Beancross Primary School
Grangemouth
Falkirk Council

7 October 2008

Contents

1. Background
2. Key strengths
3. What are the views of parents, pupils and staff?
4. How good are learning, teaching and achievement?
5. How well are pupils’ learning needs met?
6. How good is the environment for learning?
7. Leading and improving the school
Appendix 1 Indicators of quality
Appendix 2 Summary of questionnaire responses
How can you contact us?

1. Background

Beancross Primary School was inspected in May 2008 as part of a national sample of primary education. The inspection covered key aspects of the work of the school at all stages. It evaluated pupils' achievements, the effectiveness of the school, the environment for learning, the school's processes for self-evaluation and innovation, and its capacity for improvement. There was a particular focus on attainment in English language and mathematics.

HM Inspectors examined pupils' work and interviewed groups of pupils, including the pupil council, and staff. Members of the inspection team also met the chairperson of the Parent Council, and a group of parents¹.

The inspection team also evaluated aspects of the school's progress in implementing national recommendations related to improving aspects of school meals provision.

The school serves part of the town of Grangemouth. At the time of the inspection the roll was 221. The proportion of pupils who were entitled to free school meals was well above the national average. Pupils' attendance was in line with the national average. At the time of the inspection the headteacher had been in post for ten weeks. The post had previously been filled on a temporary basis by an acting headteacher for 14 months.

The depute headteacher was appointed a week prior to the inspection.

2. Key strengths

3. What are the views of parents, pupils and staff?

HM Inspectors analysed responses to questionnaires issued to a sample of parents, P4 to P7 pupils, and to all staff. Information about the responses to the questionnaires appears in Appendix 2.

Parents were positive about most aspects of the work of the school. They felt welcome and thought staff showed care and concern for their child’s welfare. They found parents’ evenings helpful and informative and thought school reports gave helpful information about their child’s progress. A significant number of parents did not think the school had a good reputation in the community. Pupils believed the school helped to keep them safe and healthy. They felt teachers explained things clearly to them and they liked the way teachers told them when they had done something well. A number of pupils expressed concern about the poor behaviour of other pupils. Teachers and support staff liked working in the school and felt pupils were enthusiastic about their learning. They thought pupils’ successes were celebrated regularly. A significant number of staff believed indiscipline could be dealt with more effectively.

4. How good are learning, teaching and achievement?

Learners’ experiences

The overall quality of the curriculum was satisfactory. Staff provided pupils with a broad curriculum. The school was making improvements to programmes for religious and moral education and English language. However, some aspects of the curriculum such as environmental studies did not provide sufficient continuity and progression in the development of pupils’ knowledge, skills and understanding. Across the school, pupils had regular opportunities to develop their skills in information and communications  technology (ICT). They had a good knowledge of healthy lifestyles. Pupils in P1 benefitted from increased opportunities to be active in their learning through play. There were regular opportunities for pupils to develop their skills in enterprise education. For example, pupils at P7 created a cookbook using healthy recipes. Across the school, there were insufficient opportunities for pupils to develop their skills in physical education. The quality of teaching was satisfactory. In most lessons, teachers created a positive climate for learning. They gave clear explanations and instructions and used questioning well to help pupils to recall knowledge and information. They did not always use questioning effectively to develop pupils’ thinking. A few teachers shared the purposes of lessons with pupils. However, this was not consistent across the school. Pupils were not always encouraged to take sufficient responsibility for their learning. Teachers were beginning to use interactive whiteboards well to enhance pupils’ learning. They provided a varied range of homework activities to support pupils’ learning.

In most lessons, pupils were well behaved and worked on tasks without close supervision. Pupils responded enthusiastically to opportunities to work together in pairs and small groups. For example, pupils in P1 worked well together when completing a variety of practical activities to consolidate their numeracy skills. Overall, pupils’ skills in working collaboratively were not sufficiently well developed. Pupils did not have enough opportunities to be active in their learning to develop their skills as independent learners. They were not always aware of their strengths as learners and did not understand fully how to improve their work.

Improvements in performance

Improvements in the school’s performance were weak. Following a period of instability, staff had started to make improvements to the work of the school. These improvements had not yet had an impact on improving the overall quality of learner’s experiences. As a result, pupils did not have sufficient opportunities to achieve widely.

