Bosmere Community Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy the school and enjoy learning together. Pupils are welcoming and accept each other's differences. The mutual respect between adults and pupils creates a strong community feeling.

Pupils have positive attitudes to learning and are proud of their achievements. Pupils take responsibilities seriously, for example as sports leaders and as eco council, school and learning council members. They know that they are expected to be good role models to others.

Pupils look for ways to support their local community.

Pupils learn about local and global issues through assemblies and lessons. They discuss and debate issues that directly affect or interest them....r/>
Pupils listen to a wide range of music and learn about the work of other artists to stimulate their own work. Through this, they learn about other cultures and religions.

Pupils know exactly how they are expected to behave.

They follow the 'Bosmere behaviour pathway'. Pupils ask for help to make the right behaviour choices. Pupils know that adults will always listen to any concerns.

Pupils can also alert them through the 'time to talk' box. Staff deal quickly with any unkind behaviour, including bullying. This helps pupils to feel safe and well cared for.

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

The school's values of 'excellence through engaging and enjoyable learning' permeate the curriculum. Leaders have really thought about what they want for a Bosmere pupil in each subject area. Pupils learn to be resilient, work well together and have experiences that they may not have outside of the school.

Pupils are eager to learn and improve their understanding. As one pupil said: 'You have your own power inside you.'

Subject leaders are taking increasing responsibility for developing their subject areas.

There is a clear plan of the skills and knowledge that pupils need to know. Not all subject leaders are as effective in checking whether teaching is helping pupils to know and remember more. Occasionally, teachers plan activities that are not well matched to pupils' understanding.

Reading has a high priority, right from the time pupils start at the school. Adults carefully plan phonics teaching. Teachers spot quickly pupils who fall behind and give them extra help to catch up.

Older pupils read and understand high-quality texts. These books are often linked to the topics that they are studying. Year 6 pupils read about paintings stolen from the National Gallery during the Second World War.

They researched some more and then visited the gallery to see the paintings for themselves. Pupils use the different type of books they read to help structure their writing.

Leaders have worked hard to improve pupils' writing skills.

There is a clear order to how pupils build up their writing. Teachers help pupils develop a rich vocabulary. However, handwriting has not been taught well enough.

Teachers' expectations for the presentation of pupils' work in other subjects have also not been consistently high. Variable presentation detracts from the quality of pupils' written work.

In mathematics, the curriculum is well planned and ordered logically.

Teachers know what to teach and when to teach it. They model the steps in learning well. Pupils regularly revisit number operations such as addition and multiplication.

This learning builds on what they already know. Pupils are confident in using their mathematics knowledge to solve problems. Pupils are encouraged to explain their reasoning.

Teachers use questioning effectively to check pupil's understanding and correct any misconceptions.

Staff support disadvantaged pupils and pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) well. In lessons, pupils with complex needs get the help they need so that they can fully access the curriculum.

Teachers provide resources that are bespoke to the needs of individual pupils to help them when they are working on their own.

In the early years, children get off to a good start. The learning environment inside the classroom stimulates children's learning.

Adults plan activities that are often linked to the children's own interests. Children enjoy songs and rhymes which help them to learn and remember new things. They follow routines, listen carefully and behave well.

Teachers feel valued. Leaders are mindful of staff well-being and workload. Coaching and training help teachers to aim to be the very best they can be.

Staff and governors work well together. They understand their roles and responsibilities. Governors have reviewed their work and skills to make sure they are very effective.

They work well with school leaders to agree the priorities for improvement. Governors check that the school is on track to achieve these priorities.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Staff know families and pupils well. Leaders work closely with families and external professionals to safeguard pupils' welfare. They ensure that pupils and families receive the support that they need.

Staff throughout the school are well trained to keep pupils safe. They receive regular updates, so that they are aware of the risks that may affect pupils at the school. Records are meticulously kept, so that leaders can follow up any concerns and actions taken to keep pupils safe.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

In some subjects, teachers do not always use their checks on what pupils know to ensure that work is well matched to prior learning. This means that pupils do not always have appropriately challenging work. Leaders should ensure that work is well matched to pupils' understanding.

. Subject curriculums are clear about what pupils need to know and the best order in which this should be taught. Some subject leaders do not identify occasions when teachers' implementation of the curriculum is not helping pupils to learn as well as they could.

Subject leaders should use their checks on learning to help teachers deliver the curriculum equally effectively in all subjects so that, over time, pupils know more and remember more. . Handwriting has not been taught consistently well.

Teachers' expectations of pupils' presentation are inconsistent. This detracts from the quality of pupils' work. Leaders should raise expectations of all staff so that there is consistency in the teaching of handwriting and the way pupils present their work.