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INSPECTION REPORT ON |
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Brooklands Preparatory School |
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Full Name of the School |
Brooklands Preparatory
School |
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DfES Number |
860/6004 |
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Registered Charity Number |
528616 |
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Address |
167
Eccleshall Road, Stafford ST16 1PD |
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Telephone Number |
01785
251399 |
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Fax Number |
01785
244379 |
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Email Address |
enquiries@brooklandsschool.com |
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Headteacher |
Mr.
D.R. Williams |
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Chairman of Governors |
Lady
Mitting |
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Age Range |
3
months – 11 years |
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Gender |
Mixed |
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Inspection Dates |
March
6th – 9th 2006 |
This inspection report follows the framework laid down by the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI). The inspection was carried out under the arrangements of the Independent Schools Council (ISC) Associations for the maintenance and improvement of the quality of their membership. It was also carried out under Section 162A(1)(b) of the Education Act 2002, as amended by the Education Act 2005, under the provisions of which the Secretary of State for Education and Skills has accredited ISI as the body approved for the purpose of inspecting schools belonging to ISC Associations and reporting on compliance with the Education (Independent School Standards) (England) Regulations 2003.
The inspection does not examine the financial viability of the school or investigate its accounting procedures. The inspectors check the school’s health and safety procedures and comment on any significant hazards they encounter: they do not carry out an exhaustive health and safety examination. Their inspection of the premises is from an educational perspective and does not include in-depth examination of the structural condition of the school, its services or other physical features.
1.1 Brooklands School is situated on one site to the north of Stafford, one mile from the town centre. The school was founded in 1946 and is a registered charity, with an elected governing body, known as the school council. The school consists of two large converted Victorian houses to which several additional buildings have been added, notably the recently built science and technology block. Since the last inspection, the ‘Little Brooklands’ day nursery has been opened in a separate building on the same site, to cater for children under the age of three. In addition, a new headteacher has been appointed to the school.
1.2 At the time of the inspection the school had 161 pupils on roll, aged between 3 months and 11 years. Of these, 82 were boys and 79 were girls. Of the 161, 30 pupils attended on a part-time basis and were under the age of four. There were a further 26 pupils in the Foundation Stage and 26 in Years 1 and 2. In the preparatory department (Years 3 - 6) there were an additional 79 pupils.
1.3 Pupils come from a wide geographical area, from families that strongly support their children’s education and want them to be successful. The school has identified 24 pupils as in need of additional help from the learning support department, usually in mathematics or literacy. This is provided either in the classroom or through small group activities. One pupil has a statement of special educational need (SEN). In addition, one pupil has English as an additional language but is fluent in English.
1.4 Entry to the school is not on a competitive basis and almost all who apply are offered places following an informal assessment. The pupils cover a wide spectrum of ability, though their average ability is above the national average. If pupils are performing in line with their abilities their results will be above the average for all maintained primary schools. At the age of 11, approximately four-fifths of pupils continue in the independent sector with over nine-tenths going to their first choice secondary school.
1.5 The school aims to encourage pupils to fulfil their potential both academically and physically and gain an appreciation of the world in which they live. Furthermore, it intends that pupils will learn how to live amicably together with a strong awareness of others, their feelings and needs and will build a reasoned set of attitudes, values and beliefs, based on Christian principals. The school welcomes pupils of all faiths. In addition, it hopes that pupils will develop their confidence, independence and self-esteem, becoming kind, courteous and able to display good manners and behaviour. Links with parents are seen as most important in achieving these aims and in preparing pupils for the next stage of their education.
1.6 National Curriculum nomenclature is used throughout this report to refer to year groups in the school.
The Educational Experience Provided
2.1 Brooklands Preparatory School provides a rich educational experience which successfully reflects the aims and philosophy of the school. Issues related to this area identified at the last inspection have largely been addressed, although some aspects related to the balance of the timetable still need additional work. The educational experience provided is of a high standard and in line with the school’s aims to encourage pupils to fulfil their potential both academically and physically and gain an appreciation of the world in which they live.
