Bellefield Primary and Nursery School

Inspection of a good school: Bellefield Primary and Nursery School Windermere Road, Trowbridge, Wiltshire BA14 8TE

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Outcome

There has been no change to this school’s overall judgement of good as a result of this ungraded (section 8) inspection. However, the evidence gathered suggests that the inspection grade might not be as high if a graded (section 5) inspection were carried out now. The next inspection will therefore be a graded inspection.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils have positive attitudes to learning. However, they do not always learn as well as they should because of weaknesses in the curriculum. Leaders are working to improve the quality of education. They know there is more to do.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy school and attend well. They are proud to display the school values of ‘respect, responsibility, friendship, honesty and courage’. Staff care well for pupils. Relationships between staff and pupils are warm and nurturing.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders and staff have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour. As a result, there is a calm and welcoming atmosphere around the school. Pupils typically listen well and work hard in lessons. They are confident that all adults will manage poor behaviour. If bullying happens, leaders deal with it firmly. Pupils feel safe and supported in school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ personal development is a strength. They explained how the school ‘helps us grow to be good people’. Pupils have many opportunities to develop their interests and talents. There are a range of clubs and school visits on offer. For example, pupils take part in musical performances and sporting competitions. Pupils enjoy taking on leadership roles. These include training as well-being ambassadors or members of the youth parliament.

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

The senior leadership team is new in post. It has taken decisive action to improve the quality of education. Leaders have started to tackle the decline in pupils’ achievement since the previous inspection. They have improved the curriculum. The curriculum design is ambitious for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Leaders have identified precisely what pupils need to learn and remember across all subjects, from the early years to Year 6. Pupils are now beginning to 8 and 9 November 2022

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learn more successfully. Leaders are taking appropriate action to improve the implementation of the curriculum. However, it is too early to see the impact of this work in some subjects.

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Leaders prioritise reading. Children in the early years listen and join in with well-chosen stories and rhymes. Teachers read pupils a wide range of books which capture their interest. They motivate pupils to read widely. Leaders have improved the phonics curriculum. Staff have been trained to deliver the curriculum consistently. Pupils read books which help them practise the sounds they are learning. However, the weakest readers, including those with SEND, do not get the support they need to read fluently. Staff do not have a precise view of the gaps in pupils’ learning. Pupils who struggle with reading do not catch up quickly.

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Leaders have organised the mathematics curriculum well. Pupils build their knowledge and understanding securely. Children in the early years learn to count and to recognise numbers. Older pupils can explain how they use their knowledge of multiplication to compare fractions. Pupils regularly recap previous knowledge. Teachers usually check that pupils understand what they have been taught before moving learning on. However, this is not as successful in other subjects. Leaders recognise the need to improve assessment in these subjects. Teachers do not always check what pupils know and can do before teaching new knowledge. Pupils struggle to remember and build on what they have learned previously.

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Leaders are developing the provision for pupils with SEND. They have prioritised staff training. Communication with parents has improved. Pupils learn the full curriculum alongside their peers. However, teachers do not always adapt learning to meet pupils’ needs precisely enough. Leaders’ monitoring has not identified weaknesses in the support that some pupils receive.

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Pupils behave well in lessons. They are attentive and follow adults’ instructions. Although rare, teachers deal quickly and effectively with any low-level disruption. In the early years, children form strong relationships with adults. They settle into daily routines well and are keen to learn. Staff expect positive behaviour in classrooms and around the school. Mostly, pupils rise to these expectations. They value the rewards they receive for good behaviour and hard work.

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Pupils’ personal development is enhanced through the curriculum and beyond. Pupils are knowledgeable about keeping healthy and safe. They learn the importance of helping others, for example by raising funds for local and national causes. Older pupils enjoy responsibilities such as ‘buddy-reading’ for children in the Reception classes. Pupils know right from wrong. They understand the importance of being tolerant of others and have an increasing awareness of diversity.

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Governors and the local authority know the school well. Governors offer leaders well- informed challenge and support. There is clear teamwork and high morale among staff. Staff are positive about changes the headteacher has made to manage their workload. 8 and 9 November 2022

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders provide training to enable staff to spot signs that a pupil may be at risk of harm. If staff are worried about a pupil, they report it immediately to the appropriate person. Leaders work with external agencies to ensure that pupils and their families receive the support they need. Leaders keep detailed records and frequently review their work to keep pupils safe. They make thorough vetting checks on all adults who work in school.

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Safeguarding

Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe outside of school. They learn about keeping safe online and how to respond to peer pressure.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The phonics curriculum is not implemented well enough for the weakest readers, including pupils with SEND. Teachers do not identify gaps in pupils’ learning precisely enough. Too many pupils have fallen behind, and struggle to read with fluency and confidence. Leaders need to ensure that struggling readers catch up quickly.  There are inconsistencies in how well teachers check pupils’ knowledge and understanding across the curriculum. Consequently, pupils struggle to recall previous learning and do not build their knowledge well enough in some subjects. Leaders need to ensure that teachers use assessment strategies effectively so that pupils learn and remember the curriculum successfully in all subjects.  Teachers do not adapt learning well enough to meet the needs of some pupils with SEND. As a result, pupils with SEND do not always learn the curriculum as well as they should. Leaders, including subject leaders, should make sure the curriculum supports

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

the additional learning needs of pupils with SEND so that they can achieve the best possible outcomes.

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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 an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in March 2012. 8 and 9 November 2022

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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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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. 8 and 9 November 2022

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 10 January 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The headteacher took up her post in September 2021. The assistant headteacher and special educational needs and disabilities coordinator took up their posts in January 2022.  The chair of governors took up her post in September 2021.  The school makes use of two alternative providers.  The school runs breakfast and after-school provision on site.  The school has Nursery classes.

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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 their evaluation of the school.  The inspector carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and art and design. For each deep dive, the inspector met with subject leaders, visited a 8 and 9 November 2022

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sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  The inspector observed some pupils reading to a familiar adult.  The inspector spoke with pupils and leaders about the curriculum in other subjects.  The inspector met with school leaders, including the headteacher, the deputy headteacher, the special educational needs and disabilities coordinator, curriculum leaders, teaching staff and support staff.  The inspector reviewed documentation and spoke with leaders, staff and pupils to evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding. The inspector reviewed attendance records, records relating to the use of alternative provision and the school’s behaviour and bullying records.  The inspector met with representatives from the governing body, including the chair of governors.  The inspector spoke with representatives from the local authority.

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 The inspector considered responses to the online questionnaire, Ofsted Parent View, including free-text responses. The inspector also took into account the responses to the pupil survey and staff survey.

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Inspection team

Claire Mirams, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 8 and 9 November 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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