Brighstone Church of England Aided Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Strengthen teaching and learning so that, overall, pupils achieve at least in line with the national average, and the most able exceed this, by:
  • making sure teachers assess pupils’ learning during lessons, so they identify the precise skills and next steps that pupils need to make
  • enabling teachers to identify gaps in pupils’ learning and deliver lessons which fill these gaps
  • ensuring that pupils make accelerated progress, particularly those who have fallen behind and the most able.
• Develop leadership across the school, by:
  • refining school improvement documentation and processes so that leaders and staff know exactly what they need to do to drive improvements
  • sharpening monitoring systems and feedback so that teachers know how to improve their practice
  • reporting on the progress of pupils and groups of pupils who need to catch up, so governors can hold leaders fully to account
  • developing middle leaders’ skills so they can more fully support senior leaders to drive improvements.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management

Requires improvement

• The school has improved but is not yet good. The headteacher, who joined the school shortly after the previous inspection, has successfully tackled a number of barriers to progress, but there is more to do.
• Over time, staff turnover has been high. The headteacher has implemented an appropriate balance of challenge and support so staffing is now much more stable. Recent staff changes are leading to improvements in teaching and leadership.
• Documentation and systems to drive improvement are not as helpful as they could be. There is not a sharp enough focus on the intended impact of planned actions. Nor is it clear how leaders and governors will know if the actions have been effective in bringing improvements.
• The headteacher and assistant headteacher check teaching and identify precisely what needs to improve. Although teachers receive useful feedback, it is not prioritised or structured well enough to bring about improvements as quickly as they are needed. Teaching does improve over time but the pace of change is not as rapid as it needs to be.
• Leaders check the progress of individuals carefully to ensure they are moving forward in their learning. The systems for checking and recording how well pupils are doing are much improved, and accurate assessment systems have ensured that teachers and leaders identify any pupils that need to catch up. Where pupils fall behind, additional support is put in place. However, leaders have not ensured that pupils who previously fell behind are making accelerated progress to catch up. Consequently, the gap between pupils’ attainment at Brighstone School and the national average is not closing fast enough.
• Subject leadership is not as established as it should be. Although some leaders have taken ownership of their subjects, identifying the right priorities and leading useful training to develop teachers’ skills and knowledge, this is not consistent. There is more to do to enable leaders across the school to improve teaching and learning in their areas of responsibility.
• The curriculum is broad and balanced. Pupils enjoy learning about topics such as castles and space, which enable them to develop skills in history, art, geography and science. Music is a strength, with each pupil learning a musical instrument. Pupils enjoy selecting their instrument and performing as a group.
• Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is supported effectively through well-planned whole-school assemblies, class worship and lessons. For example, there has been a recent focus on resilience and keeping going. This message was delivered in assembly, then picked up by teachers and teaching assistants, who encouraged pupils to keep trying in their work and not to give up. Teachers identify what individuals need to develop and weave opportunities into the day to support this. This reflects how well teachers know their pupils and enables them to provide personalised support.
• Leaders have reviewed and adapted the way in which they use the pupil premium funding to support disadvantaged pupils. There is now a focus on removing barriers to learning so pupils are well prepared and well equipped to participate in lessons. As a result, these pupils are doing better than they were, and some are doing much better. However, the gap in attainment between disadvantaged pupils and others nationally is not closing as quickly as it should.
• Sports funding is used effectively to increase competitive opportunities for pupils and to improve their skills through qualified coaches leading physical education lessons. Pupils talk with enthusiasm about competing with other schools across the island.
• Systems to support pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities are effective. Funding for this is used well. Leaders ensure that pupils are appropriately supported from the moment they join the school. Their individual progress is tracked carefully. This has resulted in much improved progress for these pupils.
• The local authority advisers provide effective support and challenge for leaders and governors. Their reports are precise and accurate in identifying what is working well and next steps that are needed. At present, these reports are not used as well as they could be by the school to prioritise their actions and check progress.