The overall quality of attainment in English language was satisfactory. Levels of attainment had fluctuated in recent years. Most pupils achieved appropriate national levels in listening and talking and a majority achieved appropriate national levels in reading and writing. A significant number achieved these levels earlier than might normally be expected. Progress at the early stages was not always sustained as pupils moved through the school. Pupils with additional support needs were making progress in their classwork. Across the school, most pupils listened and responded well to teachers. Most pupils showed confidence in talking and expressing their views to adults and peers, but were less confident in addressing larger groups. In P6/7, pupils displayed good listening skills in responding to unfamiliar texts. Across the school, pupils were less skilled when listening and talking to each other in groups. At the early stages, pupils were able to talk appropriately about the features of stories they had read. From P4 to P7 the majority of pupils read fluently and could discuss favourite authors and features of books they enjoyed. At P1, pupils were developing early writing skills and, as they progressed through the stages, pupils were gaining in confidence in writing for a range of purposes. High standards of writing were not, however, consistently demonstrated across other areas of the curriculum. Overall, the quality of spelling and punctuation was variable across the school.

The overall quality of pupils’ attainment in mathematics was satisfactory. Levels of attainment had remained steady in recent years. Most pupils attained appropriate national levels of attainment. By P2, a significant number of pupils had attained these levels earlier than might normally be expected. This progress was not maintained as pupils progressed through the school. Pupils who required additional support with aspects of mathematics were making steady progress. By P7, pupils could interpret information from a range of charts and graphs. They were able to gather information and present it in different ways. However, they did not have enough opportunities to use ICT to create spreadsheets and databases. Across the school, pupils were developing good skills in mental calculations. At the early stages, pupils were making good progress in written calculations involving number, money and measurement. By P7, there were gaps in pupils’ understanding of several areas of mathematics, including measurement, fractions and percentages. Pupils did not yet have sufficient planned opportunities to apply and develop their mathematical skills in other areas of the curriculum. Pupils had a sound knowledge of the properties of two- and three-dimensional shapes. By P7, pupils could identify a range of angles and demonstrated a good understanding of bearings. Across the school, pupils’ skills in solving problems were less well developed.

At P1, pupils could use appropriate vocabulary to describe different types of houses and homes. Pupils at P6/7 were developing an awareness of rock formation and were able to classify rocks appropriately. At P3, pupils were developing their knowledge of famous artists. At the upper stages, pupils along with a cluster school, had participated in a week of activities delivered by health promotion staff which promoted aspects of healthy lifestyles. As a result, pupils had a very good awareness of the need for a balanced diet.

The school had taken some steps to help pupils develop their wider achievements. Through the school programme, sports day and after school clubs, pupils were achieving success in a range of sports, for example, in football, basketball and cross-country running. All pupils at the upper stages gained confidence and a sense of achievement through performing in the annual school show. Pupils at P7 developed and displayed their ICT skills in producing an inter-active yearbook. Pupils had opportunities to develop their skills in problem solving when attending the lunchtime problem solving club. The school’s problem solving team entered for a national enterprising challenge and were very successful in reaching the final. Pupils had some opportunities to develop their skills and achieve success in citizenship through participating in the school council and eco committee. School captains acting as corridor monitors were recently given greater responsibility to promote more positive behaviour amongst the younger pupils.

The current improvement plan had been written prior to the present headteacher taking up post. The school had made some progress in addressing the priorities in its improvement plan, including ICT and health education. Overall, the improvement plan did not have sufficient impact on improving attainment and learners’ experiences across the school. Staff had not yet been fully engaged in rigorous self-evaluation to secure improvements in the work of the school. Parents were not sufficiently involved in identifying priorities for the school improvement plan. The headteacher, in collaboration with staff, was committed to improving the work of the school.

5. How well are pupils’ learning needs met?

Arrangements for meeting pupils’ needs were weak. In too many lessons, the learning activities and teaching approaches were not suitably matched to the differing needs and abilities of individual pupils. Teachers did not always provide sufficient challenge for pupils to reach their full potential. The school had good procedures in place to identify pupils experiencing difficulties in their learning. They had drafted appropriate individual and group educational support plans. There were good links with other agencies to provide additional advice and support. These plans were making a significant impact on pupils’ progress but there were weaknesses in implementing and reviewing plans. The support for learning teacher and learning assistants provided good support for individuals and small groups of pupils. However, too often, pupils were withdrawn from class for this support and this reduced their inclusion in class activities and the class teachers’ ability to support their progress. Plans were not reviewed regularly enough and parents and pupils were not sufficiently involved in the planning and review processes. The school had not yet devised support plans for pupils experiencing behavioural difficulties or for those who were missing out on education through poor attendance patterns.

