Birdham CE Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils love coming to Birdham. They feel safe and enjoy the many opportunities on offer.

There is plenty to do during social times. Whether playing football, handball or balancing and jumping on the numerous climbing frames, pupils build good friendships and treat each other with respect.

Committed teachers expect pupils to behave and achieve well.

Pupils live up to these expectations. Staff ably support pupils and ensure that pupils concentrate in lessons. Pupils are well cared for by staff.

There is always an adult on hand if pupils need extra guidance. Those who are worried about themselves or others know they have somebody to go to. Unkindness be...tween pupils is not tolerated and any friendship issues are dealt with quickly by staff.

Pupils learn a lot about improving their environment and taking care of the planet. They enthusiastically join the 'eco council' so that they can have a direct influence on how the school deals with issues such as energy use and recycling. Other pupils are proud members of the school council, and this gives them experience of making decisions.

There is a broad range of extra-curricular activities on offer to pupils. Almost all pupils attend after-school clubs, including needle work, basketball, football and gardening.

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

Birdham has improved since the last inspection due to strong leadership.

Leaders are ambitious for all pupils and have worked tirelessly to develop an aspirational curriculum. School development work is always centred around the school's motto of 'love learning, love our world, love each other'. Governors have been pivotal in the school's improvement journey.

They hold leaders to account well and play a full role in the life of the school. Governors fulfil their statutory responsibilities and support leaders in ensuring that staff welfare is a priority.

Leaders have thought carefully about the most important knowledge that pupils need to learn and the sequence in which they learn it.

Teachers have strong subject knowledge. They use assessment well, particularly in reading and mathematics, to work out where pupils are in their learning. Leaders identify pupils who need extra support quickly.

Carefully considered action plans are put in place for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Leaders monitor these closely.

In most subjects, teachers design work that helps pupils to remember what they have learned and to build new knowledge as the curriculum becomes more complex.

Teachers adapt learning for pupils with SEND. This ensures that they learn equally well as their peers. In a small number of subjects, teachers do not always design learning consistently well.

Consequently, some pupils do not remember as much of the important knowledge that they are taught.

Leaders have prioritised reading. Phonics is taught in Reception as soon as children start.

The early years environment supports children's language development with its vibrant environment and a wide selection of books. Teachers and teaching assistants are well trained in delivering phonics. Pupils who find learning to read more difficult are helped to keep up with extra support.

Parents are now more involved in their children's reading. Pupils develop a love of reading as they move through the school, enjoying story times and reading for pleasure.

From Reception, teachers explain the school's rules in ways that young children understand.

Children learn how to follow instructions very quickly. Consequently, they move between teachers' carefully chosen activities seamlessly. Relationships between well-trained staff and children are productive and nurturing.

The early years setting offers rich opportunities for children to develop their numeracy and phonics skills and to deepen their understanding of the world. This ensures that children are well prepared to begin Year 1.

Pupils develop their character well.

In early years, staff begin teaching children the differences between right and wrong. As pupils get older, teachers design activities that encourage them to learn about being a global citizen and what charity means. Teachers also help pupils to find out about and support a range of local, national and international charities.

The harvest festival in the local community is a highlight of the school year, and pupils contribute to a shoe box charity at Christmas. Leaders ensure that British values are frequently discussed in assemblies and during class time.

Staff are well trained and they feel supported in carrying out their roles.

Leaders have developed staff's subject expertise and this has helped them get to grips with a more ambitious curriculum increasingly well.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Staff take safeguarding very seriously.

Leaders ensure that all appropriate checks on the suitability of staff are carried out. Staff understand the procedures for reporting concerns they have about pupils. These concerns are recorded comprehensively and records are kept securely.

Leaders respond swiftly to any concerns raised. They construct chronologies that are helpful in providing an overview of concerns recorded about a pupil. Leaders work well with external agencies in providing extra support for pupils who require it.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In a small number of subjects, such as history and physical education (PE), the work provided by teachers is not focused precisely enough on the knowledge that pupils need to learn. This means that pupils do not retain as much knowledge as they could in these subjects. Leaders should ensure that they provide the support teachers need to deliver the aims of the curriculum consistently well in all subjects.

Also at this postcode