Bisley CofE Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Bisley is a school full of polite and enthusiastic pupils. There is a special atmosphere where pupils happily learn and play together.

Staff cultivate this strongly, starting in the early years provision. Pupils display character qualities that will prepare them very well for the future. Helping the community is of great importance to pupils.

They are keen to play their part, for example, in setting up 'teas on the rec' with the elderly.

Pupils look forward to the well-planned calendar of school trips and overnight stays. Following the pandemic, the school has impressively considered important life experiences as pupils develop independence and explore the wi...der world.

Pupils are very accepting of others. They recognise and value that everyone is different. They enjoy welcoming visitors into the school and learning from them.

This includes, for example, a Formula 1 racing driver and a former bodyguard to Nelson Mandela.

Pupils behave well and keenly follow the 'Bisley 5' code of conduct. They want to succeed and know they need to work hard in lessons.

They are also proud to take on leadership responsibilities in the school, take part in forest school sessions and participate in sport and the arts.

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

Following the last inspection, the school's leaders have skilfully redesigned the curriculum so that pupils learn content that is rich in knowledge and meets the ambition of the national curriculum. Published outcomes typically show that pupils achieve well compared to the national average.

Right from the start of early years, there is a clear pathway for what children need to know so that they are well prepared to learn in each year. Within subjects, the school has identified essential knowledge that helps teachers know what has come before in a pupil's learning experience. However, at times, curriculum planning focuses on skills instead of the knowledge that underpins this application.

It can also mean that some assessment is not as precise as it could be and that teachers do not always set the most appropriate learning activities. Consequently, pupils do not learn as much as they could.The teaching of early reading and writing has been transformed.

Staff understand the key building blocks that pupils need in Reception Year and key stage 1. There has been an ongoing commitment to ensure staff are expertly trained in delivering the phonics programme. Furthermore, lessons ensure that pupils reread the books from the programme so they sharpen their accuracy and speed.

The additional one-to-one sessions are having a strong impact in helping pupils who are struggling to read to gain the reading practice they need.The school has put in a comprehensive training package to improve staff's knowledge of effective teaching strategies. Adults' interactions with children in early years, the probing of pupils' thinking across the school and regular opportunities to recap prior knowledge are securely embedded.

Staff also spot quickly where pupils might not understand a concept and adapt their teaching so that they can best help pupils to learn this. There are, however, still some inconsistencies in pupils' written work. This includes spelling, handwriting and presentation.

In early years, children in Nursery know how to play together and are inquisitive in what they do. They enjoy singing songs and listening to stories. Staff ensure that the youngest children have the education and care they need to thrive.

For two-year-olds, the timetable is carefully planned to build in sleep, regular mealtimes and the additional support they need.There are clear systems to identify the help individual pupils may need. This includes pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

Staff work closely with parents to help pupils access the same ambitious curriculum as their classmates. The 'flying start' club and other pastoral provision serve pupils well in managing their emotions. While many pupils do attend well, the school recognises it needs to continue to strengthen the support for some disadvantaged pupils to help them attend more regularly.

Pupils are knowledgeable about keeping safe online and actions around supporting their mental health. They enjoy learning about different faiths and cultures and knowing 'how to be good people'. Pupils are full of joy in developing their practical skills and resilience in forest school sessions.

The leadership of the school is a strength. Governors have played an integral part in improving this school to good. They provide challenge and support to consider the educational standards, pupils' attendance and the impact of the school development priorities.

Staff highly praise the school's ethos and workplace culture. Early career teachers strongly feel this school provides them with a solid grounding at the start of their teaching careers.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some subjects, the identification of knowledge is sometimes not precise enough. This has an impact on the quality of planned activities and how well teachers check what pupils should remember. The school should ensure that there is clarity in defining all the essential knowledge that pupils need to learn across the curriculum.

• There are some inconsistencies in how well teachers implement the curriculum, including the setting of high expectations for pupils' writing. Where this happens, pupils do not achieve as highly as they could. The school should continue with training its staff in setting the highest of expectations for all pupils so that the teaching of the curriculum is consistently strong across all year groups.