Brookfield Community Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils and children in the early years enjoy coming to school. Pupils told inspectors that they trust that staff will help them if they have any concerns. This helps pupils to feel safe.

Pupils value the recognition that they get from leaders and staff for working hard. This makes pupils happy.

Staff have high expectations of pupils' behaviour.

Pupils across the school, including children in the early years, behave well. This means that, in most lessons, pupils can get on with their learning without disruption. If bullying does happen, leaders and staff deal with it quickly.

Pupils value the range of clubs they can take part in, such as gardening and... mindfulness. They are proud to represent the school at events linked to the choir or competitive sports. They enjoy their visits to museums and local places of interest.

Leaders expect pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), to achieve well. Pupils make the most of the learning opportunities that teachers provide for them. Pupils achieve well and, by the end of Year 6, they are ready for the next stage in their education.

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

Leaders have designed a curriculum that is ambitious for all pupils, including those with SEND. In most of the curriculum, leaders have clearly identified the important knowledge that pupils should learn. They have considered when this knowledge should be taught.

Leaders and teachers check what pupils do and do not know. Teachers have the knowledge they need to present information clearly to pupils. As a result, pupils know more and remember more over time.

In many subjects, pupils, including children in the early years and those with SEND, achieve well.

In a very few subjects, leaders have not thought carefully about what they want pupils to learn. As a result, some pupils have gaps in their knowledge and struggle to remember important information.

Leaders have prioritised reading. Staff are well trained in teaching phonics. They check what pupils and children understand.

Where needed, they provide effective additional support. Consequently, children in the Reception Year quickly learn the letters and the sounds they represent. Staff ably support pupils to improve their understanding and confidence in reading.

Pupils use effective strategies to help them to read new words. They are determined and focused. Children in the early years enjoy exploring books.

The books that pupils read closely match the sounds that they are learning. Leaders make sure that pupils experience the enjoyment that comes from reading a book. As a result, most pupils become fluent readers by the end of key stage 1.

Most pupils are attentive in lessons and keen to learn. Pupils told inspectors that leaders have high expectations of their behaviour. Children in the early years quickly learn the school rules and routines.

For example, they listen attentively to staff and cooperate well with their classmates.

Some pupils are too often absent from school. This has an impact on how well they learn.

Leaders have carefully selected opportunities to enhance pupils' wider development. Pupils develop an understanding of how the brain works and the links to mental health. Leaders have ensured that pupils understand the changes their body and emotions will go through as they get older.

Pupils understand the importance of British values. As a result, most pupils are well prepared for growing up in modern Britain.

Leaders ensure that staff identify pupils' additional needs early.

Leaders work closely with other professionals to ensure that pupils with SEND receive the support that they need. Teachers use a range of effective approaches to adapt their delivery of the curriculum. This means that pupils with SEND learn well.

They follow the same curriculum as their classmates.

Governors ensure that they carry out their legal duties well. Leaders and governors are considerate of staff's workload when making decisions and take positive steps to support staff's well-being.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Staff are trained to spot the signs that a pupil may be at risk of harm. Staff follow clear procedures to report any concerns that they have about a pupil.

Leaders provide staff with regular safeguarding updates. They work well with other professionals and organisations outside the school. This means that pupils and their families can access the help and support that they need.

Pupils understand how to keep themselves and others safe. They recognise what safe behaviour is, both online and face to face. They know where to seek help if they need it.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Some pupils do not attend school regularly enough. This limits how well they learn. Leaders should work with these pupils and their families to improve their attendance so that they can benefit from the good quality of education that the school provides.

In some areas of the curriculum, leaders have not identified the key knowledge that children in the early years and pupils in Years 1 to 6 should learn or when they should learn it. In these subjects, this prevents teachers from designing learning that builds up pupils' knowledge over time. Leaders should ensure that they finalise their curriculum thinking in these areas, so that pupils can build on prior knowledge when they are learning something new.

Also at this postcode