Broadmere Primary Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Kindness permeates this welcoming school.

Warm and trusting relationships between staff and pupils are cherished and nurtured. Pupils are very polite to each other as well as all adults. Pupils understand and value the importance of equality and diversity.

Leaders have high expectations of behaviour and achievement. Pupils work hard to meet these. They behave well in lessons and around the school.

Playtimes are calm and cheerful occasions where pupils have fun. Pupils know that staff will deal with any issues quickly. This helps them feel safe and ready to learn.

Bullying is not something pupils worry about.

Pupils from a wide range of cultu...ral heritages enjoy attending this friendly school. Parents and carers are overwhelmingly supportive of this inclusive school and its ambitions to develop pupils personally as well as academically.

This includes broadening pupils' horizons and raising aspirations for the future.

Leaders work with determination to ensure that pupils achieve their potential. Pupils embrace the motto of 'thrive, aspire and achieve' and leaders, including governors, use it to reinforce all of their decisions.

Leaders and the Bourne Education Trust have brought about significant improvements to the school. However, they recognise that provision in the early years needs further strengthening.

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

The school's embedded values and ambitious wider curriculum help pupils to be confident and feel accepted.

Most pupils at this school speak English as an additional language. Leaders have therefore rightly understood the need to take an even sharper focus on teaching important vocabulary so that pupils can access learning.

Leaders have carefully considered the curriculum from Nursery Year through to Year 6 and the precise order in which learning should happen.

This means that learning builds progressively on what pupils know and need to be able to do. Although leaders have brought about improvement to the quality of education, they are not always clear about the impact of their work. This is because they do not check or challenge pupils' thinking well enough through effective assessment, including in the early years.

Children in the early years do not get off to the strong start they all need. They do not all benefit from a consistently high quality provision. This is because children's knowledge and skills are not sufficiently developed.

Too many children do not learn well enough across all areas of learning, so they are ready for Year 1.

Teachers are quick to identify when pupils need some extra help and make sure this is put into place. Leaders invest in making sure pupils do not fall behind and in supporting them to catch up when necessary.

This is reflected in how well the needs of the vast majority of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities are met.

Pupils are becoming confident and proficient readers. This is because of rigorous training and effective teaching.

The school's phonics programme is supplemented well by a range of high-quality resources, including reading books matched to the sounds that pupils know. Teachers prioritise reading to their pupils. Older pupils particularly love listening to engaging stories as it helps them to develop their understanding and vocabulary.

Staff model their high expectations of behaviour. This is demonstrated in the respect that is deep-rooted in pupils' interactions. The school is a calm, positive and orderly place.

The vast majority of pupils listen attentively to their teachers in lessons. Pupils' learning is rarely disrupted by off-task behaviour.

Too many pupils, especially those who are disadvantaged, do not attend school regularly enough.

Leaders have recently appointed new staff to support and challenge families. This is beginning to improve attendance.

Leaders' passion in their work to develop pupils as well-rounded individuals is effective.

Pupils have a deep understanding of each other's differences and say that everyone is treated fairly. Leaders' work to enhance pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is of high quality. So too is its pastoral support.

The 'well-being woofer' is a favourite four-legged visitor, melting hearts and learning barriers.

Leaders, trustees and governors show an admirable moral imperative. Their plans to continue their improvement work are well thought through and checked.

Governors have a clear view of the strengths of the school and provide focused support and challenge.

Staff are proud to work at this school and value the benefits they receive from being part of this trust. For example, they appreciate the bespoke professional development and practical support to improve their practice.

Staff also feel well supported because of how leaders have considered their workload, well-being and personal growth.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Staff are well trained to recognise potential signs of harm in children.

They report any concerns and leaders diligently make sure that these are followed up. Leaders get to know all pupils and their families well. They understand the community and whether there are any local risks.

The school works effectively with other professionals to reduce harm and get pupils the help they need. Information about child protection is recorded in detail and overseen thoroughly to ensure that no concerns are missed. Checks on adults appointed to work in the school are carried out meticulously and monitored by leaders and the trust.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Assessment, including in the early years, is not consistent or effective. Teachers are therefore not always confident in knowing how secure pupils are in their understanding and recall of key knowledge. Leaders should train and support teachers to ensure that pupils know and remember more across the school's curriculum.

• Children in the early years do not consistently benefit from high-quality provision. Their learning and developmental needs are not being met for when they move into Year 1. The planned curriculum does not meet the needs of all children.

This means that many are not getting the best possible start to their time in school. Leaders should act quickly to strengthen teaching in the early years. Staff need appropriate training and ongoing support and guidance to improve their practice.