Bromham CofE Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Bromham CofE Primary School Grange Lane, Bromham, Bedford, Bedfordshire MK43 8NR

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Outcome

Bromham CofE Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

At this friendly school, pupils and adults do everything the ‘Bromham Way’. This unwritten code focuses on positive behaviour, relationships and attitudes. Pupils are prepared well for their future lives. They are extremely polite and go out of their way to make visitors or new arrivals feel welcome at their school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils chose the school’s golden rules, ‘ready, respectful and safe’. Most pupils follow these in all areas of the school. Those pupils who find this more challenging are supported to improve their behaviour. Bullying rarely happens, and pupils are confident that it is dealt with effectively. They feel safe and trust staff to look after them.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils understand and demonstrate the high expectations for behaviour and learning. They are encouraged to work hard. They enjoy their interesting lessons. Pupils achieve well, especially in reading.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils benefit from a wide range of opportunities beyond the curriculum. They take on responsibilities such as house captains, librarians, eco-leaders, junior leaders or members of the collective worship team. Older pupils build their independence through participating in a residential trip. All pupils have the opportunity to perform at ‘Bromfest’, a summer concert on the school field.

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

Leaders have high ambitions for all pupils. They have put in place a curriculum that sets out precisely the knowledge pupils need to learn and the order in which they should learn it. The curriculum is progressive, ensuring that pupils build their knowledge over time. 28 and 29 March 2023

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Teachers are confident about the subjects they teach. They explain things clearly during lessons. Teachers make sure that activities are relevant and deepen pupils’ understanding. In a Year 4 history lesson, pupils confidently presented their arguments when in role as one of the three contenders for the throne in 1066. Learning is rarely disrupted by poor behaviour because pupils are highly engaged. They know exactly what adults expect from them.

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Teachers remind pupils of their previous learning often, so pupils are ready to learn more complex content. Teachers use questioning and other checks to make sure that pupils have understood what has been taught. Teachers adapt their teaching and plan future lessons to address any gaps in pupils’ knowledge. In some lessons, teachers miss opportunities to give pupils helpful feedback on their work. Additionally, when feedback is given, pupils do not always act on it. This means that errors and misconceptions are sometimes left unaddressed, and pupils’ progress is slowed.

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The early years curriculum prepares children for key stage 1. In mathematics, for example, Reception children learn to break down numbers up to 10 so that they are easier to work with. This important skill supports pupils’ later success in mathematics. Adults in the early years know the children well. They create an environment that promotes learning and sparks children’s interests. Children explore the resources set out for them and learn happily alongside each other.

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The school prioritises reading. Daily phonics lessons start soon after children join Reception. Pupils learn the sounds they need to know to become fluent readers. They take home books that are carefully matched to their reading levels. Any pupils who fall behind, or who have gaps in their phonic knowledge, get extra help from well-trained adults. Pupils enjoy reading. They talk enthusiastically about their favourite authors or genres. The recently refurbished library is a popular place at lunchtime. Pupil librarians check books in and out for their peers and offer advice on which books to choose.

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Leaders identify pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) early. They help teachers to adapt their teaching so that these pupils can access the full curriculum. In some cases, external specialists are involved to ensure that pupils get the support they need.

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The school’s programme for pupils’ personal development is strong. Pupils enhance their understanding of the world by standing for election or making an application for the various leadership roles on offer. They talk maturely about democracy, diversity and resilience. Pupils learn about the world’s major religions. Many pupils, including some with SEND or pupils who are otherwise disadvantaged, learn to play a musical instrument. Active eco-leaders explore ways of protecting the environment, both within and beyond the school gates. Junior leaders meet regularly to consider ways of improving their school.

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Staff benefit from the training and development opportunities leaders give them. They appreciate the way leaders consider staff workload when introducing changes. Governors are knowledgeable and committed. They provide leaders with helpful challenge and are fully supportive of the leadership team’s drive for continuous improvement. 28 and 29 March 2023

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders are vigilant in their approach to safeguarding. Staff are trained to recognise the possible signs of abuse. Leaders use quizzes and posters around the school to ensure staff keep their knowledge fresh. Leaders’ record-keeping is rigorous. They take appropriate actions when a concern is raised. They are quick to support vulnerable pupils and their families. This sometimes involves working with external professionals.

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Safeguarding

Pupils learn about keeping themselves safe. Pupil digital leaders teach their peers about cyber-bullying. They are well versed in online safety.

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Safeguarding

Governors check the school’s safeguarding systems regularly. This includes the vetting checks for adults working at the school.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Teachers’ feedback to pupils about their learning is not consistently effective across the school nor across subjects. Sometimes, pupils’ errors and misconceptions are left unaddressed, and they do not learn as well as they should. Leaders should ensure that all teachers deal with pupils’ errors and misconceptions systematically and that the feedback given to pupils is effective. This will enable pupils to strengthen their knowledge and understanding and make the progress leaders expect.

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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 July 2013.

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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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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. 28 and 29 March 2023

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School details

Inspection number 10255231 Type of school Primary

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 21 September 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 In September 2018, the school converted from being a lower school, with pupils aged four to nine years, to a primary school, with pupils aged four to 11 years.  The current leadership team of the headteacher, deputy headteacher and assistant headteacher/inclusion manager have all joined the school since the previous inspection.  Pupil numbers have increased significantly since the previous inspection. The school currently has three classes in each year group up to Year 2 and will eventually have three classes in all year groups.  There is wraparound care before and after school. This is run by school staff and managed by school leaders.  At the time of the inspection, leaders were not making use of any alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

The lead inspector carried out this ungraded inspection under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. 28 and 29 March 2023

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 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The lead inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and has taken that into account in her evaluation of the school.  The lead inspector carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and history. For each deep dive, the inspector discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke with teachers, spoke with some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. The lead inspector listened to a sample of pupils read to a familiar adult. She also looked at a sample of books from other subjects across all year groups.  To inspect safeguarding, the lead inspector met with the designated safeguarding leaders to review records. She scrutinised the single central record of recruitment and vetting checks. She also spoke with staff, pupils and the link governor for safeguarding.

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 The lead inspector reviewed a range of other school documentation and policies, including the school development plan, external reviews of the school and minutes of governing body meetings.  The lead inspector spoke with pupils from different year groups during lessons and at lunchtime. There were 143 responses to Ofsted’s pupil questionnaire.  To gather parents’ views, the lead inspector spoke with parents on the school playground and reviewed the 127 responses and 45 free-text responses submitted to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View.  The lead inspector gathered the views of staff by speaking with many of them and reviewing the 53 responses to Ofsted’s staff questionnaire.

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Inspection team

Caroline Crozier, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 28 and 29 March 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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