Brookfield Community Primary School

Draft and confidential - Not for disclosure or publication Inspection of a good school: Brookfield Community Primary School Watling Street Road, Preston, Lancashire PR2 6TU

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Outcome

There has been no change to Brookfield Community Primary School’s overall judgement of good as a result of this initial (section 8) inspection. However, the evidence gathered suggests that the inspection grade might not be as high if a full inspection were carried out now. The next inspection will therefore be a full (section 5) inspection.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils receive a warm and caring welcome from staff each day. Pupils are valued and happy. They enjoy coming to school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well in school because teachers have high expectations of them. They are proud to be ‘champions of Brookfield’ and enjoy working hard to collect behaviour ‘super learning power’ rewards. Pupils are eager to learn and do their best.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel safe at school. They know that adults take time to listen and will help them if they have any worries. Pupils said that, at times, friends fall out but that bullying in school is rare. If bullying does happen, pupils know that adults will sort it out quickly.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy a wide range of extra-curricular activities. They take part in charity work to support their community and further afield. Pupils are proud of their efforts to raise money for the local hospital during the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Despite these positive features, pupils do not learn as well as they should in some subjects, such as reading. This is because the previous curriculum has not helped pupils to learn and remember the knowledge that they need. The curriculum is now changing for the better. However, many pupils still have gaps in their knowledge.

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

The new headteacher and staff have recognised that the previous curriculum did not enable pupils to achieve well. Many pupils have developed gaps in their learning. Leaders are developing a more ambitious curriculum. In some subjects, such as science, leaders set out the important knowledge for pupils to learn and the order in which they learn it. This helps teachers design learning that builds on pupils’ prior knowledge. Pupils are 5 and 6 October 2021

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beginning to know and remember more in these subjects. However, this is not the case in some other subjects. Leaders have not set out clearly the important knowledge that pupils need to learn. As a result, new learning in these subjects does not always build on what pupils already know.

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Until recently, pupils have not benefited from a well-planned curriculum in mathematics. New plans are now in place. Leaders have reorganised how the subject is taught so that any gaps in knowledge can be revisited. Teachers help pupils to revisit new learning often. However, some teachers do not check to see how well pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), understand new learning.

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Pupils, including children in the early years, enjoy a wide range of stories and poems. Leaders are helping pupils to develop a love of reading. However, leaders have not decided on a clear early reading programme for teachers to follow. Some staff are not confident or skilled in teaching early reading. This is because they have not had suitable training. As a result, the delivery of the phonics programme is uneven. Teachers do not always identify and help pupils to correct their mistakes. At times, teachers do not match the books that pupils read to the sounds that they know. Some pupils who find reading difficult do not get the help they need so that they can catch up quickly.

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Leaders identify the learning needs of pupils with SEND appropriately. Leaders also ensure that these pupils have access to the same curriculum as everyone else. Teachers provide additional support and adapt the resources that they use. However, weaknesses in some curriculum plans mean that some pupils with SEND do not achieve as well as they could.

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Children in the early years learn and play with each other happily. They are curious and enthusiastic learners. Throughout the rest of the school, pupils behave well in lessons. Classrooms are calm environments where pupils can get on with their learning without interruption.

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Pupils enjoy a wide range of clubs and visits that leaders carefully plan and organise. These have continued throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. For example, pupils benefit from clubs run by local universities that help them to develop new talents. Pupils spoke fondly about their time away on a residential visit last year.

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The headteacher has clear plans in place to improve the curriculum further. Staff know that senior leaders are mindful of staff workload and well-being when making decisions. They feel valued and appreciate the ongoing investment in their training.

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In discussion with the headteacher, the inspector agreed that computing, art and design and history may usefully serve as a focus for the next inspection.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have created a culture focused on pupils’ welfare and well-being. Leaders ensure that staff are trained well to recognise signs of neglect and abuse. All staff know what to 5 and 6 October 2021

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do when they have a worry about a pupil. The designated safeguarding team work together to ensure that pupils receive the help that they need. Staff understand the importance of promoting pupils’ well-being and mental health. Leaders prioritise this in the school’s curriculum. Pupils learn about how to keep themselves safe, especially when they are online.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Subject leaders are still in the process of developing and implementing curriculum plans. In some subjects, the guidance that teachers use to plan learning does not set out precisely what knowledge pupils should know and remember. This means that pupils, including those with SEND, are not able to build on their earlier learning effectively. Leaders should ensure that curriculum plans define more clearly what is being taught, and when, so that pupils’ learning builds on what pupils already know and remember.  The approach to teaching phonics lacks coherence and some teachers are not confident or skilled in the teaching of reading. At times, teachers do not match reading books closely enough to the sounds that pupils know. As a result, some pupils who struggle the most with reading are not catching up. Leaders should ensure that there is a systematic approach to teaching phonics. They must also make sure that all staff

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

have the expertise that they need to deliver this programme so that pupils become accurate and fluent readers.  In some subjects, for example mathematics, teachers’ checks on how well pupils are learning are not precise enough. There are times when teachers do not identify pupils’ misconceptions and errors. This means that pupils’ learning is not always secure before they move on to new learning. Leaders should ensure they continue to develop teachers’ expertise and subject knowledge so that teachers can use assessment information effectively to inform teaching.

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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 or outstanding school, because it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, 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 deem the section 8 inspection as a section 5 inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the first section 8 inspection since we judged the school to be good in July 2016.

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

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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. 5 and 6 October 2021

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School details

Inspection number 10199957 Type of school Primary

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 14 and 15 July 2016, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Since the previous inspection, a new headteacher and a new chair of the governing body have been appointed.  The school does make not use any alternative providers.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with school leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  During this inspection, the inspector met with the headteacher, members of the governing body, including the chair of governors, and a representative of the local authority.  The inspector spoke with pupils about their work and school life.  The inspector did deep dives in the following subjects: reading, mathematics and history. In these subjects, he met with the subject leaders, visited lessons, spoke with 5 and 6 October 2021

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pupils, met with teaching staff, and looked at pupils’ work. The inspector observed some pupils read to a familiar adult.  The inspector reviewed a wide range of documentation, including the school’s plans for improvement, curriculum plans, and minutes of the governing body meetings.  The inspector met with a small number of parents and carers at the start of the school day. He considered 10 responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Ofsted Parent View, including 10 free-text comments. The inspector also considered 13 responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire for staff.  The inspector reviewed a range of documentation about safeguarding. The inspector spoke with the headteacher and other staff to understand how they keep pupils safe.

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Inspection team

James Blackwell, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 5 and 6 October 2021

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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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