Birchfields Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel happy to be part of this caring and welcoming school. They have a strong sense of belonging and settle in quickly, including pupils who arrive at different points during the year.

Pupils told inspectors that 'everyone in this school matters' and that everybody 'should have the same chances to succeed'.

The school has established a culture where there are high expectations for pupils' achievement, including for disadvantaged pupils and for those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils typically rise to these expectations and most achieve well.

They appreciate recognition and rewards for their efforts.

Pupils behav...e incredibly well during lessons and at social times. They have highly positive attitudes towards their learning.

Pupils understand why the school's values and rules are important to life in school and beyond. For example, they spoke with clarity about resilience and how they try their best and aim high in all that they do.

The school provides pupils with a range of experiences.

Pupils visit places locally and further afield such as museums, parks, local schools and other cities. These trips often link to what pupils are learning in the curriculum. Pupils also participate in a range of extra-curricular activities, including sports, music, cookery, computing and chess clubs.

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

The school has redoubled its efforts in designing a broad, knowledge-rich curriculum. It has determined the important knowledge that pupils should learn and the order in which teachers should introduce it from the start of the early years. This helps children in the early years to be well prepared for key stage 1.

Most pupils typically learn well across a range of subjects. Nonetheless, over time, the school has not placed sufficient emphasis on the development of pupils' written and spoken communication skills. As a result, pupils make mistakes in their spoken language and in their written work.

These mistakes linger throughout their time at school.

Teachers have strong subject knowledge and deliver subject curriculums well. They have benefited from effective training and support.

This enables teachers to design suitable learning activities. Staff regularly check how well pupils learn the intended curriculum. They use this information to address any gaps in pupils' knowledge.

In a few subjects, the school is refining how it checks what pupils know and can do.

The school identifies pupils with SEND quickly and accurately. Staff work closely with parents and carers, as well as other professionals, to help pupils with SEND follow the school's full curriculum.

The school provides bespoke learning pathways for pupils in the 'nest' and 'kaleidoscope' provisions to fully meet their individual learning and care needs.

Staff foster pupils' love of reading well. The school has constructed the curriculum around high-quality texts, which include representation of the communities that it serves.

It has recently improved its library so that it is well stocked and inviting. Older pupils help to decide on new book purchases. They read widely and enjoy completing quizzes of the books that they have read.

In the early years, children benefit from plentiful stories and songs. From the beginning of the Reception Year, staff implement the school's phonics programme with fidelity. The school has ensured that staff who teach early reading have had the required training and follow the agreed approaches.

Pupils practise reading from books that match their phonics knowledge. Staff typically provide effective support for pupils who struggle with reading.

Staff forge nurturing relationships with pupils.

In turn, pupils are courteous and greatly respectful towards others. This contributes to the harmonious atmosphere that pervades the school. Pupils understand the importance of regular attendance.

The school works tenaciously, including with external agencies, to support the families of some pupils who are persistently absent from school. This joined-up approach is having a positive impact.

The school works closely with parents to ensure that they understand the statutory content of its personal development programme.

Pupils learn how to look after their physical and mental health. They develop aspirations for their future careers, such as in teaching, medicine and archaeology. Older pupils take on leadership roles as prefects and eco-councillors.

The school has firm plans to further enhance pupils' leadership skills and their endeavours in the local community.

Governors provide effective support and challenge to the school, with a sharp focus on the school's quality of education. Staff told inspectors that they are lucky to work at the school and that they feel valued.

The school takes careful account of their workload and well-being. For instance, it listens to staff's opinions, facilitates collaborative working and has reviewed its feedback and marking policy.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The school has not focused strongly enough on developing pupils' written and spoken communication skills. This hinders some pupils in developing fluency and accuracy in their speaking and writing. The school should ensure that its recently increased expectations for pupils' oracy and for their written communication better support pupils in improving these important skills.

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