Brook Street Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Key Findings

This is a good school.

It has improved since the last inspection. Attainment has risen, pupils' progress has accelerated and their behaviour has improved. In this very inclusive school, where pupils speak fourteen different languages, all groups of pupils achieve well.

Most children enter the school with skills which are low compared to those typical for their age. They make good progress as they move through the school and attainment is broadly average by the end of Year 6. Pupils respond well to the good teaching they receive.

Teachers know their pupils well and in most lessons work is closely tailored to their needs. Teachers' clear explanations, good subject knowledge and use of i...nteresting resources all contribute to the good progress that pupils make. The pace of learning is slightly slower in lessons where pupils have fewer opportunities to work on their own, where they do not get the chance to practise their literacy and numeracy skills and when marking is not sufficiently clear for them to be sure about how to improve.

Behaviour and safety are good. Pupils and their parents and carers say that the school is a safe and friendly place. Most pupils behave well, are sensitive to each other's different cultures and opinions, and are kind and respectful to staff and to visitors.

Attendance, although improving, is still below average and the school recognises the need to maintain an unrelenting focus on using all possible strategies to encourage parents and carers to send their children to school regularly. The headteacher provides determined leadership. She has a clear vision for further school improvement which is based upon accurate school self-evaluation and is shared by members of the governing body and all staff.

Brook Street Primary has good capacity to improve further.

Information about the school

This is an above-average-sized primary school. An above-average proportion of pupils are known to be eligible for free school meals.

The school has a higher proportion of boys than average. An above-average proportion of pupils are from minority ethnic groups and a similar proportion speaks English as an additional language. The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs is well above average.

A much higher proportion of pupils join and leave the school mid-way through the school year than is usually seen. The school meets the current floor standard. It has gained Healthy School status.

Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory and 4 is inadequate Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms