Brudenell Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Brudenell Primary School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy and safe at this warm, welcoming and inclusive school.

Pupils appreciate the care and support they receive from adults. They know they will help with any worries. Parents and carers appreciate the support that their children receive, both at school and at home.

The school has high expectations for all pupils, both personally and academically. Pupils learn in a supportive and caring environment. The school gives pupils the emotional and learning support that they need to be happy and successful.

Pupils often join the school midway through the academic yea...r. Where extra help is needed, this is quickly identified. Teachers make sure that these pupils get the right support in place, and they achieve well.

Pupils behave well around school and in lessons. They have positive attitudes towards their learning. Exploring 'ASK' (attitudes, skills and knowledge) in lessons helps them to stay focused.

Pupils listen to their teachers and respond well to instructions. This begins in the early years, where children follow a clear set of routines.

Being a 'champion' in school gives pupils the opportunity to lead with purpose.

They work on different projects to engage in a positive way with different members of the local community. For example, community champions worked with a university to develop a tree garden.

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

The curriculum focuses on developing pupils' language and vocabulary.

Many pupils learn to speak English as an additional language (EAL). New pupils, and those who are just starting to learn English, are welcomed and included. Staff use a range of strategies effectively to ensure that these pupils are able to talk about and explore their learning.

They settle into school quickly. These strategies also help pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities to learn well.

The curriculum has been developed from firm foundations that are taught in the early years.

Teachers are knowledgeable about the subjects they teach. They are clear about how new learning builds on previous learning. This helps pupils to understand key concepts.

Teachers carefully check what pupils already know before introducing new learning. This means that new learning builds on prior learning. For example, in science, pupils learn how to investigate and think scientifically with increasing depth.

Teachers work hard to plan activities that engage pupils in their learning. Teachers make effective use of the curriculum resources shared by leaders, which brings learning to life.

Learning to read is a priority.

Older pupils develop their reading skills through guided reading lessons. They are enthusiastic about the range of books available. They are fluent and accurate readers, showing a thorough understanding of the books they read.

The school has recently introduced a new phonics programme. Staff are trained to use this programme. Despite this training, some younger pupils find it difficult to master early reading skills.

For these pupils, books are not matched well enough to the sounds that they know. Intervention lessons, although planned, are not delivered regularly enough to ensure that pupils catch up with their peers.

There is a language-rich environment in the early years.

Adults ensure that children's vocabulary is developed through regular and appropriate interactions. This helps to promote learning in all areas of the curriculum. Adults ask questions to move children's learning on.

Children are taught how to share resources and listen to each other. Children sustain their concentration and are independent. Adults plan activities that capture children's imagination and curiosity.

For example, during the inspection, children were focused and engaged in a role-play activity to extend the story of 'The Three Little Pigs'. During independent activities, children show high levels of concentration and perseverance.

Pupils understand that being 'good to be green' helps them to behave well.

They enjoy earning rewards like 'friends and buddies' (FAB) tickets and the headteacher's award. A large proportion of pupils are persistently absent from school. The school talks to parents to understand the reasons for their children's absence and to promote the importance of regular attendance.

This strategy is not having enough impact. Pupils' attendance is too low across the school. Too much vital learning is being lost.

The school focuses on developing pupils' aspirations and their ability to overcome challenges. For example, 'Aspirations week' encourages pupils to think about potential future careers. 'Safeguarding me' week gives pupils an awareness of how to keep themselves safe.

Educational visits are deliberately planned to ensure that pupils have experiences they have not had before. For example, they travel by train to visit a railway museum.

Staff are very positive about how leaders engage with them.

They feel supported with their workload. Experienced and knowledgeable subject leaders know how to develop their subject further and support teachers well. Governors are proud of their inclusive school.

They have effective systems in place to hold leaders to account.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Pupils who are at the early stages of reading do not have enough opportunities to practise their phonics and early reading skills.

This means that some pupils do not learn to read fluently as quickly as they should. The school should ensure that these pupils have sufficient opportunities to practise their phonics and read books that are well matched to their phonic knowledge in order to develop their reading skills quickly. ? Some pupils do not attend school often enough.

This means that they miss out on important learning. The school should ensure that a more rigorous and effective approach to monitoring attendance is adopted so that pupils' attendance improves and they can access the full curriculum offer.

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 first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good on 14 and 15 March 2018.