Bewdley Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Bewdley Primary School is a friendly, happy community. Pupils enjoy coming to school. Staff are caring and get to know pupils and their families well.

Most parents speak highly of the nurturing environment that is provided for their children.

Pupils feel safe in school. They know they can speak to a trusted adult about any worries.

The school has high expectations of behaviour and supports pupils to be 'ready, respectful and safe'. Consequently, pupils are considerate and kind to each other.

The planned curriculum is broad and ambitious for all pupils, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

However, pupil...s do not achieve as well as they could in some subjects. There is still work to do to ensure that all pupils are fully prepared for the next stage of their education.

Pupils enjoy the wider opportunities on offer.

They are excited to take part in important community celebrations, such as the Eisteddfod creative arts festival and the Bewdley carnival. The school provides a range of trips, residentials and extra-curricular clubs. Pupils enjoy clubs such as performing arts, dance, football and card games.

Pupils benefit from taking on leadership responsibilities, including being house captains or school councillors.

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

The school recognises that there is still work to do to ensure that pupils benefit from a high-quality education in all subjects. The school has not ensured that the curriculum is implemented as intended in some subjects.

At times, teachers' delivery of the curriculum is more effective in some subjects than in others. Consequently, pupils do not always achieve as well as they could.

The school has designed an interesting and engaging curriculum.

However, the evaluation and monitoring of some subjects are not yet fully effective. In some subjects, subject leaders do not have a clear understanding of the impact of the intended curriculum on pupils' achievement. As a result, pupils do not learn important knowledge securely in some subjects.

The school has made sure that reading is prioritised. There is a focus on developing pupils' love of reading. The school has recently developed a new library, and pupils have access to a wide range of books.

A love of stories and rhymes begins in the early years. Across school, pupils relish listening to adults reading carefully chosen books at story times. The school engages parents in reading through various workshops.

Staff are well trained to deliver the phonics programme with confidence. In Reception, children get off to a good start by learning the sounds that letters make. Pupils read books that are carefully matched to sounds they know.

Any pupil who finds reading difficult is given regular support so that they catch up quickly.

Subject knowledge needs further development to ensure the curriculum is implemented as intended in some subjects, such as mathematics. Sometimes, teachers do not spot when pupils have errors or check what they have learned.

As a result, pupils' learning stalls and misconceptions are not addressed.

The school identifies the needs of pupils with SEND accurately. The school works hard with external agencies to get the support pupils need.

The school has recently developed 'the hub' so pupils can access additional support. This is effective in supporting pupils to catch up. Parents are positive about the school's provision.

Children quickly settle into their class routines in Nursery and Reception. The curriculum is well sequenced and builds progressively over time. Adults know children well and plan activities that meet their needs.

Children are happy and enjoy their time in the early years. They learn and play well together.

Pupils, including in the early years, behave well in most lessons and around school.

Staff provide effective help for pupils who find regulating their emotions more difficult. Pupils say bullying is rare. They value the work of the anti-bullying ambassadors.

The curriculum for personal, social and health education is coherently sequenced. Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe. They know how to keep themselves physically and mentally healthy.

Pupils are taught about different families and healthy relationships. They learn about different cultures and religions.

Governors care deeply about the school and want the best for staff and pupils.

However, they do not hold leaders to account well enough for the quality of education that pupils receive. Staff are proud to work at the school. They are positive about recent whole-school changes.

They say they feel well supported by leaders. The school has created a culture where staff feel valued and appreciated.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The intended curriculum is not always implemented consistently because subject knowledge is not always secure. As a result, pupils struggle with understanding teachers' explanations and this limits their understanding. This is particularly the case in mathematics.

The school should provide staff with appropriate training and support to develop their subject knowledge and pedagogy to support pupils to learn the intended curriculum consistently well. ? Some subject leaders do not have an accurate picture of how well the curriculum is delivered. This means that pupils are not always learning as well as they could.

The school should ensure that all subject leaders develop the expertise to enable them to check the quality and delivery of their subject across school. ? Governors do not have a clear oversight of the effectiveness of education. Governors should ensure that they hold leaders to account and offer appropriate support and challenge so that the quality of education that pupils receive improves.

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