The Bromley-Pensnett Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

This is an inclusive school where everyone is made to feel welcome.

Pupils from different backgrounds, and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), are all treated equally. Pupils themselves know that discrimination in any form is wrong. They understand the values of respect, liberty and democracy.

This is because the school prepares them well for life in modern Britain.

Pupils feel safe and know that staff care about them. They enjoy the range of opportunities the school provides beyond the classroom.

These include different clubs, educational visits and school events. These activities add to pupils' enjoyment of school. Howe...ver, some pupils miss out on these opportunities because they do not attend school regularly.

Most pupils follow the school's charter to be 'ready, respectful, safe and kind'. They play well together outdoors and often help one another during lesson times. On occasion, a small number of pupils struggle to manage their behaviour and conform to the school's high expectations.

However, staff deal effectively and quickly with any incidents which occur. This ensures that disruption to learning is minimal.

Expectations for pupils' learning and behaviour have risen.

Ongoing work is helping to raise attainment and ensure that all pupils achieve well.

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

There have been many changes at the school since the previous inspection. New staff have joined, including the headteacher and deputy headteacher.

Different approaches have been introduced to teach early reading and mathematics. The school has extended its provision for pupils with SEND. With the support of the trust, the school refreshed the curriculum and worked hard to improve behaviour and attendance.

Actions taken have been successful and the results are plain to see. However, the school is not complacent. It is intent on further strengthening the experiences and education pupils receive.

The curriculum is broad and ambitious. In the main, it supports pupils' learning well. Key knowledge, skills and vocabulary are identified in all subjects, including in the early years.

Learning is progressive and pupils build their knowledge gradually over time. Teachers check pupils' understanding during lessons and at the end of units taught. However, a small number of subjects are less well developed.

Staff are not always confident in teaching some areas of the curriculum. This affects how well pupils achieve in these subjects.

The school has rightly selected reading as its top priority.

Children are introduced to rhymes and stories as soon as they join the nursery. This helps encourage a love of reading from the outset. Pupils read every day.

They have a good variety of books to choose from. Most pupils read fluently. However, pupils who struggle with reading do not have enough time to practise their reading skills to help them catch up with their classmates.

Skilled staff identify pupils with SEND early. The school has thought carefully about the type and level of support pupils receive. Additional provision has been created for pupils with social and emotional needs, and those with communication and complex difficulties.

These pupils benefit from specialist support, increased adult attention and tasks which are tailored to their needs. Teachers adapt learning so that pupils in all classes access the same curriculum as their peers.

Most pupils behave well in lessons and around school.

Children in the early years know what is expected of them and respond promptly to adult instructions. Where any low-level disruption or incidents occur, staff manage these situations well. The school has worked hard to improve attendance, with some degree of success.

Attendance figures are rising steadily. However, there are still too many pupils who are persistently absent. They miss important lessons, and this limits the progress they make.

The school provides additional opportunities beyond the classroom to promote pupils' personal development. Pupils take on roles such as librarians, safeguarding ambassadors and school councillors. The school invites visiting speakers to talk to pupils about their careers to help raise pupils' aspirations.

The trust has robust systems in place for checking on and steering the school's work. Trustees provide a good balance of support and challenge. They hold the school to account effectively and ensure that staff receive the training they need.

They actively seek parents' and carers' views and act on their findings to improve school life.

Staff are proud to work at this school. They benefit from working closely with other schools in the trust.

They work hard but say that workload is manageable. They appreciate the approachability and support they receive from senior leaders.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In a small number of curriculum areas, teaching strategies do not consistently reflect the specific nature of the subject. This leads to variability in pupils' achievement in some subjects. The school should ensure that all staff have the knowledge, skills and confidence to deliver the intended curriculum so that pupils achieve as well as they should.

Some pupils at the early stage of reading do not receive sufficient time to practise the skills they learn in lessons. This impacts on their ability to become fluent and confident readers. The school should provide the support needed to help the lowest attaining pupils catch up quickly so that they can access the full curriculum as they move through the school.

• Too many pupils are persistently absent. They miss important lessons and fall behind in their learning. The school should explore all options and work closely with parents to instil the importance of regular school attendance.

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