Buswells Lodge Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at Buswells Lodge enjoy learning in all the subjects of the school's new curriculum.

Pupils can discuss what they are learning. For example, some pupils speak with interest about their recent topic on the human heart. They enjoy reading books by different authors and sharing stories together as a whole class.

Pupils' personal development is a strength. Pupils learn about their multi-cultural school. They appreciate each other's similarities and differences.

The school's 'learning power' mascots help pupils when they are learning. For example, pupils remember the mascot 'Determino' in mathematics when they do not get things right the first time.
.../>Pupils are polite and respectful to visitors and adults.

Most of the time, they behave well. However, pupils say that staff are not consistent in how they deal with incidents of poor behaviour. Pupils say that bullying happens but not all staff take it seriously.

Some staff do not deal with bullying when it occurs.

The school's curriculum is developing. Pupils are now taught all national curriculum subjects.

Sometimes, curriculum plans do not make clear what it is teachers want pupils to learn. The school's phonics programme is not helping all pupils to learn to read.

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

Leaders have introduced a new curriculum.

Leaders have not checked how teachers are delivering the curriculum. Some teachers are not adapting the curriculum to meet the needs of all pupils, including some pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

The phonics programme does not help all pupils learn to read.

There is not a consistent approach to the teaching of phonics. Staff use resources from different phonics schemes. This confuses pupils when they are learning new sounds.

Pupils who are struggling to learn to read are not taught well enough. The books staff ask some pupils to read are too hard for them. Pupils are not supported well when they are trying to read.

In some subjects, such as history and geography, leaders have not considered how pupils' knowledge will build over time. Sometimes, teachers are not clear about what they want pupils to learn. Pupils remember the activity but not the key knowledge.

Pupils have topic 'knowledge organisers' which set out what they will learn. These are not used consistently in all classes.

Pupils with SEND have strong relationships with the staff who support them.

The nurture provision helps pupils who have anxiety or struggle to settle at school. The leaders for pupils with SEND have not checked how teachers are adapting the new curriculum to meet pupils' needs. Some staff say they have not had enough training to support pupils.

In some subjects, such as physical education and mathematics, the curriculum is well sequenced. Pupils' learning develops as they move through the school. Teachers recap prior learning to help pupils remember key knowledge.

For example, pupils use the 'flashback four' approach in mathematics to help them recall knowledge before moving on.

The school's policy for managing pupils' behaviour is not used consistently. Some staff do not have high standards about how pupils should behave.

Pupils say they feel safe in school. However, they also say bullying occurs. They say that some staff deal with bullying, but other members of staff do not take concerns seriously.

One pupil who had been bullied said they had to 'put up with it'. Another pupil said the approach of some staff to bullying was 'questionable'.

In the early years, the curriculum is not planned in enough detail.

It does not set out what teachers want children to learn. Some teachers do not expect enough of children. While staff are kind and caring, some children are not well supported.

Children are keen to get involved in their learning. For example, children in the nursery joined in with rhymes and songs. They enjoyed sharing the story 'Shark in the Dark'.

The school's curriculum for personal development and relationships and sex education is a strength. Pupils talk with confidence about what they have learned. This includes learning about their bodies, consent, healthy relationships and mental health.

Pupils are taught to be resilient learners. Pupils are keen to develop the school's eco-status. They seek funding to establish the school's 'tiny forest'.

Pupils are determined to make the school a 'greener place'.

Governors are getting better at holding leaders to account. They know what needs to be done.

Sometimes, they do not challenge leaders enough to check improvements are happening.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Staff across the school know they must be vigilant.

They receive frequent training to keep safeguarding at the forefront of their minds. They know how to pass on concerns, including if they have any about other staff or leaders. Leaders follow up concerns about pupils with rigour.

They pass on concerns to other agencies when they need to. If they are unable to get support from other agencies, leaders make sure they keep in regular contact with families and offer support when needed. Record-keeping and pre-employment checks are thorough, and staff are steadfast in maintaining accurate records.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The school's programme for phonics and early reading is not effective for all pupils. There is not a consistent approach to teaching phonics. Some staff do not have the subject knowledge to support all pupils.

Leaders must ensure the school's phonics programme is taught consistently, and that all staff have received the appropriate training to support all pupils to learn to read. ? In some subjects, such as history and geography, leaders have not considered carefully enough the sequence in which pupils will learn new knowledge. Some knowledge is not broken down clearly enough to show how it will develop over time.

Leaders must ensure the sequence of learning in all subjects is clearly defined to enable pupils to build on what they have learned before, beginning in the early years. ? Leaders are not monitoring carefully the delivery of the curriculum to ensure it is meeting the needs of all pupils, including those with SEND. Sometimes, what teachers want pupils to learn is unclear.

Leaders must ensure subject leaders and the leaders for pupils with SEND have time to review the implementation of the curriculum and provide staff with the necessary support for their teaching. ? The expectation of children in the early years is not consistent. Some staff do not have high enough ambitions for children.

The curriculum is not planned carefully across the foundation stage to ensure that it builds children's knowledge as they move through the early years and into Year 1. Leaders must ensure that staff have high-enough ambitions for what children can achieve and that the curriculum is sequenced and sufficiently detailed to develop children's knowledge. ? The school's approach to behaviour management is not consistent.

Some staff do not have high-enough expectations of pupils' behaviour. Pupils do not believe staff deal with behaviour consistently. Leaders must ensure the school's policy for behaviour is implemented effectively and consistently.

• Pupils believe that bullying happens. They say that it is not dealt with consistently by staff. Leaders must ensure that incidents of bullying are taken seriously, followed up and acted upon to prevent them from reoccurring.