Boreham Primary School

Inspection of Boreham Primary School Juniper Road, Boreham, Chelmsford, Essex CM3 3DB

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Inspection dates: 13 and 14 December 2023

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Requires improvement 13 and 14 December 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud to be a part of this friendly school. They feel safe and enjoy coming to school. Their skilful teachers provide lessons that not only deepen pupils’ knowledge but actively inspire them to be independent learners.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are aware of the seven school values which underpin school life. The school sets high expectations of pupils’ behaviour as set out in the school’s values. Pupils reflect these in their positive and respectful behaviour, both in and out of lessons. The ‘Susan the dragon’ sculpture in the playground provides a physical reminder of these values.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils respond very well to the high expectations of the school. This is clear in their determination to succeed in their learning. They fulfil the school’s vision of ‘Daring to aim high’. Many pupils achieve highly, including disadvantaged pupils.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Outside of the classroom, pupils enjoy a wide range of clubs. Pupils also demonstrate excellence by representing the school in sporting and other competitions.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Visits to heritage sites and residential trips enhance pupils’ classroom learning. Pupils also enjoy and benefit from visitors, such as astronomers leading sessions in the mobile planetarium. A wide range of activities enables pupils to become ready for their future lives. These include developing entrepreneurial skills and learning first aid.

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better?

The school’s curriculum is ambitious and broad. The school provides a curriculum that encourages pupils to discover, explore and create. Pupils are well prepared for their next steps in education.

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better?

Reading is the highest priority for the school. From when they start in the early years, children learn to read. Staff expertly deliver phonics. Teachers closely check pupils’ progress so that any pupils who fall behind can receive additional help and catch up quickly. Pupils become fluent and confident readers. Teachers ensure that pupils’ books closely match the sounds they know. Teachers also provide parents with support and resources to help them read with their child. As a result, pupils achieve highly in reading, including disadvantaged pupils.

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better?

The curriculum builds pupils’ knowledge effectively. In Reception, children gain strong foundations for future learning. The indoor and outdoor environments, and the interactions between staff and children, contribute towards the development of children’s vocabulary. As pupils progress through the school, teachers provide lessons that build on these foundations. Staff ensure that pupils learn the curriculum well and are ready for secondary education. 13 and 14 December 2023

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The school ensures that teachers successfully adapt learning activities for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The school swiftly identifies these pupils’ needs and secures appropriate support. Teachers receive in-depth training to support pupils with SEND as best as possible. The school regularly reviews pupils’ support plans to ensure the support remains appropriate.

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In most subjects, the school has developed robust assessment processes. However, in some subjects, teachers do not yet formally check what pupils know and can do. Similarly, while expectations of writing in English are high, teachers do not always insist that pupils apply this quality to their writing in all subjects. As a result, pupils do not get the practice they need to improve their writing as well as they could.

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The value-centred curriculum teaches pupils about healthy living, preparing them to make positive choices in adult life. Pupils celebrate diversity and equality through experiencing a wide range of culturally diverse texts and experiences. This includes visiting different places of worship and studying influential figures from different cultures.

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The school ensures that pupils are fully prepared to make positive contributions in society. For example, pupils conduct litter picks in the local community and regularly raise money for charity. They also willingly take on leadership roles, such as being on the school council, green team and junior sports council. Pupils take part in democratic processes to elect their representatives.

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The consistent routines for behaviour, and the school’s focus on social and emotional development, help pupils to behave well. In Reception, children settle quickly and behave well together. Across subject areas, pupils are enthusiastic learners and focus well in lessons.

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Leaders have built positive relationships with staff and parents. Staff talk positively about leaders’ approach to managing workload. Staff say that leaders prioritise their well-being. Staff also value the range of professional development leaders provide.

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Governors have an accurate understanding of the school’s strengths and development areas. They hold school leaders closely to account for continued improvements.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 13 and 14 December 2023

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a few subjects, the school has not yet fully developed the processes to check pupils’ progress. This means that teachers do not check precisely enough what pupils know and can do. Leaders must ensure that teachers use assessment consistently well in all subjects.  Pupils’ written work is of variable quality in subjects other than English. This is because teachers do not insist on the same high expectations of written work that they do in English lessons. This means that pupils do not consolidate their knowledge of writing for different contexts, so do not develop their writing as well as they could. The school should ensure that pupils’ written work across all subjects is of the same high standard as it is in English.

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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 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). 13 and 14 December 2023

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 2 and 3 November 2021, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school does not currently use any alternative provision.  The school provides before- and after-school care.

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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 judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision.  The lead inspector discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the school and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors met with the headteacher, the special educational needs coordinator, members of the senior leadership team and subject leaders.  The lead inspector met with members of the local governing body.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics, history and science. For each deep dive, the inspectors met with subject leaders, looked at 13 and 14 December 2023

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curriculum plans, visited lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. The lead inspector also listened to some pupils read to a familiar adult.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: 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.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and outside during social times.  Inspectors viewed a range of school documents, including the school improvement plan and minutes from meetings of the local governing body as well as the local improvement board.  Inspectors considered 82 responses to Ofsted’s online survey for parents, Ofsted Parent View, including free-text comments. Inspectors met with staff and

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considered responses to Ofsted’s online staff survey. They also considered responses to Ofsted’s online pupil survey.

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Inspection team

Rowena Simmons, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Sue Cox Ofsted Inspector 13 and 14 December 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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