effectively information regarding pupils’ progress. An external review of governance 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 executive headteacher and the head of school have an accurate view of the school’s performance. Leaders’ self-evaluation recognises that there are areas that require improvement. However, it is only recently that actions have been taken to begin to secure these improvements. These changes have not yet had a measurable effect on pupils’ progress.
• Over the last 18 months, there have been considerable changes to the leadership of subjects and phases within the school. Constant change has meant that newly appointed leaders have not had enough time to contribute effectively to school improvement. In some cases, leaders lack necessary experience.
• Targets set by senior leaders for pupils’ progress are not always challenging enough. These include targets for disadvantaged pupils. Differences between their performance and other pupils nationally are not diminishing quickly enough.
• Assessment information is not used effectively enough. There are too many processes in the school for capturing and recording information. Consequently, not all staff can access clear and accurate information about pupils’ progress.
• The local authority recognises that the school is ‘a high priority’ for support. It has recently provided targeted coaching and mentoring for teachers to improve aspects of teaching and learning. Although in its infancy, this support is starting to have a positive impact.
• Recent changes to the way pupil premium funding is being used have resulted in this beginning to benefit those pupils who receive it. It is too early to evaluate the lasting impact of this additional financial support.
• The physical education and sports funding is used well to increase the time pupils spend playing sport. The school identified swimming as a key area and employed a specialist coach to work with pupils across Years 3 to 6. The outcome of this enhanced provision has been that pupils’ skills and self-confidence, both in and around water, have greatly improved.
• The school provides a broad and balanced curriculum and pupils talk enthusiastically about the trips they have undertaken as part of their studies. The teaching of fundamental British values is threaded through the curriculum with many opportunities for all pupils to explore democracy and tolerance, as well as to learn about different cultures, faiths and festivals.
• The BESD unit, ‘Sharks’, is led and managed effectively. The needs of the pupils are well met through purposeful activities that address their individual needs.
• School leaders have been relentless to ensure that the needs of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities are being met during a time of staffing turbulence. The current acting SENCo has received support from the local authority and has a clear vision as to what needs to be achieved in this area.
• The vast majority of parents who expressed a view are happy with the school’s work and would recommend the school to others. One commented: ‘The emphasis is on the children – not just academically but as a whole child, emotionally and socially.’

Governance of the school

• Governors do not challenge school leaders with sufficient rigour to drive improvement. They are of the opinion that they are not qualified to comment on aspects of school life and, as a result, do not hold the school to account.
• There have been problems recruiting new governors. Consequently, the governing body is spread too thinly over the two schools in its federation to have a telling impact on the specific needs of Bedenham.
• Leaders keep governors fully informed about the process and outcomes of teachers’ performance management. The local authority supports the performance management of the head of school and the executive headteacher effectively.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Robust systems are in place in all areas of safeguarding and staff understand them. Staff and governors receive up-to-date training to ensure that all requirements are met. This includes being aware of the dangers posed by radicalisation and extremism.
• Leaders ensure that the site is well maintained and secure. The perimeter fence and outside areas are checked regularly. Appropriate risk assessments are in place to ensure that vulnerable pupils, especially in the ‘Sharks’ unit, are safeguarded at all times.
• Parents and staff are positive about how well pupils are cared for. One parent commented, ‘It is a fantastic school which in my opinion really cares for its pupils.’
• All staff and governors have been trained to recognise the signs of children at risk. This includes those at risk of female genital mutilation and child sexual exploitation. All areas of safeguarding are reviewed regularly during staff meetings.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

• The quality of teaching, learning and assessment varies across key stages and classes. Where assessment is used effectively to plan challenging activities that match the pupils’ needs, progress is made and pupils engage well with the lesson. Where teaching does not meet the needs of pupils, and is aimed solely at the middle-attaining, the most able pupils, including the most able disadvantaged pupils, and lower-attaining pupils do not make sufficient progress.
• Assessment by teachers of what pupils already know is not used effectively. For example, in one class, despite pupils demonstrating that they already knew the answers to the task, the teacher insisted that they carried on and completed the activity.
• A new and appropriate feedback and marking policy has been introduced recently. However, the policy is not being followed effectively or consistently in several classes. Leaders are coaching staff more widely to develop this aspect of their practice so that the consistency improves across the school.
• Where attainment is low, there is inconsistency in targeted teaching, with many pupils given the same work to complete. Teachers are not ambitious enough for pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities who are also disadvantaged. Consequently, the level of work set is not stretching enough to enable pupils to catch up quickly with other pupils nationally.
• Both school and local authority records show that since the start of the school year the quality of teaching has improved. This improvement followed clear guidance and training from the school’s leaders and outside agencies.
• Following support from the local authority, a range of new interventions have been put in place for pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities. There are early signs that they are having a positive impact on accelerating the progress of these pupils.
• The quality of phonics teaching in key stage 1 is good. Staff are skilled in delivering the school’s chosen programme. Teachers ensure that those who did not achieve the expected standard in the phonics screening check in Year 1 get the directed support needed to be successful by Year 2.
• The learning environment is well maintained and provides useful stimuli for the pupils. Displays are used to good effect within the classroom, acting as prompts towards present and future learning.
• Appropriate homework is set according to pupils’ age and ability. Pupils report that although they do not always enjoy it, they know homework helps them. One child commented that he was amazed at how quickly he received helpful feedback on his work.
• Pupils develop a love of reading. All pupils who read to inspectors reported that they really enjoyed reading both at home and school. Pupils value the reward system that the school has introduced for those who read regularly at home.
• Work in the ‘Sharks’ specialist BESD provision is tailored to the needs of individual pupils. Careful tracking and skilful planning ensure that pupils make good progress.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.
• Pupils understand the different forms that bullying can take and talk confidently about what to do should it arise. They report that if they have any concerns about bullying they know they will be listened to and appropriate action taken.
• Pupils talk confidently about healthy eating and say that they like the choice of food on offer. The school has received the Healthy Schools Award.
• Pupils feel safe. They appreciate the safety of the school environment and the efforts of staff to help them stay safe.
• Pupils relish the opportunities to take responsibilities. One particular responsibility, ‘peer welfare support’, enables pupils to support others who may need time out of the classroom. Pupils like the chance to help their peers quickly re-integrate back into sessions.
• Pupils who have a parent in the services are supported very well through the ‘Forces Club’. This club offers pupils emotional and social support, if needed, when a family member is away or at a time of separation from a loved one.
• Pupils are polite and friendly towards visitors and talk confidently to adults. They usually work well in pairs or groups and are aware of the differing needs of other pupils.
• The school runs a breakfast club, with the purpose of ensuring that all children have had something to eat before starting the school day. This is very well attended and much appreciated by parents and pupils alike.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils requires improvement.
• Low-level disruption observed in some classes is not always challenged swiftly by staff.
• The ability of pupils to control their own behaviour is not always apparent around the school; this leads to over-boisterous, loud outbursts from a small minority which has a negative effect on their peers and the school environment.
• The school has a good reputation for dealing with pupils with challenging behaviour. This stems from the specialist work undertaken in the ‘Sharks’ specialist BESD provision. Unfortunately, on occasions, some pupils from ‘Sharks’, and others in the main part of the school, behave in ways that disrupt other pupils or distract them from learning.
• Attendance is improving due to focused targeting and support by the home-school worker. Instances of pupils being regularly absent from school have reduced.
• Behaviour at lunchtime is good. Staff and pupils recognise the positive impact that leaders’ actions have had. For example, the introduction of new play arrangements gives pupils a wide range of things to do at lunchtime.

Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

• Pupils do not achieve well enough in mathematics. Outcomes were well below national averages in 2016.
• Progress and attainment for boys are weaker than for girls.
• Lower-attaining pupils and the most able do not consistently make sustained progress from their starting points.
• Teacher assessment of the percentage of pupils achieving age-related expectations in writing in 2016, in key stage 2, was broadly in line with the national average.
• Progress and attainment for the disadvantaged most able pupils are weak in both key stages 1 and 2. Differences between this group and other pupils nationally are not diminishing rapidly enough.
• Outcomes for pupils in the ‘Sharks’ specialist BESD provision are strong, owing to the focus on individual starting points, careful tracking and monitoring and effective teaching.
• The proportion of pupils achieving the expected standard in phonics was broadly in line with the national average by the end of Year 1 and above the national average by the end of Year 2 in 2016. This is part of a pattern of consistent improvement against this measure for the last three years.
• Rightly, leaders recognise the need to track more carefully the progress of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities from their starting points. Following support from the local authority, this tracking has recently started.

Early years provision

• Children get off to a good start in the early years. Teachers and support staff know children well. Relationships between staff and children are excellent. Aspirations are high from the outset.

Good

• Attainment is stronger in the early years than in the rest of the school, with the proportion of children gaining a good level of development rising above the national average.
• Safeguarding in the early years is effective. Adults are well trained. Clear procedures to deal with any concerns are in place and the physical environment is safe. Consequently, children behave in a way that demonstrates that they know how to learn and play safely.
• Parents speak highly of the relationship that they have formed with the early years team. The team involves parents fully in the education of the children, informing them regularly about progress and next steps for learning and offering workshops on how to support their child at home.
• Children’s progress is carefully recorded and leaders make sure that any children who may need additional help quickly receive appropriate support.
• The proportion of children achieving a good level of development is improving. The school was in line with national averages in 2016. A similarly strong proportion of children currently in Reception are on track to match or exceed these figures in 2017.
• Disadvantaged children make good progress and achieve well. Staff make accurate assessments and provide effective additional support for pupils.
• The early years is well led and managed. Current arrangements to cover the maternity leave of key leaders are successfully maintaining the quality of the provision, the strength of care for the children, and children’s progress.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 131117 Hampshire 10024682 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 Community 4 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 299 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Executive Headteacher Jan Heath Tracy Potter Telephone number 01329 280 445 Website Email address www.bedenham.hants.sch.uk/ t.potter@bedenham.hants.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 24–25 October 2012

Information about this school

• The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website.
• This school is larger than the average primary school.
• The majority of pupils are White British. The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds and those who speak English as an additional language are below the national average.
• The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is above average.
• The proportion of pupils supported by funding through the pupil premium is above the national average.
• The school has a behavioural, emotional and social difficulty (BESD) unit, ‘Sharks’, which caters for eight pupils. At the time of the inspection it was full.
• The number of children leaving or joining the school midway through a key stage is above the national average.
• The school meets the government’s 2015 floor standards. These set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of Year 6.
• Children in the early years are taught in two Reception classes.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors observed learning in 30 lessons across a broad range of subjects. Some of these were joint observations with the executive headteacher and the head of school.
• Inspectors looked at a wide range of documentation, including the school’s procedure for gaining a view of its own performance, and pupils’ work in books.
• Discussions took place with several groups of pupils, as well as informal conversations with other pupils during lessons and at playtimes. Inspectors listened to pupils read and talked to them about books they enjoy.
• Meetings were held with school staff, the chair of the governing body, parents and carers and a representative from the local authority.
• Inspectors took into consideration 36 responses to the online staff questionnaire.
• Inspectors took into account 25 responses to the online pupil questionnaire.
• Inspectors took into account 27 responses to Ofsted’s Parent View questionnaire, 26 responses via free text and two letters from parents.

Inspection team

Brian Macdonald, lead inspector Jenny Boyd Judith Grevett Suzie Cawson Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector