Bradfield Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are enthusiastic about their school. They will happily tell you about their day.

They say lessons are 'great fun' and the teachers are 'kind'. Pupils enjoy the many opportunities they have to learn new things, such as playing the electric guitar, how to play in a band, or how to be a Bollywood dancer. Pupils enjoy different leadership opportunities, such as being a 'buddy' for children in the Reception class.

The youngest children settle in well. They learn quickly the behaviour expected of them. Pupils live the school values.

They are respectful of one another and value fairness, for example naturally taking turns on the play equipment. Pupils speak o...f accepting everyone and valuing others' personalities and differences.

There is little bullying.

Pupils say that teachers are strict about this. They trust adults to deal with any friendship issues that may arise. Pupils feel safe at school.

Parents are positive about the school and the education their children receive. A few parents commented they would like a wider offer of extra-curricular clubs.

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

Leaders have refreshed their approach to the teaching of early reading.

They check pupils' learning more closely to ensure that books match the sounds pupils know. This helps pupils to experience success and begin to enjoy reading. Children in the Reception Year make a quick start in learning the separate sounds so they can blend them into words.

Leaders give guidance to parents, so they understand how best to support their children when reading at home.

Adults use their knowledge from appropriate training to teach phonics accurately. This is especially the case in whole class or one-to-one teaching.

Occasionally, when pupils are receiving additional help in smaller groups, staff do not spot when pupils have made a mistake. Therefore, some pupils repeat these errors. Older pupils enjoy reading and logging their reviews on the school's online system.

They appreciate the new high-quality books that leaders provide.

Leaders have thought carefully about how to organise the curriculum for mixed-age classes. They have ensured that the essential knowledge pupils need is clear and taught progressively.

Teachers recap key ideas and revisit subject vocabulary on a regular basis. This is so that pupils can make connections in their learning. As they progress through the curriculum, pupils gain more confidence in their discussions.

This is also the case in the early years, where there is a strong emphasis on the use of subject-specific language in everyday conversation. In a lesson learning about their world, for example, children chatted about the bird's eye view when looking at the aerial photograph of their school.

In the early years, adults skilfully question children to develop their thinking and play.

There are well-established routines and clear expectations so that children learn quickly how to share and how to take turns. Early in the autumn term, children are already moving confidently around the classroom, picking up and putting away equipment. Children's literacy and mathematical understanding are carefully reinforced through other activities, such as role play and construction.

Teachers know pupils well. They share leaders' commitment to provide a fully inclusive education. Teachers adapt lessons and learning activities so that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) access the same curriculum as their peers.

Pupils with SEND have equal access to and enjoy many of the enrichment activities, such as the residential trips and the daily mile.

Leaders' systems for reviewing the impact of adults' work to support pupils with SEND are cumbersome and sometimes lack precision. For instance, leaders do not have a clear overview of the training staff have completed to support pupils' needs This, on occasion, means some pupils with SEND do not get the best possible support as promptly as they could.

Pupils develop the knowledge and skills to help them become well-rounded individuals. Older pupils are good role models for younger pupils. Through the religious education curriculum, pupils appreciate different faiths and cultures.

They also take an active interest in local history, for example, through visits from a local historian. They enjoy listening to many forms of music, including Baroque music at the start of their lessons. As part of the music curriculum, pupils learn to play a minimum of three instruments.

Governors have a strong understanding of the school. They support and challenge leaders to make sure weaker areas of the school's provision improve. Governors visit regularly and see for themselves first-hand what is going on in the school.

They check the workload and well-being of staff carefully to see that it is manageable.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders follow government guidelines closely so that pupils are safe.

Staff are well trained. They understand the importance of being vigilant. They know the local safeguarding risks that pupils face and how to report concerns should they need to.

Leaders work effectively with external agencies to provide appropriate support to the most vulnerable pupils.

Pupils are well looked after. They know, for example, the rules of the climbing apparatus in the playground and how to stay safe when online.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The second part of the phonics reading session does not guide pupils as well as the first part of the session. The breakout groups are of varying sizes. In the larger groups, some pupils work with the adult, and some do not.

This means that some pupils make mistakes which adults do not notice or correct. Leaders should review the organisation and delivery of the phonics sessions to ensure that adults spot mistakes and step in to provide pupils with the support they need when they make them. ? The processes and procedures for supporting pupils with SEND are not as streamlined or as effective as they could be.

This means that sometimes support for pupils lacks precision. Leaders must make sure that they make better use of the information received to continue to improve the support offered and that staff training is up to date. This is so that staff are confident to act promptly to make any changes needed for all pupils with SEND to enable them to achieve well.