Brede Primary School

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T 0300 123 4234 www.gov.uk/ofsted

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Mrs Nicole Cummins Headteacher Brede Primary School Udimore Road Broad Oak Brede Rye East Sussex TN31 6DG

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Short inspection of Brede Primary School

Following my visit to the school on 6 December 2016, I write on behalf of Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills to report the inspection findings. The visit was the first short inspection carried out since the school was judged to be good in November 2011.

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Short inspection of Brede Primary School

The leadership team has maintained the good quality of education in the school since the last inspection.

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Short inspection of Brede Primary School

You provide clear and ambitious leadership. Brede has expanded since the last inspection and standards have continued to improve. Staff are overwhelmingly positive about the impact of your leadership. However, not all parents are supportive of the leadership and management of the school. You and governors are fully aware of this and have plans to further improve relationships with parents.

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Short inspection of Brede Primary School

You have a good understanding of the school’s many strengths and those aspects that could be even better. During the last inspection, you were asked to be more rigorous in your monitoring of the quality of teaching and learning and clearer in your plans for improvement. You have done this. Leaders, including middle leaders, look very closely at the progress of pupils over time. Leaders provide teachers with a clear analysis of what is working well and the details of the minor improvements that need to be made. Consequently, teaching and learning in the school is good.

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Short inspection of Brede Primary School

During the last inspection, you were asked to ensure that pupils make faster progress. You have continued to improve outcomes for pupils in the school, particularly pupils in key stage 1. For example, in 2013 only just over half of the pupils in Year 1 met the expected standard in the phonics screening check, whereas each subsequent year teaching has improved and standards have risen. In 2016, all pupils met the expected standard in Year 1.

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Short inspection of Brede Primary School

Outcomes at the end of key stage 1 have also improved under your leadership. In 2013 and 2014 not enough pupils were working at the expected standard or at higher levels at the end of Year 2, in reading, writing and mathematics. You have improved teaching in key stage 1 and consequently pupils make better progress. In 2015 and 2016 the proportion of Year 2 pupils working at the expected standards and at greater depth were in line with or above those seen nationally.

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Short inspection of Brede Primary School

You have identified that in 2016 no pupils were working at greater depth in their writing at the end of key stage 2. This is one of your current school priorities. You have detailed plans for improvement. You are clear about what success will look like. The management of staff’s performance is closely linked to your targets for the most able writers.

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Short inspection of Brede Primary School

You have prioritised improving pupils’ attendance and punctuality. You have made appropriate changes to the relevant policies and communicated this clearly. The attendance levels for all pupils, including those who are disadvantaged, have improved significantly this academic year. However, you have had less success in ensuring that a small number of pupils are not frequently late.

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Short inspection of Brede Primary School

Governance has improved since the last inspection. Strong leadership of the governing body has led to honest evaluations of where governance can be improved. As a result, governors have actively recruited individuals with the knowledge and skills needed to enhance their work. Governors use their time in school to get a first-hand insight to verify what leaders are telling them.

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Short inspection of Brede Primary School

Governors are ambitious and not complacent. Governors have improved their communication with parents. For example, changes in the attendance policy were communicated clearly in a governor’s newsletter. Governors follow their complaints policy meticulously. Formal written communication between governors and parents is highly effective.

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Short inspection of Brede Primary School

There is a strong culture of safeguarding pupils. The leadership team has ensured that all safeguarding arrangements are fit for purpose. Leaders keep detailed records of all concerns about pupils’ well-being. Leaders clearly log all actions and decisions they make. Referrals and work with other agencies is effective. Leaders understand and follow the policies that ensure that children are not missing from education. As a result, last academic year a number of pupils with poor attendance remained on the school’s roll for a sustained period of time. Leaders worked well with the local authority to establish that those pupils had found places in other schools and were safe.

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Inspection findings

 Pupils who did not reach a good level of development at the end of the Reception Year make good progress in key stage 1, including those who are disadvantaged and those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities. Planned learning takes account of pupils’ different starting points. Pupils make good progress in their handwriting because of the planned interventions to develop their fine motor control. Pupils develop good phonic knowledge from their significantly lower starting points.  The most able writers in key stage 2 are making good progress, particularly the older pupils. Feedback to pupils is in line with school policy and helps pupils to be clear about what success in their writing will look like.  Reading standards are high because all pupils make at least good progress from their starting points, including the most able and disadvantaged pupils. In 2016 all pupils reached the expected standard at the end of Year 6 and a greater

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Inspection findings

proportion were reading at greater depth than was seen nationally.  Leaders have taken effective action to improve attendance levels. Last academic year absence levels were too high overall, particularly among disadvantaged pupils. Leaders’ commitment to following the right protocols for pupils moving schools had a negative impact on published information regarding attendance. Improvements are significant this year. Pupils with historically poor attendance are coming to school more often. Consequently, few children have been absent this term, including those who are disadvantaged. Leaders have not had the same impact on the small number of pupils who are late to school too often.  Pupils’ personal development and welfare are good. Leaders work well with the most vulnerable families to jointly assess levels of need and plan for support.  Pupils feel safe and well looked after at school. The school environment displays

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Inspection findings

clear messages regarding tolerance and respecting differences. Pupils talk positively about differences and are tolerant. Pupils who spoke to inspectors understand the differences between being unkind and bullying. Pupils feel that there is very little unkind behaviour but also trust that adults will deal with things quickly and fairly. Pupils have good knowledge of how to keep themselves safe online.  Pupils play an active role in school life. Older pupils provide support to other pupils at lunch and breaktimes. They are trained to help pupils resolve any disagreements quickly. Some pupils are currently undertaking a review of lunch boxes because they want to help their friends understand what the healthiest foods are.  The school is calm and classrooms are purposeful. Relationships between pupils and adults are good. Pupils work well in groups and independently.  Leaders follow clear school policies, including those relating to attendance and

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Inspection findings

complaints. Leaders keep detailed records of communication with parents, including when parents are not satisfied with the initial response from school leaders.

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Next steps for the school

Leaders and those responsible for governance should ensure that:

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Next steps for the school

 an increasing proportion of pupils are working at greater depth in their writing at the end of key stage 2  fewer pupils are persistently late.

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Next steps for the school

I am copying this letter to the chair of the governing body and the director of children’s services for East Sussex. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

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Information about the inspection

I worked with you and senior leaders to look closely at:

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Information about the inspection

 the progress that pupils who did not reach the early learning goals make in key stage 1, including disadvantaged pupils and pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities  the progress that the most able writers are making in key stage 2 from their key stage 1 starting points  the impact you have had on improving attendance and punctuality, including disadvantaged pupils  the effectiveness of provision for pupils’ personal development and welfare  the effectiveness of your safeguarding procedures and the culture of the school.

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Information about the inspection

I met with you, senior leaders and governors to review your evaluation of the school’s effectiveness. I accompanied senior leaders to the classrooms across the school. We evaluated a range of work in pupils’ books and your assessment information. I held a conversation with the local authority. I looked at 45 responses on Parent View and spoke with parents. I met two different groups of pupils. I checked the effectiveness of your safeguarding arrangements, including those related to recruitment.

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