Kidbrooke Park Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Kidbrooke Park Primary School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy school and are proud of their learning. The school's values are evident throughout every aspect of school life. Teachers encourage pupils to recognise and understand their emotions.

Teachers use resources effectively to support and stimulate pupils' learning.

Leaders know individual pupils well and provide bespoke support for them. Leaders set high expectations, and pupils follow the 'golden' rules well.

Behaviour throughout the school is calm, and pupils focus on learning. Pupils are safe. They enjoy playtimes and the range of activities they can acces...s.

Leaders monitor closely and deal with any behaviour or bullying concerns. Pupils know that if they have issues, they can speak with an adult, who will help them.

Leaders provide opportunities for pupils to support the school community.

For example, the school council helps to plan fundraising events. Older pupils have positions of responsibility and take their roles seriously. Teachers encourage pupils to develop effective conversation skills, listening carefully and responding to peers.

Leaders ensure that the curriculum teaches pupils about respecting the values and beliefs of others.

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

Leaders have a clear vision for the curriculum. Teachers build on pupils' prior learning to secure knowledge over time.

Leaders' curricular thinking identifies clear end points to ensure that pupils are ready for the next stages in their learning. In most subjects, leaders identify the important content that they want pupils to know. This helps pupils to deepen their subject-specific understanding.

For example, in computing, Year 4 pupils understood the small steps required to make a PowerPoint presentation.However, in some subjects, leaders have not considered the progression of key knowledge, skills and vocabulary that pupils need to know from early years to Year 6.

Leaders have given reading a high priority across the school.

Phonics teaching starts in the early years, where staff help children to segment and blend sounds accurately. A consistent approach to early reading is in place across the school. Pupils follow the routines of reading lessons and engage with enthusiasm.

Pupils read widely. Teachers support pupils to develop their reading comprehension well. Leaders consider carefully a wide range of rich texts that pupils can read.

Those pupils who need additional support with reading are identified quickly. Staff help these pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), to catch up.

Teachers use their secure subject knowledge to check pupils' understanding effectively.

Teachers identify misconceptions in pupils' knowledge and skills swiftly and address any gaps. Pupils with SEND access the same curriculum as their peers. Adults support pupils, including those with SEND, well.

Children build strong mathematical foundations from the early years onwards. Staff in Nursery helped children to understand about 'one less' through singing and careful explanations. Children explore numbers through activities and games in the indoor and outdoor zones.

Leaders ensure that a consistent approach to teaching mathematics across the school is in place. Teachers ensure that they revisit pupils' prior learning. This helps to develop pupils' mathematical fluency, including in their mental mathematics.

For example, pupils in Year 6 converted fractions to percentages accurately.

Routines and expectations start in the early years. Staff encourage children in Reception to sit in a circle, take turns and to share ideas.

A calm and stimulating environment enables pupils to focus on their learning with little interruption. Leaders consider the support and guidance to help some pupils with behavioural needs. Teachers introduce effective strategies to support pupils who struggle to concentrate.

Leaders encourage pupils to contribute to the school. For example, Year 6 prefects helped younger pupils in the dining hall. The curriculum ensures that pupils learn about their locality and heritage.

Staff encourage pupils to stay physically and mentally healthy.

Leaders ensure that staff feel well supported, including through ongoing training. The governing body and leadership team accurately assess the strengths of the school.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders know pupils and families well. Leaders ensure that thorough training is in place for all staff.

This helps all staff to understand processes to follow when reporting concerns. Leaders work with external agencies appropriately to ensure they provide the correct support for pupils. Leaders and the governing body have a secure oversight of the school's safeguarding procedures.

Pupils feel safe in school. Teachers help pupils to understand how to keep safe, including online.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some subjects, leaders have not considered the progression of key knowledge, skills and vocabulary that pupils need to know from early years to Year 6.

As a result, pupils' subject-specific understanding is not as well developed in these subjects. Leaders should ensure that curricular thinking in all subjects considers the progression and sequence of important knowledge starting from the early years.

Background

When we have judged good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good.

This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act.

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

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in December 2012.

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