Bean Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

This is a friendly school where relationships between staff and pupils are respectful and warm. Pupils learn a lot about their rights and responsibilities.

They learn to discuss issues sensibly, listen to each other's views and are proud to take on helpful roles around the school.

Pupils feel safe here. In this nurturing, supportive school, bullying is rare.

However, if incidents do happen, pupils trust staff to sort them out quickly.

Pupils enjoy school. They like the interesting activities and say that learning is fun.

Leaders and staff are determined to make sure that pupils become 'the very best that they can be'. Pupils know this and ar...e confident that if they do not understand something, adults will help them.

Playtimes are happy occasions.

Younger pupils enjoy the 'dressing up' clothes and other play equipment that teachers provide. Older pupils say how much they enjoy the sports, particularly football.

Leaders and staff want the best for all pupils.

They know each pupil as an individual and work hard to help all pupils to learn well and grow into confident young citizens. This prepares pupils well for secondary school.

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

Leaders have worked successfully to improve the quality of education since the previous inspection.

They have made sure that the curriculum is broad and interesting. Leaders and staff have worked together to create subject plans which help pupils to build on what they know and understand, from lesson to lesson. This works well in many subjects.

For example, in history, pupils build on what they have learned in Year 3 about the Romans to learn about invasion and war in Years 5 and 6. In physical education (PE), Year 4 pupils create a 'Tudor dance' by remembering their previous learning about movement and rhythm. Pupils are especially proud of how they build on their PE skills to be able to be successful in sporting tournaments.

Leaders fully understand the importance of teaching having a logical sequence and have ensured that this is in place in plans in most subjects. For example, as well as improving history and PE, their work to improve geography is well under way. However, there remain a few subjects where this high-quality planning is not yet in place.

Teachers work closely with teaching assistants to give pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities the extra help they need. As a result, these pupils learn well and develop their self-confidence. Teachers usually adapt subject plans well to meet pupils' needs.

However, sometimes, teachers do not pitch the learning quite right. When this happens, pupils find the activities too difficult or too easy.

Leaders and teachers place great importance on making sure pupils enjoy reading.

Teachers encourage pupils to read at home as well as at school. Pupils say they look forward to their teacher reading aloud to them each day. Teachers check that all pupils keep up with the pace of learning to read.

They give extra help to those pupils who are in danger of falling behind. This makes sure that most pupils become fluent and confident readers.

The teaching of phonics is mostly effective.

However, teachers' expertise in teaching phonics varies. Leaders have further training planned to ensure that all teachers teach phonics consistently well.

Children in the Reception Year get off to a good start.

Adults are kind and supportive. Children quickly start to learn to read. They enjoy hearing stories and adults make the most of this.

For example, after hearing 'Goldilocks and the three bears', children practise their speaking skills by re-telling the story. They develop their mathematical understanding by using big, medium and small bowls and saucepans to make 'porridge' in the mud kitchen. Adults mostly make sure that children's understanding builds in a logical way.

As a result, teachers prepare children well for learning in Year 1.

Promoting pupils' personal development is a high priority for school leaders and staff. They do much to help pupils to develop the personal qualities they need to be helpful, kind young people.

As a result, pupils behave well and work hard. They say they enjoy being ambassadors, house captains and sports leaders. They are proud of how well they help in community events, such as the summer and Christmas fairs.

Although leaders have done much to work in partnership with parents and carers, a few parents do not have full confidence in the work of the school. Leaders need to do more to help all parents to recognise and support the good work of the school.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

There is a strong culture of safeguarding in the school. This is because leaders and governors take safeguarding seriously. They make sure that staff get the training that they need to keep pupils safe.

Staff know what to do if they are worried about a pupil. School records show that leaders follow up any concerns straight away. Pupils say they know how to keep themselves safe, for example when using the internet.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

Leaders and teachers are working systematically through different subjects to make sure that the school's curriculum is coherently planned and sequenced.While some subjects, such as history and PE, enable pupils to build their knowledge and skills progressively, other subjects are less well developed. Leaders should continue to implement their plans to ensure that there is a logical sequence of learning in all subjects across the school.

. A few teachers do not have a strong understanding of phonics. Leaders need to make sure that all staff have the necessary training to further strengthen the teaching of phonics.

. While most parents are supportive of the school, a few express concerns. Leaders need to do more to strengthen their communication with parents so that they can work in partnership more effectively.