Bude Primary Academy - Infants

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Bude Primary Academy Infants is a school showing rapid improvement.

Leaders want the best for pupils. They have an accurate view of the current strengths and areas for development. Leaders have made changes that have resulted in more positive outcomes for pupils.

However, they know that there is still more to do. Although the curriculum has improved, pupils do not learn as well as they could in some subjects.

Pupils behave well.

Classrooms are calm. Pupils say that bullying rarely happens. Staff use a consistent approach to help pupils understand and improve their behaviour.

This starts as soon as children join Reception. Pupils view the sta...ff team as kind and caring. They know that they can share any worries with them.

This helps pupils to feel safe. Pupils say that the 'above and beyond' points help them to understand that only their best effort is good enough.

Many parents and carers told inspectors about the notable recent improvements to the school.

They appreciate leaders being available and approachable. A parent commented: 'Leaders want the best for all pupils. They make sure pupils are happy, safe and nurtured.'



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

Leaders have designed an ambitious curriculum. However, it is at the early stages of implementation. In some subjects, the impact in classrooms is variable.

This is because the curriculum is not yet taught well enough. Teachers are unclear about the key knowledge that pupils need to gain, particularly in the foundation subjects. Consequently, pupils do not make as much progress through the curriculum as they could.

In reading and mathematics, subject leaders closely check the quality of the curriculum. They provide meaningful feedback to staff to improve the offer for pupils. In other subjects, this is less effective.

Some subject leaders do not check that learning activities help pupils to learn the intended curriculum. Consequently, pupils sometimes develop gaps in their knowledge.

In the foundation subjects, teachers do not use assessment effectively to understand what pupils know and remember.

This means that teaching does not always take pupils' prior knowledge into account. As a result, some pupils do not build knowledge well enough. This makes it more difficult for pupils to remember their learning over time.

Leaders provide training that enables staff to identify pupils who may have special educational needs and/or disabilities. Pupils receive targeted support that helps them to be successful.

Reading is a strength of the school.

Pupils love to read. The 'rocket reader' system encourages pupils to read for pleasure. Leaders make sure that reading is high profile.

They use assemblies to celebrate reading. Pupils regularly listen to teachers reading aloud. Leaders choose these books carefully to widen pupils' reading diet.

Pupils read books that match their reading ability. They develop into confident readers. Pupils who struggle to read receive help to catch up quickly.

Leaders provide training that helps all staff to teach phonics well.

Children in the Reception Year get off to a strong start. They settle quickly into routines, as a result of a well-thought-out transition programme.

Children are familiar with the expectations teachers have of them. As a result, they are calm, focused and ready to learn. Staff know children's needs well.

They expect children to be independent but remain nearby for support. Children learn letter sounds from the very start of the year. Teachers use regular stories and rhymes to support children to build vocabulary well.

By the end of the Reception Year, children's writing is impressive. They are well prepared for the curriculum in Year 1.

Leaders have an effective approach to promoting pupils' personal development.

Pupils increase their understanding of global and local issues. For example, links with a school in Nigeria help pupils to learn about diversity. Leaders encourage pupils to take responsibility for promoting positive behaviour.

Pupils act as behaviour monitors. They confidently advise other pupils how they should conduct themselves around the school building.

Staff are overwhelmingly positive about working at the school.

They are proud to belong to the team. Leaders ensure that staff have time to devise and embed new ideas. Staff appreciate the consideration given to their workload during a period of rapid improvement.

Hub counsellors know the school well. They, along with the trust, offer suitable support and challenge to school leaders. The trust ensures that improvement plans help the school to continue to improve further.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Pupils feel safe. There is a strong culture of safeguarding.

Staff know pupils well. They spot any cause for concern quickly. Procedures for recording and reporting concerns are robust.

Weekly welfare meetings help leaders to share information and secure timely support for vulnerable families.

Leaders make the right safeguarding checks when recruiting staff. They maintain an accurate log of these checks on the single central record.

Leaders provide regular and relevant safeguarding training for all staff. This supports staff to understand local and national safeguarding developments and priorities.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Teachers are unclear about the key knowledge that pupils need to know and remember in the foundation subjects.

Teaching does not always support pupils to build knowledge well. As a result, some pupils have gaps in their understanding. Leaders need to ensure that the key knowledge that pupils need to know in all subjects is identified clearly.

• Teachers do not use assessment effectively to understand what pupils know and remember in some subjects. As a result, they do not always adapt learning based on what pupils already know. Leaders must ensure that there is a consistent and effective approach to assessment in all subjects.

This will enable teachers to adapt learning successfully based on pupils' prior knowledge. ? Some subject leaders are new to their roles. They do not yet provide enough guidance and support to teachers.

As a result, teachers do not always design learning activities that best support pupils to learn the intended curriculum. Some pupils develop gaps in their understanding, and this makes it difficult for them to build knowledge well over time. Subject leaders need to ensure that they support staff to implement the curriculum effectively.

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