The Edward Betham Church of England Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

The Edward Betham Church of England Primary School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have developed a friendly and welcoming school community. Pupils are happy, resilient and eager to learn.

The school is ambitious for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils achieve well in their learning. This is reflected in published outcomes in national assessments.

Pupils, staff and parents and carers are very proud of their school.

Pupils have a range of opportunities to take up responsibility. For example, they help younger pupils at breaktimes and support leaders with deliveri...ng the collective worship programme.

Relationships between staff and pupils are respectful. This results in a harmonious learning environment in which pupils' well-being flourishes.

Behaviour is positive across the school.

Pupils are kind to and support each other, including when learning. They feel cared for and safe, and know that if they have concerns or worries an adult will listen to them. Bullying is rare and, if it happens, teachers deal with it quickly.

The school ensures that pupils gain valuable life experiences. For instance, all Year 6 pupils visit the Royal Courts of Justice, which helps them to understand democracy and the law. Leaders take on board pupils' suggestions about the clubs that they would like to attend and provide a wide range, including football, basketball, choir and crochet.

These are well taken up.

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

The school has created an ambitious and rich curriculum. It has identified the key knowledge, skills and vocabulary that pupils should learn.

Leaders have made informed changes to encourage a more consistent approach to teaching. Staff swiftly identify the needs of pupils with SEND and make adaptations for them through targeted adult support and the effective use of resources.

Leaders, including the governing body, have identified the priorities for school development.

They challenge the school effectively while supporting staff well-being. Staff training and development is a high priority. As a result, teachers have secure subject knowledge.

They present information to pupils with clarity. Teachers check pupils' learning regularly and address any misconceptions swiftly. Typically, teachers encourage pupils to make links with what has been learned previously.

For example, in mathematics, pupils in Year 6 use what they know already about fractions to help them when working on scale and ratio. Pupils are taught to solve calculations using a range of different methods. They apply this knowledge to solving real-life problems, for example when talking about money and the proportion of costs when paying a bill.

Teachers support children to use subject-specific vocabulary well. For example, in art and design, pupils in Year 4 understand what 'point of view' and 'representation' mean and why they are important when drawing a range of landscapes. From the early years, teachers expose pupils to an impressive range of artists who reflect the diversity of the international art world.

Pupils' artwork displayed around the school reflects this diversity. Children receive a strong start in the early years. Staff provide children with regular opportunities to practise their learning and to build independence.

In mathematics, there is a clear focus on securing children's understanding of number and important early concepts, including 'more' and 'fewer'.

Sometimes, curriculum implementation is not as secure as it could be. In some instances, pupils are not supported to deepen their knowledge and make links to prior learning.

This sometimes makes it difficult for them to recall what they have previously learned and use it to make sense of new content. On occasion, pupils have gaps in their knowledge. The school puts in place support for these pupils, including through bespoke catch-up sessions.

The school places the highest priority on early reading. Effective training ensures that staff have strong knowledge for teaching reading. Pupils achieve very well in published phonics outcomes.

Regular checks ensure that pupils read books that are well matched to their phonics knowledge. These approaches to pupils' reading development continue throughout the school. Teachers choose ambitious class texts with rich vocabulary and language.

Leaders have strong relationships with families, providing support and guidance when needed. A variety of drop-in sessions enable parents to learn about the school systems, the curriculum and gain useful advice. Pupils' behaviour and attitudes to learning contribute positively to the delivery of the curriculum.

The school places a high priority on attendance and pupils are rewarded for coming to school regularly. Where attendance rates are low, leaders work effectively with families to encourage and support them to improve attendance and punctuality. Pupils now attend school regularly after a temporary dip in attendance rates in the previous academic year.

The school promotes pupils' wider development very well. There is a well-planned and age-appropriate personal, social and health education programme. Sensitive topics, such as healthy relationships, are taught with care.

Staff teach pupils about respecting other people's faiths, cultures and ways of life. Educational outings include visits to local mosques, temples and synagogues. Racism and discriminatory behaviour are never tolerated.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Sometimes, the school's ambitious curriculum is not implemented as the school intends. On occasion, teaching does not make it clear to pupils how to make appropriate connections within their learning.

This means that pupils, including those who are disadvantaged, sometimes do not understand what they are learning in sufficient depth to recall it readily and make sense of new concepts later. The school needs to ensure that teaching supports all pupils to learn the curriculum in the intended depth.Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good.

This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act.

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in February 2015.

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