OFSTED Report
Inspection Report
Unique Reference Number - 121028
Local Authority - NORFOLK
Inspection number - 291961
Inspection date - 2 October 2006
Reporting inspector - Tricia Pritchard HMI
This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.
Type of school - Primary
School category - Voluntary controlled
Age range of pupils - 5–11
Gender of pupils - Mixed
Number on roll (school) - 17
Appropriate authority - The governing body
Brockdish, Brockdish
Diss, Norfolk IP21 4JP
Telephone number - 01379 668284
Fax number - 01379 668546
Chair - Mr Phillip Thompson
Headteacher - Mr Peter Lacey-Hastings
Introduction
The inspection was carried out by one of Her Majesty's Inspectors of Schools.
Description of the school
Brockdish Primary School is a very small village school on the outskirts of Diss. Pupils are taught in two classes. At the time of the inspection, there were 10 pupils in the Reception and Key Stage 1 class and seven pupils in the Key Stage 2 class. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties or disabilities is above the national average. There are no pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds or with English as an additional language. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals is average.
Key for inspection gradesGrade 1 Outstanding
Grade 2 Good
Grade 3 Satisfactory
Grade 4 Inadequate
Overall effectiveness of the school
Grade: 3
Brockdish Primary School provides a sound education for its pupils and is an improving school. It has a good capacity to improve further because it is well led and managed and is experiencing greater stability of staffing after a lengthy period of turbulence. This improved stability is benefiting all pupils but particularly those in Key Stage 2, where the headteacher shares the teaching of the Key Stage 2 class. A systematic approach to assessing pupils' progress and achievements has been introduced. Most pupils now make satisfactory progress in relation to their starting points and the progress of pupils with learning difficulties or disabilities is good. Standards in English, mathematics and science are satisfactory. They are better than they were at the time of the last inspection, although writing remains an area for further development. Pupils have insufficient opportunities to consolidate their writing skills in lessons other than in literacy. This is because limited time is spent teaching the foundation subjects and science. All the subjects of the National Curriculum are taught but there is an imbalance in their timetabling. In the Foundation Stage (Reception) children make satisfactory progress. Provision is satisfactory overall, although the curriculum does not meet all needs of learners as well at it should because planning is not sufficiently linked to the early learning goals. The curriculum is enriched, however, by a range of cultural and sporting extra-curricular activities and by visits and visiting speakers. The quality of teaching is satisfactory with good features. There is a strong caring ethos throughout the school and staff know the needs of the pupils well. Consequently, pupils feel secure and integrate well with the older pupils in the class. Behaviour is good. Brockdish Primary School includes its pupils with learning difficulties or disabilities well. The headteacher provides clear direction, and, together with the governing body, is committed to raising standards, promoting high quality teaching and ensuring that the school lies at the heart of the community. Staff and governors have identified the school's strengths and areas for development and have suitable plans in place to address weaknesses. As a small school, the expenditure per pupil is well above the national average. Staffing levels are very good, although the skills and expertise of teaching assistants are not always utilised as well as they could be in some lessons. The school is well resourced. It provides satisfactory value for money.
What the school should do to improve further
Focus on modelling the teaching of writing and providing further opportunities to enable pupils to improve the quality of their writing. Ensure that the curriculum for children in Reception is closely linked to the goals expected for them by the time they are five years old and that is well matched to their needs.
Review the balance of the curriculum and especially the time devoted to teaching the foundation subjects and science.
Achievement and standards
Grade: 3
Attainment on entry is broadly average. Key factors which influence pupils' overall attainment throughout the school are the significant proportion of pupils with additional learning needs and the high mobility of pupils. After a period of fluctuating standards, there is recent firm evidence that pupils, including those in the Foundation Stage, make satisfactory progress in relation to their starting points and to pupils in other schools. Pupils with additional learning needs make good progress. The number of pupils in each year group is very small and presents difficulties in determining trends in overall attainment from year to year. In 2004 and 2005, Year 2 pupils assessments in reading, writing, mathematics and science showed they were above the national average. In 2006, the Year 2 pupils met or exceeded their targets for reading, writing and mathematics. Over the last year there has been a marked improvement in the progress made by pupils in Key Stage 2. All groups of pupils are set challenging targets. The gap between the pupils' progress in reading and writing has narrowed, although pupils continue to attain higher results for reading than for writing. In 2006, there was a dip in Year 6 pupils' progress in mathematics; they made better progress in English than in mathematics and science. There are no significant differences between the progress made by boys and girls but girls' overall attainment in the core subjects is better.
