Bowsland Green Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Ensure that teaching in Years 4 to 6 enables pupils to continue to make rapid progress, so they reach age-related expectations in reading, writing and mathematics by the time they transfer to secondary school.
• For leaders to continue to develop the quality of teaching by: ensuring that the planning of all subjects provides the same level of depth and breadth of learning that English and mathematics do

improving assessment procedures so that teachers challenge pupils to achieve strongly in all subjects. 

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Outstanding

• Since she started at the school, the impact of the new headteacher has been impressive. She has transformed the school, raising standards in all aspects of its work. She has created a highly skilled teaching team, whose members apply the school’s values and approaches consistently to the benefit of all pupils.
• The headteacher’s style of leadership is very strong and clear. It is exemplified by aspirational statements in common use at the school such as ‘Bowsland Brilliance’, ‘Team Bowsland’ or ’no lids on kids’. Whilst the expectations of both pupils and staff are very high, the quality of relationships between members of the school community provides a high level of support and nurture.
• The strength and capacity of the leadership team are continuously being increased. It is a model of leadership that is inspired by the headteacher, but adopted by a broad range of people. This starts with the pupils, who take on real levels of responsibility as house captains, or members of the diversity council or the environmental squad. Less experienced staff members are given opportunities to shadow leaders, sharing responsibility for key areas of the school’s work. This enables them to take over leadership roles when required and provides continuity for the school. All teachers hold responsibility for developing a subject across the whole school.
• The headteacher provides a highly effective model of leadership. This is valued by middle managers and has helped them develop their strategic leadership, prioritising and action planning towards clear outcomes, and introducing non-negotiables in their expectations. As a result, they lead their areas of work very well.
• The school promotes very effective partnerships with other organisations. It is part of a local network of schools that support each other, share ideas and training events, and check the quality of each other’s work. The local authority provides effective support to the school on a regular basis.
• The school has highly effective procedures to monitor the quality of staff’s work. Senior leaders provide much of the staff training required to raise standards. However, staff also attend external courses to supplement and extend their learning.
• Parents are extremely appreciative of the work the school does. One parent explained to an inspector that she had considered moving her children to a different school in the past. However, she is now thrilled with the new headteacher and the progress the school has made. She said that the headteacher has instilled confidence in the pupils and the community.
• Pupils regularly demonstrate how they are preparing for life in modern Britain. They take responsibility for their own actions and show an impressive level of respect for each other’s feelings and beliefs. The school’s values are inextricably linked to British values and the curriculum strongly promotes pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.
• The curriculum has been designed so that it is relevant and meaningful to all pupils. It supports pupils’ learning about their local environment, as well as national and global issues. Subjects other than English and mathematics need to be developed further so that pupils have opportunities to study these in the depth required so that they make the best possible progress. Assessment procedures need to be improved so that teachers provide strong challenge to pupils in all subjects.
• Pupil premium funding is used well. The pupil premium champion provides excellent support to families, who in turn are able to support their child’s learning. Enhancement sessions are provided for any pupil who requires additional support. This can be for disadvantaged pupils, for pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities, or for any pupil who needs to catch up. These sessions, which include fine and gross motor skills practice to improve pencil grip and den-building to build self-confidence and social skills, provide a good level of support for pupils.
• The primary sport funding is used effectively to employ a company to work with school

staff. The aim is to develop the skills and confidence of staff so that they are better equipped to run high-quality sports sessions.

