Broomhill Junior School

Inspection of a good school: Broomhill Junior School Allison Road, Brislington, Bristol BS4 4NZ

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Outcome

Broomhill Junior School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud of their school. They feel valued and cared for. They are polite, respectful and welcome visitors with a smile. Pupils enjoy their learning and work hard in lessons.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has a strong community feel. The headteacher has high expectations for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Staff make sure that pupils play an active role in school life.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel safe and behave well. They take part in regular ‘emotional fitness’ sessions. This helps them to learn how to manage their feelings. Staff model the school’s behaviour expectations well. Consequently, pupils know what is expected of them. There is very little bullying. Leaders have robust systems for dealing with this. Pupils have strong relationships with staff in school and trust them to resolve any problems.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents and carers are positive about the school. One comment, typical of many, is: ‘The school is incredibly supportive. Communication between the teachers and parents is excellent and the headteacher is always available.’

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

Since joining the school, the headteacher has improved the quality of education. Senior leaders have worked closely with staff to develop an ambitious and interesting curriculum. Teachers use their strong subject knowledge to help pupils learn well, particularly those who are disadvantaged.

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

Leaders have prioritised reading. Pupils read daily in school and enjoy reading a range of interesting books. Pupils who need to catch up receive plenty of help. Consequently, most pupils become fluent readers by the time they leave school. The books that pupils read are well matched to the sounds they know. Staff have benefited from the training and support they have received from the local English Hub. 6 and 7 October 2021

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Leaders have planned a detailed mathematics curriculum from Year 3 to Year 6. Teachers use this to ensure that each lesson builds on pupils’ previous knowledge. Teachers check that pupils have understood what they have learned before moving them on to the next topic. Carefully chosen activities help pupils to understand mathematical ideas. Pupils have lots of practice, which is helping them to calculate quickly.

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Some curriculum areas are not as well planned as others. For example, leaders have not ensured that pupils learn key scientific knowledge before starting new topics. Where pupils do not revisit what they have learned often enough this hampers their ability to know and remember more over time.

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Leaders and teachers use assessment well to identify pupils’ strengths and weaknesses in most areas of the curriculum. For example, teachers use assessment information in mathematics effectively to tailor the curriculum to meet pupils’ needs.

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Teachers adapt learning effectively for pupils with SEND. As a result, almost all learn alongside their peers. This helps most pupils with SEND to learn the same knowledge and skills across the curriculum as other pupils.

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Pupils’ personal development is strong. Leaders have designed an ambitious programme for the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils. Pupils share a clear sense of belonging and an understanding and respect for diversity. Pupils take on a range of responsibilities, such as ‘social media’ ambassadors or ‘junior librarians’.

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Leaders are considerate of staff workload. Staff unanimously state that they are proud to work at the school. They welcome the support they receive from leaders. They appreciate the training that they receive to develop their subject knowledge. Governors are aware of the school’s strengths and priorities for improvement. However, they have not checked that the curriculum is effective in all subjects.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders know their pupils and the local context very well. Leaders check staff’s suitability to work with pupils before they start to work at the school. Leaders make sure that staff have up-to-date safeguarding training. Staff know how to spot risks to pupils and how to record any concerns. Leaders follow up any concerns with external agencies quickly. Records are accurate and detailed.

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Safeguarding

Pupils have a clear understanding of what makes a good relationship, including what is meant when someone says ‘no’. They know what to do if they are asked to share something online that makes them feel uncomfortable. Staff and parents are confident that pupils are safe in school. 6 and 7 October 2021

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Leaders have not ensured that the curriculum is embedded effectively across the school. There are inconsistencies that leaders have not yet addressed. Consequently, in some subjects, pupils have gaps in their knowledge and understanding. Leaders need to check subject curriculums carefully to ensure that they are organised and implemented well in every subject and year group.

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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 September 2016.

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How can I feed back my views?

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. 6 and 7 October 2021

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School details

Chair of governing body Mair Allen and Paul Townsend (Co-Chairs)

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School details

Website www.broomhill-jun.bristol.sch.uk/

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School details

Date of previous inspection 13 September 2016, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The headteacher joined the school in September 2019.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The lead inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with school leaders and has taken that into account.  The lead inspector held a telephone conversation with the headteacher and the senior team regarding the quality of education. Additional discussions were held on site with senior leaders.  The lead inspector carried out deep dives in reading, mathematics and science. For each deep dive, the lead inspector met with subject leaders, looked at curriculum plans, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  The lead inspector met with a representative from the local authority. The lead inspector held a meeting with three members of the governing body, including the new co-chairs. 6 and 7 October 2021

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 The lead inspector reviewed a range of documentation, including curriculum plans and records of safeguarding and behaviour.  Parents’ views were considered through the 36 responses to Parent View, Ofsted’s online questionnaire. Staff views were considered through the nine responses to the staff survey and through discussion with staff. Pupils’ views were considered through meetings with pupils and informal discussions around the school.

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Inspection team

Ben Jordan, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 6 and 7 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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