Bream Church of England Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Establish consistently good teaching, learning and assessment to secure pupils’ good and better progress through leaders ensuring that teachers:
  • make sure that the work and activities provided for pupils present a level of challenge that is suitably matched to their specific starting points
  • provide feedback to pupils that clearly gives them the guidance they need to improve their work.
• Quicken pupils’ progress in writing by teachers more consistently having high expectations and developing the pupils’ handwriting and spelling skills more effectively.
• Accelerate pupils’ progress in mathematics, especially for those from middle and lower starting points, by carefully checking how well they are learning and adapting the work and activities provided for them to deepen their understanding.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• Since the previous inspection, the strengthened leadership team has sustained a determined focus on bringing about improvements. They have been strongly supported by committed and well-informed governors in demonstrating effective leadership.
• Leaders have not shirked from taking the bold steps needed to rectify some of the issues identified for improvement in the previous inspection. Good early years provision and pupil behaviour have been established as well as effective leadership and management.
• The school has improved since the previous inspection. However, currently, and at various times since the previous inspection, the leaders have been confronted by significant turbulence and problems affecting the teaching and leadership staff of the school. Unavoidable staff absences through illness have also been compounded by continuing difficulties in the recruitment and retention of staff. These exceptional factors, despite the leaders’ determined and well-considered actions, have continued to constrain efforts to secure consistently good teaching and outcomes for pupils.
• Leaders, especially the headteacher, have shown strength of character and sustained determination in tackling barriers to improvement. Their strong focus on moving the school forward is evident in the rigorous way that staff, including those newly appointed to the school, are supported. For example, staff receive effective guidance from senior leaders and have good access to relevant training opportunities to improve the quality of their teaching.
• Inspection findings, school self-evaluation and local authority checks of provision show that in classes where stability in staffing and positive recruitment of teachers have been secured, leaders have brought about improvement. This demonstrates that leaders are ensuring that the school provides the acceptable standard of education that it might be reasonably expected to provide, in the light of the circumstances outlined.
• Governors have strengthened their roles in checking provision and holding staff to account for pupils’ progress. As a result, the leaders have an accurate view of the school’s strengths and know where further improvement is still required. This approach has resulted in leaders reviewing and strengthening the use of additional funding. For example, additional funding for disadvantaged pupils is used effectively to provide extra adult help to increase their engagement in learning. Funds are also used well to boost their enjoyment of school. For example, extra clubs and support for parents have significantly reduced persistent absence by these pupils.
• At times, the work of middle leaders has been adversely affected by turbulence in staffing. Nevertheless, recent strengthening of the leadership and provision for pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities are improving pupils’ progress.
• Leaders ensure that the primary physical education and sport funding is used effectively. For example, it is used to provide specialist coaching for staff, to enrich pupils’ skills and to introduce them to a wide variety of sport such as hockey and tag rugby. The impact of the funding has been to increase pupils’ participation levels in sport. It has also raised their appreciation and understanding of the importance of working in teams as well as participating individually.
• The school provides a broad and balanced curriculum that ensures a wide range of opportunities for pupils to learn in lessons, events and assemblies. Pupils also benefit from having access to a growing range of clubs and visits that enhance their learning.
• The richness and diversity of the experiences provided for the pupils strongly promote their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. For example, physical education lessons often include activities to develop the pupils’ team-building skills and pupils are taught about world faiths and cultures during religious education lessons. Staff, visiting speakers and representatives from the local church also focus strongly on themes such as forgiveness, compassion and friendship during assemblies. These values, and elections to the school council, also prepare pupils well for life in modern Britain.
• The school works hard to develop supportive links with parents and has the confidence of parents and carers. The large majority of the parents who responded to Parent View, Ofsted’s online survey, were happy with the school and would recommend it to other parents. The inspectors also spoke to several parents before school and most were happy with the way their children are valued, looked after and kept safe.
• The local authority has provided effective support to school leaders. It continues to monitor and support the school’s progress, but has rightly identified the leaders’ determination and increased ability to move the school forward.

