Brooklands Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy their time at Brooklands Primary School. Pupils have high levels of attendance. They enjoy their lessons and are positive about how well staff look after them.

Pupils behave well in lessons and during their break and lunchtime. Older pupils enjoy looking after younger pupils. They like showing younger pupils how to play games.

Children in the early years benefit from an outstanding start to school. They achieve exceptionally well and are well prepared for Year 1.

Staff teach pupils about what healthy relationships are.

As a result, pupils have positive relationships with each other and with adults. Pupils appreciate the support adults gi...ve them in school. They know that adults will help them when they have problems.

Bullying is rare. Staff will deal with it effectively if it does happen. Consequently, pupils feel happy and safe at school.

Pupils strive to 'be the best they can be' during lessons. Pupils have a range of opportunities to learn about careers. As a result, pupils have high aspirations for their future.

Pupils see themselves as 'difference makers' and enjoy opportunities to make changes to the school and local community, such as creating a local wildflower meadow.

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

There is a well-sequenced curriculum that clearly identifies the important knowledge pupils need to learn. Leaders have ensured that the curriculum builds on what pupils already know and can do.

Training supports staff to deliver the curriculum effectively. This means that, overall, pupils achieve well. Some curriculum plans have been in place longer than others.

In these subjects, teachers adapt the curriculum well for all pupils. For example, in reading, staff skilfully adapt their teaching to support pupils to read fluently. In a small number of subjects, the curriculum is newer, so teachers are not as secure at matching the work pupils do to the intended learning.

This means pupils do not always learn and remember what leaders want them to.

Leaders identify pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). They work with staff to identify how best to support these pupils in class.

Most of the time, pupils with SEND receive the support they need to achieve well. Leaders have worked to improve their systems for identifying what support pupils with SEND need. Leaders have not yet embedded these changes across the school.

Leaders prioritise reading across the school. Children learn phonics as soon as they start Reception. They quickly begin to develop their fluency in reading.

As pupils become more fluent, staff check their understanding of what they have read. Leaders identify pupils who need extra support with reading. Staff help these pupils to become more fluent.

Pupils enjoy reading. They appreciate the range of stories they can choose from the school library. Pupils also enjoy the stories they read as a whole class, which inspire them to read stories and authors on their own.

Children in the early years achieve exceptionally well. Leaders have carefully reviewed the curriculum and identified how it links to the Year 1 curriculum. More experienced leaders help less experienced curriculum leaders to develop their understanding of their subject in the early years.

There are many opportunities for children to learn all areas of the curriculum. Staff are highly skilled at adapting the curriculum to meet the needs of all children. Staff expertly teach routines to children as soon as they start school.

Children learn independence and self-control. They show these throughout the school day. Children display very positive attitudes to all their learning.

This includes when they find learning hard. Children are very well prepared for Year 1.

Leaders have high expectations of behaviour.

Pupils behave well in and out of lessons. Leaders carefully plan a range of opportunities that develop the talents and interests of pupils effectively. For example, all pupils learn to play a musical instrument.

Pupils are well taught about different cultures and religions. The 'reading spine', for example, exposes pupils to a range of stories from different countries and cultures. Pupils learn how to keep safe, including when online.

Pupils develop a good understanding of democracy through the curriculum but also through the elections for the school parliament.

Leaders have prioritised developing staff's subject knowledge, and they have had success with this. Leaders manage staff's workload and well-being effectively.

Staff appreciate this help. They are proud to work at the school. The vast majority of parents would recommend the school.

Trustees monitor the work of the school. They challenge leaders about the progress pupils are making.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders complete all required pre-employment checks on adults in the school. Trustees regularly monitor safeguarding procedures, and hold leaders to account for these. Leaders ensure that pupils understand how to keep safe.

Pupils know there are trusted adults in school to talk to if they have concerns. Staff understand the safeguarding issues in the local area. They know the process for reporting concerns.

Safeguarding records are clear and detailed. Leaders ensure that they act quickly when staff raise a concern. They access support from other professionals in a timely manner to get pupils the help they need.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some subjects, curriculum plans are newer than in others. This means they are less well embedded. Leaders must ensure that all subjects are consistently implemented so that pupils achieve well in all areas of the curriculum.

In some subjects, teachers do not consistently adapt their teaching to meet the needs of all pupils. This means pupils do not always learn and remember what leaders want them to. Leaders must ensure that teachers are trained to adapt their teaching in all subjects so that pupils learn and remember what they are taught.

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