Brookfield Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Brookfield Primary School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy attending this caring school.

Pupils are happy and safe at this school. Staff encourage pupils to be kind and responsible.

Staff know the pupils well.

They have kind and respectful working relationships with pupils. Staff are vigilant and deal with any concerns pupils may have appropriately.

All pupils feel fully included in school life, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

Staff have high expectations of pupils' learning. Leaders have designed a broad and balanced curriculum, which helps pupils to bui...ld a deep knowledge over time, including in early years. Across the school, pupils behave well and enjoy their learning.

Pupils have many opportunities to develop their talents and interests. Pupils can take part in after-school clubs including drumming, bridge and science. They can go on outings to the British Museum, London Zoo or the seaside.

Pupils enjoy exploring during outdoor learning activities.

Parents and carers are very positive about the school. They shared how the school feels like a family, with pupils at the heart of the school's work.

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

Leaders have created an ambitious curriculum. It is carefully designed from Nursery onwards to ensure pupils build up their knowledge in most subjects over time. For example, in computing, pupils progress from block-based coding to writing their own simple programmes.

In physical education (PE), pupils develop their ball handling skills so that they can play competitive games confidently. In mathematics, pupils deepen their understanding of key number facts from the early years through to Year 6. However, in a small number of subjects, the school has not selected the key building blocks of knowledge they want pupils to learn.

As a result, pupils' knowledge and understanding of subject content are not deepened.

Leaders prioritise reading throughout the school so that pupils become confident readers. From the early years, children join in with a range of familiar rhymes, songs and stories.

Pupils learn to read from the start of Reception. Staff are well trained to deliver the agreed phonics programme to a high quality. They model sounds to pupils precisely.

Pupils have regular opportunities to practise the sounds they need to learn. Staff intervene swiftly and effectively when pupils need extra help. Pupils have access to texts that are carefully matched to the sounds that they are learning.

As a result, they develop their reading accuracy and fluency. The school promotes a love of reading. Staff encourage pupils to visit the well-stocked school library.

Teachers present information clearly and routinely check pupils' understanding. As a result, they address any misconceptions swiftly. Teachers adapt learning and resources for pupils with SEND skilfully.

In the early years, teachers provide children with lots of opportunities to develop their communication and language, and to deepen their understanding of mathematics. Teachers ensure that children are ready for the move to Year 1.

Leaders are ambitious for pupils with SEND.

They think carefully about the help these pupils need to be successful. As a result of regular training, their needs are well understood and met by staff. Pupils with SEND are supported well to meet ambitious curriculum goals.

Staff have high expectations for pupils' behaviour. Pupils understand how to behave well in class and around the school. When pupils do not meet these high expectations, leaders take swift action.

They use a range of personalised support for any pupils who need extra support. This includes building strong relationships with local partners to support pupils with SEND. Pupils attend regularly and the school provides comprehensive support on rare occasions when pupils' attendance needs to improve.

Leaders encourage pupils to take on responsibilities. For instance, the school council redesigned the lunch hall, created a playground behaviour charter and led assemblies. Pupils can become reading and art ambassadors, or playground champions.

All pupils take part in the 'Arts at Brookfield Project'. This enables pupils to work together and create short films.

Staff are proud to work at this school.

They appreciate leaders' efforts to reduce their workload and support their well-being. Teachers were positive about the training opportunities they receive. Governors know the school well.

Leaders at all levels are reflective and committed to the school's further improvement.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In a small number of foundation subjects, the school has not selected the key knowledge or vocabulary that it wants pupils to learn.

As a result, the curriculum in these subjects is less rigorous and ambitious and pupils' learning is more superficial. The school should review the curriculum in these subjects and decide on the key knowledge that all pupils must learn so that they can deepen their knowledge and understanding.

Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good.

This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act.

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in June 2014.