Governance of the school

• Governors provide good support and challenge to senior leaders.
• Governors have responded positively to the findings of the previous inspection. They have revised and updated their procedures and engaged fully in training to strengthen their expertise. For example, governors have improved their procedures for checking the performance of the school. Governors carefully fulfil their specific responsibilities and complete regular checks, for example, to ensure that additional government funds are used effectively. They fulfil their statutory duties diligently and effectively.
• Governors know the school well. They play a full role in identifying and agreeing priorities for development. They liaise supportively with parents. They offer good pastoral support to the staff of the school, but also challenge leaders effectively and hold them to account for the way their actions and teaching affects pupils’ progress.
• The governors have supported the strategic decision to widen and strengthen staff leadership roles. They continue to play a strong role in tackling staff recruitment and retention difficulties and strongly support the headteacher in steering the school through difficult times.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• The headteacher and governors are extremely thorough in making sure that safeguarding procedures and staff and governor training are kept fully up to date and meet statutory requirements. The headteacher and governor with designated safeguarding responsibilities present regular reports of their rigorous checks to the governing body. Governors swiftly implement any recommendations to keep pupils safe. Leaders and staff are diligent in getting to know the pupils and in meeting their pastoral and welfare needs. The school also works well with outside agencies and parents to keep pupils safe, especially those considered vulnerable.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

• Continued instability with teaching staff has hindered leaders’ efforts to secure consistently good teaching, learning and assessment in all classes. Improvements have been made since the previous inspection, but expectations of what pupils can achieve fluctuate and are still not high enough, particularly in writing and mathematics.
• Teachers assess pupils’ work regularly and use this information when planning learning, but the work set does not meet pupils’ different abilities and starting points consistently enough. For example, in mathematics, although the most able pupils are increasingly set appropriately challenging tasks, the work given to those of middle and lower ability presents varying levels of challenge. As a result, some pupils, including those who have fallen behind, are not deepening their understanding and catching up quickly enough.
• Teaching does not make sure that pupils have a good enough understanding of what they have to do to improve. For example, the school’s assessment policy for providing feedback to pupils about their work and progress is not implemented effectively in all classes. This leaves pupils unsure about the actions they need to make to quicken their progress.
• Staff in all classes have strengthened the way they manage pupils’ behaviour. As a result, lessons are rarely disrupted and learning is increasingly boosted by the pupils’ good attitudes and efforts to improve their work. For example, during an art lesson in Year 4 pupils sustained high levels of concentration when comparing famous pictures and then painting their own versions of the Baptism of Christ.
• Staff promote helpful relationships with the pupils and are increasingly encouraging them to share ideas across a range of interesting activities. As a result, most pupils are now engaging better in their learning than in the past. For example, during a physical education lesson in Year 5, pupils worked enthusiastically in teams to solve problems.
• Teachers and teaching assistants work well together. They are particularly diligent in providing close and effective support for pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities. Staff work hard to boost the pupils’ confidence and ensure that they are included in the full range of school activities.
• Pupils are responding well to teachers’ increasing expectations of more carefully presented work in books. The focus on developing pupils’ handwriting, weakened by instability in staffing, lacks the consistent emphasis needed to promote faster progress. This leads to pupils’ skills being developed less effectively in some classes.
• Similarly, the whole-school drive to improve pupils’ spelling and writing is too often constrained by varied expectations in some classes. At times, the pupils’ inability to form letters correctly and to write more legibly prevents them from seeing when spellings are incorrect.
• Leaders have worked effectively to improve the teaching of phonics and reading. Teachers are providing more opportunities for pupils to read at school and are taking positive steps to encourage and support parents in helping their children to read at home. Pupils heard reading by inspectors talked enthusiastically about their regular visits to the relocated and refurbished school library where they can choose and read their own books. Younger pupils used phonics well to read new words and older pupils read with understanding and expression.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.
• Pupils enjoy school and welcome and value the help they receive from caring adults. The positive relationships between staff and pupils help to develop pupils’ confidence and self-esteem.
• The pupils make good progress in their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. They strive hard to live up to themes such as compassion and respect promoted during assemblies, which also promote their understanding of British values.
• Pupils are proud of their school and take any responsibilities they are given seriously. For example, older pupils help other pupils at breaktimes and act as ‘reading buddies’ to help younger children with their reading.
• Pupils say the school prepares them well for secondary education because, ‘It helps us to be confident and to mix well with other people.’
• Pupils feel very happy and safe in school, saying, ‘There is always an adult to go to who is willing and ready to help us if we have any worries or concerns.’ Parents fully support this view.
• Pupils know, respect and follow the school rules well. They value the guidance they receive from staff and most show good attitudes to learning.
• While pupils do not disrupt each other’s learning, on occasion, a small minority of pupils still need reminders from adults to concentrate more on improving their work.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good.
• Pupils demonstrate courtesy and respect for one another and adults.
• Most pupils behave well in lessons and when moving around the school. At times during the inspection, pupils’ behaviour was exemplary, for example when singing a hymn very respectfully and in harmony during assembly.
• School records show that pupils’ behaviour has been improved well since the previous inspection, with incidents of unacceptable behaviour and the need for exclusion almost eliminated.
• Bullying in all its forms is rare and, when questioned, pupils confidently expressed the view that if it did happen then staff would quickly ‘sort it out’.
• Pupils have a secure understanding of different types of bullying, such as verbal and physical bullying. They talk knowledgeably, for example, about how to protect themselves from abuse when using computers and when contacted or approached by strangers.
• The pupils’ attendance has been adversely affected in the past by significant bouts of illness. It is much better this term and is close to the national average. This reflects the determination of the headteacher in tackling and significantly reducing persistent absence and in gaining good support from most parents in promoting good attendance. The improved attendance, especially by disadvantaged pupils, also reflects their increased confidence in learning and their enjoyment of school.

Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

• Although improved since the previous inspection, pupils’ progress continues to vary too much as pupils move through key stages 1 and 2.
• By the end of both key stages, the broadly average standards reached by pupils do not yet represent good enough progress from their different starting points. This is particularly the case in writing and mathematics because pupils’ basic skills and understanding are still not developed well enough in a minority of classes.
• Changes in teaching in some classes have weakened the focus on developing pupils’ handwriting and spelling skills. As a result, too many pupils do not make the rapid progress needed to bring the quality of their writing to the standard they are capable of reaching from their different starting points.
• Past differences between the performance of girls and boys are also being reduced throughout the school. However, inconsistency in teaching still means that some pupils with middle and lower starting points on entry to key stage 2 are not progressing as well in mathematics as those from higher starting points.
• National assessments, inspection and school checks of pupils’ developing skills show that most pupils are making better progress since the previous inspection. This reflects the more rigorous and effective focus on improvement implemented by leaders.
• Inspection evidence clearly shows that in classes where a degree of stability in teaching and positive recruitment of staff have been achieved then pupils are making faster progress than in previous years and are rapidly closing gaps in previous learning.
• Teachers and teaching assistants are liaising more closely with parents so that an increasing number of pupils are reading more regularly at home. Staff are also teaching phonics more effectively to underpin pupils’ quickening and now good progress in reading through the school. This is evident in the phonics screening checks in key stage 1, which show most pupils reaching the expected standard in Year 1 and all pupils passing the rechecks in Year 2.
• Pupils are also deriving benefit from increased opportunities to read at school, which include frequent visits to the school’s refurbished library to choose and enjoy books. Pupils heard reading by inspectors were all enthusiastic about reading. The most able pupils read fluently and with clear expression and understanding. Middle and lower ability pupils used phonics effectively to tackle new words and develop confidence in reading.
• Pupils write frequently and for a range of interesting purposes across the curriculum, for example about the Vikings and the Great Fire of London. Across the school a strengthened emphasis on developing the pupils’ vocabulary and comprehension skills is having a good impact in developing their reading skills.
• School assessments, pupils’ work in books and observations of learning in lessons show that strengthened leadership and teaching of mathematics have improved progress in some classes.
• In particular, the most able pupils are being challenged more effectively to deepen their thinking and this is promoting faster progress. In Year 3, for example, pupils are showing an increasing understanding of inverse actions and prime numbers.
• Pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities are benefiting from improved provision. For example, earlier identification of pupils’ needs, improving links with parents and more specific adult assistance in the form of individual and group support are quickening their progress.
• Leaders make sure that disadvantaged pupils are also deriving increasing benefit and improving their progress. For example, gaps in previous learning are carefully identified so that experiences such as clubs and timely extra adult support increasingly meet the pupils’ needs. As a result, disadvantaged pupils progress at similar rates to other pupils in the school in reading and writing. Those with most ability are progressing as well as their peers in mathematics. Some pupils with middle and lower levels of prior attainment have yet to overcome gaps in previous learning in this subject. Previous differences in skills are diminishing more quickly now than in the past, indicating that disadvantaged pupils are at least matching the progress of other pupils nationally.
• Across the school, there are examples of pupils making rapid progress and demonstrating good skills in art, singing and sport, particularly when challenged to think deeply and share their ideas.

