Brindishe Lee School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy attending this welcoming school.

They are put at ease by the caring professional relationships that they form with staff and by the kindness and consideration with which pupils treat one another.

Leaders are ambitious for all pupils. From the start of the early years, staff get to know each pupil individually and work hard to help them achieve their potential.

Pupils do well at school and enjoy studying the broad range of subjects that leaders provide.

Pupils behave exceptionally well. The school promotes a highly positive culture, and this is reflected in pupils' conscientious behaviour.

Pupils are courteous and respectful of o...thers. They voluntarily support one another. Play leaders lead games and support their peers to feel comfortable at breaktimes.

The school is a calm place to be and helps all pupils to be successful in their learning.

The school organises plenty of extra-curricular activities. Teachers consult pupils at the start of each year to understand their interests.

The programme is then built to accommodate these, and to account for gaps in pupils' experiences. Pupils enjoy taking part in chess, karate, salsa dancing and gardening, for instance. Pupils have opportunities to perform, for example in the recent Year 6 production of 'The Lion King' and as part of the school choir.

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

The curriculum is well thought through. The school, working closely with other leaders within the federation, has thought carefully about how they intend to build pupils' knowledge over time. They have defined the key vocabulary and concepts that pupils need to know.

For example, pupils learn how to make hypotheses and test them out in a range of practical activities to support them in working scientifically with confidence by Year 6. At times, teaching does not focus on the key subject curriculum content as closely as leaders intend. As a result, pupils' knowledge sometimes develops less securely.

Leaders provide many opportunities for the professional development of staff within the federation. Teachers use their subject knowledge to explain new ideas clearly and point out key vocabulary. In the early years, adults deliberately draw children's attention to new vocabulary and ideas.

For example, children in Reception were excited to mix paint to make new colours. Sometimes, teaching does not check pupils' understanding of the key content that they need to know and plug any gaps before moving on to more complex work.

Reading is treated as a high priority for leaders.

From the early years onwards, pupils hear stories that extend their knowledge and their vocabulary. For example, children in Reception were supported to use new language in making observations about 'The Gruffalo'. They enjoyed describing his 'purple prickles' and wondering if his black tongue makes him 'related' to a giraffe.

Staff teach phonics following a structured programme. They identify any weaker readers and provide additional support to help pupils catch up. Class libraries and the school library are frequently used.

The school promotes a love of reading, such as through author visits and visits to local libraries.

Leaders accurately identify the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Leaders work closely with specialist agencies and organisations to secure the right support and guidance to meet pupils' needs.

Teachers make some adaptations to the teaching or resources where these help pupils to access the curriculum. Leaders make sure that pupils with SEND are included in all areas of school life.

The school's values underpin the pupils' learning about relationships, health and the wider world.

For example, pupils discuss the importance of collaboration when they study the British parliamentary system. They elect members of their own pupil parliament. Pupil parliament members listen to the views of their peers and help them to make changes, including improving the equipment in their playground.

All pupils learn about relationships at the start of each year. Online safety is taught regularly. Assemblies promote key messages, such as the importance of treating different cultures, beliefs and heritages with respect.

Pupils engage with their work diligently and with extremely positive attitudes. They consistently work hard. They are highly motivated to learn and regard weekly praise assemblies to be special occasions when they come together to celebrate one another's successes.

Pupils rarely miss a day of school. Leaders go to great lengths to support pupils whose attendance needs to improve.

Leaders, including the governing body, seek out opportunities to collaborate with others and to find ways to improve, both within the federation and with other professional networks.

They understand their roles and carry them out well. Staff appreciate the support they receive to develop their expertise and to manage their workload. They value being part of the school and the federation.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Sometimes, when teaching does not check systematically pupils' understanding of key subject concepts, pupils' knowledge develops less securely in some areas and pupils are less well prepared to attempt more-complex tasks later. The school should ensure that pupils' recall of prior learning is checked and any gaps addressed.

In some instances, teaching does not emphasise the key subject content that leaders intend for pupils to remember. As a result, pupils sometimes focus more on completing activities than on understanding and remembering important ideas that they will need to know for future learning. The school should ensure that key subject content is taught securely so that pupils build up the cumulative knowledge that they need.

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