Brighstone Church of England Aided Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud of their school, which sits at the heart of the local community.

They enjoy their many opportunities to lead initiatives across the school and help their friends. The work by the pupil 'equality and rights advocates' (EARA) embodies the school's values of love, courage and respect. These pupils lead EARA school assemblies which promote empathy and understanding about diversity and difference.

Pupils behave well and are proud of their 'Bee-haviour' awards. At breaktimes, they enjoy playing with their friends across year groups. Pupils are not worried about bullying, which happens rarely, and they are confident that staff help them with any worries.
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The actions of the pupil and adult safeguarding leads mean that pupils are happy and safe at school.

The school has high expectations for pupils' academic outcomes and, in most subjects, pupils live up to them and achieve well. They are well prepared for secondary school.

Pupils, parents and carers appreciate being part of the school family and its wider work with the local community. One parent summed up the views of many when they said: 'We feel so lucky that our children will always have such good memories of their primary school days.'

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

Since the last inspection, the school has taken decisive action to improve the curriculum and pupils' learning.

In every subject, there is a clear outline and order of what pupils need to learn. In some subjects, the school has sensibly utilised published curriculum schemes to help manage the workload of a small staff team. The school has prioritised subjects for review as the school population has changed to include mixed-year-group classes.

In subjects where this work is further along, pupils learn well and accumulate the knowledge and skills they need. In a few subjects, where curriculum changes have been recent, pupils' recall and use of key knowledge is not as secure.

Pupils become confident and fluent readers.

This is because staff are well trained to teach the school's phonics scheme. Pupils enjoy their familiar phonics routines with 'Fred talk' and appropriate reading books. Any pupils who need extra support with their reading are quickly identified and the help they receive allows them to catch up quickly.

Pupils enjoy choosing books from the school library, including books which inform them about other cultures and human rights. The weekly school newsletter, 'The Buzz', includes reading recommendations from staff and pupils.

In many subjects, there are robust systems to check how well pupils are learning.

Teachers routinely recap prior knowledge to help pupils remember and apply it in their new learning. At the start of lessons, 'flashbacks' are used to remind pupils about their learning over time and to address any gaps they may have. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities are quickly identified and appropriately supported with their learning.

As a result, they access the full curriculum and achieve well.

The school's induction procedures mean that children settle extremely well into early years. Parents and carers are given valuable information so they can support their children as they start school.

This includes information about reading and the phonics scheme. Children visit from nearby pre-schools and therefore become familiar with the school environment and teaching staff. This means that, right from the start, they are happy and eager to learn and play with their friends.

Their curiosity about the natural world is encouraged and nurtured. During the inspection, children showed excitement about the blue tits they could see nesting. Staff help them to use books to find out about other birds and new vocabulary.

Children are keen to share their knowledge and participate in the RSPB's 'Big Garden Birdwatch'.

Pupils benefit from many wider opportunities. These give them an understanding of what their local area, and beyond, has to offer.

They are proud of their contributions to the Brighstone Horticulture Show and when they perform with the choir or country dancing at community events. School trips, including to the British Museum in London, build pupils' cultural understanding as well as enhancing their learning in the classroom. Pupils enjoy a range of inclusive clubs which include seasonal sports, boccia, bellringing and mindfulness.

The governing body are effective at challenging, supporting and checking the school's work. They meet regularly with staff and pupils to gather their views about the school. Staff appreciate the school's outward looking culture.

Being a small team, they value opportunities for professional development and support with other schools, the local authority and diocese. The impact of this is highly evident in recent curriculum improvements.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In a few subjects, curriculum changes have only recently been implemented. As a result, pupils have not always secured the prior knowledge needed for the learning that follows. Leaders should ensure that recent changes to the curriculum provide pupils with a consistently deep body of knowledge on which to build.

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