Governance of the school

• Since the last inspection, there has been a significant change in governance. There is now a useful focus on ensuring that governors have the right skills and knowledge for their specific roles. Governors are supportive of leaders and provide effective challenge.
• Governors undertake visits to school to check what leaders tell them and enable them to ask challenging questions. Documentation to support their work reflects their increased understanding and effectiveness. Although governors hold leaders to account, they have not ensured that pupils are catching up to where they should be. They do not have sufficient information from leaders to enable them to do this effectively.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. The designated safeguarding lead and deputy ensure that concerns are dealt with robustly and that external agencies are involved whenever necessary. Allegations are taken seriously and dealt with appropriately.
• Staff know their responsibilities in keeping pupils safe. Training is planned and carried out to ensure that staff are appropriately informed of changes and updates to safeguarding processes and systems. Staff record any concerns, but do not have a standardised approach to this, which means some details are not consistently recorded.
• Recruitment processes are robust. All appropriate checks to ensure that staff are safe to work with pupils are made and logged.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

• Although teaching has improved, it is not yet good. In some classes, teachers plan lessons which meet pupils’ needs well, so they make good progress. However, where this is not the case, pupils do not make as much progress as they should.
• The new approach to teaching phonics is effective and pupils are now being taught well across early years and key stage 1 and, where necessary, in key stage 2. Consequently, pupils are making rapid progress and catching up to where they should be with their letters and sounds.
• Teaching of reading, writing and mathematics is not consistently good across the school. Although teachers plan lessons which cover the necessary topics, some are not sufficiently skilled at identifying gaps in pupils’ knowledge or providing additional support. However, leaders’ work to improve subject knowledge in English, mathematics and science has had a positive effect. As a result, teachers generally deliver lessons that are factually accurate.
• Teaching assistants provide useful support. They are aware of what they need to do and the support they need to provide. Occasionally, they help too much, so pupils complete the task but do not necessarily learn.
• Teaching of disadvantaged pupils is improving but there is more to do. As a result of the school’s work to ensure that these pupils are ready to learn, they now make the same progress as their peers. However, they are not making enough progress to catch up lost ground, and reach the standards of which they are capable.
• Across the school, the most able pupils do not achieve as well as they should. Teachers often plan lessons at different levels to meet the differing needs of pupils. However, too often, the most able pupils have to wait with other pupils during explanations, before being able to get on. Although some teachers are beginning to evaluate learning in lessons, this does not happen consistently.
• Teaching of, and support for, pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities is effective. Next steps in learning are specific so that these pupils make good progress.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.
• Pastoral care is strong. Staff know pupils and their families well. Parents describe teachers as being ‘very caring and lovely’. Pupils confirmed that staff take good care of them. They said that the lovely teachers and headteacher are some of the best things about the school.
• Pupils’ personal and social development, and their health, are supported well. Pupils learn to keep themselves safe through learning about fire and road safety and internet safety training. They also learn about the importance of exercise and healthy eating. Pupils enjoy doing the ‘daily mile’ and say they feel fitter as a result.
• Pupils say they are taught about bullying but that it does not happen at Brighstone Primary. They say that if a pupil calls another pupil a name, teachers immediately stop it. School records confirm that all incidents between pupils are recorded carefully and taken seriously.
• Pupils’ attendance is broadly in line with that in other schools nationally.
• Pupils speak highly of the school council and the work it does. They have confidence that their voice is heard and their opinions are valued. Through the school council, pupils select fundraising activities and clubs, as well as making suggestions to improve breaktimes.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good in lessons and around the school. Behaviour is slightly more variable when pupils are working with staff whose expectations are not quite as high and when pupils are moving around unsupervised.
• There is a consistent approach to behaviour management, with a strong focus on rewards in preference to sanctions. Pupils respond well to this and endeavour to please their teachers and other staff.
• Pupils concentrate on their work, demonstrating confidence and independence in their learning. They are keen to get on with activities and work with enthusiasm and commitment. Even when pupils are not entirely sure what they have been asked to do, they make a good attempt at interpreting teachers’ instructions and have a go.
• Although behavioural incidents are recorded and reported, there is no comparison or analysis of behaviour. This means that opportunities to identify trends, and improve behaviour even further, are missed.

Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

• Although outcomes have improved since the previous inspection, they continue to be below the national average in many areas. The exception to this is in the early years, where a higher proportion of children achieve a good level of development than is typical.
• The school’s information on pupils’ attainment and work in books show that pupils are making progress. Where teaching is stronger, pupils make better progress. However, weak teaching in the past meant that some pupils fell behind. Leaders have ensured that this is no longer the case but more needs to be done to enable these pupils to catch up to where they should be, so that they leave the school with the necessary skills to thrive in secondary school.
• Phonics attainment has been below that in other schools nationally for some years. The new approach to teaching phonics has resulted in more pupils reaching the expected level than was previously the case. Although the school is not yet in line with the national average, the gap is now closing.
• The most able pupils and those who are disadvantaged make more progress now than was previously the case. However, they do not make the necessary accelerated progress to fulfil their potential.
• Pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities make good progress as a result of the carefully planned interventions and support they receive.
• Pupils make good progress in science. Recent developments in the science curriculum and teaching have resulted in pupils developing effective investigative skills, including predicting and fair testing. Pupils enjoy the practical work and their cooperative working enables them to learn from each other.
• The school provides good opportunities for pupils to develop their music skills through learning musical instruments. Pupils enjoy selecting instruments and working together to perform. Pupils make good progress in music across key stage 2.

Early years provision Good

• Children in the early years make good progress. The high percentage of pupils who are on track to reach a good level of development reflects leaders’ careful planning to ensure that the curriculum, routines and opportunities meet pupils’ needs well.
• Teachers and teaching assistants ensure that children are kept safe and are well cared for. Children enjoy coming to school and demonstrate independence and confidence as they move around the indoor and outdoor areas. The learning activities are well organised and appealing, so children like choosing what they do. They sustain their concentration when working on an activity and are receptive to other children joining in. For example, when three boys were constructing vehicles and a girl joined their group part way through, they immediately handed her some pieces so she could also build one.
• The early years leader has a good understanding of the strengths and priorities for improvement. Concentrated efforts to involve parents ensure that there is good communication between home and school. Parents frequently record and share what children do at home.
• Teaching meets the needs of pupils well. Teachers plan open-ended activities, which enable children to explore learning at their own level. However, there is not always sufficient challenge for the most able.
• Work in children’s books shows good progress. Teachers and teaching assistants record children’s development and identify next steps well. This ensures that school staff and parents work well together to improve children’s skills.
• Recent efforts to improve the outdoor environment have been effective and the activities promote learning across the different areas and skills. Staff adapt well to pupils’ needs and questions. For example, when children playing in the sandpit began discussing woodlice, the teaching assistant asked appropriate questions and explored what the children thought they looked like.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 118192 Isle of Wight 10046497 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 Maintained 4 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 118 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Headteacher Telephone number Website Email address Mrs Diana Nicholson Mrs Teresa Fox 01983 740285 www.brighstoneprimary.org.uk office@brighstoneprimary.org.uk Date of previous inspection 19–20 April 2016

Information about this school

• Brighstone is smaller than the average-sized primary school.
• The proportion of disadvantaged pupils is below average.
• The vast majority of pupils are White British. The proportion of pupils who receive support for SEN and/or disabilities, including those with an education, health and care plan, is above average.
• The current headteacher joined the school in September 2016.
• The school met the current government floor standard in 2017.

Information about this inspection

• The inspector visited all classes at least twice, almost always accompanied by senior leaders. The inspector also observed both senior leaders feed back to teachers on what was observed.
• The inspector met with the headteacher, assistant headteacher, other leaders and teachers, and with a group of support staff. She also met with groups of governors and spoke to a representative from the local authority and the local authority designated officer. These meetings included discussions about safeguarding, pupils’ progress and school improvement. Responses from 16 members of staff to a questionnaire were also considered.
• Pupils’ views were gathered through conversations at breaktime and a meeting with a group of six pupils from key stage 2.
• The inspector met with the English leader and, with her, evaluated work in books.
• Parents shared their views through conversations with the inspector before school, and through the 42 responses to the Ofsted questionnaire, Parent View.
• Documents were reviewed to evaluate the effectiveness of governors’ and leaders’ work to improve the school and keep pupils safe.

Inspection team

Louise Adams, lead inspector

Ofsted Inspector