Governance of the school

• Following the last inspection, the local authority carried out a review of the governing body’s work. This helped identify shortcomings and the appropriate actions to address these. As a result, the governing body now fulfils its responsibilities well. Involvement in regular training helps keep governors’ knowledge up to date. They are fully involved in strategic planning and checking leaders’ effective evaluation of teaching. They have a variety of means of confirming that the information provided by the headteacher is accurate and they provide a good level of support and challenge to senior leaders. They make sure that only staff who are performing well receive increases in their pay.
• The governing body manages the school’s finances well. Governors ensure that senior leaders track the impact of the additional funding the school receives such as pupil premium, primary sport funding and money for pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities. As a result of a drop in pupil numbers, the governing body is currently managing a deficit budget.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Robust procedures ensure that all safety checks on staff and visitors are completed. All staff and governors are trained in line with current legislation. Any concerns about pupils’ well-being are carefully recorded and reported to the appropriate agencies, when required. Parents are appropriately notified of concerns. When other agencies are asked to provide support, the school reliably checks the outcomes of their actions. The school completes risk assessments on pupils’ activities to minimise potential risks or hazards. The safety of the site is well maintained by the school business manager and the caretakers.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• The quality of teaching, learning and assessment has improved since the last inspection. The school now has high expectations of what pupils can achieve. This was evident in all lessons observed during the inspection. The general atmosphere around the school and in classrooms is extremely calm and purposeful, enabling staff and pupils to be fully engaged in learning tasks.
• In lessons, pupils are presented with different levels of work, which are identified as ‘I can’, ‘I could’, ‘challenge’ and ‘extra challenge/mastery’. Pupils are in different groups depending on which of these levels they are working at. Teachers encourage pupils to move between groups as soon as they are ready. For example, in mathematics when a pupil successfully completed 10 ‘I can’ sums, he was quickly moved into the ‘I could’ group.
• Teachers have good subject knowledge and use questioning skilfully to assess pupils’ learning and to challenge their thinking. In a Year 6 mathematics lesson, the teacher noticed that even though some pupils had been able to complete their calculations accurately, their explanations of how they worked them out were less secure. She modelled an explanation using pupils’ ideas. This helped pupils complete their own work successfully.
• The teaching of reading is good. Pupils are taught how to sound out single letters and groups of letters so that they are able to read unfamiliar words. In Year 1, the teacher used large flash cards and an interactive board to keep pupils engaged and focused on learning new sounds. Pupils demonstrate an enjoyment of reading and are willing to read aloud to others. In Year 4, the most able readers understand complex stories and read aloud with good expression. They can confidently and accurately sound out words that they do not recognise.
• At the start of each unit of work, pupils complete an assessment. Teachers and teaching assistants work together using this assessment information to plan exactly what pupils need to learn during the following few weeks. Regular pupil progress meetings are completed to identify any pupil who is making less than expected progress. Enhancement sessions are planned to help pupils quickly catch up. The impact of interventions is carefully monitored.
• The school’s approach to marking is highly effective. At the start of each lesson, time is allocated for pupils to look at the feedback comments from their teacher, and then respond. They are expected to write a reply to the teacher using a purple pen. Pupils are so familiar with this approach that they all carry this out diligently and purposefully. As a result, good progress is made.
• Pupils enjoy learning. They talk enthusiastically about what they have learned in different lessons, and can reflect on how their work has improved over time. The most able writers talk about the range of resources that are always available to them if they need them, such as a spelling log or the key words that they are learning to spell. They enjoy being set independent writing tasks, as well as watching their teacher model writing for them. As a result, most-able pupils make good or better progress.
• Homework is set regularly. This always includes mathematics and reading tasks. Other subjects are also covered at different times. Home learning books show that pupils put a good deal of effort into these tasks and produce work of a similar high standard to the work they complete in class.
• The teaching and assessment of subjects other than English and mathematics need further development. Leaders have recently produced whole-school plans for the range of subjects and recognise that more work needs to be done to ensure that pupils are supported to acquire knowledge, understanding and skills in all aspects of their education.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Outstanding

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is outstanding. All the pupils who were spoken to during the inspection said that they feel safe and happy at school. They were able to explain how they learn how to keep themselves safe when working on the internet. They also explained to the headteacher the risk of a stranger coming up to them in public, if they left school wearing a name badge.
• The school places great importance on helping pupils to work together. Emphasis is placed on pupils and staff supporting each other as members of a whole-school team. A parent commented on the way in which the older children play with the younger children. This had helped her daughter ‘gain so much confidence’.
• Pupils are issued with a personal passport if they require additional support. Pupils identify what support they need from the school. Parents and teachers identify how they can help with this. This information is added to the passport and the pupil carries it with them at all times. Every six weeks a review is held to see how much progress is being made. As a result, pupils feel very well looked after and cared for.
• Pupils rise extremely well to the responsibilities given to them. One of the newly appointed house captains ensured that the transition in from breaktime was calm and orderly. As well as holding the door open, she quietly but confidently acknowledged the good behaviour of the pupils, who responded respectfully back to her. She later told the inspector that she had recently talked to prospective parents about the school, and had not felt nervous doing this.
• The school helps pupils understand the different challenges that people face. It recently ran a mental health week. Pupils are encouraged to fund raise for different charities such as Help for Heroes and Cancer Research UK. An optional lunch club is provided for pupils who find the main lunchtime experience too busy and stressful. This is well used.
• Pupils show a very mature attitude to learning. They clearly highly value the educational experiences that are provided by the school.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is outstanding. The school is an extremely positive learning environment. Pupils show exemplary behaviour in lessons and around the school. They are courteous and polite to everyone.
• In lessons, pupils are very keen to learn. They respond very well to the high expectations that all adults have of them. The consistent routines and approach to learning expected by all teachers help pupils to know exactly what to do, and ensures high standards of behaviour as well. Pupils can explain very clearly what the behaviour expectations are. They say that if pupils do misbehave, teachers are very quick to address this.
• During playtimes and at lunchtime, pupils play very well together. A mid-day supervisor reported that there are no bullying or behaviour problems at the school, and that even minor issues are not tolerated.
• Pupils’ books demonstrate the care they put into their work. It is evident that they feel very proud of what they achieve.
• Attendance is slightly above the national average. If pupils arrive late for school, this is addressed promptly.

