Brixham Church of England Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Brixham Church of England Primary is a welcoming school. Staff know pupils as individuals. Parents appreciate the family feel and the care that staff show to their children.

Leaders have high expectations for what pupils can achieve. They ensure that pupils are well prepared for their next steps in life.

Pupils demonstrate calm and respectful behaviour throughout the school day.

They are keen to talk to visitors and are proud of their school. At playtimes, pupils are active and engage in a range of activities. Many of these involve pupils of different ages.

Pupils share, take turns and show competitive spirit. Children in the early years learn succes...sfully, both through play and exploration.

Pupils enjoy the trips and visits that are available to them, such as to a local zoo and museums.

Pupils in Year 5 recently experienced a French lesson at a local secondary school. This allowed them to experience learning a language at the next level. Pupils also benefit from opportunities to develop leadership, such as through membership of the ethos group, as prefects, librarians, or by acting as 'healthy helpers' at lunchtime.

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

Pupils follow a broad and ambitious curriculum. Teachers, parents and pupils have a shared understanding of how the curriculum develops pupils' learning over time. Subject leaders have carefully considered the knowledge they want pupils to remember and the order in which they learn it.

Leaders have planned when pupils should revisit aspects of the curriculum. This helps pupils to consolidate their understanding.

Teachers demonstrate secure subject knowledge.

In most subjects, their use of assessment is planned carefully. This informs teaching and adaptions to the curriculum to tackle misconceptions. However, this is less effective in some subjects.

This means that gaps in pupils' knowledge sometimes persist. In the pre-school, leaders track each child's development over time through, for example, focus weeks and 'learning stories'.

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are well supported.

Leaders work with class teachers to identify pupils who may need additional help. Staff then work collaboratively with parents to develop a detailed understanding of individual pupil's requirements. This supports pupils with SEND to follow the curriculum successfully.

Leaders are passionate about reading and view it as the gateway to success for all pupils. All classes benefit from activities, such as daily story times, where an adult reads aloud to pupils. Leaders have created a 'fab five' of chosen texts for each class, ensuring that pupils are introduced to a diverse range of fiction and non-fiction texts.

Classes also create their own bag of favourite reads to enjoy together.

Leaders recognise that reading starts in the early years with speech and communication. Children are introduced to rhymes, and they re-read texts to build their confidence.

The school's phonics programme starts at the beginning of Reception Year. When children find learning to read difficult, they are well supported to catch up quickly. Parents are encouraged to be part of their child's reading journey.

For example, reading records create an ongoing dialogue between school and home.

Leaders are improving the rate of pupils' attendance. They are working with families to explain the importance of regular attendance and offer further support when necessary.

Pupils enjoy the incentive of trying to win the attendance bear, for example.

The 'character gateways,' which include leadership and expression, develop in complexity from early years to Year 6. They support pupils to understand what it means to be a responsible citizen.

Pupils demonstrate a confident understanding of fundamental British values. The curriculum helps pupils to understand the difference between healthy and unhealthy relationships. Leaders place a strong emphasis on supporting pupils' mental health.

For example, pupils learn strategies to help them to cope with situations they find difficult.

Although there are some extra-curricular activities available to pupils, leaders recognise that pupils need further opportunities to develop and stretch their individual talents and interests beyond the taught curriculum. Plans are in place to develop this offer, but these are not yet embedded.

Leaders create opportunities to engage with parents. For example, coffee mornings take place to share information with parents of pupils with SEND. Parents appreciate the weekly class updates to keep them informed about what their child has learned.

They are positive about the recent changes made by the new headteacher.

Staff are proud to work at this school. They value the approachability of leaders and say they can raise any concerns freely.

Teachers who are just starting out in the profession are well supported by leaders.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Staff talk confidently about the safeguarding training they receive.

Leaders create an ongoing dialogue around safeguarding issues to keep awareness high. For example, they pose a weekly safeguarding question for staff to consider and discuss.

Leaders keep accurate records about any concerns regarding the well-being of pupils.

They work effectively with external services, as required, to keep children safe.

Pupils are safe and have a trusted adult they can talk to. They demonstrate an age-appropriate understanding of how to keep themselves safe when online.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some subjects, teachers do not use the information they gain through assessment to address misconceptions or gaps in knowledge. Therefore, pupils do not build their knowledge in these subjects in the detail they need. Leaders should ensure that assessment is purposeful and used to adapt the curriculum to support pupils to know and remember more.

• There is a limited range of extra-curricular activities for pupils to participate in. This means they do not benefit from a broad range of opportunities to develop their talents and interests. Leaders should ensure that all pupils gain a rich set of experiences during their time at the school.

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