Brooklands Farm Primary School

Inspection of Brooklands Farm Primary School 152 Fen Street, Brooklands, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire MK10 7EU

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

The quality of education Outstanding Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding Early years provision Outstanding Previous inspection grade Good 29 and 30 June 2022

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils flourish in this highly ambitious and inclusive community. They look forward to coming to Brooklands Farm as it is an exciting and vibrant place to learn. The warm and nurturing relationships between staff and pupils sit at the heart of the school’s success.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school’s ethos of ‘open, grow and believe’ is woven into every aspect of daily life. Pupils wear their target pins and ribbons with pride. As one pupil said, ‘Our pins are for always trying our best and believing in ourselves: they are very special’.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy learning and achieve highly. Children in early years become curious and confident explorers of the world around them. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) achieve exceptionally well. This is because leaders and staff ensure that each pupil receives expert support to learn well in different subjects.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ behaviour is excellent in lessons and during breaktimes. They are extremely proud to take on positions of responsibility, such as digital leaders, lead learners and behaviour ambassadors. Pupils show genuine care and respect for each other. They are happy and safe. Bullying or unkindness is not tolerated. Staff work closely with pupils to resolve any issues that do occur.

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better?

Leaders, governors and staff know their school and community exceptionally well. Leaders have an unwavering determination to provide the very best learning experience for all pupils, including the most disadvantaged. Leaders ensure that the needs of pupils with SEND are identified appropriately and efficiently. They place no limit on any pupils’ learning or ambitions. Staff help all pupils to achieve highly and play their part in the school community as well as in the wider world.

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better?

Leaders have created an innovative and superbly well-designed curriculum that ignites pupils’ natural curiosity, interests and imagination. Across subjects, the essential knowledge and skills pupils should learn, and the order in which they should learn it, is clearly and precisely set out. The content pupils learn grows in depth and complexity over time. Consequently, pupils, including children in early years, secure and deepen their learning exceptionally well. They are very well prepared for the next stage of their education.

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better?

Teachers have expert subject knowledge. This is because leaders provide regular high-quality training for staff. Teachers engage and challenge pupils to learn and remember more in all subjects and areas of learning. Teachers’ use of assessment is highly effective. They watch carefully to identify whether pupils understand what they are learning. Teachers use this information to skilfully adapt teaching to help pupils, including those with SEND, learn and remember the essential knowledge. 29 and 30 June 2022

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Reading is extremely important at Brooklands Farm. There is a palpable love of reading in all areas. For instance, in Nursery, staff provide many opportunities to prepare children to become enthusiastic readers. They share stories, poems, rhymes and songs at every opportunity. Older pupils enjoy reading the diverse range of texts available in the well-stocked, attractive book areas. This includes books in a wide range of different languages. Pupils relish taking books home to share and enjoy with their families. One pupil said, ‘When you read a book, you are actually transported into a whole new world of imagination.’

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Leaders ensure that staff teach phonics effectively and consistently. Pupils regularly read books that are very well matched to the sounds that they are learning. Skilled staff provide tailored support for those pupils at risk of falling behind. This means that all pupils learn to read quickly, fluently and with comprehension.

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Pupils have highly positive attitudes to their learning. Classrooms are calm, focused and purposeful. In early years, children carefully follow the well-established routines and are deeply engaged in their learning. They develop crucial attributes that support them to learn, such as curiosity, independence and resilience.

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The promotion of pupils’ personal development is exceptional. All pupils, including disadvantaged pupils and pupils with SEND take part in a rich range of extra- curricular activities. These include the ever-popular sports clubs, charity events, visits to The Tate Modern and taking part in the local community ‘Brookfest’. Pupils learn about different lifestyles, cultures and beliefs. As a result, pupils understand the importance of British values and appreciate and respect difference. They are well prepared for life in modern Britain. As one pupil said, ‘Here, we have lots of friends from different countries, religions and communities. This is fine because we are all equal and important.’

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Governors are highly experienced and knowledgeable. They provide considered support and robust challenge. Consequently, leadership at all levels is extremely effective. There is a remarkable sense of teamwork among staff. They feel valued and appreciate that leaders are always considerate of their workload and well-being. Staff are exceptionally proud to work at the school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have created an exceptionally caring community where pupils’ well-being, welfare and safety is a top priority. Appropriate checks are made on all adults who work with the pupils in school. Staff understand that safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility. Regular training ensures they are alert to signs that a pupil may be at potential risk. Staff pass on any concerns swiftly. Leaders are tenacious in their interactions with other agencies. This ensures families receive the help they need. Through the curriculum, pupils learn about keeping safe, including when online or out in the local area. 29 and 30 June 2022

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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. 29 and 30 June 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10226984 Type of school Primary

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School details

Number of pupils on the school roll 1224

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Website www.brooklandsfarm.milton- keynes.sch.uk/ Date of previous inspection 7 February 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 This community school is split across two sites: one in Fen Street and one in Countess Way.  The school is currently using one alternative provider.

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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 leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors met with the executive headteacher, school leaders, staff and pupils.  The lead inspector had a telephone discussion with the chair of the governing body. She also met with a representative from Milton Keynes local authority.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, science, art, history, and geography. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the 29 and 30 June 2022

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curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked samples of pupils’ work.  To inspect safeguarding, inspectors checked the single central record of recruitment checks and talked to leaders responsible for safeguarding. Inspectors also talked to a range of staff and pupils informally.  Inspectors considered the responses to the confidential staff survey and spoke to a range of staff about their views of the school.  Inspectors took account of the responses to Ofsted’s Parent View questionnaire and the additional free-text responses. Inspectors talked with some parents on the morning of the second day of the inspection.  Inspectors considered responses to the pupil survey. They met with a range of pupils to discuss their views about the school and talked to pupils informally during social times and in lessons.  Inspectors reviewed a range of documentation including the school development

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Inspection team

Louise Walker, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Fiona Henderson Ofsted Inspector 29 and 30 June 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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