De Bohun Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

De Bohun Primary School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

De Bohun Primary School is a place where everyone is valued.

It is a bigger school than many, but every pupil is important. Pupils enjoy coming to school and know they are safe there. Adults and pupils get along well because respect underpins their relationships.

Parents and carers told me that staff routinely go the extra mile to help children to be successful. This includes helping them to settle when they first start, making sure their children's special educational needs are met, and never giving up on finding solutions to difficulties. Although they live some way from the sch...ool, several parents gladly make the daily journey because of what the school offers.

A significant number of pupils join the school mid-year. Teachers make sure that they feel welcome and check what they know and understand straight away. This makes sure that no time is wasted in helping them to learn.

Pupils are expected to challenge themselves to do their best. They are familiar with the idea of risk-taking. It is something they apply during lessons.

Parents and pupils told me about the very effective support for pupils' well-being and mental health. They know staff are ready to listen and to help when children need it.

Pupils behave well.

They told me that their lessons are not interrupted by poor behaviour. Bullying happens rarely at the school, but leaders act quickly when they hear about it. Pupils are confident that teachers will deal with it well if it happens.

Leaders make it easy for people to report bullying, for example by using the button on the school website.

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

The headteacher is determined that pupils will get a good education so that they are able to make informed choices about their futures. Leaders and teachers have chosen the content of the curriculum so that it gives pupils a good start to their education.

Leaders have worked hard, and continue to do so, to refine the plans which teachers use to teach their lessons. Pupils therefore achieve well across the curriculum. Pupils told me about 'sticky learning', explaining that it is important to remember what they have learned so that they can refer to it in the future.

Sometimes, however, pupils are not fully familiar with the vocabulary that is used in their lessons. This limits the depth of their understanding of the concepts they are studying.

Children get off to a good start in the early years.

No time is wasted in encouraging them to develop a love of stories and books. Teachers make sure that children learn the most important things first so that they have a firm foundation to build on during the rest of their time in school. Children learn to sing a wide variety of well-chosen songs during the early years which contribute to the music curriculum they study in later years.

Teachers have high expectations from the start, for example making sure that children use the right vocabulary in mathematics.

Reading has a high profile in school. Leaders have made sure that teachers are well trained and that pupils have the right books to help them learn to read.

Pupils are taught phonics from their first days in school. Teachers adapt their teaching skilfully to meet pupils' needs. For example, when helping pupils with more complex needs they explain and demonstrate the position of the tongue when pronouncing specific sounds.

Teachers act quickly when they notice that a pupil is struggling to keep up. Small groups taught by well-trained teaching assistants or teachers are effective in helping pupils catch up. Pupils willingly read during break and lunchtimes, choosing to go to the areas set up in corridors with comfortable seating.

Teachers teach mathematics well. As a result of their training, they think carefully about how pupils learn. The activities they choose make sure that pupils gain a secure understanding of the subject.

For example, when they first learn a new concept pupils use practical resources before moving on to more abstract tasks.

Teachers use their time well during lessons to check how well pupils are doing. They hold short discussions with pupils to make sure they understand.

This helps to make the most of learning time. For example, in music lessons the teacher keeps an eye on how pupils hold and play instruments. Timely intervention ensures that pupils develop good habits.

Staff morale is high. Teachers have a highly professional approach to their work. Leaders have taken clear steps to make sure teachers' time is used well.

For example, the school's approach to meetings has been refined so that they are always relevant and tailored to teachers' needs. Teachers value the regular discussions they have with senior leaders about how well pupils in their class are doing. This helps to fine-tune their practice.

Pupils remember the visits they make to places of interest. Older pupils told me about their visit to Wigmore Hall to listen to a string quartet, and about their visit to the Tate gallery. Activities such as these broaden pupils' experiences and open their eyes to new opportunities.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Staff are well trained in safeguarding. Safeguarding leaders make sure they keep themselves up to date with national and local changes.

They make sure that staff know what to do if they have any concerns. Staff have a good understanding of which signs to look out for so that they can respond quickly to keep children safe. Leaders work well with external agencies.

They do not hesitate to take advice or to report concerns.

The school's curriculum includes many opportunities for pupils to learn how to keep themselves safe. As well as general online safety, pupils learn about the potential impact of gaming on mental health.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

Leaders have reviewed the curriculum and made improvements in many subjects. However, they know that further refinements are needed and are taking the necessary steps to secure improvements. Pupils do not have a consistently good understanding of subject vocabulary.

As a result, their understanding of subject content is less thorough than it should be. Leaders should ensure that pupils broaden their vocabulary through planned exposure to it throughout the curriculum.

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 first section 8 inspection since we judged De Bohun Primary School to be good on 6–7 July 2016.

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