Frederick Bird Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Frederick Bird Primary is a welcoming and caring school. Pupils are happy and safe. They celebrate belonging to the school's wide, diverse community.

Those who arrive speaking another language are quickly helped to settle in.

Relationships between pupils and adults are warm and friendly. Pupils understand what bullying is and why it is wrong.

Bullying happens sometimes, and teachers ensure that it is stopped quickly. If pupils have any worries, they know there is always an adult who can help them. Most pupils behave well in lessons.

However, around the school, pupils do not always follow the school's rules.

Leaders have high expectations tha...t all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), will achieve highly. However, some aspects of the curriculum are not fully developed, so pupils are not learning as well as they could in all subjects.

Pupils develop their wider interests through after-school clubs, such as gardening. They take on a variety of roles to help with the running of the school, for example by becoming a member of the school council.

Parents are supportive of the school.

They say that communication with the school is good and that problems are resolved quickly.

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

New leaders have provided a sharp focus on raising standards in school. Leaders, including governors, have accurately identified the areas that need to improve.

Their vision for the school is known by all staff. Although leaders' plans include informed actions, many are still at an early stage of implementation, and so the full impact of their work is yet to be realised.

Leaders have prioritised the development of early reading.

The school's phonics programme is delivered effectively. Pupils practise reading with books that are closely matched to the sounds they have learned. This means that pupils are becoming more accurate and fluent readers.

Teachers identify weaker readers. They put in extra help for pupils, but some pupils are not catching up quickly enough. Older pupils enjoy talking about their favourite books and authors.

Pupils like using the school's library.

A new curriculum for the early years sets out the key learning that leaders want children to know in Nursery and Reception. The environment in the early years is purposeful.

Adults plan activities that encourage children to explore the world around them.

Pupils follow a broad and balanced curriculum. Plans in some subjects identify important ideas that pupils need to learn and remember.

However, leaders have completed this work very recently. It has not had time to make enough impact on how well pupils learn.

Teaching does not always support leaders' intentions for the curriculum.

For example, there are occasions when pupils' misconceptions are not fully addressed. Teachers do not always use assessment well. This means that they are not sure what pupils know and remember.

Sometimes, the work given to pupils does not accurately meet their needs, so pupils do not learn as well as they should.

Many leaders are new to their roles. They are still developing their knowledge about their areas of responsibility.

They do not always know how teachers are delivering the curriculum or how well pupils are achieving.

Pupils with SEND are not always accurately identified. Targets for all pupils are not shared with teachers or reviewed often enough.

Pupils with SEND access the same curriculum as their peers. However, teachers do not always know how to adapt lessons to ensure that pupils achieve the best possible outcomes in their learning.

Some pupils miss too much school, and leaders have recently implemented strategies to improve pupils' attendance.

Overall, pupils have positive attitudes to learning. However, staff do not always apply the school's behaviour management system consistently. Consequently, pupils do not always follow expected routines.

The curriculum for pupils' personal, social, health and economic education is planned and sequenced carefully. A wide range of extra-curricular opportunities, including educational visits, build on pupils' learning of the curriculum. For example, visits to a local university promote aspirations and broaden horizons.

Throughout the school, pupils learn about respectful, positive relationships. They learn about diversity and tolerance for others. They know why this is important.

Leaders provide strong, caring pastoral support for pupils and their families.

Staff know that leaders take their well-being seriously. Staff appreciate that leaders pay attention to their workload.

They say that leaders support them well.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders, staff and governors have created a strong culture of safeguarding.

Staff members are well trained to support pupils who may be at risk of harm. Procedures to identify and report concerns are understood clearly by staff.

Leaders make sure that appropriate checks are made on staff before they start work at the school.

Leaders and governors are trained in safer recruitment.

Leaders have designed a well-considered curriculum to help pupils learn about the different ways they can stay safe. This includes the importance of healthy relationships and risks they may face when online.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority) ? Leaders do not identify the needs of pupils with SEND quickly or accurately enough. This means that teachers do not have an accurate understanding of how to meet the needs of all pupils with SEND. Leaders should make sure that the needs of pupils with SEND are identified and that teachers know how to adapt their teaching so that all pupils with SEND are supported to achieve well.

• Some subject curriculums do not identify the important knowledge that pupils need to learn and remember. Consequently, pupils do not build on what they already know effectively. Leaders should ensure that all subject curriculums are well sequenced so that teaching helps pupils to know and remember more and that pupils are well prepared for what comes next.

• Teachers do not always use assessment effectively. In lessons, pupils' misconceptions are not always addressed, and learning is not adapted to the needs of pupils. Leaders should make sure that all teachers receive appropriate training in the school's assessment strategies so they can support all pupils to make better progress.

• Some leaders who oversee important areas of the school's work are new in post. They would benefit from more support and guidance to ensure that they understand their roles. Senior leaders should continue to invest in high-quality support and training for middle leaders in the school.

• Some members of staff are not following the school's behaviour policy. This means that not all pupils follow the expected routines in social times in the school. Leaders should ensure that the behaviour policy is understood by all members of the school community and applied consistently.

• Some pupils do not attend school often enough. They are missing opportunities to learn and are not making as much progress as they should. Leaders should continue to work with families to ensure that all pupils attend school regularly.