Brookfields School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Brookfields School is an inspiring environment, in which pupils flourish. Pupils are proud to be a part of this school.

Staff place the pupils' educational, personal, social and emotional development at the core of all that they do. They create a calm atmosphere, where pupils are happy and secure.

Pupils' behaviour is commendable.

They feel valued as individuals. Staff are highly skilled in supporting pupils to manage their feelings and emotions. This includes children in the early years.

In lessons, pupils persevere with tasks extremely well.

All pupils at the school have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). They face signi...ficant difficulties and challenges in their learning and development.

Staff are expertly trained to support pupils to overcome any barriers which they may face. Across curriculum subjects, pupils' achievement from their individual starting points is impressive. This is because staff are exceptionally ambitious for all pupils.

The school prioritises pupils' wider development. Pupils are absorbed in the many opportunities on offer to them. These help to develop and broaden their understanding of the world around them.

For example, pupils take part in a theatre production with other local schools. This gives them the chance to experience a range of different plays and to perform with others.

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

Exceptional leadership is woven into the fabric of this school.

The school, alongside the multi-academy trust and academy council, shares the vision that pupils deserve the very best education. It is relentless in its pursuit to continue to make further improvements to pupils' education, where these are needed. Together with the trust, the school has developed a highly successful staff team, who are focused on meeting the specific needs of all pupils.

Staff feel that the school responds very well to their workload and well-being. They particularly appreciate the professional development that they receive. This supports them to deliver the curriculum effectively.

The school has meticulously constructed the curriculum. There is a real focus on ensuring that pupils develop a rich body of knowledge, along with life skills which prepare them well for adulthood. The school has precisely identified the knowledge and skills they want pupils to learn.

Learning is sequenced seamlessly from early years to Year 6.

Teachers deliver the curriculum with expertise. They have exceptional subject knowledge.

They understand pupils' individual needs well and tailor their explanations to support each child. Staff use the most effective approaches to help pupils to recall and remember knowledge. For example, pupils learn to communicate more effectively over time.

The school has effective processes to identify if pupils have any additional SEND. Staff carefully consider the next steps in pupils' education, health and care (EHC) plans. This includes any therapeutic support, alongside educational provision.

Pupils' needs are met exceptionally well across the school. Subsequently, pupils are prepared superbly well for the next stage in their education.

The school places significant importance on developing pupils' oral communication and reading skills.

From the early years, staff rightly focus on developing pupils' early communication and vocabulary. Children listen attentively and respond to a variety of rhymes, poems and songs. This supports their early language development.

The school identifies correctly when pupils are ready to access the ambitious phonics curriculum. Teachers carefully match the phonics programme to individual pupils' needs. The school develops pupils' communication and reading skills remarkably well.

As a result, pupils' communication and reading skills improve remarkably as they move through the school.

Reading is at the core of the school. As pupils move through school, they experience a wide range of books and stories.

Pupils respond positively to the texts which they study.

Relationships between staff and pupils are exceptional. Routines are well embedded.

This starts in the early years. Pupils understand the school's high expectations for their behaviour. The majority of pupils attend school regularly.

A few pupils do not attend as often as the school would like them to. The school is relentless in its work with families to understand the reasons behind any dip in attendance. The school supports pupils and their parents and carers through a range of strategies.

This is proving to be effective. Typically, this minority of pupils are now attending school more often than in the past.

Pupils' wider development is incredibly well thought out.

There is a razor-sharp focus on ensuring that pupils can carry out every day experiences, this includes visiting the local supermarket. These visits help pupils to become familiar with different environments and prepares them for activities they may take part in outside of school. The school also offers a wide variety of extra activities and clubs to develop pupils' talents and interests.

In addition, the school carefully considers pupils' mental health and well-being. Pupils also learn about the different faiths and cultures which make up Britain.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.