Bidford-on-Avon CofE Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Bidford-on-Avon Church of England Primary School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils thrive at this school.

There is a murmur of excitement in every classroom as pupils join in eagerly with activities. They learn to be curious, and teachers encourage pupils to think for themselves. Pupils know that teachers expect them to try their hardest.

Most live up to these expectations and achieve well in a wide range of subjects. Pupils show pride in their work. A variety of extra-curricular opportunities help to enrich pupils' learning.

This includes cultural experiences such as African drumming and visits to museums. The huge inves...tment in providing high-quality books supports the strong reading culture.

Pupils are safe in school.

They look after each other and develop good friendships. The sense of community around school is tangible. Cheerful pupils go about their daily routines in a calm, well-organised learning environment.

Pupils usually behave impeccably well. Poor behaviour rarely disrupts classroom learning. Bullying is not tolerated; staff deal with it quickly if it arises.

The responsibilities that older pupils undertake is impressive. For example, they organise fun games for younger pupils at breaktimes, and run whole-school assemblies. By the end of primary school, pupils are well prepared for, and confident about, starting secondary school.

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

Pupils experience a rich, broad curriculum through a blend of themed topics and subject teaching. Leaders select the content of the school's curriculum carefully. Pupils build on their previous learning because the curriculum is well sequenced and develops pupils' knowledge and understanding.

Teachers often revisit what has been taught previously. This helps pupils to remember key knowledge. Children, right from early years, develop secure foundations in their learning.

This helps them to learn new things with less difficulty later on. Staff are clear about what pupils are expected to know by the end of each year. They check how pupils are getting on.

Teachers ensure that key concepts are thoroughly understood before pupils move on to more demanding work.Leaders use assessment information to refine and improve the curriculum. For example, they spotted a need to improve boys' writing.

Changes in the curriculum mean that boys are now more inspired to write. I saw some fantastic examples of creative writing. This included weather poetry where pupils skilfully used figurative language to create effect.

Teachers use their strong subject knowledge to explain tricky ideas clearly to pupils. Teachers also pose questions that get pupils to think in depth. However, in a few subjects, the curriculum does not expect enough of the most able pupils.

Leaders prioritise reading. The large majority of pupils make strong progress in reading. They read regularly and talk enthusiastically about their favourite authors.

Teachers quickly identify pupils who start to fall behind with their reading. They give them additional support that usually helps them to catch up quickly. The teaching of early reading enables most pupils to achieve well.

The majority of pupils have a good grasp of phonics by the end of key stage 1. However, a few pupils, mainly those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), do not achieve as well as they could. This is because pupils' reading books are sometimes not matched closely enough to the sounds they have been taught.

Teachers adapt the curriculum as necessary for pupils with SEND. This ensures that these pupils usually receive support that enables them to succeed. However, sometimes this is not as carefully planned as it could be.

Consequently, some pupils with SEND do not make the best progress possible.The school is well led. Senior leaders seek ways to make the curriculum more enticing.

Sporting events, residential trips and special visitors all add to the tapestry of pupils' learning. Staff share teaching ideas. This also helps to improve the curriculum offered to pupils.

Leaders take care of their staff. This contributes to the positive energy abundant throughout the school. Governors play an active role in helping the school to continuously improve.

They are ambitious for pupils. Governors have a strong strategic oversight.Parents and carers say that their children are happy at school, although a few say they would like more extra-curricular clubs for younger pupils.

They view the school as a welcoming and happy place. Pupils usually behave really well. They show positive attitudes to their learning and remain focused in lessons.

Staff do not allow poor behaviour, including bullying, to affect learning. Pupils enjoy school and attend regularly. Staff keep a close eye on the few that have too much time off school.

Exclusions are higher than the national average, although are now falling.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Staff take all reasonable steps to keep pupils safe from harm.

They complete appropriate training, so they can spot the signs that a child may be at risk. Pupils have a trusted adult in school whom they can talk to if they are worried about something. Staff act promptly when a concern is raised.

Pupils are taught about how to keep safe. They understand the perils of the internet. Staff support the personal needs of pupils well.

The school works in partnership with other agencies. For example, it works with mental health practitioners to provide specialist support for pupils.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

Curriculum planning for pupils with SEND is not as sharp as it could be.

On occasion, there is a disconnect between the support a pupil needs and teachers' planning. This means that some interventions do not have the maximum effect on learning. Leaders need to improve communication between school staff, home and SEND professionals to ensure that pupils' learning programmes are even more closely matched to need.

Leaders also need to check thoroughly that planned interventions have the desired impact on pupils' achievement. . Pupils who struggle with reading receive extra help with their phonics.

However, occasionally, reading books for the least able pupils do not provide them with enough opportunities to practise their phonic skills. This slows their progress. Teachers must ensure that pupils are given books that enable them to rehearse the phonic sounds that they have been working on.

. In a few subjects, curriculum plans do not provide enough stretch for the most able pupils. This means that pupils do not have to grapple with more challenging concepts or think as hard as they should.

Teachers need to be even more ambitious when deciding on curriculum content. For example, in history, teachers might consider where pupils could develop a greater depth of understanding through enquiry.

Background

When we have judged a school to be good we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good.

This is called a section 8 inspection of a good school or non-exempt outstanding school. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find some evidence that the school could now be better than good or that standards may be declining, then the next inspection will be a section 5 inspection.

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the section 8 inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will convert the section 8 inspection to a section 5 inspection immediately.

This is the second section 8 inspection since we judged the school to be good in June 2011.

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