2.2 In Little Brooklands (Little B’s), which gives provision for the under three’s, children experience a wide range of activities through adherence to the ‘Birth to Three Matters’ guidelines. Nursery and reception aged children experience a broad range of activities based on the nationally specified ‘Stepping Stones’ towards the Early Learning Goals of the Foundation Stage. When ready, children in the reception class embark upon the programmes of study closely related to the National Curriculum. The curriculum for Years 1 and 2 also follows the broad outline of the National Curriculum, with the addition of French, drama, personal, social and health education (PSHE) and ‘brain gym’. In Years 3 to 6, the upper school curriculum is also built around the National Curriculum with the addition of French, study skills, citizenship and drama. The range of subjects is wide but some imbalance in the time allocated to the teaching of mathematics at this stage, with fewer double periods available in some year groups, restricts the amount and type of work that can be covered. The school is well aware of these timetable imbalances and has good plans in hand to address the issue.
2.3 Pupils’ educational experiences in all areas of the school contribute effectively to their progress in all areas of learning. In particular, very good provision is made for their acquisition of skills in literacy throughout the curriculum. In lessons and discussions, pupils are encouraged to offer views and information in an articulate and confident manner. Religious studies, PSHE and the more recently introduced citizenship curriculum, are strong and fulfil the school’s aims for pupils to build a reasoned set of attributes and values. Valuable ‘house meetings’ enhance this aspect of the curriculum and aid the personal development of the pupils.
2.4 A wide range of after-school clubs and activities is run by teaching staff and these further enrich pupils’ experience. A choice of 29 clubs is available; of these 11 are sports based, seven centre around music and the remainder reflect the variety of interests of staff and pupils. The curriculum is also enhanced by regular educational trips, including visits to the theatre and sporting fixtures. Years 6 pupils also benefit from a week’s residential trip which is part of a wider programme of events for pupils who are leaving at the end of the summer term. Varied musical and drama opportunities afford pupils an opportunity to perform in productions. In addition, all pupils from Years 1 to 5 have weekly swimming lessons.
2.5 Well-established procedures ensure a smooth transition of pupils between departments in the school. Teachers in transition years discuss each individual pupil and pass on information that is both academic and social. New pupils visit the school before they start and the ‘buddy’ systems aid their induction into school life at Brooklands. The preparation of pupils for the next stage of their school career is good and viewed as being particularly important.
2.6 Curriculum planning for the under threes, at ‘Little Brooklands’, is effective and detailed. In the Foundation Stage, curriculum planning for the Early Learning Goals is sufficiently detailed and covers all of the six areas of learning. The existing good subject policies and schemes of work for Years 1 to 6 do not all have a standardised approach, which means that areas such as provision for gifted and talented pupils, cross-curricular links and opportunities for the use of information and communication technology (ICT) are not necessarily highlighted from an early planning stage.
2.7 All pupils across the school experience the full curriculum and enjoy a wide variety of educational activities appropriate to their ages and aptitudes. Pupils enjoy learning and make considerable progress. However, some cramped teaching spaces hamper investigative or experiential work in subjects such as mathematics. This is an area the school has already recognised and has plans in hand to address the problem.
2.8 The provision for pupils with SEN, including the pupil with a statement of SEN, is good; some pupils are withdrawn from lessons and others receive support within the classroom. These pupils have individual education plans which are appropriate to their needs. This is in line with the school’s aim to carefully consider individual abilities. No pupils require special provision for English as an additional language.
2.9 The school meets the regulatory requirements for the curriculum [Standard 1].
Pupils’ Learning and Achievements
2.10 Pupils learn effectively and achieve well in their academic and broader education. This is in line with the aims of the school in which each pupil is encouraged to achieve as high an academic standard as possible. Achievement, considered to be above average at the last inspection, has been maintained and in several areas, notably science and English, successfully improved. Pupils are well grounded in knowledge, skills and understanding in their subjects and in other activities.
