The Bawburgh School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

This is a school where pupils are nurtured in all aspects of their development. Staff and pupils have warm, professional relationships.

Pupils benefit from learning in a caring, safe environment that embodies the school's aim to 'go above and beyond'. Parents recognise this, happily recommending the school to other parents.

Pupils know that staff have high expectations of them and also that there is help, when needed.

Many pupils achieve highly, especially in reading and mathematics. Staff make lessons fun and interesting, which motivates pupils to work hard and try their best.This includes pupils who are disadvantaged and those with special educational needs... and/or disabilities (SEND).

The school's inclusive nature is a strength.

Pupils behave considerately in lessons and around the school. Playtimes are relaxed and enjoyable.

Pupils understand the high expectations of behaviour set by staff. They take pride in living up to these standards. The foundations of this are built in early years.

Pupils experience a range of opportunities to broaden their interests and aspirations. For example, as part of the 'Into Opera' project, pupils wrote, produced and performed their own opera, titled 'There's a dinosaur in the playground!'

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

The school has designed a curriculum that is broad, engaging and ambitious for all. This starts from the early years.

The knowledge and skills pupils need to learn are carefully sequenced. Teachers explain learning well and use resources to support pupils' understanding. Pupils with SEND, including those with complex needs, receive carefully tailored support.

They learn alongside their peers and have work skilfully adapted to meet their needs. Pupils appreciate how adults help them and 'encourage us to work it out'. In a mathematics lesson, the use of a visualiser really helped pupils understand place value.

Teachers regularly check that pupils understand the concepts being taught, and address any misconceptions.

In some subjects, the school has recently reviewed its curriculum and introduced new plans. As a result, the systems used to check what pupils know and understand in these subjects are not yet fully embedded.

The school has not had enough time to check exactly how well all pupils are learning the new curriculum.

The development of reading is prioritised. Pupils read widely and often.

They talk animatedly about the diverse range of texts they have read and why they are so enjoyable and thought-provoking. Pupils who take the role of reading ambassadors ensure books are available at lunchtimes on the school bus. Staff deliver the school's chosen phonics programme very well.

The school ensures that staff are well trained and can access appropriate resources to deliver phonics effectively. The school is adept at identifying pupils who are struggling and puts extra support in place. As a result, pupils are very well supported to learn to read quickly and fluently.

This helps pupils with SEND develop their confidence and self-belief. This starts with the youngest children in Reception.

Children in the early years get off to a flying start.

They develop positive, professional relationships with staff and with each other. Staff focus on developing children's vocabulary, language and mathematical understanding. Children are keen to describe their learning.

For example, they demonstrate an impressive recall of sea creatures.

Pupils' behaviour is praiseworthy. The school routines are consistently applied and all pupils understand them.

The importance of good behaviour starts in the early years, where the children know the routines in their classroom. While pupils value accumulating 'Dojo' points to get a dip in the reward box, they behave well because they care about each other and their school environment.

The school has planned its personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education curriculum with care.

The taught curriculum includes learning about friendships, healthy relationships at an age-appropriate level, body changes and keeping healthy. The school takes every opportunity to enrich the curriculum, including trips to an aquarium, theatre visits and sporting opportunities. Pupils who attend the school's residential visit are proud of their achievements, describing how they are 'braver than they thought'.

These experiences promote pupils' independence, resilience and well-being.

Governors' monitoring of the school's work is thorough. They know the school well and offer effective support and challenge.

Staff are motivated and proud to work at the school. They appreciate the consideration leaders give to their well-being and workload. Parents are also highly positive about the work of the school.

One parent said that the school is 'a safe, welcoming place filled with joy'. This represented the views of many.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The school has recently reviewed and changed the curriculum in some subjects. Leaders, though, have not yet refined assessment processes or reviewed the curriculum's impact in these subjects to check that pupils are learning well. Leaders should ensure they use assessment information to check that pupils are learning well and to make any further adaptations to the curriculum that are needed to address any gaps pupils have.