Bramber Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Bramber Primary School Bramber Road, Worthing, West Sussex BN14 8QB

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Outcome

Bramber Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are polite and courteous. They show high levels of respect to all. Pupils learn the school values and work hard to embody them. They demonstrate these through their friendly attitudes during social times and their enthusiasm for learning. Pupils feel safe and have warm relationships with staff. Pupils have adults that they can go to if they have worries.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are eager to learn and they achieve well. They willingly take part in discussions of the topics and use their expanding vocabularies to enrich lively debates. Pupils learn about their local community and their place in the wider world. They show strong acceptance of difference and enjoy learning about a range of cultures and religions.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud to attend the school. They enthusiastically represent the school in a range of leadership and representative roles, for example as house captains. Every pupil performs in school concerts or represents the school in a range of sports.

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

The school has designed a broad and ambitious curriculum that ensures pupils remember and understand important learning. Staff carefully plan the curriculum to link very closely to learning in early years. Reception Year pupils learn subject-specific vocabulary through thoughtfully selected books. They also develop their understanding of mathematical concepts through well-planned activities. This knowledge becomes increasingly sophisticated over time.

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

Teachers have strong subject knowledge. They use this to design interesting activities that enthuse pupils. Teachers identify what pupils know and understand well, working out how best to support pupils who need extra support. Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) produce high-quality work and achieve as well as their peers. 4 and 5 October 2023

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In subjects such as mathematics and English, pupils remember their prior learning and confidently make links to the topics they are currently learning. This helps to deepen pupils’ understanding. However, in other subjects, such as geography and history, pupils do not always remember what they have done before or make links between current and past learning. As a result, pupils do not remember as much as they could. The school is aware of this and has begun to develop strategies to help pupils to remember more of what they learn.

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The reading curriculum is thoughtfully organised. Pupils read regularly and teachers ensure that books match pupils’ phonics understanding. All staff are consistent in the way they teach phonics and reading. Staff support and encourage readers well. Pupils respond positively and enthusiastically to this. The school has made reading a clear priority.

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The school is calm and orderly. Teachers have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour. They respond quickly to instructions and reminders from teachers. Pupils cooperate with each other well. This starts in Reception where children show consideration and care for one another. Older pupils develop positive attitudes to learning as they move through the year groups.

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The school has a well-considered approach to personal development. Pupils learn how to keep safe. They develop an age-appropriate understanding of concepts such as consent. Leaders develop the relationships and health education sensitively. The school plans a range of opportunities that enhance the curriculum and stimulate pupils’ interests and talents. Pupils enjoy visiting local nature reserves to support their learning. The school offers a wide range of clubs and prioritises disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND. Pupils attend activities including netball and choir, and they have the opportunity to learn a range of musical instruments.

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Governors visit the school regularly and have a sound knowledge of all curriculum areas. They ask well-considered questions of staff and pupils to help them understand how well leaders fulfil their statutory duties. Staff are well supported by leaders. All staff receive a broad range of training which enables them to teach pupils well and keep pupils safe. Parents hold a very positive view of 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 some subjects, pupils do not remember skills they have learned and cannot make links between what they have learned in the past and what they are currently learning. This means that some pupils do not deepen their understanding in these subjects fully. Leaders need to ensure that pupils clearly understand what they have learned and why they are learning it in these subjects. 4 and 5 October 2023

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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 first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in May 2018.

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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’ 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). 4 and 5 October 2023

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 9 and 10 May 2018, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school currently does not use any alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of the 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 met with the headteacher and the senior teacher. The inspector met with other leaders and staff. The inspector also held a telephone conversation with a representative of the local authority.  The inspector carried out deep dives in the following subjects: reading, mathematics and geography. 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. 4 and 5 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.

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Inspection team

Gavin Thomas, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 4 and 5 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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