Noak Bridge Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Noak Bridge Primary School Coppice Lane, Basildon, Essex SS15 4JS

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Outcome

Noak Bridge Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud to be part of their school community. They say that it is important to treat others as they would like to be treated. This caring approach is evident in how pupils treat each other. They are courteous and friendly. Older and younger pupils play together happily. Playtimes are fun, with lots of equipment and plenty to do, such as football on the artificial turf.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy their learning and take pride in doing their best. One pupil commented, ‘The teachers here will always help you,’ and this reflects the view of many. Children learn well from when they first join in the early years. They work together eagerly in lessons. They share ideas and listen to each other thoughtfully. They develop a love of reading. As pupils get older, they read widely and well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils learn to stay safe and healthy. They know the importance of healthy eating, exercise and plenty of sleep. They are aware of the risks when online and know to tell an adult straight away if they have concerns. On the rare occasions where bullying occurs, pupils are confident that adults deal with it well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils develop their talents at clubs such as tennis, choir and art.

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

Reading is taught well across the school. Leaders have ensured that all staff have the training they need to teach early reading well. Staff make regular checks on how well pupils are learning. Lessons and books are at the right level for children to make rapid progress in learning to read. Pupils who need extra help get the right support. The reading curriculum is well planned so that pupils get lots of opportunities to develop their reading fluency and confidence. Older pupils talk with great enthusiasm about their favourite authors and books. They are inspired to read more by the classic texts their teachers read to them. 10 and 11 May 2022

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In most subjects, the curriculum clearly sets out what pupils are to learn. In these subjects, pupils can make links and build on what they know. For example, in Reception, pupils play games to practise number bonds to 10. This ensures they are ready for simple calculations in Year 1. Older pupils practise their arithmetic skills each day, so they quickly become fluent and accurate. Teachers have the subject knowledge they need to spot where extra practice is needed. However, this high-quality planning and delivery of the curriculum are not as well developed in some subjects.

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Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities are well supported. Teachers plan their lessons carefully to make sure everyone can access the learning. When needed, leaders seek out and follow the advice of professionals to ensure that pupils can succeed in school. These pupils receive precisely planned, individualised support.

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Pupils behave well in lessons and around the school. They know and follow the rules and routines. This means that everyone can learn in lessons. Relationships between adults and pupils are consistently respectful. Many pupils commented that teachers are kind. Pupils are polite and friendly; they hold doors open for visitors and know the importance of manners, remembering to say ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ at all times.

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Pupils enjoy the many clubs available before and after school and at lunchtime. They learn about teamwork in sporting clubs such as netball and football. Pupils attending choir have raised money for a local hospice.

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Pupils get lots of opportunities to develop their understanding about the importance of positive values and responsibility. From the early years, children learn to be independent, take turns and share. In English, pupils learn to debate ideas. In history, they learn about democracy and law. All older pupils learn to take responsibility as buddies for pupils in the Reception class. They also help around the school as prefects and digital leaders. Pupils are looking forward to the whole-school event to celebrate the Queen’s Jubilee being planned by the school council.

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Staff at the school feel well supported by leaders. Leaders have worked with them to ensure that assessment systems are manageable and helpful. Many governors are quite new to their roles. They do not know the school well enough and rely too much on information provided by the headteacher.

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In discussion with the headteacher, the inspector agreed that the strategic work of governors and the further development of the curriculum 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 understand local pressures and take actions to keep children safe. Pupils are taught to recognise safe and unsafe feelings. They understand the importance of telling an adult if they feel unsafe. Staff make it easy for pupils to report their worries. Concerns and actions are recorded by all staff. This ensures leaders are aware of incidents and can 10 and 11 May 2022

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get extra help when needed. Leaders work closely with other professionals to keep pupils safe. Pupils with significant medical and emotional needs are well supported by trained staff.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Many governors have joined recently. They do not know the school well enough and rely too much on the headteacher for the information they receive. This means they cannot provide the support and challenge that is part of their role. Governors need to ensure that they have appropriate strategies to be able to have an accurate strategic oversight of leaders’ work.  In a few subjects, plans do not set out the most important learning clearly enough. Staff are not as confident to deliver these subjects effectively. Leaders need to improve planning and staff training in these subjects, so that they are delivered well. Leaders also need to ensure that their monitoring identifies how well pupils are remembering and building on the key learning in these subjects.

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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 predecessor school, Noak Bridge Primary School, to be good in October 2013.

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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 . 10 and 11 May 2022

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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. 10 and 11 May 2022

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 This is a smaller-than-average primary school.  The school does not use alternative provision.  The school joined the Cresco Multi-Academy Trust in January 2018. The predecessor school of the same name was judged to be good in its inspection in November 2013.

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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 her evaluation of the school.  The inspector carried out deep dives in the following subjects: reading, mathematics and history. For each deep dive, the inspector met with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke with teachers and pupils about learning and looked at a sample of pupils’ books.  To inspect safeguarding, the inspector looked closely at safeguarding procedures and processes. She talked to governors, leaders, other staff and a range of pupils about safeguarding in the school. 10 and 11 May 2022

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 Throughout the inspection, the inspector met with pupils from different year groups to talk about their experiences of the school.  The inspector considered the 29 responses made by parents and carers to Ofsted Parent View, Ofsted’s online questionnaire, including 19 free-text responses. The inspector also considered the 18 responses to Ofsted’s online staff questionnaire and 25 responses to Ofsted’s pupil questionnaire.

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Inspection team

Lynne Williams, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector 10 and 11 May 2022

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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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