Bromet Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Bromet Primary School Oxhey Road, Watford, Hertfordshire WD19 4SG

p.1

Inspection dates: 12 and 13 January 2022

p.1

Outcome

Bromet Primary School continues to be a good school.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy learning across a broad range of subjects. They experience a curriculum that extends their thinking and nurtures their curiosity. Pupils enjoy sharing their ideas. Pupils think carefully about their learning. They make connections that deepen their understanding. Overall, pupils take pride in their work and want to do well. They are well prepared for the next stage of education.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are welcoming, friendly and polite. They are respectful towards each other and towards adults. Relationships between staff and pupils are very positive. Pupils know that staff are there to help them if they have any concerns. Pupils said that they are happy, and feel safe in school.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ behaviour is excellent. Pupils work well in lessons and enjoy playing together at breaktimes. Pupils know that adults will listen and help them resolve any issues they may have. Pupils talked about the strategies they learn in school that help them to understand their own and others’ feelings. Pupils learn how to keep themselves and others safe. Pupils are thoughtful and kind. Bullying is rare. When it does occur, it is dealt with quickly.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Parents are positive. They appreciate the school’s caring ethos, through which their children feel safe, valued and happy.

p.1

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

Since the school became an academy, leaders have focused on developing the curriculum. The curriculum is broad and ambitious for all pupils. Subject plans clearly set out the knowledge that pupils should gain from Reception to Year 6. Teachers plan lessons that build on what pupils have learned before. Pupils practise and secure their understanding before they move on to new learning. In each subject, pupils learn to use the correct terminology. This helps them to discuss their learning confidently and secure important concepts. 12 and 13 January 2022

p.1

2

Leaders promote reading across the school. There is a clear expectation, and support, for pupils to develop their enthusiasm for reading. Pupils read widely and often. In class, pupils explore different cultures and traditions through well-chosen texts. Pupils enjoy reading.

p.2

2

Children are taught to read from the moment they join the school in Reception. Leaders have put in place a systematic programme for teaching sounds and early reading. Staff have received the training they need to deliver the phonics programme. In phonics lessons, staff model clearly the sounds that pupils are learning. Pupils practise and revisit their learning before moving on to new sounds. Pupils read books that are closely matched to their knowledge and understanding. Pupils are making a positive start in learning to read.

p.2

2

Pupils who are not confident in their reading are quickly identified and given extra support. Staff are well trained in phonics. However, staff are not always clear about which strategies will help these pupils to catch up quickly. Less fluent readers are not always supported to practise and apply their phonics knowledge when they are reading aloud to an adult in school.

p.2

2

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) learn well alongside their peers. Teachers carefully adapt the curriculum to meet the needs of pupils with SEND. Pupils with SEND have additional support plans in place. These plans do not reflect the breadth of the provision that is in place for pupils with SEND. This results in some parents of pupils with SEND not having clear information about how well their children are being supported in school.

p.2

2

Children in the Reception Year enjoy learning and playing together. Adults ask questions that help children explain and deepen their understanding. Children learn the routines that enable them to be successful in school. The curriculum supports children well to develop their language and their mathematical understanding. Children are well prepared for their next steps in education.

p.2

2

Leaders provide for pupils’ wider development well. Pupils learn to care for the environment and for each other. Pupils understand difference and celebrate diversity. Pupils are aware of themselves as members of a local and global community. Pupils are knowledgeable about democracy. The elected members of the school council know that their job is to represent the views of their peers. Younger pupils appreciate the clubs and activities that older pupils organise for them.

p.2

2

Trustees and governors coordinate their roles effectively. They visit the school regularly and talk to pupils, staff and leaders. They know the school, what the school does well and what needs to improve further. They hold leaders to account for the education, well-being and safeguarding of pupils and the school community. 12 and 13 January 2022

p.2

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

Safeguarding

Leaders maintain a positive culture of safeguarding. Through regular training and weekly updates for staff, leaders make sure that safeguarding is at the forefront of everyone’s mind. Staff are alert to the signs of potential abuse. They understand the systems for recording and reporting concerns. Pupils learn how to keep themselves and others safe, including online. Leaders work effectively with external agencies so that pupils and families get the help and support they need.

p.3

Safeguarding

The single central record of pre-employment checks is comprehensive and up to date.

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Leaders have not ensured that staff are always clear about which strategies they should use when they are supporting less confident readers. This means that not all pupils are gaining fluency and confidence in their reading as quickly as they could. Leaders should review their guidance for support staff, so that pupils consistently practise and apply their phonics knowledge to develop their fluency, confidence and independence when they are reading aloud.  Leaders do not provide clear and consistent information for parents of pupils with SEND. Parents of pupils with SEND do not always know how well their children’s needs are being met in school. Leaders should review their approach, so that parents of pupils with SEND are fully informed about the provision that is in place to support their children.

p.3

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.

p.3

Background

This is the first section 8 inspection since we judged the predecessor school, Bromet Primary School, to be good in March 2013. 12 and 13 January 2022

p.3

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.

p.4

How can I feed back my views?

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

p.4

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 .

p.4

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

p.4

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. 12 and 13 January 2022

p.4

School details

Inspection number 10212028 Type of school Primary

p.5

School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

p.5

Information about this school

 Bromet Primary School is part of the Agora Learning Partnership (formerly the Herts for Learning Multi Academy Trust), which consists of nine primary schools. Bromet Primary School joined the trust in September 2017.  The headteacher took up her post in January 2016.  The chair of the local governing body was appointed in September 2021.

p.5

Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspector met with the headteacher and the senior leadership team.  The inspector met with the chair of trustees, the vice-chair of trustees, the chair of governors and a member of the governing body.  The inspector carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics and history. The inspector met with subject leaders, visited lessons, considered curriculum plans, spoke 12 and 13 January 2022

p.5

6

with pupils, looked at pupils’ books and met with class teachers. The inspector also observed pupils reading.  The inspector reviewed the information available on the school’s website, including school policies and information about the curriculum.  The inspector met with the designated safeguarding leader to discuss the arrangements that are in place to support safeguarding.  The inspector scrutinised the single central record of pre-employment checks, and the school’s safeguarding records.  The inspector reviewed the school’s behaviour records, including records of incidents of bullying and how these are followed up. The inspector observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and at breaktimes.  The inspector considered the 43 responses to Ofsted Parent View, including 31 free- text comments. The inspector spoke with members of staff and with pupils to gather their views on the school.

p.6

Inspection team

Katherine Douglas, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector 12 and 13 January 2022

p.6

7

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.

p.7

7

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.7

7

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

7

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

7

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7