Chase Bridge Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Chase Bridge Primary School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy and safe. They develop warm and respectful relationships with each other and with adults. Pupils enjoy each other's company and support each other well in learning and at play.

Leaders and staff have high expectations of every pupil. All adults support pupils to achieve well. Pupils take part in a wide range of visits and clubs related to sport, the arts, languages and technology.

Leaders make sure that all pupils can participate.

Pupils behave well in lessons and around the school. Routines are clear, and pupils understand them.

The atmosphe...re is calm and friendly. Pupils say that there is no bullying. Records indicate that bullying is rare.

Leaders take effective action if it does happen.

Pupils explore and discover in the school's grounds. They learn about and grow a range of plants and food in the 'edible' playground.

The school's own beehive helps pupils to find out about how honey is made and the importance of bees. Leaders make the most of the school's unique location next to Twickenham Rugby Stadium. Pupils take part in regular sports events and rugby tournaments.

The school has well-established international links with other schools in Wales, Italy and Japan.

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

Leaders make reading a high priority. A rich range of books are on display around the school.

This encourages pupils to try new authors and styles of writing. Staff and leaders, including the headteacher, read stories regularly to pupils. Right from the start, pupils develop a love of reading.

Pupils of all ages spoke enthusiastically about their favourite books and authors and why they like them.

Phonics teaching does not start until week four of the Reception Year. However, well-planned teaching ensures that children in the early years catch up quickly.

From an early age, the youngest children and pupils use their phonics knowledge to read accurately and confidently. Older pupils said that they enjoy their reading lessons. They often read texts that link with what they are studying in other subjects.

Pupils like this. However, some texts do not help to deepen pupils' knowledge and understanding in these subjects.

Pupils study an ambitious range of subjects.

Leaders and staff expect all pupils to acquire the knowledge set out in the national curriculum, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). This reflects leaders' high expectations. Staff are well trained.

They know how to adapt tasks to ensure that all pupils achieve well and meet these expectations. Pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education. This includes children in the early years.

In subject plans for mathematics and history, the content is well sequenced. Teaching builds carefully on pupils' prior knowledge and enables them to remember important information. For example, pupils confidently described key facts and ideas about the ancient Egyptian civilisation.

Subject plans for science and geography set out the topics which pupils should study. Sometimes, however, teaching introduces too many new words or concepts at once. When this happens, pupils find it hard to develop a deep understanding of what they have been taught.

Leaders know what they need to do to strengthen subject plans further. They are taking effective steps to make sure that all plans set out clearly what content should be taught and in what order.

The wider curriculum is a strength of the school.

For example, staff take pupils on visits to Teddington Lock, Crane Park and the Isle of Wight. Leaders plan outings carefully and make sure that they link with what pupils are learning in the subjects they study. Leaders ensure that disadvantaged pupils and pupils with SEND attend and join in.

Leaders have ensured that the school has an inclusive and respectful ethos. Adults listen carefully to pupils. They manage pupils' behaviour effectively and make sure that all pupils focus on their learning.

There is very little disruption in classes and around the school, including in the early years.

Leaders have built a strong team culture. Staff say that leaders listen to them and communicate well.

Leaders are mindful of staff well-being when making decisions. Governors are well placed to help the school improve further. They work closely with leaders to strengthen the quality of education.

Governors and leaders communicate well with parents and carers. They are always keen to welcome parents into the life of the school. For example, parents come in for family reading sessions.

Leaders seek parents' views regularly. Leaders use this information to identify what could be even better. Parents told us that they were very happy with the school's work.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders and governors know about risks in the local area. Leaders use this knowledge well.

They develop strong links with external agencies to support pupils and their families. Staff are well trained. They understand the risks to pupils and how to report any concerns.

Leaders make sure that pupils learn how to keep themselves safe. In personal, social, health and economic education, pupils learn about online safety. This has a particularly strong focus in Years 5 and 6 to support pupils when they move to secondary school.

Pupils told us that they feel safe around the school and in the playground.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

Leaders should strengthen subject plans so that they all focus sharply on making sure that pupils are taught the right content and in the right order. In particular, plans should identify precisely when teaching should introduce and revisit important vocabulary and concepts so that pupils understand and can use subject-specific words accurately.

. In cross-subject activities, when teachers select books and texts for pupils to read, subject leaders should ensure that these texts help pupils to learn subject content.

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 a section 8 inspection of a good school or non-exempt outstanding school. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find some evidence that the school could now be better than good or that standards may be declining, then the next inspection will be a section 5 inspection.

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the section 8 inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will convert the section 8 inspection to a section 5 inspection immediately.

This is the second section 8 inspection since we judged the school to be good on 11–12 January 2011.

Also at this postcode