Albert Bradbeer Primary Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy and cheerful. They are enthusiastic about their learning.

Pupils feel safe in school. The school mantra of 'Ready, Respectful, Safe' helps pupils understand how to stay safe. It permeates school life.

The school has high expectations for all pupils. Nothing is considered a barrier to learning for any group of pupils. Pupils know what the school expects of them.

They work hard and meet these lofty expectations.

Pupils are polite. They are well mannered and behave well in classrooms and around school.

Relationships lie at the heart of managing behaviour. Staff know their pupils well and what pupils need. Pupils value the relat...ionships they have with their teachers and they trust them.

They say teachers are kind. They have confidence that their teachers would sort out an issue if it were to arise.

The school's curriculum promise promotes many experiences beyond the classroom.

Pupils take part in experiences such as trips to the Thinktank Science Museum, a local mosque, a Gurdwara, a pantomime and a theatre to watch 'Awful Auntie'. These experiences open the eyes of pupils to what is achievable for them in the wider world.

What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Children get off to a secure start to their education in Nursery and Reception.

The curriculum in the early years has been carefully thought out. Leaders have identified that children start school with gaps in communication and language. The curriculum is language-rich to help close these gaps.

Increasing numbers of children are well prepared to move into Year 1. Teaching reading is a high priority in this school. Staff have recently undergone intense phonics teaching training.

Teaching phonics is effective. As soon as children start school, they begin learning the sounds that letters make. The school tracks carefully how children progress in learning their phonics.

Those who fall behind are quickly identified. They receive extra support, which helps them rapidly get back on track. Children soon become fluent in their reading.

Older pupils enjoy reading different types of books from a wide range of authors.

The school has developed comprehensive systems for identifying and checking on the progress of those pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Staff identify these pupils quickly.

Carefully designed extra support helps these pupils to access the same learning tasks as their peers.

The curriculum is carefully designed to meet the diverse needs of all groups of pupils. Key knowledge is carefully sequenced so pupils can build on their prior learning.

Many teachers carefully check on the key knowledge pupils know and remember. The school recognises the importance of tailoring the curriculum to provide rich learning experiences which spark pupils' interests. For example, the art curriculum brings alive the work of classic and contemporary artists such as Claude Monet and Charlotte Caron for pupils.

The curriculum is raising standards. Outcomes for pupils leaving Year 6 are rising and are broadly in line with those nationally.

In some subjects, pupils remember key facts without gaining a deep understanding of how the facts link together to make sense of new concepts.

In a few subjects, pupils revisit what they have learned before, although sometimes this does not happen frequently enough. This hampers learning, so pupils cannot always make clear links to prior learning and remember some key knowledge.

Attitudes to learning are positive.

Pupils know the expectations for behaviour and follow them in lessons and on the playground. Leaders track pupils' absences closely and work with families to improve regular attendance. As a result, attendance is increasing, and fewer pupils are regularly absent from school.

There are many clubs for pupils to take part in before and after school. Music tuition provides an opportunity for all pupils in Year 4 to enjoy learning to play the trombone. Pupils take on extra responsibilities in roles such as art ambassadors.

Pupils know about voting and that this happens in a democracy. They have seen this in school councillor elections.

Trustees receive information to help them understand about the work of the school.

They regularly check on how well all groups of pupils are learning. Trustees support and challenge appropriately in equal measure. The trust supports the school well.

The recently formed parental forum enables the school and the trust to rightly listen to the views of parents. Leaders carefully consider the well-being of staff and reduce workload when possible.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Teachers do not consistently give pupils opportunities to develop a deep understanding of how key facts link together in some subjects. This means pupils cannot fully deepen their knowledge and understanding. The school should ensure effective teaching of the disciplinary knowledge in all subjects.

• In a few subjects, what pupils have learned before is not revisited frequently enough. As a result, they cannot build securely on what they have learned. The school should make sure that staff support pupils to revisit prior learning more often so pupils can make secure links.

This will help them to remember key knowledge more successfully.

How can I feedback my views?

You can use Ofsted Parent View to give Ofsted your opinion on your child's school, or to find out what other parents and carers think. We use information from Ofsted Parent View when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection.

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

In the report, 'disadvantaged pupils' is used to mean pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND); pupils who meet the definition of children in need of help and protection; pupils receiving statutory local authority support from a social worker; and pupils who otherwise meet the criteria used for deciding the school's pupil premium funding (this includes pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years, looked after children (children in local authority care) and/or children who left care through adoption or another formal route).