6. How good is the environment for learning?

7. Leading and improving the school

Appendix 1 provides HM Inspectors’ overall evaluation of the work of the school.

Beancross Primary School provided a caring and supportive environment for pupils. Pupils and staff were proud of their school. The school recognised the need to review aspects of the curriculum to ensure continuity and progression of pupils’ skills. Teaching and learners’ experiences were satisfactory. There was scope to improve pupils’ attainment by providing them with greater challenge. Overall, tasks and activities were not always matched well enough to pupils’ learning needs and pupils were not sufficiently actively involved in their learning.

In her very short time in post, the headteacher had identified appropriate areas for improvement. She had a clear vision for the school and recognised the need to improve the curriculum, teaching and learning. She had started to improve aspects of discipline and behaviour and this was beginning to have a positive impact. The headteacher had taken appropriate account of the views of staff and improved communication within the school. She had increased opportunities for pupils at the upper stages to have responsibility around the school and had improved arrangements in the dining hall at lunchtime to enhance pupils’ social experiences. The newly appointed depute headteacher and principal teacher were supportive of the headteacher. Following advice from education services, staff had successfully improved the health education programme. This had improved pupils’ learning experiences and resulted in the school gaining health promoting accreditation. Staff worked well together as a team and were committed to improving the work of the school. The school’s arrangements for evaluating its work had important weaknesses. Staff had not been sufficiently involved in self-evaluation. Forward plans were monitored and a few classroom observations had taken place this year. However, this had not led to significant improvements in teaching and learning. The school did not yet use information from assessment effectively enough to track pupils’ progress and ensure improvement in attainment. With further support from the education authority, the school had the capacity for improvement.

What happens next?

The school and the education authority have been asked to prepare an action plan indicating how they will address the main findings of the report, and to share that plan with parents. HM Inspectors will continue to engage with the school and the education authority in monitoring progress, and will undertake a follow-through inspection. This will result in another report to parents, within two years of the publication of this report, on the extent of improvement that has been achieved.

Janie McManus
HM Inspector

7 October 2008

Appendix 1 Indicators of quality

The sections in the table below follow the order in this report. You can find the main comments made about each of the quality indicators in those sections. However, aspects of some quality indicators are relevant to other sections of the report and may also be mentioned in those other sections.

This report uses the following word scale to make clear judgements made by inspectors:

Appendix 2 Summary of questionnaire responses

Important features of responses from the various groups which received questionnaires are listed below.

How can you contact us?

If you would like an additional copy of this report

Copies of this report have been sent to the headteacher and school staff, the Director of Education, local councillors and appropriate Members of the Scottish Parliament. Subject to availability, further copies may be obtained free of charge from HM Inspectorate of Education, 1st Floor, Endeavour House, 1 Greenmarket, Dundee DD1 4QB or by telephoning 01382 576700. Copies are also available on our website www.hmie.gov.uk.

HMIE Feedback and Complaints Procedure

Should you wish to comment on any aspect of primary inspections, you should write in the first instance to Chris McIlroy, HMCI, at HM Inspectorate of Education, Denholm House, Almondvale Business Park, Almondvale Way, Livingston EH54 6GA.

If you have a concern about this report, you should write in the first instance to our Complaints Manager, HMIE Business Management and Communications Team, Second Floor, Denholm House, Almondvale Business Park, Almondvale Way, Livingston EH54 6GA.  You can also e-mail HMIEComplaints@hmie.gsi.gov.uk. A copy of our complaints procedure is available from this office, by telephoning 01506 600200 or from our website at www.hmie.gov.uk. 

If you are not satisfied with the action we have taken at the end of our complaints procedure, you can raise your complaint with the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman (SPSO). The SPSO is fully independent and has powers to investigate complaints about Government departments and agencies. You should write to the SPSO, Freepost EH641, Edinburgh EH3 0BR. You can also telephone 0800 377 7330 fax 0800 377 7331 or e-mail: ask@spso.org.uk. More information about the Ombudsman’s office can be obtained from the website: www.spso.org.uk.

Crown Copyright 2008

HM Inspectorate of Education

This report may be reproduced in whole or in part, except for commercial purposes or in connection with a prospectus or advertisement, provided that the source and date thereof are stated.

Footnotes

1. Throughout this report, the term 'parents' should be taken to include foster carers, residential care staff and carers who are relatives or friends.