Broomhill Infant School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Broomhill Infant School is a happy and welcoming school where pupils thrive.

Pupils and staff describe the school as being 'one big family'. Staff are ambitious for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). They have high expectations of what pupils can achieve.

Pupils work hard, enjoy learning, and are proud of their achievements.

Pupils behave well throughout school. In lessons they are keen to learn and they participate positively in lessons.

They are polite and welcoming of visitors. Pupils report that bullying is rare. They are confident that adults would be quick to address any problems with behaviou...r if they did arise.

Pupils benefit significantly from the exceptional personal development offered by the school. Every pupil accesses a day of high-quality outdoor learning each week. These opportunities are carefully planned by expert teachers and enhance and reinforce learning across the curriculum.

Pupils understand and celebrate the differences between each other There are frequent celebrations of the diversity of the community. This might be through acknowledging religious celebrations or inviting parents to talk to pupils about their cultural heritage. Parents are involved in a very close partnership with the school.

Parents who completed Ofsted's survey, Parent View, were overwhelmingly positive about the school and would recommend it to others.

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

Leaders have planned an ambitious curriculum. They have identified the important knowledge that they want pupils to learn.

There is a clear sequence of learning from Reception to Year 2. Pupils with SEND access the same ambitious curriculum. New learning builds upon what pupils have learned previously.

Teachers accurately check what pupils already know and use this information to identify and address any gaps in knowledge. In most subjects the carefully planned curriculum ensures pupils learn well. However, in a small number of subjects, such as computing, pupils do not remember as much from their learning.

Teachers have good subject knowledge. They plan and teach interesting lessons that pupils enjoy. However, the work that pupils produce is variable.

Teachers are not consistently addressing errors that pupils make in basic skills such as spelling, handwriting and punctuation.

Reading is a very high priority in the school. The school's chosen scheme for the teaching of phonics is taught by well trained teachers.

Pupils are enthusiastic about reading, reporting that they love to read. They read aloud from books that are well matched to the sounds that they know. Assessment is used well to quickly identify any gaps in pupils' knowledge.

Highly focussed and bespoke interventions are put in place to address those gaps. This ensures that pupils keep up with their learning in reading.Pupils with SEND are supported well.

Where necessary, the curriculum is carefully adapted to ensure these pupils' needs are met, such as through expert support of an adult or additional resources. The school works closely with parents and a range of outside agencies to provide effective support for pupils with SEND. The school has established a 'hub' to serve the needs of some pupils with SEND.

These pupils are assigned bespoke plans. Parents are closely involved in the planning. The hub is a place where pupils can learn how to manage their feelings and regulate their own behaviour.

Pupils in the outdoor learning area, including the youngest children, are involved in highly engaging and well-planned activities. They find and observe minibeasts or explore how water is affected by gravity. They are supported well by adults who have high expectations of them.

There is a strong focus on the development of language and vocabulary. High expectations of behaviour are met.

Children in early years are well prepared for the next stage of their education.

For example, they use tablet computers to make weather forecast video broadcasts. There are many opportunities for children to engage in activities to support their learning of early mathematical concepts. There are clear routines and high expectations.

The early years environment is typified by strong relationships between children and with adults. Teachers regularly check on children's learning. Where there are gaps in learning, these children are targeted for focussed support that helps them keep up.

Leaders have been determined to improve some pupils' attendance. They have worked tirelessly to communicate to parents and carers the importance of their children attending school every day. As a result, there have been improvements in some pupils' attendance.

However, some pupils are still not attending school often enough.

Staff are proud to work at the school. They know that leaders consider their workload and well-being.

They appreciate the training and professional development they receive. The arrangements for governance serve the school well. Governors make visits to the school and know the school well.

They contribute positively to the leadership of the school, for example by discussing important financial decisions.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Some pupils do not attend school often enough.

They miss out on important learning, which hinders their achievement. Leaders should ensure that they continue to work with parents and carers so that they understand the importance of school attendance and the impact this has on pupils' learning. ? Pupils' work, across subjects, contains errors in basic skills, including in handwriting, punctuation and spelling.

These are not consistently addressed by staff. Pupils repeat the same mistakes over time, which hinders them from achieving as well as they should. The school needs to make sure that all staff consistently identify and promptly address pupils' errors and misconceptions.

• In a small number of subjects, curriculum plans have not been fully embedded. As a result, some pupils do not remember the important knowledge as well as they could in those subjects. The school should continue its work to embed the curriculum so that the impact is seen in all pupils reaching the highest standards of which they are capable.