Beechcroft St Pauls CofE Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

The school is determined for all pupils to succeed. Since the previous inspection, changes have been made to help pupils to be more successful.

The school has prioritised the development of the curriculum to promote high expectations for all pupils. These actions are beginning to make a difference. However, it is still early days.

The curriculum does not yet support pupils to build their knowledge well enough across all subjects.

Staff take time to build positive relationships with pupils. This helps pupils to learn in a nurturing and inclusive environment.

Pupils know and understand the school's motto, 'Soaring with compassion'.

The school ...is working hard to improve attendance. Regular monitoring and support for families is starting to make a difference.

This ensures that pupils attend regularly to be able to learn the curriculum.

Pupils' personal development is a strength. The school provides a range of opportunities to enrich pupils' experiences.

These include a variety of clubs, trips and visitors. Pupils value participating in sporting competitions such as football, hockey and basketball. To widen pupils' understanding of culture and diversity, the school carefully considers the food pupils cook in design and technology and the artists they study.

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

Since the previous inspection, the school has developed an ambitious curriculum. The essential knowledge pupils need to know and remember is now identified with precision. For example, key concepts have been identified in art for pupils to revisit and build their knowledge over time.

While there are early signs of pupils progressing more successfully through the curriculum, some of the curriculum improvements are not yet fully embedded. This means pupils do not yet build their knowledge well enough across the curriculum, including when learning to read.

The school promotes a culture of reading.

The reading curriculum includes a range of texts to build pupils' knowledge of different genres as well as their understanding of diversity. Pupils are taught how to read as soon as they start in Reception. Assessment is used to identify misconceptions.

However, some pupils do not get all the support they need to grasp the basics of reading. Gaps in their phonic knowledge are not addressed quickly enough to develop their reading securely. In addition, some younger pupils who struggle with reading are not reading books that match the sounds they know.

As a result, these pupils do not become confident, fluent readers quickly enough.

The school has prioritised developing teacher expertise to support the teaching of the curriculum. Teachers use a range of strategies to help pupils learn.

Pupils are given time to practise new learning and to revisit what they have learned before. This helps pupils to embed knowledge into their long-term memory. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) benefit from early identification.

Learning is adapted to help these pupils learn alongside their peers.

Warm relationships mean children in early years settle well. They know the school routines, such as how to listen at story time.

The school has identified the knowledge they want children to know and remember across the early years curriculum. Within adult-led activities, staff model new learning and help children to develop language. However, outcomes at the end of early years in 2023 were low.

Some children still do not develop their knowledge and language well across all areas of the curriculum. Consequently, children in early years are less well prepared for key stage 1.

While learning, most pupils demonstrate positive attitudes.

The school has developed 'SMART routines' to promote a consistent approach of high expectations. These are beginning to make a difference to pupils' behaviour in all aspects of the school. The school provides additional support for pupils who might struggle to manage their behaviour.

However, some pupils and parents are concerned about behaviour, including bullying. The school takes action and keeps detailed records when these issues occur. However, for some pupils, bullying remains a concern for them for too long.

Some parents are not clear on the steps taken by the school to address the concerns raised.

Pupils' wider development is supported well. They learn about relationships, well-being and living in the wider world.

Pupils are taught how to keep themselves safe, including when online. They learn about enterprise through projects, such as Year 6 raising money for their leavers' jumpers. Pupils know how to keep themselves healthy both physically and mentally.

The school provides mental health support for pupils and their families through a range of events and workshops.

Staff feel well supported by leaders. They value the training and support they receive.

Those responsible for governance fulfil their statutory responsibilities. They are ambitious for pupils to succeed.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Some pupils at the early stages of learning to read are not supported well enough to grasp the basics in reading. Consequently, these pupils are not becoming confident, fluent readers quickly enough. The trust must ensure that all pupils get the support they need to learn to read successfully, including reading books that match the sounds pupils know.

• Some concerns regarding behaviour are not resolved swiftly enough. As a result, a few pupils' concerns about behaviour persist for too long. The trust must work with the school to ensure that any remaining concerns are dealt with quickly and effectively and communicate this with parents.

• Children in the early years do not develop their learning well enough across all areas of the curriculum. As a result, some children do not deepen their understanding securely. The trust needs to ensure the early years curriculum provides opportunities for children to build their knowledge across all areas of the curriculum so that it prepares them well for key stage 1.