Bhylls Acre Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Bhylls Acre Primary School Bhylls Lane, Castlecroft, Wolverhampton, West Midlands WV3 8DZ

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Outcome

Bhylls Acre Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The headteacher sets the tone for good behaviour. From the moment the first bell rings on the playground before school, high standards are clear to see. Pupils know what they should be doing, how they should be doing it and are keen to please. Year 6 prefects help younger pupils to respect and follow the rules. They take pride in their responsibilities.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are confident when talking about their time at school. They enjoy learning and show a love of school life. By the end of Year 6, they have had many opportunities of visits and visitors to the school. Pupils leave the school with great memories.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Teachers plan learning around interesting topics pupils like. Pupils learn in a safe space. They know different ways of staying safe. Older pupils show that the use of fairy tales set in a digital age helps them to know about online safety. Pupils know the difference between unkind behaviour and bullying. They say there is very little bullying. They trust adults to sort it if it ever happens. Most parents agree. A parent, echoing the view of many, says, ‘The encouragement staff give children to be happy, polite and kind radiates throughout school.’

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

Children in the early years have a lovely start to school. The adults in the Reception class set clear expectations of what they want children to learn. They do this with care and kindness. Adults give thought and attention to planning the space and activities. This means children can revisit their learning in many ways. Skilled staff help children develop at just the right moment. Parents enjoy seeing their child’s learning shared through an online application. Children are well prepared for their move to Year 1.

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

Pupils start learning about letters and the sounds they make from the start of Reception. They follow a set pattern of sounds that build up over time. Most pupils learn to read well. Struggling readers do not always have books to take home that match the sounds they know. They then meet words they cannot read. This slows their learning. Pupils can talk 26–27 November 2019

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about the different reading activities in school and can name many authors. They display positive attitudes to books and reading. They talk about how reading helps their learning across the curriculum and enriches their lives. Teachers promote reading for pleasure. Storytime is a regular feature on classroom timetables. Some of the messages shared through stories help to enhance pupils’ personal development. It fuels their ambition. ‘Everyone can be what they want to be.’

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Pupils come to school regularly and behave well. Many join in with clubs such as guitar, dance, choir and mad science to develop their wider interests.

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The school’s curriculum is developing. Some subjects, but not all, are well structured and sequenced. Leaders have not yet developed plans in all subjects to help teachers to know what to teach pupils and when. However, it is clear from leaders’ actions that they are on the way to planning and sequencing learning in a structured way. This will allow pupils to know more and remember more over time. Staff have not had much recent training. The impact of this is there is inconsistent teaching across the school in many subjects.

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Teachers’ expectations are not always high enough and there are some inconsistencies in teaching. Some parents raised these concerns. Teachers do not always challenge the most able pupils enough. As a result, they finish work quickly and wait to know what to do next. Staff have had limited recent training and development. Staff know and understand the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). They provide sensitive support that helps these pupils to be successful learners.

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Leaders’ vision to nurture happy, confident individuals, with a passion for life-long learning is evident when talking to pupils. They discuss their learning freely. Year 2 can recall how it is to live in the recent past and explain why it is different from today. Year 6 could remember aspects of learning from across their time in primary school. They understand the purpose of their learning and link it to their lives today. They talk in depth and detail about how there can be different views of the same period in history. ‘Everybody’s story is different.’

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The subject leaders of history and geography work well together. This is helping them to plan learning that makes sense to pupils. They also make links between topics. This gives pupils a hook to hang their learning on. In science, teachers teach the right things. Pupils cover what they need to know. Pupils named an impressive range of scientists. They were able to explain why these were important people.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff and governors have regular safeguarding training. This ensures that staff know how to keep pupils safe. Staff know what to do if they have worries about a child. Leaders understand that their position on the border of two local authorities brings extra responsibilities in keeping pupils safe. Leaders know their pupils well, so they liaise effectively with the correct authority. 26–27 November 2019

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Pupils know adults help them to be safe in school. They also understand they have a responsibility to keep themselves and others safe. Older pupils talk about learning how to be safe, including fire, online, road and water safety.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Staff have had little recent opportunity to access regular and current training and development. The impact of this is that there is inconsistent understanding and practice across the school in many subjects. Leaders need to ensure that all staff access regular training and development opportunities, appropriate to their needs and area of expertise, so that all can fulfil their duties effectively.  Books for struggling readers are not always matched to the sounds they already know. This means they can’t independently read some words in the books they take home. This hinders fluency. Staff need to ensure that the books pupils take home are tightly matched to the sounds that they are confident in segmenting and blending. This will help these readers to grow in skill, fluency and confidence.  Teachers do not consistently provide opportunities to challenge and extend the most able pupils. This means not enough pupils are working to the level and depth they

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

should be. Teachers need to provide opportunities for the most able pupils to stretch their thinking, deepen their learning and reach their full potential.

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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 a section 8 inspection of a good school or non-exempt outstanding school. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find some evidence that the school could now be better than good or that standards may be declining, then the next inspection will be a section 5 inspection. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the section 8 inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will convert the section 8 inspection to a section 5 inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the first section 8 inspection since we judged Bhylls Acre Primary School to be good on 19–20 November 2015.

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How can I feed back my views?

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. 26–27 November 2019

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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. 26–27 November 2019

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School details

Inspection number 10111759 Type of school Primary

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Website www.bhyllsacreprimaryschool.org/

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School details

Date of previous inspection 19–20 November 2015

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Information about this school

 There have been no significant changes in the school since the last inspection.

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Information about this inspection

 Subjects considered as part of this inspection were reading, science, history and geography. I carried out lesson visits to see these subjects being taught and looked at pupils’ work. I talked to pupils about their work. I spoke to teachers who taught these subjects and held discussions with subject leaders. I listened to pupils read.  I met with the headteacher, deputy headteacher, school bursar and six governors. I also spoke on the phone with a local authority representative.  I explored safeguarding arrangements by reviewing safeguarding records, checking how staff manage risks, talking to staff and pupils about how they keep safe and checking the school’s single central record. I met with the school’s designated safeguarding lead.  I considered behaviour and attendance information and policies and procedures relating to pupils with SEND, pupil premium funding, medicines, safeguarding and child

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Information about this inspection

protection. I checked the school’s website. 26–27 November 2019

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 I considered two responses to Ofsted’s staff survey and 41 responses to Ofsted’s Parent View questionnaire. There were no responses to the Ofsted pupil survey.  I talked to pupils to gather their views about the school, behaviour, their safety and learning.

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Inspection team

Kirsty Foulkes, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 26–27 November 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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