Outcomes for pupils Good

• Pupils’ rate of progress is much better than at the time of the last inspection. Pupils in all year groups make at least expected progress in all subjects.
• Pupils’ workbooks show good evidence of progress in English and mathematics, in all year groups. There is no difference in the quality of work or the rate of progress between disadvantaged pupils and other groups of pupils. All work is of a good standard. For example, in the books of the Year 4 most able pupils, careful diagrams of river systems had been drawn with key features labelled using scientific vocabulary.
• In English lessons, pupils make good progress. The most able pupils in Years 5 and 6 are able to evaluate three theories linked to a scenario, and write a paragraph meeting criteria set by the teacher. A pupil who speaks English as an additional language made good progress using a tablet computer to translate her work. Less-able pupils in Year 4 use resources to help them structure their writing, and help them decide what sort of question to ask.
• Pupils make good or better progress in mathematics. In Year 1, the most able pupils can accurately find the missing number from a number problem, such as 19 - ? = 15. Almost all pupils are able to accurately jump back on a number line using single-digit numbers.
• Pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities make good progress. This is achieved mainly through all teachers being expected to meet the whole range of learning needs of the pupils in their class through highly effective teaching and resourcing. For example in history, with good teacher input, a pupil who has special educational needs wrote a high-quality, persuasive speech about why life in the Stone Age was better than life in the modern day.
• Disadvantaged pupils make good progress. The most able disadvantaged pupils make the same rate of progress as other most-able pupils. The school’s own assessment information demonstrates that pupil premium funding is used effectively.
• Pupils’ attainment in Years 1 to 3 is at least in line with what is expected nationally. Although pupils in Years 4 to 6 are making good or better progress, the legacy of poor teaching prior to the last inspection means that they need to make more rapid progress to reach national age-related expectations.

Early years provision Good

• The early years department is well led. The progress of all groups of children is monitored carefully. There is a culture of high aspirations and expectations. Staff build good relationships with parents. Leaders accurately identify the strengths and weakness of the provision. They use this information to make further improvements to the early years provision.
• The staff team members work well together. The positive relationships between staff and between staff and children help children to feel happy and secure. Additional support is given to children who have particular needs. As a result, children are confident, self-assured learners. They show impeccable conduct and self-discipline.
• Teachers and teaching assistants have good subject knowledge, and a thorough understanding of the needs of different age groups. They communicate well with the children. There is effective equality of opportunity for all children through the use of well-planned activities and resources. In an English lesson, children worked in small groups using skeleton bones, finger exercise baskets of screws and laminated picture cards, which supported their interest in learning. Leaders work closely with parents and pre-school providers to gain an accurate view of what children can and cannot do when they start school.
• The school accurately assesses children’s development. The attainment of almost all groups of children is in line with, or on track to be above, the national average. Disadvantaged pupils make at least good progress.

School details

Unique reference number 130257 Local authority South Gloucestershire Inspection number 10012340 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 Community 4–11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 277 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Headteacher Telephone number Website Email address Tony Down Faye Kitchen 01454 866766 www.bowsland.org.uk school@bowsland.org.uk Date of previous inspection 12–13 February 2014

Information about this school

• The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website.
• The school is an average-sized primary school.
• The previous headteacher has left the school. The current headteacher was seconded to the school in November 2014. She became the permanent headteacher in March 2015.
• The majority of pupils are from a White British background. The percentage of pupils from a minority ethnic background is above the national average.
• The percentage of pupils funded by the pupil premium is about half the national average.
• The percentage of pupils who speak English as an additional language is above the national average.
• The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.
• The school has received support from the Nexus Teaching School Alliance.
• The headteacher is a national leader of education. She provides support to other schools.

Information about this inspection

• The inspection team observed a number of lessons, most of which were completed with a senior leader. Inspectors also observed lunchtimes, breaktimes, an assembly and a couple of clubs.
• Meetings were held with pupils, teachers, senior leaders, members of the governing body and a representative from the local authority.
• The inspection team considered a range of documents, including the school’s self- evaluation document and improvement plans, information about progress and achievement, records relating to safeguarding, behaviour and attendance, and minutes from the governing body’s meetings.
• Inspectors considered 30 questionnaires completed by members of staff, and 45 responses to the online Parent View survey. Inspectors also considered the views of parents who wrote to inspectors by letter, email or text during the inspection. Other parents gave their views to inspectors in person.
• Inspectors looked at a sample of pupils’ work from a variety of subjects and listened to pupils read.

Inspection team

Andy Lole, lead inspector Sarah Foulkes Liz Jenkins Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector