Bevendean Primary School and Nursery

Inspection of a good school: Bevendean Primary School Heath Hill Avenue, Lower Bevendean, Brighton, East Sussex BN2 4JP

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Outcome

Bevendean Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

This school is indeed ‘a place for everyone to succeed and thrive’. Pupils are happy, proud of their learning, confident that they are doing well and ambitious for their futures. Staff are a strong and supportive team who work hard to make sure that every pupil can achieve. One parent expressed the view of many when they said, ‘Each student is challenged to be the best possible version of themselves.’

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are safe and cared for by all staff. School is a calm place because pupils respect the school rules. Pupils behave well, listen carefully in class and play cooperatively with friends at playtimes. Although a few parents and carers feel the school does not deal well with bullying, many parents, and the pupils, say that bullying is quickly dealt with by the school. Pupils, parents and staff appreciate the learning mentors. They give care and guidance and help pupils resolve any friendship issues.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff encourage pupils to become well-rounded citizens. Pupils have many opportunities to take responsibility for themselves and others, for example as house captains. Pupils are proud to help. Pupils respect the feelings and values of others and learn about the wider world through assemblies, celebrations and in lessons.

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

Teachers plan ambitious and interesting lessons for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Teachers do not waste learning time. Subject leaders are enthusiastic and knowledgeable. Staff have had training and support so that the school’s new approaches to mathematics and English are well taught.

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

The carefully constructed mathematics curriculum is systematically and consistently taught. The sequence of learning for pupils has been well thought through. This means that new learning is clearly explained and past learning is recapped. Pupils remember what they have learned and can apply their knowledge to new learning. Any 4–5 December 2019

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misconceptions that pupils may have are picked up very swiftly and help is promptly given so that no pupil is left behind. Challenge is given to all pupils. One pupil said, ‘We never sit around. We have challenges every day.’ Consequently, pupils achieve very well, including those with SEND and disadvantaged pupils. Mathematics teaching in the early years is effective. Children enjoy their lessons and learn to confidently recognise numbers and patterns.

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The teaching of reading is equally well structured and most pupils achieve well. Staff believe that reading is the key to all learning. Phonics is taught from the first days in school. Nursery and Reception teachers are skilled in teaching phonics and make the lessons fun. Teachers are ambitious for children and the majority move swiftly through the school’s phonics scheme. Pupils who need help to keep up with the programme get the right support. Older pupils continue to develop their reading skills in a well- sequenced programme, using carefully selected books. However, the knowledge and skills they learn are not well used to help pupils further improve their writing. Teachers encourage pupils to read at home for enjoyment. However, this is not well organised, and several pupils say they do not enjoy reading at home as much as they do at school.

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Pupils enjoy learning in other subjects because teachers make lessons creative and practical. The curriculum is carefully constructed, well planned and systematically taught in all subjects. Although the curriculum is already strong, leaders are constantly looking to improve pupils’ experience even further. Teachers regularly assess pupils’ knowledge and skills and adapt their teaching as needed. For example, i n history, pupils learn historical knowledge. They use this to research, draw conclusions and compare and contrast the past and the present. Well-planned discussions encourage pupils to think deeply. This approach was illustrated by pupils’ learning about Ancient Greece. Here, Year 6 pupils discussed women’s rights, linked to their research into the Olympics. The use of good-quality resources makes the lessons interesting and purposeful. Pupils enjoyed handling genuine Stone Age flints.

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Most pupils attend school regularly. Systems and rewards are in place to encourage families to bring their children to school regularly and on time. Some pupils are missing essential steps in their learning due to holidays taken in term time.

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Every activity in the school is available to every child, whatever their need. Pupils take part in a wide range of enrichment activities and clubs.

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Staff say they work hard but have a good work/life balance. They appreciate that leaders have done their best to reduce their workload.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have created a culture where everyone understands their safeguarding duties. Staff know pupils well and are swift to discuss and report anything that might show that a child is not safe. Leaders follow things up and have daily meetings about vulnerable pupils. Leaders have a close working relationship with outside agencies and 4–5 December 2019

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communicate effectively with them to help pupils and their families.

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Leaders understand the need to protect pupils online. There is a wealth of information for parents on the school website and pupils can give examples of how to keep themselves safe online.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Pupils enjoy reading in school. Teachers encourage pupils to read at home to develop their enjoyment of reading. However, the link between school and home for reading is not well organised and promoted, so this activity does not support all pupils’ reading development consistently well. Leaders should ensure that all pupils have reliable opportunities to practise and consolidate their reading skills, supporting the best progress for all.  Although robust systems and rewards for pupils are in place to encourage regular attendance, absence rates are above the national average. This means that some pupils miss essential steps in their learning. Leaders should continue their efforts to ensure that all pupils attend school regularly so that their learning is uninterrupted.

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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 second section 8 inspection since we judged the school to be good in January 2012.

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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. 4–5 December 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. 4–5 December 2019

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School details

Inspection number 10111359 Type of school Primary

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Information about this school

 The school has a nursery.  The school has a provision for deaf pupils known as The Launchpad. This has 13 pupils aged between five and 11 years at present.

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Information about this inspection

 As part of the inspection, I did deep dives in reading, mathematics and history. I visited lessons, spoke with pupils, teachers and leaders, and looked at pupils’ work in their books. I also heard some pupils read.  I met with the headteacher and the deputy headteacher, and with a group of governors, including the chair of the governing body.  I observed playtime and behaviour in lessons and around the school.  I considered 29 responses to the Ofsted staff questionnaire and 33 responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Parent View. I also took account of 20 free-text comments from parents and talked with some parents after school.  I analysed a range of the school’s documents, including leaders’ self-evaluation and improvement planning, and safeguarding checks, policies and procedures. 4–5 December 2019

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Inspection team

Lesley Corbett, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 4–5 December 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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