Personal development and well-being
Grade: 2
Pupils enjoy school. They behave well and are attentive in lessons. Pupils care for one another both in the classroom, and in the playground, where they play happily together. Attendance is in line with the national average. The school actively encourages pupils to adopt a healthy lifestyle and pupils respond positively. They enjoy eating fruit and know about healthy diets. The pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. Pupils contribute effectively to the life of the community by, for example, participating in local events such as the local history weekend and inviting the community to attend concerts. Several pupils learn a musical instrument and enjoy belonging to the lunchtime music club. More pupils attend multi-sports sessions after school; they speak enthusiastically about their involvement. Links with the church are also strong and contribute to pupils gaining an increasing awareness of the spiritual dimension of living. Relationships are very good throughout the school. They are built upon mutual respect between staff, pupils, parents and governors. All pupils are members of the school council. They are good at listening to the views of others and offer sensible suggestions for enhancing the outdoor play area. The school council has its own budget. As a result, pupils are developing a keen sense of the importance of financial planning. The parents' assembly on Friday afternoons gives pupils good opportunities to gain confidence in speaking in public.
Quality of provision
Teaching and learning
Grade: 3
Following a period of considerable turbulence of staffing in the Key Stage 2 class, pupils are now benefiting from greater stability and consistency of teaching. The quality of teaching throughout the school is satisfactory with some good features. In Key Stage 2, lessons process at a good pace and work is planned soundly to meet the needs of the wide age and ability range within the class. This is having a positive impact on standards. Lesson planning in the Reception and Key Stage 1 class includes well defined learning objectives for Key Stage 1 pupils but not for those in the Foundation Stage. Planning is not sufficiently linked to the early learning goals. Teachers are competent at using interactive whiteboards to support their teaching. The presentation of pupils' work is improving but there is a lack of good quality classroom displays to celebrate pupils' achievements and support learning. The classes are well staffed with teaching assistants, although they are not always well deployed during the first part of a lesson. Their skills and expertise are not always used to best effect, especially in the Key Stage 1 class. Parents are actively encouraged to support their children's learning.
Curriculum and other activities
Grade: 3
A strong emphasis is placed throughout the school on the daily teaching of literacy and mathematics. While this is appropriate, the considerable amount of time devoted to teaching literacy and numeracy as separate subjects is disproportionate to the time allocated for the foundation subjects and science. Consequently, pupils have limited opportunities to practise and consolidate their reading, writing and number skills other than in literacy and numeracy lessons. Pupils in the Reception have insufficient access to a curriculum which activily involves them in learning and finding things out through play and other practical activities. The curriculum is enriched by a number of extra-curricular activities and by visiting speakers and outside visits. Pupils are encouraged to eat healthily and take physical exercise. Through charity work and the establishment of the school council, pupils have good opportunities to prepare for the future world of work.
Care, guidance and support
Grade: 2
Pupils are well supported pastorally and academically. The greater stability of staffing, and the high numbers of staff to pupils in Key Stage 2 are contributing to pupils feeling more secure and parents feeling happy that their children's academic needs are being met in the classroom. Pupils with additional learning needs are well supported. Their needs are well documented and there are good links with external agencies in order to promote their well-being. Brockdish Primary School is successful in its aim to be an inclusive school. This is reflected in one parent's comment: 'Brockdish School is like a big family.' The school has good syatems to safeguard pupils. The school has good procedures for inducting new pupils and making them feel welcome. Partnership links with the local playgroup are good. A teaching assistant visits once a week and this helps to ensure a smooth transition from playgroup to school. The school actively seeks and responds to parents' views about the school. Parents are pleased with the care and support their children receive.
