Bewsey Lodge Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Each morning, pupils arrive enthusiastically at Bewsey Lodge Primary School.

They are keen to learn with their friends. Teachers know their pupils well. They provide highly effective support to pupils.

Pupils have the confidence and resilience to try new things. They achieve well in all aspects of the curriculum.

Pupils feel happy and safe.

They said that adults will check any messages passed on to their class 'worry monster' and sort them out. Pupils feel that bullying is very rare. However, they know that other pupils and staff deal with bullying effectively if it ever happens.

Leaders and teachers have very high expectations of all pupils..., including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils benefit from a rich academic curriculum that is interwoven with excellent opportunities for pupils' wider personal development. Pupils spoke with pride about the many new talents that they develop throughout the school day.

Pupils' attitudes to learning, and how they engage with their peers, are exceptionally good. Their behaviour is exemplary. Pupils treat each other with mutual respect and understanding.

One of the pupils' favourite rewards from their teachers is to help other pupils in the 'Gold' or 'Silver' classes. 'Bewsey Bees' are busy at playtimes making sure that everyone is included in the activities on offer.

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

Leaders at Bewsey Lodge School aim very high for their pupils.

Leaders are explicit about how they expect things to be done. There is a tangible sense of everyone working together to enable all pupils to achieve highly. Governors check that staff and pupils are supported extremely well.

Leaders' engagement with staff and pupils, and their parents and carers, is exceptionally strong. Leaders use this collaboration expertly to bring about further school improvement.

Leaders' plans for the curriculum make it clear what experiences each pupil should have, including for children in the early years.

They set out especially well what pupils should learn in each year group in key stages 1 and 2. In the early years, leaders' curriculum plans are also secure in most of the areas of learning. Leaders are in the process of aligning their early years curriculum even more fully to what is being taught in key stages 1 and 2.

Leaders provide excellent ongoing training for staff right across the school. Leaders and other staff reflect carefully on how pupils learn best. They use this information extremely well to enhance pupils' learning.

This investment in high-quality staff training helps pupils, especially those with SEND, to achieve well across all areas of the curriculum.

Even though the curriculum is well planned overall, leaders continually look for ways to help pupils learn and remember more. For example, during the ongoing COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, leaders continue to ensure that all pupils maintain high standards of achievement, especially in English and mathematics.

Recently, leaders adapted the school day to ensure that pupils get the extra support that they need to catch up quickly, without compromising learning in other subjects. Teachers continue to check carefully what pupils already know across the curriculum. They use this information well to plan what pupils need to learn next.

One of the many successes of leaders' work can be seen in reading. Pupils love to read. This helps them to learn new things.

Children begin to learn how to use phonics knowledge in their reading in the Nursery Year. Staff are well trained. They use the school's agreed reading programme consistently well with all pupils, including those with SEND.

This means that pupils quickly build up secure reading knowledge, including those in the specially resourced provision for pupils with SEND (specially resourced provision). Teachers make sure that the books that pupils read help them to practise and improve their reading ability. Leaders provide effective support for any pupils who may be struggling.

Most pupils have been at the school since the Nursery Year. They soon settle into school routines. From this point on, teachers foster pupils' positive attitudes to learning.

Pupils want to learn. Their excellent behaviour in classrooms and around the school contribute to their strong progress through the curriculum.

Teachers are skilled at identifying children in the early years and other pupils who may have SEND to provide high-quality tailored support for each pupil.

Adults benefit from the expertise of staff in the specially resourced provision. Teachers across the school expertly adapt their plans and the learning environment for pupils with SEND. Leaders make sure that all pupils, including those with complex needs, access the same high-quality curriculum.

Staff make effective use of resources, such as Leila the school dog, to provide tailored support for pupils when needed. As a result, pupils across the school maintain an excellent focus in lessons.

Pupils are strong advocates of equality of opportunity for all.

The experiences that leaders have planned into their curriculum enable pupils to be well prepared for making a positive contribution to their community. Pupils work to improve the environment, for example by encouraging each other to cycle to school. They value democracy and ensure that all views are listened to and considered.

They are reflective during prayer times and understand that people have different beliefs and customs.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders ensure that all staff and governors know how to keep pupils safe.

Staff know how to spot pupils who may be at risk of harm. Staff pass on concerns to leaders in a timely manner. Leaders take swift action to ensure that pupils get any support that they need.

Leaders make effective use of other agencies to enhance the strong support that they provide in school. They make sure that vulnerable pupils continue to receive help for as long as it is needed.

Pupils learn how to keep themselves and others safe, including when they are online.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In a minority of areas of learning in the early years, leaders' curriculum plans do not set out precisely the key knowledge that they expect children to know. This means that leaders miss some opportunities to strengthen the curriculum further in key stages 1 and 2, based on what children know and can do in the early years. Leaders need to ensure that the curriculum in key stages 1 and 2 builds expertly on the foundations laid in the early years so that all pupils excel.