Bovey Tracey Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Improve the quality of teaching, learning and assessment by ensuring that teachers:
  • have the skills and subject knowledge to support and deepen pupils’ mathematical thinking, reasoning and understanding
  • develop pupils’ spelling, punctuation and grammar skills through high-quality writing across the curriculum
  • use assessment information to set appropriately challenging work to build effectively on pupils’ skills, knowledge and understanding, including for those with SEND and the middle-ability pupils.
• Improve outcomes for pupils by ensuring that leaders and managers:
  • clarify key roles and responsibilities, especially for those who have responsibility for pupils with SEND
  • implement a curriculum with high-quality teaching and learning in the full range of subjects. An external review of the school’s use of the pupil premium should be taken in order to assess how this aspect of leadership and management may be improved.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

• Leaders’ monitoring is not sufficiently focused on pupils’ progress. Although it has been helpful in identifying common weaknesses and holding teachers to account, it is not rigorous enough to check what pupils know, can do and understand.
• Leaders’ self-evaluation lacks precision because they have been insufficiently focused on key areas. Consequently, there are continuing issues which have not yet improved, for example pupils’ progress in mathematics. However, leaders have now taken effective steps to start to tackle these.
• Leaders do not evaluate pupils’ learning across the curriculum with sufficient precision. As a result, some subjects are not developed enough to deepen pupils’ learning, especially religious education, science, art and geography.
• The roles and responsibilities of middle leaders are not clearly defined, in particular for those responsible for SEND. Consequently, pupils with SEND, particularly pupils without education, health and care (EHC) plans, do not make consistently good progress.
• Leaders’ use of the additional pupil premium funding is not having enough impact on improving pupils’ progress. Although disadvantaged pupils are now starting to catch up, this is taking too long. Pupils’ progress in reading, writing and mathematics is not consistently good. Vulnerable pupils’ emotional and mental health is well supported using the ‘thrive hive’.
• Middle leaders have not received the training they need to monitor the standard of teaching in their areas of responsibility. Too much focus has been on what teachers are doing, rather than on pupils’ learning and the progress that they make.
• Leaders’ use of the physical education and sport funding is effective in encouraging pupils to participate in sport. Pupils enjoy a wide variety of extra-curricular sporting clubs which contributes well to their understanding of healthy lifestyles. Pupils, parents and carers recognise this as a strength and enjoy the learning experience this brings.
• Leaders have taken essential action to improve teachers’ assessments of what pupils know and understand. A new assessment system has been introduced to enable teachers to rapidly identify pupils’ learning needs. This has led to more challenge and higher aspirations for all pupils.
• Leaders have successfully implemented a phonics programme which is having a significant impact on pupils’ phonics knowledge and early reading development in key stage 1. Effective and well-trained teaching assistants deliver high-quality support for pupils who need to catch up.
• Leaders promote pupils’ moral and social development well. School strategies aimed at creating strong moral and social learning activities are working well. Pupils in the early years and key stage 1 learn about Bovey Tracey and its neighbouring city, Exeter, to develop the school’s work in supporting the local community. However, pupils’ understanding of other world faiths and cultures is not as well developed.

Governance of the school

• Following disappointing progress results, highlighted following the key stage 2 national tests in 2018, governors have raised expectations and increased rigour and accountability within the school, especially for the disadvantaged pupils. Governors know the school well and are using their knowledge to provide appropriate challenges to the headteacher. For example, governors have completed detailed safeguarding monitoring and health and safety checks.
• Governors have worked with the local authority, embracing the need to find a successful alliance with other schools while maintaining the school’s aims and values. However, the school’s use of external support has not yet been effective in securing improved progress for pupils in key stage 2.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• Leaders ensure that safeguarding is at the centre of the school’s work. Systems and processes for staff recruitment are fit for purpose. Training and induction for staff are effective. As a consequence, staff know what to do to keep pupils safe and follow the school’s policy to report, record or escalate any concerns.
• Leaders work effectively with a range of external agencies and professional services to keep pupils safe. Leaders respond in a timely manner to act on behalf of pupils and keep them safe, for example in working with social services. A few parents raised concerns about the leaders’ lack of attention to pupils’ safeguarding but this was not supported by inspection evidence.
• Pupils say they feel safe. They enjoy coming to school and have confidence in the staff to look after them. Pupils know how to stay safe when inside and outside the school grounds, including when working online.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

