Giles Brook Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at Giles Brook Primary enjoy attending this welcoming and inclusive school.

They learn to behave in accordance with the school's values, including kindness and respect. Pupils often repeat the phrase, 'We are many people: we are one school', and they demonstrate this through the way they care for one another. Individuality is celebrated at this school, and many pupils comment that this is a school where you can 'be yourself'.

Pupils enjoy opportunities to develop their skills and talents through a wide range of extra-curricular opportunities, trips and clubs. They learn to work together well, but they also enjoy competing with others through tournaments and spo...rting events.

Pupils are motivated to succeed here because they are rewarded when they work hard and demonstrate the school's values.

They understand that their teachers have high expectations of how they should learn and behave, and they rise to this challenge consistently.

In their responses to Ofsted's survey, Parent View, parents were unanimous in recommending the school. They particularly appreciate that leaders have created a school culture that is supportive and caring.

One parent summed up the views of many by saying, 'We love this school. It feels like a community.'

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

Leaders have planned an ambitious and broad curriculum, which is followed by all pupils.

There are equally high expectations of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), who work towards the same curriculum aims. Leaders have thought carefully about what they want pupils to know and remember in each subject and year group. They have started to train teachers in delivering this curriculum in all subjects, but they recognise that there is still some work to do.

At times, the lesson activities chosen by teachers in some foundation subjects do not reinforce the knowledge they want pupils to remember. This is not the case in the early years, where learning is consistently very purposeful and planned precisely to meet the needs of all children.

Leaders and teachers know pupils very well.

They use assessment effectively to check that pupils are making good progress. This information is used well to adapt learning for pupils, particularly in the early years. There is a rigorous approach to identifying those pupils with SEND.

Teachers are well trained to meet the needs of these pupils within the classroom, as well as through additional support, when required. As a result, pupils with SEND learn well here.

Pupils learn to read well and develop a love of books.

Leaders have used high- quality training to ensure that staff are experts in early reading. Children get off to a particularly good start in the early years, including the nursery. They start to learn letter sounds as soon as possible and build quickly to reading words and sentences through a highly structured approach.

If pupils fall behind, this is identified quickly, and staff work with them to make sure they catch up.

Pupils' behaviour is excellent. In lessons, they are focused and keen to learn.

This is the result of highly respectful relationships with their teachers, as well as effective behaviour systems, which are used consistently well by staff. There are very strong routines for learning, which are built right from the early years as children learn to become increasingly attentive and focused.

Pupils' personal development is a high priority at this school.

Leaders have ensured that the curriculum for personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education is very well planned and delivered. As a result, pupils talk knowledgeably and maturely about a range of topics, such as body image, social media, relationships and identity. There is a highly effective approach to teaching pupils about online safety whereby gaps in pupils' knowledge are identified systematically and then addressed through further teaching.

Pupils also benefit from opportunities to develop their leadership skills by taking on roles such as school councillor, librarian or play leader.

Staff recognise the efforts that leaders make to ensure they feel supported and their workload is manageable. They rightly appreciate that leaders ensure they have the training, time and support to perform their roles well.

Leaders and governors are highly ambitious for their school. They have an accurate understanding of the areas for further development, and they make sure that these are prioritised. Governors are knowledgeable about their areas of responsibility.

They support and challenge leaders to do the best for all pupils. Parents feel well informed about their child's education because leaders communicate with them regularly and effectively.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Safeguarding is a priority here, and this is underpinned by effective policies and practice. Leaders make sure that the necessary checks are carried out on new staff. Any concerns about staff are handled well.

Staff are well trained and understand how to pass on any concerns about pupils' welfare. They do this readily. Leaders act appropriately in response to this information.

For example, they pass on concerns, when needed, to secure help for children and families. Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe through a well-planned PSHE curriculum.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some foundation subjects, the lesson activities chosen by teachers do not consistently reinforce the key knowledge identified in the curriculum.

As a result, pupils' knowledge is not as detailed as it could be in these subjects. Leaders have identified this and should continue with their plans to provide training on the delivery of the curriculum. They should monitor the impact of this on pupils' learning.

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