Bedford Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Bedford Primary School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel safe and happy in school.

They clearly enjoy being part of 'Team Bedford'. They get on well with their teachers and enjoy spending time with their friends.

Leaders and staff are ambitious for all pupils.

They want them to do well academically, while also learning to be good friends. Pupils work hard in class. They listen carefully to their teachers and work well with their classmates.

Pupils enjoy the broad range of activities that their teachers provide. Most pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), achieve we...ll.

Pupils know that adults in the school set high expectations for their behaviour.

When occasional incidents of bullying and name-calling do happen, pupils trust adults to sort the problem out quickly. Pupils also said that there is always an adult to talk to in school if they are worried about anything.

There are plenty of activities to develop pupils' interests and talents beyond the school day.

Pupils like being part of school sports teams or singing in the choir. They are enthusiastic about looking after the environment and enjoy taking part in projects in the local community.

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

Leaders have made reading a key priority.

They have put in place a well-organised programme for teaching phonics. This begins from the start of children's time in the Reception Year. Pupils, including those with SEND, are given books to read that match the sounds that they have learned.

They read these books successfully and with obvious enjoyment. Staff spot if pupils are in danger of falling behind their classmates. When this is the case, pupils are provided with extra help to ensure that they keep up with the curriculum.

Older pupils are encouraged to choose from a range of books to read themselves. They said that they enjoyed listening to their teachers read to them each day. This promotion of reading helps pupils to widen their knowledge of different genres of books and develop a love of reading.

Leaders have put in place a broad and engaging curriculum, running from Reception to Year 6. The curriculum is well developed and embedded in most subjects and is ambitious for all pupils, including those with SEND. However, in a small number of subjects, the curriculum is not as fully developed.

Pupils' learning in these subjects is not as deep or as rich as it is elsewhere.

Where the curriculum is well established, leaders are clear about the most important knowledge and vocabulary that they want pupils to know and remember. Pupils build up their knowledge in each subject through a sequence of logical steps.

For example, in music, pupils in Year 2 use simple notation to help them play the glockenspiel. By Year 4, pupils confidently use more complex, formal musical notation. In all subjects, teachers regularly check to make sure that pupils remember earlier learning.

Leaders have prioritised staff's training. This has ensured that staff have the knowledge and confidence to teach different parts of the curriculum. In the few subjects where the curriculum is not fully developed, staff have not had an opportunity to access the support that they need to deepen their subject knowledge.

Pupils with SEND are identified quickly. Leaders and staff work well with a range of professionals to make sure these pupils receive the help they need to achieve well in school.

Pupils learn about and celebrate the diversity within their school and community.

They develop a keen sense of fairness and social awareness. For example, some pupils have taken part in projects aimed at bringing younger and older generations together. Others have been involved in environmental activities, such as litter-picking.

Leaders are also keen to broaden pupils' cultural experience through interesting trips and a good range of out of school activities.

Pupils behave well throughout the day. They listen well to the adults looking after them and are polite and friendly.

This means that learning is rarely disrupted. The school is a calm and orderly place in which to play and learn.

Leaders consider the well-being of staff when they make decisions about the school.

Staff feel that their views are listened to and appreciate decisions that are made to manage their workload.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders have established a strong safeguarding culture at the school.

Staff receive regular training, and they have a strong understanding of procedures for keeping pupils safe.They are vigilant and well placed to recognise the signs that a pupil may be at risk of abuse. When a concern is raised, the safeguarding team are diligent in following it up.

Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe. For example, they learn how to stay safe when using the internet and about the potential dangers of gang culture. Pupils know who to speak to if they have any worries and are confident that they will get any help they need.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In a small number of subjects, leaders are still in the process of finalising details of the curriculum. This means that pupils do not develop the depth of knowledge and understanding in these subjects that they do in others. Leaders need to ensure that these remaining areas are fully developed in a timely manner.

They should also ensure that staff receive appropriate subject-specific training to enable them to teach all aspects of the curriculum with equal confidence. This will help pupils to know and remember more across the curriculum.

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 or outstanding school, because it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, 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 deem the section 8 inspection as a section 5 inspection immediately.

This is the first section 8 inspection since we the school to be good in January 2017.