Guestling Bradshaw Church of England Primary School

Inspection of Guestling Bradshaw Church of England Primary School Rye Road, Guestling, Hastings, East Sussex TN35 4LS

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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 Previous inspection grade Good 29 and 30 June 2022

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are enthusiastic about their learning. Relationships between pupils and staff are strong. Pupils are happy and feel safe. They trust adults to help them with problems. The school’s Christian ethos influences all aspects of school life. Pupils understand, and are guided by the school values of courage, friendship, truthfulness, humility, compassion and hope. Staff want pupils to do well and have high expectations of what they can achieve. As a result, pupils at this school develop a real love of learning. As they progress through the school, pupils say they have ‘better ideas’ as they ‘know more’. There are high standards of behaviour. Pupils take pride in demonstrating positive behaviour and good manners. Lessons are calm and purposeful. Pupils move around the school with care and consideration for others. For example, they stand back to allow adults to go through doors first. They politely greet all adults, including

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What is it like to attend this school?

visitors. Pupils know that bullying is not tolerated. Parents and carers appreciate the school’s family and community feel. They say that staff are approachable, and concerns are dealt with promptly. Parents report that ‘staff go above and beyond’ what is expected of them and describe the school as feeling like it ‘wraps its arms around you’.

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better?

Leaders are passionate about providing an education that caters for the needs of all pupils. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are included in all aspects of school life. The curriculum is broad, and pupils are interested in the carefully chosen topics. In most subjects, the curriculum is planned and sequenced to ensure that pupils know and remember more over time. Teachers make links between learning, and this helps pupils to remember what they have learnt. Key vocabulary is taught and then revisited. Pupils’ understanding of this vocabulary is evident from their writing across the curriculum. However, in some subjects, leaders have further work to do to ensure that the intended learning is clear. This includes the curriculum for early years. Leaders have high ambitions for all pupils to become fluent readers. Pupils are exposed to a variety of texts which encourage even reluctant readers to engage

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better?

with their learning across the curriculum. Leaders recognise that the teaching of early reading has not been strong enough and so, this academic year, implemented a new phonics programme. Training for staff on how to deliver this programme is ongoing. Leaders recognise the importance of all staff being expert in the teaching of reading, but the pandemic has hampered efforts to complete this training. Leaders have prioritised training for all staff in early years and key stage 1. This means that some staff who are supporting the weakest readers in key stage 2 do not have the expertise they need to support pupils who have fallen behind or are struggling to learn to read. 29 and 30 June 2022

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In mathematics there is a well-sequenced curriculum. Staff have received training so that there is consistency in teaching across the school. Key mathematical vocabulary is taught and regularly revisited so that pupils remember it, and can correctly use it, in the long term. Assessment approaches ensure that teachers have a good understanding of what pupils know. They use this information to inform pupils’ next steps in learning. Early identification of children with SEND means that these pupils are well supported across the school. There are clear systems in place for this. Expectations are high for these pupils and support is put in place to ensure that they can learn alongside their classmates. Personal development is a strength of the school. Pupils learn to support each other. They are open to challenges and take responsibility for their own learning. Pupils learn about beliefs and opinions that are different to their own. They understand

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that everyone should be treated equally. Across the school, there is a feeling of community where value is placed on helping others. Pupils can be seen supporting other pupils, including those with additional needs, and this is embedded into daily life in school. Older pupils are keen to share their experience of the ‘3-star badges’ which promote the importance of school rules, supporting the community and external charitable work. The school is very well led and managed by the headteacher and her senior team. They have worked to ensure that subject leaders are confident supporting teachers. Leaders are supported and challenged by governors who are well informed about life in school. Training for governors is ongoing. Governors visit school, ensuring that what they are told in meetings is a true reflection of where the school currently is.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The safety and welfare of pupils is a top priority at this school. Employment checks are completed for adults. Leaders and staff identify when pupils or their families need extra support. Swift action is taken to ensure pupils remain safe. This includes working with outside agencies. Staff are well trained. The curriculum teaches pupils how to keep themselves safe, including online. Policies are reviewed regularly to ensure legal requirements are met. Pupils are confident that help will be available if they need it and talk proudly of ‘The Burrow’ nurture room as a safe space to ‘have a chat’.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some subjects, and in early years, aspects of the curriculum are still in development. As a result, pupils do not always achieve as well as they might. Leaders need to continue their work to ensure the curriculum sets out precisely 29 and 30 June 2022

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what they want pupils to know and be able to do and that teachers have the subject-specific expertise they need across all subjects that they teach.  The staff who currently support older pupils who are not yet fluent readers, have not all been trained to deliver the school’s new phonics programme. This means that they do not always teach pupils the knowledge and strategies they need to catch up effectively. Leaders need to ensure that all staff, but particularly those that support the weakest readers, are fully trained so that they are expert in the teaching of early reading.

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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 10227830 Type of school Primary

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School details

Date of previous inspection 19 April 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The headteacher started in April 2020.  The school is part of the Diocese of Chichester. The last section 48 statutory inspection took place in January 2017.  The school is not currently using any offsite alternative provision.

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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.  During the inspection, inspectors met with senior leaders and staff as well as five governors, including the chair of the governing body. Inspectors also spoke to a representative of the local authority and a representative of the diocese.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, French, mathematics, and history. For each deep dive inspectors met with subject leaders, 29 and 30 June 2022

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looked at curriculum plans, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. Inspectors also listened to pupils read.  To inspect the school’s safeguarding arrangements, inspectors met with leaders responsible for safeguarding and looked at relevant documentation, staff recruitment checks and training records. The inspectors also talked to a range of staff and pupils.  Inspectors met with pupils from different year groups to talk about their learning and experiences at school during lessons and during social times.  The views of staff, parents and pupils were gathered by inspectors through discussions and Ofsted’s online confidential surveys.  Inspectors reviewed a range of documentation, including the school’s self- evaluation plan and school development plan, pupil premium and catch-up funding plans.

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Inspection team

Clare Wilkins, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

James Tibbles 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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