Bidston Avenue Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at Bidston Avenue Primary School are happy and they feel well cared for by staff. The school ensures that pupils know how important they are.

At the end of Year 6, pupils leave the school as well-rounded and considerate individuals.

The school has high expectations of pupils' achievement, including for children in the early years. To this end, the school has designed an ambitious curriculum.

Pupils learn the curriculum successfully and they achieve well.Pupils know how to behave, both in lessons and during breaktimes. They adhere closely to the guidance outlined in the school's seven magnificent values.

The way in which pupils conduct themselv...es around school helps to create a calm atmosphere. Pupils trust staff to help them with any worries that they may have. When incidents of bullying do occur, the school takes swift and appropriate action.

This helps pupils to feel safe in school.Pupils embrace their various leadership responsibilities. For example, they enjoy representing the school at sporting events and taking part in volunteer projects.

Pupils make a highly tangible contribution to the life of the school through these roles. They spoke with pride about the difference that they make to the school community.

Pupils relish the wide range of clubs and opportunities available to them.

These experiences help pupils to discover and develop otherwise unexplored talents and interests. Pupils said that the encounters that they have outside of lessons are what make their school special.

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

At the heart of this school is a shared ambition that all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), will become resilient learners, fluent readers and creative thinkers by the time they leave the school at the end of Year 6.

The school has ensured that the curriculum is designed well and that there is a suitably broad range of subjects on offer for pupils from the early years to Year 6. In the main, teachers are clear about the knowledge that pupils should learn and when curriculum content should be taught. However, in a small number of subjects, teachers are not as well informed about the important knowledge that pupils should acquire.

From time to time, this hinders teachers in designing learning for pupils that builds securely on what they know already.

Typically, staff choose activities and resources that support pupils to learn and remember the curriculum. In most subjects, staff use assessment strategies well to check that pupils' earlier learning is secure.

This ensures that pupils have a strong base of prior knowledge on which they can build. Nevertheless, in a small number of subjects, teachers are still refining their approaches for checking on how well pupils remember the small steps of learning. On occasion, this prevents staff from identifying and addressing some pupils' misconceptions in a timely enough manner.

This hinders some pupils when they come to apply earlier learning to new concepts.

The school has suitable systems in place to support staff to identify the additional needs of pupils with SEND in a timely manner. Staff skilfully adapt their delivery of the curriculum for this group of pupils.

Pupils with SEND are supported well by staff to access the same ambitious curriculum as their classmates.Most pupils become confident and fluent readers by the end of Year 2. The school has trained staff so that they are suitably confident and equipped well to deliver the phonics programme.

Pupils read books that are matched closely to the sounds that they have learned. Staff are quick to identify and support those pupils at risk of not keeping up with the reading programme. Staff provide appropriate support to help these pupils to catch up quickly.

Pupils' love of reading is evident across the school. For example, pupils who spoke with inspectors likened reading to a magical experience.The school prioritises pupils' wider development, including for children in the early years.

Pupils learn about different faiths and cultures. They value diversity. Pupils who carry out leadership roles, such as school councillors and sports leaders, take their responsibilities seriously.

They are keen to promote fairness and equality. The school ensures that pupils are informed about the options available to them when they leave school. For instance, visiting speakers from the local community share their career journeys with pupils.

This inspires pupils and helps to further raise their aspirations.

Pupils, including those who attend the nursery provision, enjoy a wide range of experiences. For example, they enjoy a variety of clubs, such as Taekwondo and choir practice.

Pupils talked enthusiastically about recent trips, such as visits to London and museums. Older pupils are looking forward to an upcoming residential experience in China. Pupils are keen to take part in regular performances to show their parents what they have learned.

Governors provide an appropriate level of support to the school. However, on occasion, governors do not provide a sufficient level of challenge to the school around those aspects relating to the quality of education for pupils.

Staff are proud to work at this school and they feel valued by leaders.

Staff said that the school is led and managed well. This is because the school provides them with appropriate support to develop their skills and expertise. Staff are positive about the actions that leaders have taken to reduce their workload.

Parents and carers expressed overwhelmingly positive views about the school. Staff work collaboratively and have fostered strong links with parents to best support pupils' academic and pastoral needs.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In a small number of subjects, the school has not ensured that the knowledge that pupils should learn is clear enough to teachers. This hinders teachers in designing aspects of learning for pupils in these subjects. The school should ensure that, in these subjects, teachers are clear about the knowledge that pupils need to know and remember.

• Occasionally, in a few subjects, staff do not identify and address some pupils' misconceptions in a timely enough manner. This hinders some pupils in applying their prior knowledge to more complex concepts. The school should ensure that teachers use assessment strategies effectively to rectify pupils' misconceptions quickly enough and shape future learning.

• From time to time, governors do not ensure that they are informed well enough about the quality of education for pupils. This prevents them from providing a sufficient level of challenge around those aspects that will make a positive difference to how well pupils achieve. Governors should ensure that they are equipped well to challenge the school about how well pupils are learning the intended curriculum.