Bramley St Peter’s Church of England Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders and governors are determined to do their best for every pupil. They are driven by strong Christian principles. They have made sure that the school has continued to improve since the last inspection.

Leaders know what they need to do to improve further.

The values of 'nurture, discover and respect' underpin learning and school life. Pupils enjoy coming to school.

They trust the adults in school to keep them safe. Pupils are proud to talk about their learning and what they know and remember. Leaders make sure that pupils learn about the wider world and issues that affect us all.

As a result, pupils have a strong sense of fairness and respect....r/>
Pupils behave well most of the time. They are kind and helpful towards each other.

Pupils told us that when bullying happens, adults act quickly to sort it out.

There are many opportunities for pupils to develop their talents and interests. All pupils learn to play the ukulele when they get to years 4 and 5.

Pupils are pleased that the after-school clubs are returning. Leaders plan these carefully, so there is something to interest everyone. Clubs include reading, cooking and golf.

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

The headteacher has built a strong team of leaders around her. She has strengthened leadership at all levels. As a result, the school is in a very good position to continue its journey of improvement.

Governors are well informed. This means they can hold school leaders to account effectively.

The curriculum is broad and ambitious.

Progressive plans are in place for every subject. These plans build sequentially on what pupils know and can do. Subject leaders are continually working to further improve the curriculum.

They have refined their plans for most subjects into very small steps that help teachers plan lessons even more effectively. For example, in a Year 6 geography lesson, pupils showed an excellent understanding of tectonic plates. They were able to correctly use vocabulary such as uplift, subduction and transformation.

Leaders are making sure that these refinements are applied to the remaining subjects.

Reading is said to be 'the beating heart of the school'. This is a very good description.

Leaders make sure that pupils have access to beautiful books at school and at home. They choose books carefully to interest and excite pupils. This helps pupils to develop their love of reading and knowledge of the world.

Children start learning the sounds they need to know for reading as soon as they start Reception class. As a result, they are already able to read simple words. Adults check in lessons to make sure children have learned new sounds.

They give extra help where needed. Some older pupils have fallen behind. They get daily help to catch up.

Books match the sounds that pupils already know. This helps them to enjoy reading with confidence.

Pupils are confident to tackle tricky problems in mathematics.

This is because their teachers plan lessons that build carefully on prior learning. Pupils see mistakes as a good thing that they can learn from. They use practical resources to help them tackle harder challenges.

Pupils concentrate well in most lessons. Occasionally, they become distracted and do not learn what is intended. This happens when the activities that teachers plan do not match learning.

Leaders are providing support and training to make sure that all teaching is as good as the best.

Leaders aim high for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Ambitious targets are in place for them.

Support and practical resources are used effectively. As a result, pupils with SEND have high levels of independence. A small number of pupils have identified behaviour difficulties.

The school is inclusive. Leaders seek the right support to help pupils manage their behaviour.

A number of children join the Nursery class with speech and social skills that are low for their age.

Staff model language and vocabulary expertly to help them catch up. Children enjoy exploring, particularly in the exciting outdoor area. The curriculum is planned to ensure that children will be ready for learning in Year 1.

Leaders plan a wide range of events to broaden pupils' horizons and help them to become active citizens. Some pupils are busy writing letters to campaign for the return of the benches to the local shopping centre. Opportunities for leadership include the school council, 'reading ambassadors', 'worship leaders' and 'play leaders'.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Safeguarding leaders make sure that there is a strong culture of keeping children safe. They provide regular training for staff.

As a result, staff are well informed and know what to look out for. They report concerns immediately and leaders take swift action to help children at risk of harm. Leaders are tenacious in getting help from the appropriate outside agencies.

Pupils learn how to keep safe through the personal, social, health and economics (PSHE) and computing curriculum, assemblies and visitors to school. Younger pupils look forward to learning about online safety from the Year 6 'digital leaders'.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Well-sequenced curriculum plans are in place for all subjects.

However, key content and knowledge are not as explicit in the plans for some subjects, including PE, music and history. This means that leaders cannot check what pupils remember as well as in other subjects. Leaders should continue to refine their plans for these subjects so that they clearly set out the smaller components of content and knowledge that pupils will learn.

• Sometimes, in some classes, the activities that teachers plan are not well matched to intended learning. As a result, the delivery of some aspects of the curriculum is variable and, in turn, the quality of pupils' work is variable. Subject leaders should check where further support is required to ensure the delivery of the curriculum is consistently effective.