Bransty Primary School

Inspection of Bransty Primary School Mona Road, Bransty, Whitehaven, Cumbria CA28 6EG

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Inspection dates: 11 and 12 October 2023

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good

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Overall effectiveness Good

Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005 11 and 12 October 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), enjoy the strong friendships that they develop at school. They are polite, kind and happy. Pupils take pride in earning rewards for their achievements.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils respond well to the high aspirations that the school has of their achievement. This includes pupils that benefit from the specially resourced provision for pupils with SEND (specially resourced provision). Most pupils achieve well. Children in the early years are well supported to make a strong start to their education.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils access a broad range of activities that help them to expand their talents and interests. These include sports clubs, choir and movie Friday. Pupils make a strong contribution to the life of the school. For example, they embrace their roles as reading partners, anti-bullying leaders and school council members. This helps pupils to develop their leadership traits and to build their resilience.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Trips to local science fairs and city visits help pupils to deepen their understanding of the curriculums that they study. They enjoy taking part in outdoor and adventurous activities during residential visits. Pupils learn how to overcome any challenges that they may face and to become independent young people.

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better?

In most subjects, the school has designed an ambitious suite of subject curriculums that help pupils to build their knowledge and understanding over time. Most pupils are well prepared for each stage of their education. In the early years, the school keeps a strong focus on the development of pupils’ spoken language. It ensures that pupils are well prepared for the demands of Year 1.

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better?

In a small number of subject areas, the school’s curriculum thinking is new. This means that some pupils have gaps in their learning. At times, these gaps are not identified and addressed in a timely way. When this happens, some pupils move on to new learning before they are ready.

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better?

Teachers use their subject knowledge effectively in order to design learning activities that help most pupils to learn the curriculum well. In the early years, the school is quick to provide children with activities and interactions that are well matched to their specific areas for development.

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better?

The school accurately identifies the needs of pupils with SEND. Staff use this information appropriately to provide these pupils with experiences that enable them to learn alongside their peers. Pupils that benefit from the specially resourced provision achieve exceptionally well because of the specialist help that they receive. Their confidence builds quickly and they enjoy their learning. 11 and 12 October 2023

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Reading is a priority at the school. Pupils begin to learn to read as soon as they join the school in the Reception class. Staff receive the training that they need to teach the phonics programme well. As a result, most pupils develop a secure phonics knowledge. Pupils read books that have been carefully matched to the sounds that they have learned. Pupils that may have gaps in their phonics knowledge are well supported so that they catch up quickly. Most pupils become confident and fluent readers.

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The books that pupils read make a significant contribution to their understanding of the world. They value the differences that exist between people and they understand the importance of making a positive contribution to the local community.

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In lessons, pupils display positive attitudes towards their learning. Rare cases of low- level disruption are dealt with effectively. The school provides highly effective support to a small number of pupils who need help to improve their conduct.

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Pupils know how to keep themselves safe, including online. They learn about how to stay physically and mentally healthy and they know the signs of a caring relationship. Pupils respect opinions that may be different to their own. This is reflected in the level of empathy and compassion that they show towards people that may need their support.

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Parents and carers receive detailed information from the school about how to support their children’s learning at home. This includes access to resources and training sessions about the school’s approach to teaching pupils to read.

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The governing body has an accurate view of the school’s strengths and areas for development. It ensures that all pupils have equal access to the curriculum and the wider opportunities that the school makes available to them. Staff appreciate the time and the training that they receive to carry out their roles. This has a positive impact on their workload and well-being. Staff are proud to work at the school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a small number of subjects where the school’s curriculum thinking is new, some pupils do not develop the depth of understanding that they should. At times, teachers move these pupils on to new learning before they are ready. The school should make sure that checks on learning support pupils to know and do more over time. 11 and 12 October 2023

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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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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 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). 11 and 12 October 2023

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 14 November 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school has specially resourced provision for eight pupils with SEND, aged between 4 and 11. The specially resourced provision supports pupils with a hearing impairment. At the time of the inspection, there were eight pupils on roll in the specially resourced provision. Each of these pupils has an education, health, and care plan.  The school does not make use of any alternative provision.  The school has nursery provision for three-year-old children. This is led and managed by the school.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this inspection

Inspections are a point-in-time inspection judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision. 11 and 12 October 2023

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 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors met with the headteacher and leaders of SEND, behaviour, attendance, pupil welfare, personal development and the early years.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics and history. For each deep dive, the inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at a sample of pupils’ work. Inspectors also discussed the curriculum in science.  An inspector observed some pupils from Reception Year to Year 2 reading to a familiar adult.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, inspectors reviewed the single central record and took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils. They

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considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first. The lead inspector also held a meeting with the designated safeguarding lead.  The lead inspector held a meeting with the governing body, including the vice- chair of governors. He also spoke to a local authority senior manager and a school improvement partner.  Inspectors considered responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text comments. They took account of the responses from staff and pupils to Ofsted’s online surveys and gathered the views of staff and pupils throughout the inspection.  Inspectors spoke with pupils about their experiences of school life and their views of behaviour and bullying. They observed pupils’ behaviour during lessons and at breaktimes and lunchtimes.  Inspectors spoke to staff about their workload and well-being.

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Inspection team

Andy Cunningham, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Steve Kirkpatrick Ofsted Inspector 11 and 12 October 2023

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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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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