Henry Bradley Infant School

Inspection of a good school: Henry Bradley Infant School Princess Street, Brimington, Chesterfield, Derbyshire S43 1HR

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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?

Leaders, governors and staff are committed to the pupils and their families. Staff set the tone at the school gate each day. One parent, typical of many parents and carers, said, ‘There is a positive feel around school; parents and children get a friendly welcome on arriving and leaving.’ All those who work in the school show a deep sense of warmth and care towards pupils. Their ambition for every pupil to achieve the school motto of ‘Reach for the Stars’ is evident. Nevertheless, pupils’ learning is not consistently strong across all subject areas.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils like coming to school. They talk with excitement and enthusiasm about their school. Reading is high on their list of likes, reflecting the positive role-modelling by staff. Pupils talk about, and do their best to live up to, the school’s values. They respect each other and adults. This helps them to feel safe in school. Pupils show increasing independence and self-control as they grow. They relish roles of responsibility, such as those of school council member and playground leader.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils generally behave very well and say that bullying is rare. They are confident that staff deal with any incidents well.

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

The school is going through a period of transition. Leaders and governors have accurately prioritised areas for improvement, such as the curriculum. Much has already changed, such as the quality of provision in Nursery and the school’s approach to early reading. Leaders’ vision of providing the best education for every pupil is clear. Pupils undertake new and unfamiliar experiences that enhance the curriculum. This includes the pupils’ charitable work to support the local food bank and those in crisis in Ukraine. 7 and 8 February 2023

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Staff and parents acknowledge the positive changes that have taken place since the arrival of the current headteacher two years ago. Leaders have a clear vision for pupils’ education. Staff share this vision. Parents appreciate leaders’ efforts to support them, for example by introducing before- and after-school care and adjusting Nursery hours to help working parents.

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Parents value the improved communication between school and home. They feel increasingly informed of, and involved in, their children’s education. They appreciate the briefing sessions about phonics and mathematics and events such as bedtime stories. Parents have also responded well to leaders’ unrelenting efforts to improve pupils’ attendance. More pupils have regular attendance and are no longer missing out on vital learning.

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Leaders’ work to overhaul the school’s curriculum is well under way. Subject leaders are clear about their roles and responsibilities. They take pride in the work they have done to develop plans for their subjects. Subject leaders say that senior leaders and governors support them to cope well with the additional workload involved in taking on these roles.

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Leaders have been successful in ensuring that reading is central to improving pupils’ outcomes. There is a strong reading culture in the school. Pupils love to talk about the new phonics programme and how much they like it. Staff teach the programme with consistency from the start of early years. Pupils who fall behind catch up quickly. Adults are positive role models, taking every opportunity to read with pupils. This has inspired pupils to take a lead in starting a book club.

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Leaders recognise the need to make up for losses in children’s development during the COVID-19 pandemic. Teaching in early years focuses on developing children’s communication and language. This supports children’s emerging reading. Teachers’ planning maximises opportunities for language and physical development indoors and outdoors.

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Leaders and teachers are ambitious for every pupil. They have high expectations regardless of ability or background. Adults support pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities well. The special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) makes sure that staff follow pupils’ support plans. The SENCo assesses plans regularly for their impact on pupils’ learning and development.

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Pupils’ learning benefits from a wide range of opportunities beyond the academic curriculum. They understand and can talk about fundamental British values, such as tolerance and democracy. Visits to places of worship and to Derby Open Centre support this. Leaders make sure that pupils can experience cultural events, such as theatre trips to the pantomime. A particular favourite with adults and pupils is the Year 2 prom.

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Not all subjects are as well developed as early reading. For example, in mathematics and music, teachers are not as adept at identifying the next steps in pupils’ learning. Teachers are clear about what they want pupils to learn. However, they do not always take into account gaps in pupils’ knowledge. Often this is because teachers’ subject knowledge is not as secure as it needs to be. 7 and 8 February 2023

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Leaders’ and teachers’ analysis of pupils’ performance in each subject is not yet consistently reliable. Leaders do not fully check whether pupils are learning the intended curriculum.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff show an absolute commitment to the safety and welfare of pupils and their families. Safeguarding records are thorough, including those for the safer recruitment of staff. Staff and governors understand their responsibilities to every pupil. They are vigilant for signs that a pupil may be at risk. Their recording of concerns is thorough and very well maintained. Leaders review records often to make sure that nothing is overlooked. This ensures early identification of trends or patterns of concern. When appropriate, teachers adjust the curriculum to help pupils understand and minimise risks. Leaders involve other support agencies when appropriate.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Teachers do not consistently identify the small steps needed to build on pupils’ prior learning. They sometimes set work that pupils find too difficult, or do not benefit from, because there are gaps in pupils’ knowledge. Often this happens because teachers’ subject knowledge is not strong enough in each subject. Teachers need to be more precise in what they want and expect pupils to learn in each lesson. This will help other adults in the class to be clear about how they can support pupils more effectively and will enable all pupils to achieve as well as they can.  Teachers’ understanding of what pupils know and do not know is not consistently accurate. Their assessment of subjects other than phonics is not well enough developed. This means that teachers and leaders cannot be sure whether pupils are reaching the standards expected of them for their age. Subject leaders should ensure that teachers have a clear understanding of assessment procedures and can evidence

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

the impact of their teaching on increasing pupils’ knowledge, so that they know and remember more over time.

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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 7 and 8 February 2023

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about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

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This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in May 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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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. 7 and 8 February 2023

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Chair of governing body Rev Daniel Cooke

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Date of previous inspection

22 June 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 There has been a change of headteacher since the previous inspection.  The school does not use any alternative providers.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school had 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.  The inspector met with the headteacher and all subject leaders, including the SENCo. He also met with three school governors and the school’s local authority adviser.  The inspector conducted deep dives in early reading, mathematics and music. For each deep dive, the inspector discussed the curriculum with the subject leader, spoke with teachers, spoke with some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  The inspector inspected safeguarding by looking at the school’s records and policies and speaking with pupils, staff and governors. 7 and 8 February 2023

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 The inspector considered the views of parents by speaking with a number of parents at the school gate and reviewing the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including any associated free-text comments. The inspector also considered the staff survey. There were no responses to the pupil survey.

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Inspection team

Stephen McMullan, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 7 and 8 February 2023

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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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