Beam Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Beam Primary School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel safe and enjoy coming to school. Parents said that their children are happy there.

Leaders care very much about pupils and have positive relationships with the local community.

Leaders have high ambitions for all pupils. Pupils have lots of opportunities to improve their communication skills.

Pupils spoke to us confidently and clearly and were keen to tell us about their school.

Pupils enjoy going on interesting and exciting educational visits. They were very enthusiastic, telling us all they had learned through working with the Royal Ballet and from rece...nt trips, such as to the Royal Shakespeare Company and a local zoo.

Pupils said that bullying is rare. If they are worried, they have an adult in the school who they can talk to and who will help. Behaviour is good because leaders have high expectations of pupils.

Leaders have introduced a 'playground buddies' system and this works well, often resolving conflicts. Pupils conduct themselves well around the school and show positive attitudes to learning in lessons. Pupils are polite and courteous to adults and each other.

Pupils respond well to adults' instructions because of the positive relationships they have with staff.

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

Leaders have undertaken a review of the subjects that pupils study. They identified where improvements were needed.

Plans are now in place for what pupils will learn and remember and how they will build on their knowledge. In the majority of subjects, this is working well. For example, leaders have improved planning in history.

Teachers receive training so that they know how historical themes link together. Pupils develop their skills and knowledge so that they are well prepared to continue their studies at secondary school.

Leaders have recently introduced a new scheme for mathematics.

This provides a clearer progression in the development of pupils' knowledge, skills and understanding, and a greater focus on mathematical vocabulary. This is working well so that pupils continue to achieve highly in mathematics. Children in the early years benefit from a curriculum that gives them a positive start to learning mathematics.

The planning of the curriculum in music, modern foreign languages and design and technology does not cover all the knowledge that pupils should learn.Consequently, pupils in these subjects do not achieve as well as they are capable of achieving.

Leaders are ambitious for the development of all pupils' reading, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

In the early years, leaders ensure that children gain and develop their knowledge and skills in phonics as soon as they start at school. Teachers check that pupils read books that match their ability, enabling them to practise what they know and develop a love of reading. Disadvantaged children read to a similar standard to their classmates.

Staff receive training in teaching phonics throughout the school so that pupils who fall behind catch up quickly.

Staff surveys indicate that staff feel well supported by school leaders. They appreciate their training and being allocated time to complete their responsibilities.

Pupils behave well. They move around the school in an orderly manner and react very well to adults' directions. The school is a calm environment where children and pupils are attentive and motivated to learn.

Bullying and low-level disruption in lessons are rare.

Leaders make sure that pupils' experiences at school broaden their outlook. Leaders provide pupils with valuable opportunities to visit interesting places locally and nationally.

Pupils' knowledge of the wider world is enriched through reading high-quality books. Parents said that they appreciate the non-fiction books that their children read, because these give them a balanced view of the world.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders, including governors, ensure that a culture of safeguarding is promoted throughout the school. They use their training on safer recruitment to ensure the required checks are made of all staff. Leaders make timely referrals to appropriate agencies so that pupils receive support quickly.

Pupils told me that they have training to keep safe on the internet, including the risks of cyber bullying. They receive advice that is appropriate for their age. Pupils are given accurate information on how to stay safe, and they know what to do if they are worried.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

Leaders have recently reviewed the school's curriculum offer. Improvements have been made. We noticed that leaders' improvements to planning in mathematics have led to pupils broadening their knowledge.

In some subjects, the planning and sequencing of the curriculum are not yet sufficiently coherent. Leaders must make sure that in modern foreign languages, design and technology and music the curriculum is broad and at least covers the breadth of the national curriculum. .

The school's curriculum is not yet sufficiently coherently planned and sequenced in some subjects. However, it is clear from the actions that leaders have already taken to plan next year's curriculum and train staff in how to deliver it that they are in the process of bringing this about.

Background

When we have judged a school to be good we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good.

This is called a section 8 inspection of a good school or non-exempt outstanding school. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find some evidence that the school could now be better than good or that standards may be declining, then the next inspection will be a section 5 inspection.

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the section 8 inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will convert the section 8 inspection to a section 5 inspection immediately.

This is the second section 8 inspection since we judged Beam Primary School to be good on 24 May 2011.