Brook Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school Brook Primary willingly takes in pupils from across Dudley, many of whom have failed elsewhere, and prepares them well for their futures. As a result, it makes a real difference to pupils' lives.

Pupils in the behavioural, social and emotional needs unit make good progress in overcoming their particular difficulties because of effective support and the high-quality training provided for staff. Pupils' achieve well across the school. Attainment in the Year 1 reading check in phonics (sounds and the letters they make) was above average in 2012.

Teaching is almost always good, enabling pupils who have been in the school since their Reception... Year to make at least good progress from very low starting points. As a result, their attainment is broadly average by Year 6. Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage make rapid progress because teachers provide exciting activities.

Pupils are polite and helpful. They behave well and are safe and secure at school. Efficient planning by the governing body means money is spent well for the benefit of all groups of pupils, providing additional staff to support those who are known to be eligible for additional funding.

The school is effectively led by an experienced headteacher. Leaders place a strong focus on improving the performance of staff through rigorous monitoring and training to improve teaching. Leaders, managers and the governing body have brought about improvements in achievement, particularly in reading skills and, also, in attendance since the previous inspection.

It is not yet an outstanding school because : Despite mostly good teaching, not enough is outstanding. Teachers sometimes unnecessarily talk for too long and give pupils little opportunity to practise their own speaking skills. Pupils across the school, particularly the more able, are not always challenged to work quickly enough, especially in writing.

Information about this school

This is a larger-than-average primary school which has grown rapidly in the past few years. It caters for children from the local area and a few who come from further afield who have failed in their local schools due to their challenging behaviour, social and emotional needs, or their learning difficulties. The proportion of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs who are supported at school action, school action plus or with a statement of educational need is well-above average.

Since the previous inspection, the school has established specially resourced provision for pupils with special educational needs. There are eight pupils in the unit between the ages of 5 to 11 who have behavioural, social and emotional needs, and who come from across Dudley. Almost all pupils are White British and no pupils speak English as an additional language.

The proportion of pupils eligible for the pupil premium (additional funding for those known to be eligible for free school meals, those looked after by the local authority and those from service families) is above average. A few pupils are in the care of the local authority and some have free school meals. The school has provision for the Early Years Foundation Stage in the Pre-School for up to 80 pupils and up to 60 in the Reception classes.

The school provides childcare for pupils before and after school, along with a breakfast club and a wide range of after-school activities. All of this provision is managed by the school's governing body. The school meets the government's current floor standards which set the minimum expectations for pupils' attainment and progress.