Belford Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at Belford Primary School benefit from an inclusive and welcoming school.

Pupils enjoy coming to school and the different opportunities they are offered here. The school's vision of 'Make, Believe, Learn and Achieve' is part of everyday life.

Leaders have high expectations for all pupils, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

Leaders are dedicated to pupils fulfilling their potential. The curriculum is broad. Pupils' academic learning is supported by a rich range of wider experiences.

Learning extends beyond the classroom.

Pupils feel safe in school. Pupils are confident that they can get help fro...m trusted adults if they need it.

Pupils say that bullying could happen but that is always sorted out by staff. Relationships between staff and pupils are warm and caring. Around school, pupils of all ages play together with respect.

Leaders are proud of the whole school community. Parents are overwhelmingly positive about the school. One parent said, 'the school has a strong community ethos and works hard to ensure the pupils are happy.'



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

Leaders have high ambition for pupils in the school. They have thought carefully about what they want pupils to learn over time. This planning ensures that all pupils, including pupils with SEND, have access to a full and broad curriculum.

The teaching of reading and mathematics have been a priority for leaders. Pupils receive quality teaching through the phonics curriculum. Pupils are supported well if they need further help to read.

Teachers make sure that pupils practise their reading with books that are well matched to the sounds they are learning. Pupils are developing fluency well. Pupils in early years make a rapid start to their reading journey.

Across school, pupils enjoy a wide range of fiction and non-fiction books as part of their reading offer. Daily story time enhances this further. High-quality training means that the mathematics curriculum is being taught with success.

The curriculum is well planned and sequenced. Understanding of number is embedded in early years, where pupils work with number across the day.

Leaders have thought carefully about how to sequence the curriculum in mixed-age classes.

In early years, the curriculum prepares children well for their next steps. Communication and language are a focus here. Pupils in the two-year-old provision learn about positional language as they find items linked to their learning.

As pupils move to Reception this progresses to using simple maps to explore language further. In subjects such as history and religious education the curriculum for key stage 1 and 2 has clear learning intentions. Sometimes, the learning activities planned are not challenging enough for pupils.

Assessment in foundation subjects is currently being developed.

Staff know pupils very well. This is seen in the relationships between them.

Staff support pupils with SEND effectively. Pupils with SEND receive support from a leader who has developed an inclusive ethos across the school.

Leaders are passionate about pupils' personal development.

The personal, social and health education curriculum is well sequenced. This curriculum is enhanced through assemblies and themed weeks across school. There are clear links between the curriculum and school trips and visitors to school.

Pupils have access to books that help them explore life in modern Britain and beyond. Pupils understand the importance of equality. During lunchtimes, older pupils support the youngest pupils with care and empathy.

The school parliament and eco-council work with the wider school community. All these opportunities broaden pupils' experiences.

Pupils' behaviour across school is positive.

Pupils make a positive start in early years. There are clear routines that are embedded and build pupils' independence. Pupils recognise and understand how they are all unique.

They recognise how to support each other in learning and when they are outside playing during breaktimes.

The well-being of the school community is a high priority for leaders and governors. They support pupils to access a range of initiatives.

This work builds respect, teamwork and strengthens pupils' resilience. Staff are well supported with their workload. Governors are part of school life.

They too are committed to the development of every child. Leaders, governors and staff work together effectively to improve outcomes for pupils in school.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

The designated safeguarding lead (DSL) has clear policies and procedures in place to safeguard pupils. The DSL knows the school community, pupils and families well. Record keeping is detailed and responses to any concerns are timely.

Referrals to other agencies are prompt and provide further support to families. Staff and governors get regular safeguarding updates. Staff are clear on local issues, which might have an impact on pupils' well-being.

Recruitment checks are made on adults who work with children in school.

Pupils feel safe in school. Pupils are clear on how they keep themselves safe in school, in the local community and online.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Teachers do not assess effectively to check on what pupils know and remember over time, in some subjects. Leaders do not have a clear picture of what pupils are remembering. Leaders should further develop assessment, so that it is used effectively, so that staff identify how well pupils are building their knowledge and understanding.

• In some foundation subjects, the activities planned do not match the learning intention and are not sufficiently challenging for some pupils. As a result, pupils' subject knowledge and understanding is not as deep as it should be. Leaders should ensure that teachers are supported through quality training to develop their understanding as to how to deepen pupils' subject knowledge through high-quality pedagogy.