Blenheim Primary School

Inspection of Blenheim Primary School School Way, Leigh-on-Sea, Essex SS9 4HX

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

The quality of education Outstanding Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding Early years provision Outstanding Previous inspection grade Good 14–15 January 2020

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school exudes a strong sense of common purpose. The values of ASPIRE (achievement, support, perseverance, independence, respect and enthusiasm) are evident at every turn. Pupils know what these values mean and demonstrate them in how they learn, behave and treat others. They are what being at Blenheim is about.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff contribute strongly to the shared vision for pupils to be ‘the best you can be’. Pupils benefit from a consistently high standard of education across the curriculum throughout their time at school. The school is highly inclusive. Impressive support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) means that they contribute fully to all aspects of school life. Considered, focused and structured work promotes the interests and ambitions of disadvantaged pupils.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils have someone in school to talk to if they are worried about something. There is not much bullying. Pupils are confident that, if it does happen, staff will deal with it well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents and carers are extremely positive about the school. Comments from parents describing their children’s ‘wonderful primary school experience’ or telling how ‘we love our school’ encapsulate the views expressed by many.

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better?

Curriculum plans are the starting point for the very high quality of education. They are closely matched to the national curriculum, ensuring that pupils learn what they need to. The content pupils learn grows in depth and complexity over time. Teachers meet with their counterparts in different year groups and gain a real understanding of what pupils have learned before. They find out what pupils will need to know to be ready for the year above.

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better?

Teachers meet regularly in year teams. They work together extremely well to assess pupils’ understanding and to decide what lessons should focus on next. In the past, these meetings revolved around English and mathematics. Now they consider other subjects in depth as well, which has led to great consistency in high-quality planning and teaching. Strong, sustained progression through subjects across the curriculum is secured. As a result, the very high achievements of pupils in mathematics and English are now a feature of other subjects too.

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better?

Leaders give reading a high priority. Pupils are successfully encouraged to read different types of texts and to read regularly at home. Those who fall behind are helped to catch up. The Year 6 reading champions ‘really enjoy’ helping younger pupils learn to read. Pupils’ achievements in reading are consistently high.

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better?

Teaching activities in early years are focused well on knowledge, skills and understanding, and expectations are high. The range of activities on offer is 14–15 January 2020

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extensive. Children build on what they have learned before. They take on new challenges. Highly motivated, confident children delight in the opportunity to discuss their learning.

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Pupils with SEND benefit greatly from adults’ determination that ‘no child is left behind’. The highly trained and motivated inclusion team makes sure that pupils are in the best possible frame of mind to learn. Staff support parents as well as pupils, working with external agencies as appropriate to provide wraparound support. The ‘Qube’ caters particularly well for pupils requiring expert support. Everything here is personalised, tailored to the individual and routinely evaluated. Leaders provide suitable training for staff. As a result, teachers and teaching assistants in the Qube are highly skilled.

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Leaders carefully tailor what is offered to maximise the benefit for all pupils. Pupils’ needs and interests are at the heart of leaders’ work to develop pupils’ personal development. For example, almost all pupils take part in the summer art, craft and performance event. There are sports competitions specifically designed to encourage participation from pupils with SEND. Careers work broadens the horizons of disadvantaged pupils.

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The development of pupils’ character is embedded in all aspects of the school. The ‘ask, build, challenge’ approach improves pupils’ confidence. Effective systems to promote good behaviour underpin the pervasive, positive ethos. Pupils listen carefully and respond in a considered fashion to what others say. They question and thoughtfully build on each other’s ideas. Pupils support each other’s learning. As with so much else, this links directly to the school’s values. The continual promotion and celebration of the values mean that these become ingrained in pupils’ minds.

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Leaders are restless in their desire to continually improve. Staff are fully on board. All have high expectations, are highly motivated and proud to work at the school. They feel valued and supported. Leaders involve staff in decision-making and support them to develop their careers.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders maintain an accurate record of checks on staff who work at the school. They have well-kept safeguarding records and are vigilant in following up concerns with external agencies. Leaders make sure that staff have up-to-date safeguarding training. Staff know what to do if they have a concern.

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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. 14–15 January 2020

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

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If you are the school and you are 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. 14–15 January 2020

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School details

Inspection number 10121505 Type of school Primary

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School details

Appropriate authority The board of trustees

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School details

Date of previous inspection 28 June 2019 under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of the Learning in Harmony multi-academy trust. The trust delegates responsibility for much of the governance of the school to the local governing body.  The school is led by an executive headteacher, supported by a head of school.

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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 did deep dives in the following subjects: reading, writing, mathematics, music, religious education and geography. We met with curriculum leaders, visited lessons and reviewed pupils’ work in these subjects, as well as speaking with teachers and pupils. We also spoke with staff about, and reviewed pupils’ work in, other subjects.  We spoke with the executive headteacher, head of school, other leaders, members of the local governing body and the chief executive officer of the trust. 14–15 January 2020

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 We reviewed a range of documentation, including safeguarding records, behaviour records, attendance records and risk assessments. We spoke with staff and pupils about the safeguarding arrangements, and held a meeting to discuss the leadership of safeguarding.  We considered the 135 responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Parent View, the 83 responses to the free-text option and the 42 responses to Ofsted’s staff survey. There were no responses to Ofsted’s survey of pupils’ views. We considered the results of the school’s own survey of pupils’ views.  We spoke with parents as they arrived at the school in the morning and met with pupils from different year groups to discuss their views of the school. We spoke with staff about different aspects of provision.

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Inspection team

Andrew Hemmings, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

James Richards Ofsted Inspector 14–15 January 2020

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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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