2.11 In ‘Little Brooklands’, the close adherence to an appropriate and well thought out programme of activities ensures that even the very youngest children successfully learn basic skills. In the nursery, reception class and junior section of the school, pupils’ literacy skills become progressively well-developed and they learn to read and write with confidence. Numeracy skills are also built upon firm foundations and pupils progress well. Their knowledge and understanding are developed effectively through appropriately planned lessons and effective teaching. Pupils’ ICT skills are developing appropriately, although the application of these to other areas of the curriculum is not fully developed. Creativity is deliberately fostered through many different activities within the curriculum as well as in clubs and activities.
2.12 In Years 3 to 6, pupils are increasingly able to apply their knowledge and understanding effectively in a variety of situations and through different subjects. This is evident in their written work, both over time and in lessons. Pupils have well-developed speaking and listening skills; literacy skills used in different subjects enable pupils to attain good levels of creativity, particularly through their writing and investigative work in subjects such as science. Pupils’ mathematical skills, whilst developing adequately are not increasing as rapidly as their literacy and scientific skills. This is largely due to insufficient time being allocated to the teaching of mathematics and the mathematics’ room being limited in size, thus preventing the full range of practical activities to take place. This impacts on the rate at which pupils learn, and ultimately on their achievements. In addition, the application of pupils’ mathematical skills to other subjects is variable, ranging from being particularly good in subjects such as science to barely satisfactory in others. This is also the case with regard to the use of pupils’ ICT skills.
2.13 No significant difference is apparent in the relative attainment of pupils in different classes or subjects nor is there any marked difference in attainment between girls and boys. Overall, significant achievements are evident in most subjects and are particularly good in science and English. Such levels of achievement are reflected in many lessons and in the progress made over time by pupils in their learning.
2.14 Results in national tests at age seven, show that pupils’ performance is far above the national average in writing and reading and well above that average for mathematics. Such results are very good given pupils’ overall ability levels. At age 11, a similar picture of high achievement is evident, whereby pupils’ achievement is well above the national average in English, mathematics and science. Furthermore the proportion of pupils gaining scholarships and passing entrance examinations to selective senior schools indicates the high standards being achieved in most areas.
2.15 The school has a considerable list of individual and team achievements, particularly where pupils have competed against and beaten schools containing many more pupils. A high proportion of pupils achieve good results in music examinations. In sport also many fine achievements have been gained in local sporting competitions, for example, the under 11’s girls’ netball team were runners up this year in the countywide netball competition. At the same time, care is taken to make certain that less talented pupils have equal access to tuition and coaching and, as a result, most have opportunities to compete at a level that is appropriate to their ability.
2.16 Pupils’ attitudes to work and study are particularly good in all sections of the school, largely as a result of teachers’ high expectations. To those expectations, pupils respond very positively. Pupils are friendly and helpful, eager to talk about what they are doing and how they are getting on.
2.17 Throughout, pupils read and write intelligently and fluently at a level that is good for their age. They are confident learners and listen carefully to the ideas of others as well as to their teachers. Pupils work and study effectively, both on their own and co-operatively with others. They are happy to work in small groups; for example in a Year 6 lesson, pupils in small groups actively discussed the appropriate language and strategies needed for describing how to make a piece of toast. In addition, pupils are given opportunities to reason and think through arguments logically and to argue their point of view. To such opportunities they respond very well at a level appropriate to their age.
2.18 Pupils settle down quickly and quietly at the start of lessons and actively apply themselves to the task they have been set. Pupils in a Year 5 science lesson, while considering how to dissolve jelly in a variety of solutions, persevered with quite a difficult task and through hard, challenging work and good support for each other and from their teacher, made considerable gains in their knowledge and understanding of the concepts involved.
2.19 Throughout the school, pupils concentrate well and show great enthusiasm for their work and activities. Pupils clearly enjoy the learning experiences they are offered, organising their work and studies and, as a result, they progress well and attain high standards.
Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural Development of Pupils
2.20 The personal development of the pupils is of a high quality. Standards in this area have been maintained since the previous inspection when personal development was judged to be very good. Pupils demonstrate a very well-developed spiritual, social, moral and cultural awareness that is evident in many aspects of school life. The PSHE and citizenship programme and a very positive ethos, support the school in successfully meeting its aims for pupils’ personal development, namely in fostering understanding and tolerance throughout the school, raising pupils’ awareness of the needs of others and in equipping them extremely well for their role as future citizens.
2.21 Pupils develop a strong spiritual awareness both through assemblies and lessons; for example, the story of ‘Warm Fuzzies’ was used in a whole school assembly to enable pupils to understand the need to be able to give and share love and kindness in order to receive it themselves. This followed the establishment of a calm and reflective atmosphere which was created by quiet music, a lighted candle as a focus for reflection and a well sung hymn ‘Song of Blessing’.
2.22 Opportunities in lessons, such as in citizenship and PSHE, enable pupils to discover new experiences, develop their self-esteem and self-confidence and to consider their own feelings when reacting to situations in which they find themselves. Similarly the ‘Prayer Tree’ gives pupils opportunities to consider wider issues than those related to themselves, to reflect on others needs and problems and to celebrate the wonders of the world. One prayer for example, thanked God for plants, animals and rivers ‘because they are incredible and they look so beautiful.’ These opportunities are well taken by pupils who, as a result, continually develop their spiritual awareness.
2.23 As a result of the very good provision made, pupils develop a strong moral sense. They are able to distinguish right from wrong from an early age. Pupils of all ages respect the school rules and are able to explain why they are necessary. They understand the system of rewards and sanctions. They are aware of issues such as bullying and know what course of action to take in the unlikely event of an incident occurring. They have a well developed sense of what is morally wrong and even the younger pupils show an appreciation of moral and social matters, for example when taking turns and sharing apparatus in lessons such as physical education and mathematics. The school has visits from the police and this fosters respect for the law as an extension of pupils being part of the wider community. Pupils are courteous to each other, their teachers and visitors. For their part, the staff return that courtesy and show respect for their pupils.
2.24 As a result of the school’s provision, pupils’ social awareness is high. Pupils are well trained to exercise self-discipline from ‘Little Brooklands’ upwards. Systems of class monitors, register monitors and, for older pupils, house monitors prove greatly beneficial to pupils’ social development. Year 6 pupils perform their leadership roles efficiently and contribute well to the smooth running of the school. Fundraising for charity has a high profile amongst the pupils and is frequently suggested by pupils, as they consider others less fortunate than themselves. Valuable social experiences are provided by the numerous visits offered to all age groups from the Little B’s class children upwards. A residential trip to an outdoor education centre for Year 6 pupils further enhances older pupils’ social development and awareness.
2.25 Pupils have sufficient opportunities to learn about and appreciate cultural traditions from their own and others’ backgrounds. Festivals from the major world religions are celebrated at various times within the school. Music and art lessons provide opportunities for looking at the work of other cultures; the display of pupils’ work, interpreting, through the use of ICT, the paintings of French artists such as Monet. Religious education lessons provide the chance to learn about religions of the world and, at various times of the year, wall displays and work in pupils’ books demonstrates their developing cultural awareness.
2.26 The school meets the regulatory requirements for the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils [Standard 2].
The Quality of Teaching (Including Assessment)
2.27 Teaching is most effective and on occasions is outstanding. In most areas it promotes high attainment in line with the aims of the school. The good quality of teaching found at the time of the previous inspection has been maintained.
