Hazelbury Bryan Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Hazelbury Bryan Primary is a welcoming and compassionate school.

Parents value the 'family feel'. They appreciate the time staff take to build warm and supportive relationships.

Pupils' attendance is high.

They feel safe and enjoy social times together. Pupils learn to reflect on their behaviour. This helps them to make good choices and to develop their values and self-control.

If problems do occur, pupils work them through on their own. However, if they need help, they are confident a member of staff will always be on hand. Bullying is rare.

Staff have a calm, caring and consistent approach with children in the early years. As a result, the...y learn to cooperate. Staff skilfully build children's interest in learning activities.

This helps them to sustain their focus and extend their own ideas in creative ways.

Older pupils are attentive in lessons. Typically, they talk knowledgably about their recent learning.

However, in some subjects, pupils' knowledge from their previous learning is less secure.

Pupils enjoy a wide range of extra-curricular clubs and activities. Pupils vote for the after-school clubs.

This helps them to explore and discover their interests. Recent choices include art, football and rounders.

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

The new leadership team is ambitious for all pupils.

They work well to improve all areas of school life. For example, leaders have made enhancements to the English and mathematics curriculums. These are taking effect.

In the early years, children are well prepared for key stage 1. Teachers ensure children frequently hold conversations and listen to stories. This helps children to develop their spoken language and vocabulary.

Teachers plan activities so that mathematical thinking is woven into children's play. For example, children enjoy daily 'maths challenges' such as using the number seven. This led children to build 'sand cleaning' vehicles counting out seven parts to the body and seven pairs of wheels.

The mathematics curriculum for older pupils is well sequenced and implemented. Teachers present information accurately and clearly. Pupils revisit the most essential knowledge until they remember it.

As a result, pupils gain a strong knowledge of concepts and quick mental recall of facts. Pupils can use this knowledge to solve mathematical problems, although they do not do this often enough.

Reading is at the heart of the English curriculum.

Teachers use class texts well to develop pupils' writing and reading comprehension. They are also used to promote a love of reading. Improvements to the phonics curriculum ensure that younger pupils, and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), learn to read fluently and spell accurately.

Pupils learn the sounds they need to know step-by-step. Leaders check carefully how well pupils remember the curriculum. When pupils fall behind, they receive the additional help they need.

This support is effective, particularly for pupils who have difficulty with articulation.

In other subjects, leaders are strengthening the curriculum. Leaders set out what pupils should know at the end of each year in detail.

Teachers use these expectations to plan learning. However, some of this is not well implemented. For example, in history, pupils' knowledge of using evidence and historical concepts are not built well.

This prevents pupils from being able to make historical claims. In contrast, in geography, pupils study both human and physical features and bring this together to build their knowledge of places. Effective monitoring by subject leaders is not in place to allow leaders to check pupils learn the most essential knowledge in each subject.

In some subjects, this is preventing pupils from learning as well as they can.

Leaders ensure pupils understand the importance of keeping themselves physically and mentally healthy. Pupils learn about risks that they may encounter in life and how to keep themselves safe.

This ranges from keeping safe on local roads to understanding how to protect themselves online. Pupils know the importance of talking about worries and know they can turn to a trusted adult for help. Pupils learn about their school values and fundamental British values.

For example, pupils learn about the importance of equality and democracy through secret votes to elect the school council.

Governors provide leaders with the support they need. Staff feel well supported by leaders.

All are proud to be part of this school.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders and staff are appropriately trained.

This means staff understand their roles and responsibilities. They use the school's systems effectively to report concerns. Leaders know pupils well and respond promptly to any issues.

Leaders know when to seek advice from external agencies. They escalate concerns so vulnerable pupils and their families receive the support they need.

Governors audit safeguarding practice and ensure that leaders complete appropriate checks on staff who work at the school.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In a few foundation subjects, teachers do not teach the exact knowledge they want pupils to learn and remember. Where this is the case, pupils do not build their knowledge of the subject as well as they could. Leaders need to ensure that all pertinent knowledge is taught so pupils build their knowledge over time.

• Some subject leaders do not sufficiently monitor the effectiveness of the curriculum and how well it is being taught. As a result, leaders do not know how well implemented the curriculum is. Leaders need to ensure subject leaders have the necessary expertise to review and evaluate the curriculum.