Mitchell Brook Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have ensured that there is a vibrant and inclusive community feel at Mitchell Brook. Parents and carers value the experiences that leaders provide for their children to enhance their time at school.

The STAR values (successful, team focused, aspiring attitude, respectful and spirited) are lived out through all that takes place at the school. Pupils described how they exemplify these, both in their learning and play.

Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), learn an ambitious curriculum.

Pupils' outcomes in the English and mathematics assessments at the end of Year 6 are well above national averages. In some ot...her subjects, however, pupils' knowledge does not develop in as much detail and depth in Years 1 to 6.

Pupils' excellent behaviour during lessons promotes their learning.

At breaktimes, pupils take part in lots of physical activities, and they play well together. Pupils care for and support one another. They understand the school rules and routines, and staff use lots of effective approaches to make sure that these are followed consistently.

Incidents of bullying are rare and dealt with swiftly and effectively. All of this means that pupils have a highly positive experience of school life.

Pupils enjoy their lessons and the extra-curricular activities in which they participate.

Pupils spoke confidently about who their trusted adults are and said that they feel safe at school. Pupils are kept safe.

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

The school has planned an aspirational curriculum that begins in the early years and culminates with pupils being ready to progress on to secondary school successfully.

The curriculum is ambitious and meets, or exceeds, what is expected nationally. Curriculum thinking identifies what pupils should learn and when. This has been very successfully put into practice in early reading and mathematics, as well as in the early years.

The Nursery and Reception provision enables children to get an excellent start to their schooling. For example, in mathematics, children in Reception practise using correct mathematical vocabulary. Teachers model the language expertly and use a variety of resources to ensure that concepts are fully understood.

This allows pupils to successfully build on their mathematical knowledge as they move through the school.

In some wider curriculum subjects, approaches to teaching the curriculum are at an earlier stage of being established in Years 1 to 6. In these instances, the activities chosen for pupils to complete are, at times, not as successful in building upon pupils' prior knowledge.

This is particularly true in the most recently developed curriculum areas. This means that pupils do not know and remember as much for some wider curriculum subjects as they do for others.

Reading is prioritised at this school.

Children begin learning to read from day one of their start in early years. All staff receive regular, high-quality training to allow them to successfully deliver the phonics curriculum effectively. Assessment is used both formally and informally to identify and promote pupils' progress through the curriculum.

Leaders use appropriate support and extra help to make sure that all pupils keep up in the development of their phonics knowledge. The phonics screening check outcomes are very strong. Pupils are given books at appropriate decodable levels each week to practise reading.

Parents also receive helpful support in listening to their children read. Pupils spoken to were enthusiastic about reading at the school. They appreciate that there is time built into the school day to allow them to read for pleasure.

The school ensures that staff are able to support all pupils, whatever their needs, to access the curriculum. Leaders ensure that the outcomes for pupils with SEND are as strong as their peers. Clear strategies for early identification and careful communication with parents help to ensure that pupils are well supported throughout their time at school, from early years to Year 6.

The school also ensures that it works closely with external agencies to give the best possible support to pupils.

Leaders have high expectations for pupils' behaviour and attitudes. They have thought carefully about how to promote excellent behaviour at the school.

As a result, pupils display consistently positive attitudes and are highly committed to their learning. Leaders ensure that learning and times between lessons are calm and purposeful. Pupils and parents understand the importance of attending school every day.

All staff are involved in promoting regular attendance and are continually working with pupils and their families to further improve attendance.

The school's work to enhance the social, moral, spiritual and cultural development of pupils runs through everything that takes place at Mitchell Brook. The provision on offer for pupils is of exceptional quality.

Pupils actively celebrate cultural diversity and take on a number of leadership positions with pride and enthusiasm. These roles aim to support the promotion of the school values. They also create opportunities for pupils to contribute to their school community and beyond.

Positions of responsibility include becoming house captains, school councillors, eco-warriors, sports ambassadors and goodwill ambassadors. Pupils take these responsibilities seriously from the very start, including going through an application and voting process for the role.

The school supports the professional development of staff.

Leaders at all levels understand how thorough training helps to underpin the quality of the education received by pupils. The school is considerate of staff well-being, and this is appreciated by all.

The governing body is fully involved in the life of the school.

It works well with leaders to secure ongoing improvements.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some foundation subjects in Years 1 to 6, particularly where the curriculum has been more recently introduced, the choice of learning activities is not as clearly thought out and purposeful as it is in others.

In these instances, pupils are sometimes not supported to learn and master all of the intended curriculum knowledge. These gaps in pupils' understanding can persist over time. The school should continue to refine approaches to teaching the curriculum so that the activities chosen ensure that pupils' understanding grows over time.