2.28 The teaching of pupils of all ages and abilities, including those needing learning support, helps them to acquire new knowledge, make good progress and develop effective skills. Teachers have good levels of subject knowledge and this enables them, on almost all occasions, to set challenging work and answer pupils’ questions with confidence. They have appropriately high expectations of pupils and encourage them to enjoy and take an interest in their work. Teaching frequently requires pupils to think and learn for themselves, and extensive use is made of effective questioning. This was clearly apparent in a Year 5 religious education lesson, where the excellent use of challenging vocabulary and very brisk pace to the lesson, helped pupils to make progress at a rapid rate. The teacher’s inspirational approach enthused the pupils into high quality discussions about ‘temptation’, particularly in relation to Lent. Indeed one pupil clearly summed it up by stressing that, ‘Temptation is fantasising about chocolate when you have given it up for Lent’. The end product was that all groups of pupils quickly understood the concept of temptation and its implications for them and their peers.
2.29 Lessons are very well planned and pupils understand what they are expected to learn. In the best practice, time is used effectively and lessons are conducted at a brisk pace. These factors encourage pupils to behave responsibly. Much of the teaching involves pupils in a good range of activities, including discussions, investigations, theory and practical work. In subjects such as science, art and physical education, pupils work well in groups and pairs, which facilitates good learning. Indeed, the sharing of apparatus and working co-operatively is successfully encouraged from the earliest days of pupils’ time in ‘Little Brooklands.’ The most successful lessons are characterised by the teacher’s enthusiasm, sense of purpose and appropriate use of resources. The outstanding lesson in the nursery where these young children were being introduced to the idea of making different patterns was a clear example of such good practice. In the few lessons which are less successful, there is often a lack of variety in the teaching methods and the work is not set at an appropriate level for pupils’ abilities. Consequently, pupils are insufficiently challenged by the work and insufficient learning takes place.
2.30 Relationships between staff and pupils are strong and based on mutual respect. This allows pupils to feel confident in expressing their ideas and opinions, so that their response is both positive and productive. Staff know pupils well and provide sensitive help, particularly for those needing learning support; both class and subject teachers are familiar with these pupils’ needs and address them well. In many lessons, teachers make good use of the school’s resources. In these lessons, teachers carefully select the resources that are needed to help both individuals and groups of pupils to grasp a difficult concept that has been introduced. However, whilst this is the case with most resources, insufficient use is made of ICT to support pupils’ learning in several subjects. The school is aware of this and good plans are in hand to provide opportunities for teachers to help them realise the opportunities for enhancing pupils’ learning through the use of ICT. The library is well stocked and many specialist rooms and general classrooms have an appropriate stock of books that are well used to support pupils’ learning.
2.31 The school has an appropriate assessment policy which outlines a variety of assessment methods. However, in practice there are some inconsistencies in its usage. This is particularly the case in the areas of target setting and in the way in which the assessment of pupils’ work informs teachers’ planning. In the lower part of the school for example, regular informal assessments are evaluated against targets set for pupils, with the outcomes being used to assist teachers’ short-term planning. This is also the case with the ‘tracker’ system used in mathematics. Throughout the rest of the school, whilst pupils’ attainment is assessed regularly through the use of a range of standardised tests and examinations, such assessments are not used so well to inform planning or to set targets for pupils. This means that the work planned for the pupils is not always precisely matched to their needs. As a result, whilst assessment is relatively well used to inform reports on pupils’ attainment and effort it is not used so effectively to inform parents about what their child needs to do to continue to improve.
2.32 A whole school marking policy is in place. However, marking is inconsistently applied across subjects and within year groups. Some marking is cursory with just a tick placed at the end of the piece of work. In the best practice, marking includes comments designed to help pupils to understand what they need to do to continue to improve. Unfortunately this is not always the case and on a very small number of occasions, work is left unmarked.
2.33 The school meets the regulatory requirements for teaching [Standard 1].
3. THE QUALITY OF CARE AND RELATIONSHIPS
The Quality of Pastoral Care, and the Welfare, Health and Safety of Pupils
3.1 The quality of pastoral care is excellent and the school is highly successful in ensuring the welfare, health and safety of its pupils. This is a considerable improvement since the previous inspection when pastoral care was described as being good. Pastoral care is very effective and achieves the aim of the school, which is ‘to enable our children to realise their full potential in a caring and family community’. Staff provide very high quality care for pupils of all ages and the school pays close attention to their welfare, health and safety.
