Beever Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy at school.

The pupils who spoke to inspectors said that they feel safe because staff care for them. Pupils enjoy learning. They demonstrate positive attitudes towards all aspects of school life.

Pupils understand the high expectations that are set for their behaviour. They conduct themselves well around the school and at breaktimes. This helps to maintain a calm and orderly environment throughout the school.

Pupils told inspectors that, when it happens, staff deal with bullying effectively. Pupils have responded well to the higher expectations that leaders have set for their learning. As a result, all pupils, including those who speak English... as an additional language (EAL) and those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), know more and remember more about the subjects that they study.

They achieve well. After-school clubs are valued by parents and carers and pupils alike. Leaders have restarted the programme of extra-curricular activities by prioritising sports clubs to promote pupils' physical well-being.

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

Subject leaders have redesigned the curriculum to set higher ambitions for pupils' achievement. In most subjects, the curriculum enables pupils to build on their prior learning. For example, in early years, children learn about growing plants in readiness for the science topics that they will study in key stage 1.

Teachers make good use of assessment information to design tasks that fill any gaps in pupils' understanding. As a result, pupils remember what they have been taught. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has delayed the development of a small number of subjects.

In these subjects, leaders have not defined well enough some of the key knowledge that they want pupils to learn. As a result, in these subjects, pupils' recall of their learning is not as strong as it is in others. Since the previous inspection, senior leaders have prioritised the development of pupils' reading.

Staff receive effective support to make sure that the phonics and early reading curriculum is delivered consistently well in all year groups. Children in Reception Year quickly learn the sounds that they need to confidently read words. This forms a solid basis for pupils in key stage 1, who read with increasing accuracy and fluency.

For those pupils who find reading difficult, leaders have put in place comprehensive support to help them to catch up with the planned curriculum. As a result, pupils achieve well, especially pupils who are new to the country or who speak EAL. Leaders have clear systems to identify pupils with SEND at the earliest stages of their education.

Staff are well equipped and supported effectively to meet pupils' different needs. Staff ensure that pupils with SEND access the same curriculum as their peers, so that they gain the knowledge that they need to be successful.

Pupils are respectful of the beliefs and opinions of others.

They have opportunities to study a wide range of different faiths. Pupils understand British values well. For example, the way in which school councillors are elected helps them to understand the principles of democracy.

Leaders also ensure that the curriculum includes opportunities to learn about equality and difference, so that pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain.

Pupils contribute well to lessons. Their positive attitudes towards learning ensure that there is no disruption to lessons.

Following the previous inspection, leaders had started to make improvements in pupils' attendance. However, largely due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there is currently a high rate of persistent absence for a small minority of pupils. This means that too few of these pupils attend school as often as they should.

Senior leaders have been instrumental in bringing about significant changes since the previous inspection. They have made astute appointments to ensure that all staff are on board with the direction that they have set for school development. Staff feel respected and feel that their workload and well-being are considered well by senior leaders.

Governors are supportive of leaders. They ensure that their statutory duties are met fully. However, they do not question leaders about the actions taken to improve the quality of education well enough to be able to hold leaders to account for their success.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders provide training and regular updates about safeguarding to ensure that there is a culture of vigilance within the school. Teachers are well placed to identify when pupils might be risk of harm.

Leaders work well with other agencies to ensure that pupils and their families get the early help that they sometimes need.

The pupils whom inspectors spoke to said that they would feel comfortable approaching any member of staff if they had any worries or concerns. Pupils understand how to keep themselves safe in a range of situations, including when using social media.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In a small number of subjects, leaders have not defined well enough the key knowledge that they want pupils to know. This means that pupils cannot remember some of the essential subject knowledge that they have been taught. Leaders should continue to develop these areas of the curriculum to ensure that pupils know and remember more of the topics that they study.

• Owing to the disruption of the COVID-19 pandemic, the rate of persistent absence has slipped back to roughly where it was at the time of the previous inspection. This means that some pupils miss out on too much of their education. Leaders should continue to build on their previous success in reducing pupil absence to make sure that these pupils attend school more regularly.

• Governors do not question leaders well enough about the success of their actions to improve the school. This means that leaders lack the necessary challenge to further improve the school. Governors should ensure that they sharpen the way in which they hold leaders to account for the quality of education in the school and help to set even higher aspirations for pupils' achievement.