St Bede Church of England Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

This is a happy and joyful school where pupils arrive keen to learn and leave each day buzzing with ideas.

Passionate and inspiring leadership underpins the shared aspirations and standards achieved here. Dedicated staff support all pupils to benefit from the rich curriculum which is enhanced by a range of experiences and clubs. Pupils immerse themselves in all that is on offer.

They become confident, collaborative learners who achieve well.

Parents and carers report that the school 'feels like a family'. They value how their children flourish in this caring and inclusive learning environment.

Kindness is everywhere throughout this school. Pupils are... nurtured to feel safe and protected and are given opportunities to shine.

The school's 'growing together' values of love, peace, courage, trust and friendship are very much in evidence.

From the very start, children in Reception are taught to value and respect each other. Pupils help each other however they can. For example, Year 6 pupils relish their leadership roles to support younger children or to contribute to the life of the school.

All of this, coupled with excellent behaviour and high aspirations, makes St Bede a special place to be.

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

This is a school where everyone shares a passion to provide all pupils with a wide-ranging and high-quality education. Pupils and staff are committed to the school's expectations of 'Be safe, be ready, be respectful'.

These shared values are the bedrock of the school's calm, studious and happy learning environment.

The school's curriculum is crafted carefully in order to motivate and engage pupils. Curriculum design, monitoring and delivery in Reception is most impressive.

Throughout the school, most subjects are very well organised and clearly identify the knowledge pupils need to learn and in what order. In English and mathematics and other subjects, regular training helps teachers maintain strong subject knowledge. Pupils' knowledge is regularly monitored and well-targeted activities help them apply their prior learning in new situations.

Pupils recall keenly how their knowledge and skills have built steadily over time.

When pupils need extra help, personalised plans are used successfully. Disadvantaged pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, are supported effectively.

Staff work well together to identify pupils' needs precisely and target teaching that helps them achieve well over time.

The school is determined that all pupils will become confident and fluent readers. This begins straight away in Reception where children are already enjoying recognising their sounds and letters.

Staff have been trained well to deliver the phonics programme. They teach the early reading curriculum with accuracy and confidence. Effective monitoring identifies targeted support for any pupils who fall behind.

The love of reading is promoted particularly well. Teachers' modelling of reading for pleasure during regular story time sessions is enthralling.

The curriculum in a minority of subjects does not identify the specific knowledge pupils should acquire with enough accuracy.

Also, there are gaps in some teachers' and teaching assistants' subject knowledge. Therefore, there are times when activities in lessons could support pupils to learn more consistently and securely. The school has rightly prioritised continued training and curriculum improvements to ensure pupils know and remember more in these areas.

Leadership and management is impressive. Staff value how the school prioritises their professional development. Teachers at the start of their careers are very well supported.

Furthermore, the school engages with the local education community in a focused and purposeful way. Effective partnership work has helped other schools to improve.

Pupils' behaviour across the school is excellent.

This begins in Reception with clear routines and structures which all children follow. Positive relationships and clear expectations enable pupils to concentrate and enjoy their work. Disruptions are very rare.

This school knows its families well. Helping all pupils to attend regularly is a priority. Where some find this more difficult, bespoke support has been effective in reducing absence.

Provision for pupils' personal development is very effective indeed. All pupils can access a wide range of experiences that are carefully thought through. A comprehensive personal, social and health education curriculum promotes independence and resilience.

The school provides a wide range of activities for pupils to develop their own leadership skills. These include school council, eco-council and a range of ambassador roles covering areas such as kindness, sports, learning and equalities. Parents are, rightly, delighted with everything the school offers.

Pupils are well prepared for the next stage in their lives when they leave the school.

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, the curriculum is at an earlier stage of development.

Here, and in a few other areas, a minority of staff are less confident to adapt their teaching to meet the needs of all pupils effectively. Consequently, some pupils do not learn as well as they could. The school needs to complete the design of the curriculum and continue with its ongoing programme of staff training so that all pupils can achieve consistently highly across all subjects.

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