Breadsall Hill Top Primary School

Inspection of Breadsall Hill Top Primary School St Andrew’s View, Derby, Derbyshire, DE21 4ET

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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

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Overall effectiveness Good

Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005 5 and 6 October 2021

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy and enjoy being at Breadsall Hill Top Primary School. They say that their school has got much better and that they are proud of this.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy learning the curriculum. They work hard in lessons. Teachers make sure that lessons are interesting and engaging. One pupil summed up many when they said: ‘Lessons are fun and I learn lots of things.’

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well. They understand why it is important to follow the school rules. They are confident that adults will deal with any poor behaviour quickly so that it does not stop them from learning. They enjoy earning the school rewards that are available, including the chance tokens. They know how to use the ‘zones of regulation’ to manage their own behaviour. They know they can ask adults for help by using the worry boxes in classes.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils know what bullying is and say that it is very rare at the school. They know that if it does occur, leaders will deal with it quickly.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff work hard to make sure that pupils are looked after, happy and prepared to learn. Relationships between adults and pupils are positive.

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better?

Since the school opened, leaders from the multi-academy trust have put in place a leadership team charged with driving and secure improvements to the school. Governors provide the right amount of challenge and support, and help leaders to bring around such improvements.

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better?

Leaders have created a culture where pupils come first. Staff are united and ambitious. Staff understand the part they play in the school’s improvement and get the support they need from leaders. Staff recognise that the school has improved since it opened and that they are proud to work there.

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better?

The school’s curriculum has been planned carefully in most subjects, including English and mathematics. Leaders have made sure that content is taught in a well- sequenced order and builds on what pupils have already learned. Teachers help pupils to remember what they have learned in lessons. However, in a few subjects, including history and art, the plans are at an earlier stage of being implemented. The curriculum content in these subjects is not sequenced as well as it could be. Plans do not make clear which are the most important things that pupils should know and remember. Leaders have begun work to address this, but work is at an early stage.

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better?

A new programme for teaching phonics was introduced shortly before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The phonics programme sets out which sounds pupils will 5 and 6 October 2021

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learn and when. Pupils learn and remember these well. Leaders have trained staff so that they know how to teach phonics. However, there are some minor inconsistencies in how the programme is delivered. Leaders recognise this and are in the process of tackling it.

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Teachers foster a love of reading. Pupils read a wide range of texts by different authors. They read regularly at home and at school. Teachers read to pupils daily. Teachers make reading engaging and promote a love of books.

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The special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) leads provision well. They make sure that all staff help pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) to learn the school’s curriculum. Checks are made to ensure that the help these pupils get is working well. Changes are made quickly where it is not.

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Pupils behave well. They listen carefully to what adults say and follow instructions. They are polite and courteous to staff, each other and visitors. When pupils do not follow the school’s rules they get support to improve their behaviour. Leaders check weekly to see which pupils need help and to plan how best to provide this. They check to make sure that this help is working.

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The curriculum for relationships, sex and health education is clearly set out. Pupils show respect and tolerance for each other. They understand that people may have different views and beliefs to their own. They know how to stay safe both physically and mentally.

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Children enjoy their time in the early years and get off to a good start to their education. The early years curriculum is sequenced well. It sets out what children are expected to learn and when. Teachers check that pupils are keeping up and help those who fall behind. Teachers set up classrooms and the outdoor spaces carefully so that the resources and the learning environment help children to learn effectively.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders make sure that all concerns, regardless of where they have come from, are considered carefully and acted upon. A group of leaders meets weekly to check on pupils’ safety and to make sure that plans are in place to help. Leaders are quick to challenge anyone who is not helping as they should.

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Safeguarding

In lessons, pupils are taught how to identify risks and to stay safe. They know how to get help if they need it.

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Safeguarding

Staff are well trained and know what to do if there is a concern. 5 and 6 October 2021

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The curriculum is not yet sufficiently well planned and sequenced in some subjects. However, it is clear that leaders have already taken action to plan next year’s curriculum and to train staff in how to deliver it. For this reason, the transitional arrangements have been applied. Some plans do not make clear enough what are the most important things that pupils should know and remember. However, leaders have an imminent plan to address this. Leaders should ensure that the curriculum is well planned and sequenced across all subjects. Plans should make clear the most important things, in each subject, that pupils should know and remember.  The approach to teaching phonics is relatively new. There are some inconsistences in how adults are teaching the planned programme. Leaders should embed the recently introduced approach and ensure that it is delivered consistently well.

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How can I feed back my views?

or to 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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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 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 10200436 Type of school Primary

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected under Section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this school

 Breadsall Hill Top Primary School converted to become an academy school in July 2017. When its predecessor school, Breadsall Hill Top Primary School, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be inadequate overall.

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Information about this inspection

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

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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.  Inspectors held meetings with the headteacher, deputy headteacher, curriculum leaders, the SENCo, the early years leader and those responsible for disadvantaged pupils.  Inspectors did deep dives in four subjects: reading; mathematics; personal, social and health education; and physical education. They met with curriculum leaders, visited lessons, looked at pupils’ work, listened to pupils read and met with teachers and pupils. 5 and 6 October 2021

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 The lead inspector met with five governors, including the chair of the governing body. A meeting was held with the chief executive officer of the Transform Trust.  Inspectors took account of the 25 responses to the Ofsted Parent View survey and 15 written comments from parents. They also considered the 20 responses to Ofsted’s staff survey. An inspector spoke informally to parents outside the school.  Inspectors met with safeguarding leaders and reviewed school documents relating to safeguarding and attendance.

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Inspection team

Vic Wilkinson, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Liz Moore 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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