Leadership and management
Grade: 2
The school is well led and managed. The school's priorities are focused firmly upon raising standards and maintaining stability of staffing. Promoting consistently good quality teaching and learning are high on the agenda. There is a rigorous approach to tracking pupils' progress and attainment. Staff receive feedback on their teaching and guidance on how to improve. The school has worked successfully in partnership with the local authority to improve the quality of education provided for all pupils. A good start has been made on sharing responsibility for subject leadership between the teaching staff. Staff are clear about their roles and responsibilities. The management of pupils with learning difficulties or disabilities is good. Governors are highly committed to the well-being of all pupils and take their responsibilities seriously. The initiatives identified in the school improvement plan for 2006 - 2007 are highly appropriate. However, although actions are identified clearly, they are not supported by detailed timings and costings. Similarly, strategic long-term planning is not so well developed. The newly refurbished library is a welcome addition and work is in progress to enhance the outdoor learning environment for the youngest pupils. These exemplify good management of resources which is linked to improving the quality of provision and raising standards.
Annex A
Inspection judgements
| Key to judgements:
grade 1 is outstanding, grade 2 good, grade 3 satisfactory and grade 4 inadequate |
||
Overall effectiveness |
||
| How effective, efficient and inclusive is the provision of education, integrated care and any extended services in meeting the needs of learners? | 3 | |
| How well does the school work in partnership with others to promote learners' well-being? | 2 | |
| The quality and standards in the Foundation Stage | 3 | |
| The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation | 3 | |
| The capacity to make any necessary improvements | 2 | |
| Effective steps have been taken to promote improvement since the last inspection | Yes | |
Achievement and standards |
||
| How well do learners achieve? | 3 | |
| The standards1 reached by learners | 3 | |
| How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners | 3 | |
How well learners with learning difficulties and disabilities make progress (1 Grade 1 - Exceptionally and consistently high; Grade 2 - Generally above average with none significantly below average; Grade 3 - Broadly average to below average; Grade 4 - Exceptionally low. ) |
2 | |
Personal development and well-being |
||
| How good is the overall personal development and well-being of the learners? | 2 | |
| The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development | 2 | |
| The behaviour of learners | 2 | |
| The attendance of learners | 3 | |
| How well learners enjoy their education | 2 | |
| The extent to which learners adopt safe practices | 2 | |
| The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles | 2 | |
| The extent to which learners make a positive contribution to the community | 2 | |
| How well learners develop workplace and other skills that will contribute to their future economic well-being | 2 | |
The quality of provision |
||
| How effective are teaching and learning in meeting the full range of the learners' needs? | 3 | |
| How well do the curriculum and other activities meet the range of needs and interests of learners? | 3 | |
| How well are learners cared for, guided and supported? | 2 | |
Leadership and management |
||
| How effective are leadership and management in raising achievement and supporting all learners? | 2 | |
| How effectively leaders and managers at all levels set clear direction leading to improvement and promote high quality of care and education | 2 | |
| How effectively performance is monitored, evaluated and improved to meet challenging targets | 2 | |
| How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination tackled so that all learners achieve as well as they can | 2 | |
| How effectively and efficiently resources, including staff, are deployed to achieve value for money | 3 | |
| The extent to which governors and other supervisory boards discharge their responsibilities | 2 | |
| Do procedures for safeguarding learners meet current government requirements? | Yes | |
| Does this school require special measures? | No | |
| Does this school require a notice to improve? | No | |
Annex B
Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection
3 October 2006 Brockdish CE Voluntary Controlled Primary School, Grove Road, Brockdish, Diss, Norfolk, IP21 4JP Dear Pupils I enjoyed meeting you all when I visited your school on 2 October. Thank you for making me so welcome and for giving up part of your lunchtime to talk to me about the school council. You have some very good ideas about how to spend your budget and you are rightly proud of the improvements to the playground and the library. I enjoyed sitting in on your lessons, talking to you and looking at your books. Well done for the progress you are making, particularly with your reading and mathematics. I know your teachers are keen that you make the same progress in writing and that they plan to give you further opportunities to practise your writing skills. You obviously enjoy the extra-curricular musical and sporting activities and all the opportunities you have to take part in concerts and contribute to the life of the village. It is good to see you enjoying healthy food and being aware of the foods that are good for you. During my day with you I talked to your headteacher, teachers, teaching assistants and governors. They look after you very well and you benefit from the individual care and attention you get from being taught in small classes. As part of our conversations, I have suggested that they help you to improve your writing skills, look at the balance of time allocated to teaching all the different subjects and how the curriculum is planned for the youngest pupils. Your school is well led and managed by Mr Lacey-Hastings. It is very well staffed and situated in lovely surroundings. Good luck for the future. Best wishes Tricia Pritchard HMI
© Crown copyright 2006
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