3.2 Staff know their pupils very well and offer high quality support and guidance in a friendly and relaxed manner. Pupils feel secure and know that they can rely upon their teachers to help them overcome any problems which occur. The atmosphere in the school is caring and purposeful.
3.3 All staff are assisted by highly effective pastoral arrangements. Formal procedures operate for pupils’ care and records are reviewed constantly. Staff are clear about their responsibilities and benefit from the high level of informal support given by the senior staff.
3.4 The quality of relationships between staff and pupils and between the pupils themselves is high. Pupils mix well with their peers. They are kind and helpful to each other and spontaneously celebrate their personal and team achievements. This was apparent in the school ‘house meetings’. Pupils are given the opportunity to enlighten their peers on hobbies, or other ‘happenings’ in their life. These are much appreciated by their peers. During a Year 5 music lesson for example, one child performed her own composition and the rest of the class broke out into spontaneous applause.
3.5 Effective discipline and behaviour policies focus on positive issues. Pupils are aware of what constitutes acceptable behaviour and they know that the school will deal effectively with bullying should it occur. Quick intervention means harassment of any type is resolved or prevented. For example, where two boys recognised their behaviour towards each other was unacceptable they, alongside their teachers, devised a strategy to enable them to play alongside each other. This incident was dealt with most effectively following the established procedures.
3.6 Measures to safeguard and promote pupils’ health and well-being are most successful. Child protection procedures are clear and staff have received relevant training in this area. Pupils are very well supervised. All fire prevention measures are in order and fire practices are held regularly and recorded. The health and safety policy is thorough and enhanced by a consultant fire officer assisting in many ways, for example in the in-service training days organised for staff which related to health and safety issues. The school has a large number of staff qualified in first aid. Risk assessments are undertaken within subject areas and more generally for school expeditions, visits and the regular weekly swimming lessons. Meals are of a high standard and caterers are aware of special dietary requirements.
3.7 Brooklands School is a happy, pleasant and safe environment where pupils are valued and are able to develop in accordance with the aims of the school.
3.8 The school meets the regulatory requirements for the welfare, health and safety of pupils [Standard 3].
The Quality of Links with Parents and the Community
3.9 Links with both parents and the community are well established. The school enjoys a high degree of parental satisfaction, thus fulfilling one of its basic aims. This was a similar position to that found at the time of the last inspection. The school takes care to keep parents informed and to develop purposeful and productive links with them and the wider community.
3.10 A high proportion of parents returned the questionnaire circulated prior to the inspection. Their response was extremely positive about much of the school’s provision. Parents particularly appreciate the academic opportunities, the quality of teaching, the way the school promotes worthwhile attitudes and values, the high standards of pupil behaviour and the range of extra-curricular activities offered to their children. However, a small proportion felt that the information they receive about their child’s progress was inadequate. Inspection findings show that the information parents receive about their children’s progress is adequate, although there are variations in its quality between different parts of the school and between subjects in the upper part of the school.
3.11 Parents are given many opportunities to be involved in the work and progress of their children and in the activities of the school. In the nursery, parents are actively involved in curricular activities. Parents of new pupils are welcomed to the school and all parents are encouraged to contribute to the quality of school life through the very active Parent Teachers Association (PTA). This group organises many family and adult social occasions and, along with staff and pupils in the school, supports various charities. The PTA produces regular newsletters and meets monthly. Considerable sums have been raised for the school and charity through many varied events.
3.12 Parents are welcomed at plays and other school celebrations. They are also encouraged to visit the school and speak to their children’s teachers to discuss progress and share information. The school handles complaints with due and appropriate care thus meeting the regulatory requirements.