• Teachers’ expectations of what pupils can achieve are not consistently high enough. For example, middle-ability pupils are not challenged to produce high-quality writing across the curriculum. Consequently, these pupils are not developing the skills, knowledge or stamina to write at the highest standards at the end of key stage 2.
• Teachers’ use of assessment information is not consistently effective in planning work that is well matched to pupils’ needs. This prevents pupils from building on prior learning, especially in mathematics and writing.
• Mathematics teaching, especially in key stage 2, is not good enough. Teachers have solid subject knowledge but their lack of understanding of what pupils already know and can do limits pupils’ progress. Sometimes, pupils’ misconceptions within lessons are not swiftly recognised and corrected.
• Teachers do not consistently challenge common errors in pupils’ spelling, punctuation and grammar. The focus on improving pupils’ presentation and handwriting is yet to have a strong impact across the whole school.
• Teachers support pupils to mentally recall number facts and apply these in their written calculations. However, some teachers lack confidence and clarity in how to enable pupils to use and apply their knowledge to mathematical reasoning and problem solving.
• The quality of teaching is starting to improve because leaders are being proactive in promoting a culture of accountability. Where there are particular weaknesses, teachers are supported, including with the support of the local education adviser.
• There is effective teaching dispersed throughout the school. This is particularly evident in the early years and key stage 1. Where it is having the most impact, teachers are checking pupils’ knowledge and quickly tackling pupils’ misunderstandings. For example, Year 2 pupils were improving their writing by revisiting the use of basic punctuation.
• Teachers and teaching assistants have good subject knowledge for teaching letters and sounds correctly. They assess pupils’ phonics skills regularly and precisely and use this information to plan for all pupils to quickly gain confidence in reading. Teaching assistants deliver essential support to pupils through phonics sessions but also at other times to help pupils catch up.
• The teaching of reading is improving, especially in key stage 1. Pupils enjoy reading and show an interest in books from a range of classic to contemporary authors. This is having a positive impact and readers are becoming more fluent and confident in tackling challenging texts.
• There are positive relationships between adults who work in the school and pupils. As a result, pupils are keen and show an enjoyment in learning and helping each other. However, the positive climate for learning, seen in most classes, is sometimes impaired by a few pupils who are not fully engaging with their learning.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare requires improvement.
• Pupils do not take pride in their work. Poor handwriting and presentation in workbooks often go unchecked or unchallenged. Pupils lack resilience to complete or finish tasks, particularly middle-ability pupils. This lowers the overall quality of their work.
• Pupils enjoy school and make important contributions, including through being peer mediators, anti-bullying ambassadors and play leaders. Older pupils enjoy taking an active role in helping the younger pupils read in their role as reading buddies.
• Leaders ensure that strong pastoral care for vulnerable pupils is central to the ethos and culture of the school. Staff are well trained to support pupils with a variety of social and emotional issues. Parents appreciate the care that staff provide for pupils and their families.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils requires improvement.
• Pupils are usually polite and considerate around school and across the school day. Sometimes, pupils say that poor behaviour troubles them, but staff deal with this well.
• Pupils say there are occasionally some instances of bullying and that staff respond effectively. Policies and procedures are in place to rapidly provide support for any pupil who is being bullied or bullying another.
• Staff work effectively with pupils who have a range of complex social, emotional and health needs. Leaders takes great pride and care in leading bespoke activities for pupils whose emotional conditions affect learning and behaviour. On the few occasions where behaviour escalates, there are strategies and well-trained staff in place to ensure that this is managed successfully.
• The overall attendance of pupils is improving and but remains slightly below the national average. School staff work with other agencies to support pupils and families in improving attendance. However, persistent absence remains too high for disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND.

Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

• Pupils’ progress in the end of key stage 2 national tests showed a further decline in 2018. For example, pupils’ progress in mathematics was in the lowest 20% of schools across the country for three consecutive years. However, current analyses and scrutiny of pupils’ workbooks show that most pupils, including the most able disadvantaged, are now starting to catch up well as the year is progressing.
• Current outcomes for pupils, especially at the higher standard, remain too variable across the school. Not enough key stage 2 pupils reach the expected standard in mathematics.
• Common weaknesses in spelling, punctuation and grammar prevent pupils from reaching the standards of which they are capable, including the disadvantaged pupils. In upper key stage 2, there are gaps in basic writing skills as a result of previously weak teaching. Leaders are now rightly focusing on improving spelling, although this is yet to have a strong impact.
• Pupils talk with confidence about using mental strategies to calculate. Work in current pupils’ books is showing signs of improvement. However, pupils’ ability to explain their reasoning in mathematics remains an area for development, especially for girls. They lack confidence and rely on adult support when they get stuck.
• Pupils with SEND do not make consistently good progress. Pupils with EHC plans have precise, individual support plans to help them overcome weaknesses in learning quickly. Pupils with SEND who do not have individual support plans are not making enough progress from their starting points.
• The middle-ability pupils are not sufficiently stretched or challenged to reach the standards of which they are capable. In particular, they are not applying their skills well across the curriculum. For example, pupils do not practise their technical writing skills in geography.
• Pupils’ attainment at the end of key stage 1 was well above the national average in reading, writing and mathematics. However, current pupils’ skills in workbooks show inconsistencies in the quality of writing across the curriculum subjects.
• Phonics scores in the Year 1 phonics screening check were in line with the national averages in 2018. The current quality of teaching and focus on reading are enabling current pupils in Years 1 and 2 to make strong progress from national benchmarks.
• Pupils are reading widely and often. The key stage leaders have made a concerted effort to improve pupils’ reading, which is now taking effect, especially in key stage 1. Pupils read with increasing confidence and expression. The introduction of a programme to support pupils in Year 2 is working well. However, some reading books for a few lower-ability pupils in key stage 2 are not well matched to their needs.

Early years provision Good

• Children make good progress from their individual starting points in the early years. However, some children, particularly most-able boys, do not achieve all they should before they join Year 1.
• The learning environment is lively and inviting, both indoors and outside. The early years leader has created distinct areas to support children’s learning and development across the areas of learning. There are well-resourced construction, small world, writing and role play areas. The outdoor learning area is purposefully designed around engaging children in mathematics. For example, some children were applying their knowledge of numbers to challenging science activities involving distance, time and speed. This captures children’s imagination and makes them interested learners.
• The staff in the early years exude warmth and care for the children. Strong transition and induction arrangements to school mean that children settle quickly into school routines. As a result, the children develop their personal, social and emotional skills, including independence and resilience, to play and work together.
• The teaching and assessment of phonics in the early years is strong. This enables the children to make good progress in their letters and sounds and they learn to read and write simple words.
• Safeguarding is effective. Adults promote respectful and caring relationships with the children. Staff comply with regulations, for example in writing detailed risk assessments for visits out of school, and ensure that systems to keep children safe are adhered to rigorously.
• Parents confirm the welcome and strong support of the early years team. They appreciate the kindness and nurturing disposition of staff to give the children a positive start to school.

School details

Unique reference number 113187 Local authority Devon Inspection number 10086882 This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. Type of school Primary School category Maintained Age range of pupils 4 to 11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 288 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Mrs Amber Macdonald Mrs Rebecca Cosgrave Headteacher Mrs Louise Prywata Telephone number 01626 833257 Website www.bovey-tracey-primary.devon.sch.uk/ Email address admin@bovey-tracey-primary.devon.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 17–18 June 2015

Information about this school

• Bovey Tracey Primary School is an average-sized primary school.
• The proportion of pupils eligible for pupil premium funding is lower than the national average.
• The proportion of pupils with education, health and care plans is higher than the national average. The proportion of pupils who require SEN support is lower than the national average.
• Pupil mobility is higher than the national average and is increasing over time.

Information about this inspection

• Documentation, including the school’s single central record and child protection training, was scrutinised with school leaders and staff. Inspectors also looked at minutes of recent governor meetings, assessment information, the school’s self-evaluation and the school development plan.
• Inspectors spoke to pupils through various activities, including in lessons, and heard a sample of pupils read. Some pupils joined inspectors to talk about the curriculum and their learning.
• Meetings were held with a range of leaders. These included the headteacher and deputy headteacher, representatives of the governing body, the SEN team, and phase and key stage leaders.
• Inspectors undertook learning walks and scrutinised pupils’ books to evaluate the quality of work and check the accuracy of assessment information, including for disadvantaged pupils. They also spoke with pupils to check their understanding of what is seen in their exercise books.
• The 102 responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Parent View, were taken into account. The lead inspector also considered comments provided alternatively, including inspectors’ discussions with parents and email communication. Furthermore, the inspection took account of the survey responses from pupils.

Inspection team

Susan Costello, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector Richard Steward Ofsted Inspector Julie Nash Ofsted Inspector