St Benedict Biscop CofE Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school? '

Learning and growing together in Christian friendship' is the motto at St Benedict Biscop CE Primary School. Leaders have created a strong and inclusive community.

They work hard to ensure that pupils are well prepared for the next stage in their learning. Pupils and children earn badges for demonstrating the school values such as generosity, forgiveness and perseverance. Pupils treasure these badges and they support pupils' exemplary behaviour.

Pupils know what bullying is and say that, although it happens rarely, they are confident that all staff will support them to resolve difficulties. This helps pupils to feel safe.

Leaders make sure that pupils get of...f to a strong start in nursery.

The well-developed curriculum takes children's early learning into account and builds on it successfully as pupils move through key stages 1 and 2. As a result, all children and pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), achieve well.

Pupils told inspectors that they enjoy school.

They persevere in the face of difficulties. Teachers use their knowledge of pupils to support them and also to challenge them. Pupils welcome this.

They value the wide range of extra opportunities that are provided for them. Leaders plan activities to support pupils' learning and to develop their talents and individual interests, for example the art club, sports clubs and Christian Club.

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

Leaders have a clear vision to enable pupils to achieve well.

They are knowledgeable about what makes high-quality education and use this to secure further improvement. Leaders have planned the curriculum to ensure that pupils develop their knowledge and skills over time. In all subjects and across all year groups, leaders identify the essential learning that pupils need to remember.

Teachers use consistent approaches to help pupils learn. These approaches enable pupils to apply what they have learned independently.

Teachers use assessment strategies to provide well-matched activities for pupils.

They are ambitious for what all pupils, including those with SEND, are able to achieve. Successful adaptations support all pupils to access the curriculum. For example, teachers print text on coloured paper to support the learning of pupils with dyslexia.

Reading is a high priority. Leaders seek to ensure that all pupils develop as fluent, confident readers by the time they leave the school. From Nursery, teachers choose class storybooks which help pupils to develop the vocabulary they need when learning in other subjects.

For example, teachers choose texts to develop pupils' knowledge of Sikhism and World War Two. Leaders use a structured phonics curriculum to help pupils learn to read. Teachers are clear about the sounds and words that pupils need to remember.

Teaching activities are effective to help pupils to do this. For a small number of pupils, the books they read are not well matched to the sounds they are learning.

From the early years, adults intervene skilfully to deepen children's learning and develop their language.

Learning is supported by a rich variety of additional opportunities. For example, older pupils take part in visits to different places of worship, including a mosque and a gurdwara. Pupils take part in a very wide range of varied clubs and activities such as football, art and creative writing.

Many pupils, including those with SEND, take part regularly.

Leaders have a clear commitment to pupil and staff well-being that begins from Nursery. Pupils build on the strong start from the early years.

For example, children in Reception understand 'perseverance' and demonstrate it. Pupils work hard. They are resilient when faced with difficulties and are motivated to improve.

As one pupil said, 'In all the lessons, we never run out of challenges.'

Pupils know that adults will support them if they need help. 'Worry boxes' and 'worry monsters' are used to help them to share concerns.

Leaders take highly effective action to support pupils' personal development. This is considered in detail. There is a wide range of opportunities for pupils to take responsibilities, for example by being on the school council or being a play leader.

Pupils are exceptionally mindful of one another. As one parent said, 'The school works as a community, where personal development is important and explored through the Christian values.'

Leaders and teachers model these values in all aspects of school life.

Consequently, they can be seen in the daily behaviours of children and pupils, who are consistently kind and thoughtful to each other.

Leaders have a clear and accurate understanding of the school's effectiveness. They have shown impressive determination to rapidly improve the school since the last inspection.

Governors and trustees are highly engaged and often visit the school, to challenge and support leaders. Together, school and trust leaders have provided highly effective support to all staff to enable them to teach and support pupils well.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Clear safeguarding procedures are understood by all staff. Regular training for staff and leaders keeps their knowledge up to date. This helps them to identify if a pupil might be at risk from harm.

Arrangements for safeguarding are closely monitored by leaders and governors. Leaders use their knowledge of their pupils and families to ensure support where this this needed. They are aware of risks that pupils may face locally.

Teachers ensure that pupils learn about how to keep themselves safe. Pupils understand hazards and how to manage situations that may present a risk to them, both online and offline. They are confident in talking to adults if they are concerned.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• For a small number of pupils at the early stage of learning to read, the books they read are not always well matched to the sounds they are learning. This sometimes limits pupils' ability to use their prior knowledge of phonics to read fluently. Leaders should ensure that the books pupils read are well matched to the sounds pupils are learning, so that those who struggle to read are supported well to catch up.