Biggin Hill Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is an outstanding school.

Outstanding leadership from the headteacher and a team of highly committed leaders and staff is leading to teaching and achievement improving. As a result, all groups of pupils make at least good and many make excellent progress. By the time pupils leave in Year 6, standards in writing and mathematics are above the national average and significantly above average in reading.

Teaching is always at least good and often outstanding. Lessons are exciting and work set is at just the right level for the ability of pupils. Some teaching, especially in reading and writing, leads to quite exceptional progress.

In these classes, t...here is a buzz of anticipation as pupils are inspired to work at the very highest of standards. Teaching assistants are highly skilled and provide excellent support in classes and small groups. Standards of behaviour are outstanding.

There is a tremendously happy atmosphere in school with all adults and pupils striving for their very best. Pupils feel very safe. Provision in the early years is extremely effective and children get an excellent start to school.

The classrooms and outdoor areas offer a treasure trove of exciting learning activities so all children thrive and achieve extremely well. Pupils enjoy a very wide range of activities out of school hours. These include the Bransholme Orchestra, Rock Club, Breakfast Club and performing 'Julius Caesar' at the Shakespeare School Festival.

Governors are very knowledgeable. They work very closely with the staff team to make sure that the school continues to improve and high standards are maintained. Biggin Hill has very high levels of support from parents.

As one parent said during the inspection, 'It's on my doorstep and I couldn't wish for any better.'

Information about this school

Biggin Hill Primary School Academy includes a nursery and is much larger than most primary schools and offers part-time Nursery education. Biggin Hill became an academy on 1 April 2013 to form an umbrella trust with local schools in the area.

When its predecessor school was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be good. Most pupils are from a White British background and speak English as their first language. The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs is similar to the national average.

The proportion of disadvantaged pupils, those eligible for the pupil premium, is well above the national average. The pupil premium is funding to support those pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals and those who are looked after by the local authority. The headteacher is a Local Leader in Education and supports the local authority to provide monitoring, challenge, support and intervention for other schools.

Biggin Hill is a strategic partner within the Tidal Teaching School Alliance where the headteacher has responsibility for leadership. Biggin Hill meets the government's current floor standard, which is the minimum expectation for pupils' attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 6. The academy holds many awards including the International Schools Award.