Buckland Brewer Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

The school is ambitious for all pupils to succeed.

Since the previous inspection, the school has made changes to the curriculum to promote high expectations for all pupils. These actions are making a difference. However, it is still early days.

The curriculum does not yet support pupils to build their knowledge well enough.

Pupils enjoy coming to Buckland Brewer Primary School. This is reflected in their high attendance.

Staff create a positive learning environment where successes are celebrated. Pupils are respectful and treat others equally. Pupils feel safe.

They know that adults will always help them if they have any worries.

Pu...pils' personal development is a strength. Trips enrich the curriculum.

For example, pupils learn about the industrial revolution through their trip to Morwellham Quay. There are a variety of clubs that pupils are involved in. Interschool sport competitions across the federation, such as football, are enjoyed by pupils.

Pupils value their leadership roles. For example, 'family captains' are elected to lead the 'stingray, tiger shark and seahorse' families. All pupils take part in an annual production to help build confidence.

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

The school has worked to improve the design of the curriculum. Subject experts from across the federation have identified and sequenced the knowledge pupils need to know and remember. Some subjects are further ahead than others.

For subjects in their infancy, staff receive support to teach the curriculum well. This is strengthening the effectiveness. However, some staff do not have the subject expertise they need to teach the curriculum successfully.

They are not yet clear how to adapt the curriculum to close identified gaps in pupils' knowledge. This stalls progress through the curriculum for pupils.

The school checks how well pupils are learning the curriculum.

From this, weaknesses in the implementation of the curriculum are identified. However, identified improvements lack precision and are not acted upon quickly enough. As a result, the curriculum does not yet support pupils to learn well.

Teachers adapt learning to help pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) learn the curriculum. The school has worked on improving provision to help these pupils catch up. However, the school has not identified the support some pupils need with enough precision.

Therefore, the adaptations made do not meet pupils' needs well enough. This inhibits pupils' learning.

Pupils are taught how to read from the start of Reception.

Pupils read books that match the sounds they know. This helps them to read confidently. A love of reading is promoted in the school.

This starts in the early years where children experience carefully considered texts, such as traditional tales.

The school has developed the early years curriculum to support children building their knowledge more securely. The curriculum now identifies the knowledge children need to know and remember to prepare them for key stage 1.

For example, pupils are taught successfully how to decode and blend while learning to read. Warm relationships in early years mean children settle well. They are able to maintain focus on activities.

For example, in the mud kitchen, children took pleasure in preparing 'cups of tea and chips' for visitors. The school's actions to develop the provision in early years are beginning to make a difference. However, it is still early days.

The school is calm and orderly. Pupils behave well. The school's learning behaviours are promoted across all classes.

Pupils know how these help them to be successful, such as 'the working together bumble bee'.

The school provides a range of opportunities to develop pupils' knowledge of the wider world. Pupils attend residentials with pupils from other schools in the federation to expand their social group.

A visit to the Houses of Parliament in London helps pupils' understanding of democracy. They enjoy the outdoor learning area. Pupils are taught how to keep themselves safe while exploring the outdoors.

They are supported to be active citizens. For example, those pupils running 'tasty tuck' have raised money to invest in new headphones for the school.

Staff value the support of colleagues from the federation to teach the curriculum.

This includes shared training to develop subject knowledge. Governors know the school well. They understand the school's priorities.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Some staff do not have the subject knowledge they need to deliver the new curriculum effectively. As a result, some pupils do not build their knowledge well.

The school must ensure that all staff develop their subject knowledge and expertise to deliver the new curriculum effectively across all subjects. ? Some pupils with SEND do not have their needs met well enough. This is because the school has not identified with enough precision the support required.

This prevents some pupils from building their knowledge securely over time. The school must ensure that precise support for pupils with SEND is identified and put in place so these pupils can learn the curriculum well. ? Some identified weaknesses in the teaching of the curriculum are not addressed quickly enough.

This is because the school does not check the implementation of the curriculum with enough precision. As a result, some pupils have unaddressed gaps in their knowledge. The school needs to ensure that improvements are accurately identified and followed up with rigour to enable all pupils to learn the curriculum well.