Early years provision Good

• Children begin the Reception class with skills and knowledge typical for their age across the areas of learning. The children benefit from consistently good teaching and well-planned opportunities to learn together and experience a stimulating range of activities.
• The good quality of teaching is underpinned by the skilful way that staff adapt their support and activities to meet the precise next steps in learning for each child. As a result, children make good progress from their different starting points. This includes disadvantaged children, the most able and those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities.
• Staff make effective use of the additional funding to provide timely extra adult help to boost the self-confidence and learning skills of disadvantaged pupils and those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities.
• By the end of the Reception class the proportion of children reaching a good level of development continues to be above the national average in all areas of learning. This shows that children are well prepared for future learning in Year 1.
• The leadership and management of the early years are good. The teacher is well supported by senior leaders in ensuring that provision is characterised by well-established routines to promote the children’s confidence. Learning is also enriched by a strong focus on developing children’s creative skills.
• Staff ensure that safeguarding procedures and welfare requirements fully meet the statutory requirements. The children know that they are kept safe and secure at all times and parents agree. A caring atmosphere throughout the day promotes the children’s good behaviour and helps them to develop friendly relationships with each other that support their good learning.
• Teaching is good and is typified by focused adult questioning and a consistent emphasis on children talking about their learning activities. Adults also effectively encourage the children to share their ideas and deepen their understanding.
• During the inspection, children were observed responding to questions and recognising letters and reading and blending them accurately. They made quick progress because the teacher modelled sounds correctly and challenged children to read, pronounce and then write the letters accurately.
• Staff encourage and provide good opportunities for the children to develop their early writing skills. For example, staff provide displays and posters and notes effectively so that children have ready access to letters and can also help themselves in their learning.
• Adults also sustain high expectations and provide interesting and appropriately challenging work, including for the most able children. Staff frequently prompt children to count and extend their number skills at every opportunity across all areas of learning. For example, during the inspection, children confidently counted the number of toy dinosaurs in their table-top ‘Dinosaur World’.
• A key aspect underpinning improvements in provision since the previous inspection is the very supportive and effective way that staff liaise with parents and pre-school providers. This means that parents are assured that their children are well known to adults before joining the Reception class. As a result, parents fully support staff in ensuring that children make a confident and happy start to school.
• Adults check children’s progress very carefully. Detailed information of children’s progress is collected and noted daily. A wide range of the children’s developing skills is recorded in books and folders. These skills are compiled and checked by staff and are fully shared with parents to keep them fully informed about their child’s progress. Parents are also supported and encouraged to contribute to their child’s learning at home and to record these activities.
• The teachers’ effective use of the comprehensive records of children’s developing skills to check how well they are doing is a strength of the provision. For example, staff have identified that some children, especially boys, have difficulty controlling a pencil. Currently, staff are addressing this well and promoting rapid improvement by developing the children’s fine motor skills through a stimulating range of practical modelling and craft activities.
• These activities are complemented by a stimulating emphasis on art and other creative activities. The children’s skilful drawings in the sketch books clearly illustrate their good level of creative development given their age and starting points. Children experience interesting and motivating opportunities and learn effectively both indoors and outside. However, staff have rightly recognised the need to provide more activities outdoors to enhance boys’ writing skills and have planned to do so.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 115659 Gloucestershire 10022467 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 Voluntary controlled 4 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 169 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Headteacher Louisa Smallpage-Mitchell Elizabeth Chirgwin Telephone number 01594 562628 Website Email address www.breamcofeprimary.co.uk admin@bream.gloucs.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 28–29 January 2015

Information about this school

• The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website.
• This school is smaller than the average-sized primary school.
• The very large majority of pupils are from White British backgrounds.
• The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is above average.
• The proportion of disadvantaged pupils is above average.
• Children experience the early years provision in a Reception class. The other pupils across the school are also taught in single-year group classes.
• The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which are the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 6.
• A privately run pre-school operates on the school’s site but, as it is not managed by the school’s governing body, it is not included in this inspection.
• There have been significant changes in leadership and teaching and difficulties affecting the recruitment and retention of staff since the previous inspection.

Information about this inspection

• The inspectors observed 20 lessons and saw the work of seven teachers.
• The inspectors were accompanied by the headteacher during some of these visits to lessons.
• A wide range of documents was scrutinised, including records relating to pupils’ behaviour and attendance, safeguarding procedures and the school’s self-evaluation.
• The inspectors examined the school’s systems for monitoring progress and records of checks on the quality of teaching.
• The inspectors talked to individual pupils and a representative group of pupils about the school and their work. They listened to individual pupils reading and attended an assembly. The inspectors also looked at samples of pupils’ work across a range of subjects and classes.
• The lead inspector held meetings with members of the governing body and a representative of the local authority. Members of the inspection team also held meetings with school staff, mainly senior and middle leaders.
• The views expressed in the 35 online responses to Ofsted’s Parent View questionnaire were considered. In addition, the inspectors also gathered the views of several parents during informal meetings at the school.
• The inspectors evaluated the school’s use of the primary physical education and sport funding and the pupil premium.

Inspection team

Alexander Baxter, lead inspector Nick Sheppard

Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector