Bearwood Primary and Nursery School

Inspection of Bearwood Primary and Nursery School Barons Road, Bearwood, Bournemouth, Dorset BH11 9UN

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Not previously inspected 17–18 September 2019

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What is it like to attend this school?

Most pupils enjoy coming to Bearwood. They are safe, well looked after and have positive attitudes to learning. Staff expect pupils to behave well and follow the school rules. Pupils like playing together with the many activities available. They say that bullying is rare and know that an adult in school will quickly sort out any squabbles they may have.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils learn the difference between right and wrong. They understand the need to respect the views of others even if they are not their own. They recognise that some of their friends face challenges and show them kindness.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school provides lots of clubs and activities which enthuse pupils. Street dance, martial arts and cheerleading are clubs which pupils love to attend. Year 6 pupils spoke with joy about their recent trip to Osmington Bay. These activities help build pupils’ confidence, determination and ability to work together.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Most pupils say they enjoy their learning. Teachers have developed a curriculum that inspires pupils and makes them think. Pupils usually work hard. However, pupils say that sometimes their work is not hard enough. When this happens, pupils do not do as well as they should.

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better?

Children quickly settle in the early years and enjoy their learning. Teachers have thought carefully about what children learn and plan activities which interest the children. There is a strong focus on talking and listening to develop early language skills. Books are everywhere. Teachers read lots of stories and rhymes to develop children’s love of books. Phonics teaching is well planned. Reading books carefully match the sounds that children know. Children in the early years are well prepared for Year 1.

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better?

Leaders have the expectation that every child will become a confident reader. Many pupils learn to read with accuracy in Years 1 and 2, following a good start in early years. Reading leaders quickly identify pupils who need extra help to make sure that they get the support needed.

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better?

The school covers the national curriculum. Most pupils achieve well in reading, writing and mathematics. Where they do not, teachers help them to quickly catch up. Most staff have strong subject knowledge. Effective teaching is preparing pupils well for the next step in their education. However, the curriculum for the most able is not yet challenging enough.

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better?

The organisation of the curriculum allows pupils to build on what they have learnt before. Pupils are able to make links across the subjects. For example, pupils talk with confidence about history and how this links to the learning in religious education and geography. Pupils enjoy lots of the subjects they learn about such as 17–18 September 2019

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art, science and history. They told us that they would like even more music and French lessons. There are many opportunities for pupils beyond the academic learning. These develop pupils’ confidence and prepare them well for the future. The children’s university is a favourite. Pupils attend Bournemouth University to find out about all types of jobs that are available. The mathematics curriculum is securely in place. Pupils enjoy their learning. Most teachers deal with misunderstandings as they happen. Pupils ability to use their knowledge to answer questions in mathematics is strong. However, a few pupils lack confidence in mathematics and sometimes struggle to remember or apply the knowledge they have.

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Leaders have a strong overview of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Teachers are quick to identify when pupils struggle. They act quickly to plan small steps in learning that help pupils with SEND achieve well.

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Pupils have positive attitudes to the learning which helps them in their work. They want to do well. Pupils behave well in their lessons most of the time. They work hard and ask questions to increase what they know and understand.

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Most parents rate the school highly and would recommend it to other parents. However, a few parents say they would welcome better communication with leaders, especially when they raise a concern.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Leaders make sure that they complete all the required checks on staff taken on to work in the school. Safeguarding training is effective. Staff are able to spot concerns and take action quickly.

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Safeguarding

The work of the staff to help pupils with their emotional well-being is a strength. Staff know how to make a referral should they have concerns about a pupils’ welfare. Leaders work effectively with other agencies. Pupils are safe and have a secure understanding of how to keep safe.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Leaders are ambitious for pupils to do well and have high expectations. This enables most pupils to learn well. However, the most able pupils do not achieve as well as they should at the end of key stage 2 in reading and mathematics. The curriculum needs to be more challenging for these pupils to help them to do their best.  The school carefully follows the national curriculum. However, leaders need to ensure that all pupils are consistently provided with well-chosen activities which build on the skills and knowledge they already have. For example, they need to ensure that subject plans have greater precision in the learning steps needed to 17–18 September 2019

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develop pupils’ knowledge in music and French. This includes improving teachers’ subject knowledge.

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How can I feed back my views?

or to find out what other parents and carers think. We use Ofsted Parent View information when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection.

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How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

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How can I feed back my views?

If you’re not happy with the inspection or the report, you can complain to Ofsted .

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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

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Further information

In the report, ‘disadvantaged pupils’ refers to those pupils who attract government pupil premium funding: pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years and pupils in care or who left care through adoption or another formal route. 17–18 September 2019

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School details

Local authority Bournemouth, Christchurch & Poole

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 This was the first standard inspection of the school since it joined the Hamwic Education Trust in October 2016.  There have been a lot of staff changes over the last two years. There are a high number of staff who are new to or returning from a planned absence.  The school has eight classes, which includes a nursery class. The nursery opens each morning for children aged three.

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Information about this inspection

We carried out this inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors visited lessons with leaders. Together with leaders, we looked at pupils’ work. Inspectors spoke to pupils about what it is like to come to Bearwood Primary.  The inspection focused on reading, mathematics, history and music. Inspectors talked to senior leaders, curriculum leaders and pupils about these subjects. We also looked at pupils’ wider personal development.  The school’s records of safeguarding checks and referrals to the local authority 17–18 September 2019

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were looked at. We spoke to teachers and support staff about how they keep pupils safe. We also spoke to pupils about how they keep themselves safe and what they do when they have any worries.  We observed pupils playing at playtimes and lunchtimes.  One inspector met with the leader and deputy of the Hamwic Education Trust. She also met with the trust’s leader for standards at the school.  One inspector spoke to parents at the beginning of day one of the inspection. Forty-six responses from Ofsted’s online survey, Parent View, were taken into account, along with 45 free-text messages. Inspectors also considered 101 pupil and 14 staff questionnaire responses.

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Inspection team

Jen Southall, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Julie Fox Ofsted Inspector 17–18 September 2019

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regulates and inspects to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children’s social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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