Bradshaw Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Bradshaw Primary School continues to be a good school.

The headteacher of this school is Julia Baker.

This school is part of The Family of Learning Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Shameem Hussain, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Nadim Najib.

What is it like to attend this school?

The 'Bradshaw way' of learning is at the heart of the broad and ambitious curriculum.

Leaders set high expectations for pupils. From the early years, pupils are nurtured in an environment rich with learning opportunities. Pupils are active and enthusiastic learner...s.

They appreciate reading for pleasure and for learning. The school's aspiration for all pupils to become avid and fluent readers before they leave Bradshaw is being realised.

The school is friendly and welcoming.

Relationships between pupils and staff are warm and respectful. There is a calm and caring ethos. Pupils feel safe and behave well.

They know staff will help them with any difficulties or worries they may have. Staff deal with incidents of poor behaviour effectively. Pupils have positive attitudes and engage well in lessons.

They relish the outdoor play and learning opportunities.

Pupils enjoy a variety of school clubs and activities. These include circus skills, embroidery, orchestra, art, ballet and sports.

Pupils hold various positions of responsibility. These include being members of the 'smart' school council and eco council. Pupils are rightly proud of the successes of the school choir.

The choir recently won the shield in the 'festive class' at the Mrs Sunderland Festival 2024.

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

The school has refined the curriculum since the last inspection. Curriculum subjects build and extend pupils' knowledge from the early years.

Staff have a thorough understanding of what they want pupils to learn and when. For example, in mathematics, pupils develop strong arithmetic skills through the new, structured approach to the curriculum. Staff help them to apply their knowledge.

Pupils are becoming increasingly competent mathematicians.

The teaching of writing has been strengthened. Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those who are disadvantaged, achieve increasingly well in writing.

Leaders have mapped out the most significant vocabulary that they want pupils to know from the early years to Year 6. Teachers identify and explain relevant vocabulary through the 'Bradshaw lesson' approach. This supports pupils' understanding and use of language.

Pupils develop effective communication skills. They can use and apply subject-specific vocabulary well, including in their writing.

Reading is the school's top priority.

Staff teach phonics well. Children begin phonics at the start of the Reception Year. Staff check pupils' progress in phonics regularly.

They provide swift support, when necessary, to help pupils to keep up with the phonics programme. Pupils become avid readers. Books are prominent across the school.

Pupils appreciate the high quality and range of texts available to them. Typically, pupils speak with genuine enthusiasm about 'being immersed in stories' and letting their 'imagination run away' with them'. They talk knowledgeably about their favourite authors and books that they enjoy.

The school identifies and supports the needs of pupils with SEND well. Teachers make appropriate adaptations to learning when necessary. They ensure that pupils with SEND can access the curriculum.

Staff tailor extra teaching and support to meet pupils' individual needs, when necessary.

Skilled staff nurture and support children well in the early years. Staff interact purposefully with children.

From pre-school, staff focus on the development of children's communication and language. Children develop their early literacy and numeracy skills well. They eagerly participate in the variety of learning opportunities available to them.

Staff check often on pupils' learning in lessons. They use this information to inform pupils' next steps. However, leaders do not analyse the assessment information teachers collect for some subjects as well as they do in others.

They cannot be sure that all pupils are making the best possible progress in some subjects.

Most pupils attend well. Leaders work closely with external agencies to support pupils at risk of persistent absence.

Leaders provide appropriate challenge and support to parents and carers to promote the importance of regular attendance.

The curriculum enriches pupils' wider development. Pupils learn how to stay safe, including online.

They learn about life in modern Britain, including the importance of equality and individual liberty. They learn about different faiths and values. Pupils enjoy enrichment activities, including residential trips, musical performances and sporting competitions.

The school provides extensive learning and play opportunities outdoors for pupils. These form an essential part of the school's provision and curriculum and support the development of pupils' physical and mental health. Pupils enjoy their breaktimes even more.

They eagerly try to win the 'golden welly' for using their initiative or being kind during their outdoor learning sessions.

Governors have improved their oversight of the school. They provide effective challenge and support to secure purposeful improvements.

The trust has brought further strength to governance. Staff enjoy working here. Leaders are considerate of staff's welfare and workload.

Staff speak positively of the close-knit school community.

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's analysis of the progress pupils make is not as well developed in some curriculum subjects as it is in others.

Leaders cannot be sure that all pupils are being supported to do their best in all subjects. The school should ensure that the assessment of what pupils know, and can do, across the curriculum is analysed thoroughly and that leaders use their analysis to ensure that all pupils achieve the best possible outcomes.

Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good.

This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act.

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in April 2019.