Bungay Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at this school are happy.

Leaders' expectations of them, both for behaviour and attainment, have substantially risen since the last inspection. Pupils are now well behaved and work hard.

Pupils enjoy the new curriculum that is in place.

They are interested in the topics they study and can talk confidently about what they have learned. They are willing to challenge themselves in their work.

Children in the early years are equally well behaved.

They have well-developed independence skills and show curiosity about the world around them. They enjoy role playing and craftwork linked to stories they are reading.

Parents are positiv...e about the school and the changes that have been made.

They know more about what their children are learning. Parents and school staff work closely together where there are any concerns about pupils' well-being or behaviour. There have not been any incidents of bullying recently, but pupils know that they can report it to staff if it happens and that it will be taken seriously.

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

Leaders have brought about significant improvements in the school in a short time. Staff describe it as unrecognisable from the previous inspection. Parents are positive about the school, making comments such as, 'The whole atmosphere of the school has changed.

It's full of smiles and achievements.'

In the last year, the leadership team has expanded and strengthened. There is now a stable, skilled group of teachers able to work with others to further develop teaching and learning.

These teachers have also worked closely with leaders from the trust. Teachers value the professional development they have received. The impact of this is seen in the consistency and quality of teaching.

A new curriculum for subjects such as history, geography and science was introduced in September 2020. Leaders took advantage of the school's partial closure in spring and summer 2020 to ensure that teachers were confident in what they were to teach.

Pupils' work shows that they are developing in-depth knowledge of subjects studied.

They have a good understanding of specific vocabulary such as the layers of the ocean. They can explain and expand on answers. For example, Year 2 pupils consider whether Henry VIII was a good or bad king and why.

The use of timelines is helping pupils understand where events lie in relation to now.

Teachers check on pupils' prior understanding through discussions at the start of topics. The curriculum is being taught for the first time.

Teachers will need to be very aware of how learning fits into the overall plans for learning, so that knowledge builds on that already in place.

Leaders have introduced new procedures for teaching the skills of reading. Pupils read books and non-fiction extracts linked to topics.

They confidently use skills such as predicting and inferring. For younger pupils, phonics is taught consistently. Pupils are able to read effectively using sounds by 'chopping up' words.

The quality of pupils' writing has improved. Leaders have introduced the use of high-quality texts and examples of good writing in lessons to enable pupils to write well. In the early years, children's writing is at an earlier stage than it should be.

This is because they did not do as much writing during the school's partial closure compared to older pupils.

Pupils are clear about the expectations staff have of them in lessons. Teachers set different challenges and check that pupils are working at the right level of difficulty.

Where pupils need more challenge, teachers set them individual tasks to develop greater depth of understanding.

Attendance has improved. Behaviour around the school site is calm and focused.

Pupils are quick to follow directions and get on with their work.

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities are supported well. Learning plans provided for them are clear.

The support provided by staff enables them to succeed and make progress. Pastoral and teaching staff work closely to support pupils with emotional or social needs.

Despite limitations as a result of COVID-19, leaders have maintained a sense of community.

The school comes together for assemblies, albeit virtually. They discuss significant people and their work, and awards are presented to pupils who have shown similar qualities during the week. Pupils take part in debating and contribute to the school council.

Through the curriculum, they learn about a wide range of cultures and people, readying them for life in modern Britain.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

There are well-managed procedures for recording any safeguarding concerns about pupils.

Leaders take appropriate action to keep pupils safe where needed. Leaders and the pastoral team work closely together to support pupils and families. Staff have regular safeguarding training and are clear about risks that pupils may face.

The school's safeguarding procedures are checked regularly by both the multi-academy trust and the local authority. All appropriate pre-employment checks are made before staff begin work in the school.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Pupils are currently learning about new topics for the first time.

As the curriculum becomes further established, teachers should ensure that new learning builds on what pupils have learned previously, so they can make even more progress. ? In the early years, pupils' writing is not as developed as it could be at this point in the year. In order to develop children's fluency, teachers should give them more opportunities for writing.