Berkeley Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

The school's vision of 'every child, every chance, every day' is an important focus for leaders at this school. Staff have high expectations and support pupils to be the best they can be.

Consequently, the majority of pupils achieve well. Pupils are happy and feel safe. They are friendly and welcoming.

The school prioritises supporting pupils to 'find their voice'.' Pupils learn to become skilled communicators so that they can discuss their views and ideas. They listen sensitively to others.

For example, at lunchtime, staff give pupils prompts to help support discussion between them. This helps to build positive relationships between pupils and their peers....r/>
Pupils benefit from a well-considered offer for personal development.

The school prepares pupils well for life in modern Britain. Pupils learn how to lead safe, healthy lifestyles. They have many opportunities to take on leadership roles.

This means that they make a tangible contribution to school life. Pupils apply for these roles and receive training. They talk confidently about the impact they have.

For example, language ambassadors support pupils who are learning English as an additional language.

Pupils understand what bullying is. They say that bullying is unusual and that if it does happen, adults sort it out quickly.

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

The school is taking steps to strengthen the curriculum. The curriculum is ambitious. It builds in a logical order from pupils' starting points.

Subject leaders have secure subject knowledge, and this supports their curriculum thinking. In most subjects, the school has identified the key knowledge and vocabulary that pupils should learn. In these subjects, teachers revisit this knowledge so that pupils remember it long-term.

However, in a small number of subjects, such as design and technology and physical education, key knowledge is less clear. Where this is the case, pupils cannot talk confidently about their learning.

In the majority of lessons, teachers provide clear explanations to pupils.

They create purposeful opportunities for pupils to discuss their thinking and to practise and consolidate their learning. Most staff use assessment well to identify pupils who may need more challenge or support. However, there are inconsistencies in how well the curriculum is taught.

This means that in some lessons, the intended learning is not clear and teachers do not use pupils' prior knowledge carefully enough to plan appropriate tasks and activities.

The school prioritises the teaching of reading. In Nursery, children listen to stories, songs and rhymes.

This helps to prepare them for formal phonics teaching in Reception. Staff receive regular training that helps them to teach phonics effectively. Pupils learn spelling rules and letter formation in phonics lessons.

The majority of staff use assessment well to ensure inaccuracies in early reading and writing are ironed out quickly. Reading books match pupils' phonic knowledge. Pupils enjoy reading.

They learn to read with increasing confidence, fluency and understanding. Pupils across key stage 2 enjoy taking part in the school's approach to reading through 'book club'. Pupils can discuss plots and themes from well-chosen texts, such as 'The Arrival' by Shaun Tan.

In the early years, the curriculum is designed to match children's interests and prepare them with the knowledge they need for their next stage. The school focuses on communication and language to develop children's learning. Adults use carefully selected vocabulary in discussions with children.

Children eagerly engage with purposeful activities in the learning environment. For example, adapting the home corner to support children's developing knowledge of the world.

The school has a clear understanding of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

Pupils with SEND achieve well. The school identifies pupils with potential needs quickly. It provides support to families of pupils with SEND through regular coffee mornings.

These sessions are an opportunity for parents and carers to meet leaders and external support agencies.

The school has prioritised improving attendance. Attendance is in line with the national average.

The school strives to build strong relationships with families. It supports families by removing barriers to attendance.

Leaders have high expectations for pupils' behaviour and conduct.

The school provides effective support for pupils who need extra help to manage their behaviour. However, in some lessons and during unstructured time, staff do not follow the behaviour policy carefully enough. This can lead to a small minority of pupils showing low-level, inappropriate behaviour.

Staff feel well supported by leaders. They appreciate the professional development opportunities that are available to them. Governors use their skills and experience to provide effective challenge and support.

They are often in school and play an active role in school life.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• There are inconsistencies in how well the curriculum is taught in some subjects.

This means that the planned curriculum is not implemented as intended. The school should make checks on the implementation of the curriculum to ensure that pupils learn the key knowledge identified in plans. In a few subjects, the school is still refining the curriculum to break down content into smaller steps of knowledge.

Consequently, pupils' knowledge in these subjects is not secure. The school should ensure that the key knowledge that pupils must learn and remember is identified in all subjects. ? The school's approach to managing pupils' behaviour is not fully understood by staff.

This means that there are inconsistencies in daily routines and expectations around behaviour. This can result in some low-level behaviour that is not challenged. The school should ensure that the behaviour policy is consistently understood and implemented.