Bridge and Patrixbourne Church of England Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Bridge and Patrixbourne Church of England Primary School Conyngham Lane, Bridge, Canterbury, Kent CT4 5JX

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Outcome

Bridge and Patrixbourne Church of England Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils speak with pride about their school and enjoy their lessons. They are well- mannered, polite and welcoming. Pupils have frequent opportunities to develop their interests and their character. There are many ways in which they can develop leadership skills and there are a number of roles on offer that pupils speak fondly of. They raise funds for local charities and read to members of the local community, visiting many in their care homes. Personal development is a real strength of the school. These experiences prepare pupils well for life in modern Britain.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel safe in school and know adults will support them if they have concerns or worries. There are mental health services available in the school, and pupils talk freely about their feelings. They know how to keep themselves safe online.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are confident and resilient in their work, and there is a positive attitude to learning throughout the school. They know that working hard will help them to do well and to meet the school’s high aspirations. They are proud to share their work and help each other to learn. Overall, they achieve well.

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

The school has put in place an ambitious, well-structured curriculum. It is planned to support pupils to build up knowledge over time. Themes are linked carefully to help pupils remember more and be able to apply their understanding across some subjects. Pupils enjoy this approach and are keen to talk about their learning but do not always recall the knowledge that the school intends they gain.

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

In the early years, children make a strong start to learning. As with elsewhere in the school, the curriculum is carefully designed, particularly in core aspects such as communication, language and number. As a result, children develop basic skills well. They 3 and 4 October 2023

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are beginning to use their knowledge to support further learning in other areas of the curriculum.

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The school has planned a comprehensive approach to reading. The reading curriculum is well planned. Pupils become enthusiastic, fluent and accurate readers. They enjoy reading and can name favourite books and authors. The school has ensured that there is a wide range of texts from a variety of authors. The culture of reading is evident around the school, with numerous posters of authors, book corners, opportunities for older pupils to read with younger ones, stories of the week and a well-stocked library. Any pupils who need additional support are identified quickly and provided with carefully targeted sessions from well-trained staff. This helps them to catch up and become confident, fluent readers. Pupils achieve well in phonics and are able to access the rest of the curriculum using their reading skills.

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In most subjects and areas, pupils’ knowledge is checked carefully, and activities are adapted to match their needs. This is particularly effective for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Staff know these pupils well and anticipate their needs. However, the checking of what pupils know and can remember is not secure across the school. In some cases, pupils move on to work independently when they still need help. When this happens, they can get confused and make mistakes. This hinders their learning.

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The curriculum supports pupils’ broader development well, particularly with the wide range of extra-curricular activities on offer to all. Pupils are supported well as they transition through phases and on to secondary school. Pupils are passionate advocates for equality and fairness. They are very proud to hold one of the many leadership roles available to them. They also volunteer for roles to support the wider community. They learn about fundamental British values such as democracy in their lessons and through events such as school elections. They take these very seriously.

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Pupils behave well across the school. Any behaviour issues are dealt with quickly and consistently. Pupils know what is expected of them, and incidents of low-level disruption are rare. They attend well and focus carefully on their learning in class. Around the school, they are quick to support each other. At breaktimes, pupils play well together, treating the resources with respect.

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Staff feel valued and supported and say that leaders care about their well-being. Governors are active in providing support and challenge as needed. They are ambitious for the school to succeed, and continue to enhance some recent, positive changes. They carry out required checks, including those relating to safeguarding in the school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 3 and 4 October 2023

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some areas of the curriculum, checks on what pupils know and can remember are not used effectively to inform future activities. This means that, sometimes, pupils move to work by themselves before they are ready. They can get confused, and their learning is hindered. The school should ensure that all staff know how to make the most of assessment and checking activities.  In some lessons, pupils can talk about their enjoyment of the lesson, but not always the knowledge they are learning. This makes it harder for them to recall learning later on. The school should ensure that strategies to help pupils remember and apply their learning are fully embedded.

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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 June 2014.

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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. 3 and 4 October 2023

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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’ is used to mean pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND); pupils who meet the definition of children in need of help and protection ; pupils receiving statutory local authority support from a social worker; and pupils who otherwise meet the criteria used for deciding the school’s pupil premium funding (this includes pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years, looked after children (children in local authority care) and/or children who left care through adoption or another formal route). 3 and 4 October 2023

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 22 March 2018, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 There is a new headteacher and there are new governors at the school since the last inspection.  The school is a Church of England school in the Diocese of Canterbury. The school’s most recent section 48 inspection for schools of a religious character was in October 2017.  The school does not currently use any alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision.  This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspector held meetings with the headteacher, senior leaders, subject leaders and the special educational needs coordinator. He also met with members of the school governing body and a representative of the local authority and diocese. 3 and 4 October 2023

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 To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspector: reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  The inspector carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and physical education. For each deep dive, the inspector held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. He also listened to pupils read to an adult at the school.  The inspector scrutinised the school’s self-evaluation and development plans and considered a range of documentation, including that relating to pupils’ behaviour.  The inspector observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school. He met

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with groups of pupils. The inspector considered responses to Ofsted’s questionnaires for parents, pupils and staff.

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Inspection team

Howard Fisher, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 3 and 4 October 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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