3.13 Parents receive a wide range of information from the school. The prospectus and website are interesting and informative. A new pupils’ and parents’ evening takes place soon after the start of the school year and a full parents’ evening takes place in the spring term. Termly calendars and weekly newsletters keep parents up-to-date and informed about events and highlight children’s activities and successes. Satisfactory written reports are produced twice a year and parents receive half-termly grade cards which indicate achievement and effort. In addition, pupils in the lower part of the school have half-termly targets sent home.
3.14 Links with the local community are good and include regular visits to the school from the local vicar and police liaison officer. Harvest festival gifts are given to charity and carols are sung at the nearby open market, with the school carol service taking place in the local church. Pupils visit places of interest that are both nearby and further afield. These visits enrich and support the work completed in the classroom. There are well-established links with other independent schools with girls playing netball fixtures with local primary schools and boys taking part in local ‘tag’ rugby and Kwik cricket competitions.
3.15 The school meets the regulatory requirements for the provision of information and the manner in which complaints are to be handled [Standards 6 and 7].
4. THE EFFECTIVENESS OF GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT
4.1 The governors are deeply committed to the good of the school and its development. Their overall aim is to provide pupils with a high quality all-round education where each individual is achieving their full potential. In carrying out this role they are becoming increasingly successful. Considerable progress has been made since the last inspection in the development of an effective committee structure and in raising governors’ awareness and profile in the overall running of the school.
4.2 In quite recent times, greater clarity has been added to the structure and management arrangements of the governing body (the school council). They are now well defined and are in a position to have an oversight of the school’s work. In some areas they are more successful than in others. In particular they are well aware of their financial responsibilities and financial planning is good. This results in effective educational provision and adequate investment in resources. However, they are less well informed about curricular developments although, through their recently formed education committee, this is now being gradually addressed. Close contact is maintained between representatives of the council and the headteacher for the welfare of the school.
4.3 Several members of the council have regular contact with members of staff and are supportive of them. Developing systems of communications enable governors to keep in touch with the on-going progress of the school. Overall, governors are well informed and are beginning to play a more leading rather than supportive role, both in the school’s overall development and in celebrating its successes in academic work and in cultural and other activities. They provide sound advice and growing levels of challenge to both the headteacher and, as appropriate, to members of staff.
The Quality of Leadership and Management
4.4 Leadership and management is successful overall and supports the school’s aim of enabling pupils to achieve their full potential. The head teacher provides effective leadership, and this is reflected in the quality of education and the care of the pupils. Many of the strengths of leadership and management identified in the previous inspection have been maintained, but others, such as the development of systems to monitor teaching and the curriculum, have yet to be fully addressed.
4.5 The head teacher has a good oversight of the work of the school and gives it clear direction. A senior management team and curriculum leaders are in place. However, their roles and responsibilities are insufficiently clearly defined, particularly in relation to monitoring the work of the school, the quality of teaching and the work pupils produce. The school has an appropriate development plan that identifies areas for review over an appropriate period of time. It provides an accurate picture of the steps needed to develop the overall quality of education being offered to the pupils.
4.6 Appropriate policies have been drawn up and these cover most aspects of school life. The school now has a system to regularly check and review the effectiveness of its procedures. For example, registration procedures are monitored on a regular basis and regular checks are made which focus on welfare and health and safety. In a limited number of instances, the putting of policies into practice is not monitored rigorously. For example, the school lacks a consistent approach to the marking of pupils’ work and pupils are not always given sufficient advice as to what they need to do to continue to improve their work.
4.7 Resources for learning are appropriate and effectively managed. They are easily accessible and appropriately located near the areas where they are used. The well-stocked library is used appropriately by pupils and staff and makes a valuable contribution to pupils’ learning experiences. Procedures for budgeting operate efficiently.
4.8 Throughout the school, teaching and support staff are deployed effectively. They contribute most significantly to pupils’ learning and welfare. Staffing levels are good and enable strong support to be given to pupils, particularly those requiring support. The recruitment of well-qualified staff is successfully managed, and the required staffing checks are carried out with appropriate records being kept. Induction procedures for staff new to the school, and for those new to the profession, support them very well and follow the national requirements for newly qualified teachers. In-service training opportunities are available for staff, although these are insufficiently closely linked to the school development planning process. A system for the appraisal of staff is developing but is not yet fully in place or totally effective.
4.9 The administration of the school is most efficient. The administrative and other support staff provide high-quality assistance, upon which the efficient running of the school depends. Communication within the school is most efficient.
4.10 The school is based on one site and full use is made of the facilities it has. Space is used effectively although one or two rooms are rather small to enable full coverage of the curriculum. The school has plans in hand to address this issue in the near future. In other subjects, such as science, ICT, art, design and technology and in the outdoor provision for games in particular, extremely good teaching space is available and well utilised. The school is a welcoming place, which provides a secure environment for the education of the pupils. Imaginative use has been made of the buildings and surroundings of the school and the interesting and colourful displays in all parts of the school create a stimulating learning environment. Pupils say they are very happy and are clearly proud of their school.
4.11 The school meets the regulatory requirements for the suitability of proprietors and staff and for premises and accommodation [Standards 4 and 5]
4.12 The school participates in the national scheme for the induction of newly qualified teachers and meets its requirements.
5.1 Brooklands School is successful in meeting its aims and the needs of the pupils effectively. It provides broad and wide ranging opportunities to help pupils to achieve their potential. Achievement levels are significant in several areas, notably science and English. Such achievement is largely the result of good teaching, successful leadership by the headteacher, and efficient structures and systems that support pupils in their learning. Consequently, pupils behave very well and are responsible members of the school community. They enjoy their school and are proud of it. Pupils are exceptionally well cared for and most successful provision is made for their personal development. The school is aware that there are issues to be addressed in relation to clarifying the roles and responsibilities of a number of staff, in order to establish an effective system to monitor teaching and pupils’ work, and in creating a better balance and structure to the timetable. In addition, systems to assess and record pupils’ progress need to be improved in certain areas.
5.2 Many of the strengths, found at the time of the last inspection in 2000, have been maintained. Weaknesses identified at that time related to school development planning and the continuity of pupils’ education between various sections of the school have been addressed. Issues concerned with the assessment of pupils’ work and the monitoring of the curriculum have begun to be tackled, although some further work still remains to be done.
5.3 The school meets all the regulatory requirements.
5.4 In order to build on the improvements made since the last inspection, the school should:
1. Review the roles and responsibilities of senior managers and curriculum leaders to:
· establish a system where all have a clear oversight of what their work entails and the role they play in the ongoing development of the school;
· put in place a fully effective system for monitoring the quality of teaching and pupils’ work, as well as other aspects of school life.
2. Review the balance of the curriculum to ensure that:
· sufficient time is allocated to the teaching of all subjects, in particular mathematics;
· appropriate teaching accommodation enables all aspects of a subject, particularly practical and investigative work, to be carried out;
· a common format and approach to the planning of the curriculum is in place.
3. Further develop the system for assessing and recording pupils’ progress so that:
· all subjects have high quality systems for the assessment and recording of pupils’ progress;
· assessments are used effectively to plan work and set targets for pupils in all subjects;
· the policy for marking pupils’ work is consistently adhered to by all.
5.5 No action in respect of regulatory requirements is required
6. summary of inspection evidence
6.1 The inspection was carried out from March 6th – 9th 2006. The inspectors examined samples of pupils’ work, observed lessons and conducted formal interviews with pupils. They held discussions with teaching and non-teaching staff and with governors, observed a sample of the extra-curricular activities that occurred during the inspection period, and attended registration sessions and assemblies. The responses of parents to a pre-inspection questionnaire were analysed and the inspectors examined a range of documentation made available by the school.
|
Mr G Nunn |
Reporting Inspector and former Ofsted Registered Inspector |
|
Mrs S Errington |
Former Senior Teacher, IAPS School |
|
Mr N Price |
Head of Preparatory Department, HMC School |
|
Mrs S Williams |
Headteacher, IAPS School |