Braunstone Frith Primary Academy

Inspection of Braunstone Frith Primary Academy Cuffling Drive, Leicester, Leicestershire LE3 6NF

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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

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Overall effectiveness Good

Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Overall effectiveness Good

The head of school at Braunstone Frith Primary Academy is Naomi Grant. This school is part of Life Multi-Academy Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Chris Parkinson, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Liz Warren. There is also an executive headteacher, Amelia Smith, who is responsible for this school and one other. 12 and 13 March 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel happy and safe in this vibrant, diverse community. There is a positive, respectful culture. Pupils describe their school as an inclusive place. They learn the importance of consent and equality. Pupils say, ‘Everyone is welcome here.’

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What is it like to attend this school?

There are high expectations of pupils’ behaviour. Pupils listen and concentrate well most of the time. The classes at Braunstone Frith are known as ‘crews’. Staff teach pupils how to be active, responsible crew members. Pupils are not allowed to be ‘passengers’. The school’s ‘REACH IT’ values set out what it means to be a successful learner. Pupils like earning points for demonstrating one of the ‘REACH IT’ attitudes.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school’s curriculum is ambitious and relevant. It takes account of pupils’ backgrounds and their needs. The development of pupils’ spoken language is a key feature of its design. There is a focus on oracy and developing pupils’ vocabulary in all lessons. Pupils learn to talk, and they learn through talk. This approach is serving all pupils well, but it is particularly effective for the high proportion of disadvantaged pupils, pupils with special education needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and pupils who speak English as an additional language (EAL) at the school.

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better?

The school has ensured that its curriculum is ambitious and well sequenced. The early years curriculum builds children’s knowledge and skills in small steps. There is an exact order to what pupils need to know in all subjects.

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better?

Staff are experts in teaching pupils to read. They quickly develop fluent reading by encouraging pupils to sound out words in their heads. Staff ensure that reading books are matched to the letter sounds that pupils recognise. Older pupils like answering quiz questions about the books they have read. Pupils have positive attitudes to reading. Most read frequently in their own time. Children are immersed in a world of books from the moment they start in Nursery or Reception. Pupils enjoy the class stories they read as part of the school’s ‘reading spine’. They say, ‘Teachers make the books so interesting!’

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better?

A high number of pupils join the school part way through their primary education. Many of these pupils are new to the country. Some speak little English when they first arrive. The school embraces every pupil who joins. It supports them to settle quickly. These pupils do well while they are at Braunstone Frith. However, there is not always sufficient time for pupils to catch up before they leave at the end of Year 6. Published outcomes, therefore, do not reflect the high-quality English and mathematics provision at the school.

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better?

Staff model learning well so that pupils can learn from their examples. Pupils value this approach. As one pupil explained, ‘This really helps me because I come from a different country and speak a different language and I don’t always know what to do.’ The use of ‘sentence stems’ is common practice in lessons. This approach helps 12 and 13 March 2024

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pupils structure their oral responses. Similarly, staff use ‘widgits’ to support learning. These visual prompts remind pupils of the meaning of words and concepts. However, staff do not always check closely enough on pupils’ learning in lessons. This means that misconceptions can go unnoticed, and pupils are sometimes moved on to new learning before they are ready.

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Pupils with SEND are fully included in the life of the school. Staff ensure that learning is adapted so that pupils with SEND can access the same ambitious curriculum content as their peers. Pupils thrive in the school’s designated specialist provision (DSP) named ‘Western Park’. As well as bespoke learning in the DSP, pupils enrolled at ‘Western Park’ also access lessons in the main school.

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Reducing absence is a high priority at Braunstone Frith. The school teaches pupils about the importance of regular attendance. It monitors attendance closely. It works well with families and other agencies when absence is very high. However, the school’s approach does not always identify and address the root cause of some pupils’ low attendance swiftly enough which means that improvements do not occur as quickly as they might.

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The school’s personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education curriculum is very comprehensive. Pupils learn about the potential risks and issues in their local area, and how to stay safe. Pupils take part in projects called ‘Real Life Missions’ where they are empowered to bring about positive change. There is a plethora of free clubs on offer.

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The school is well supported by Life Multi-Academy Trust. Staff are proud to work at Braunstone Frith Primary Academy.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Staff do not always check closely enough on pupils’ learning in lessons. This means that misconceptions can go unnoticed. Sometimes, new content is introduced before pupils are ready. The school must ensure that all staff use formative assessment well, so that pupils have a secure grasp of the knowledge they need for the next stage of their learning.  The school sometimes waits too long to find out why some pupils do not come to school as often as they should. This means that improvements do not occur as rapidly as they might. The school must review its systems for securing high attendance so that the root cause of some pupils’ low attendance is identified and addressed swiftly. 12 and 13 March 2024

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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). 12 and 13 March 2024

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 Braunstone Frith Primary Academy converted to become an academy school in September 2019, as part of Life Multi-Academy Trust. When its predecessor school, Braunstone Frith Primary School, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be requires improvement overall.  The school uses one registered alternative provision and one unregistered alternative provision.

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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. 12 and 13 March 2024

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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 carried out deep dives in early reading, English, mathematics, science and art and design. For the deep dives, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited lessons, spoke to teachers and pupils and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors also visited lessons, spoke to pupils and looked at samples of pupils’ work for history and geography.  Inspectors met with the executive headteacher, the head of school, members of the senior leadership team, subject leaders and a sample of teaching and support staff, including teachers in the early stages of their teaching career. Inspectors met with the leaders with responsibility for disadvantaged pupils, behaviour,

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attendance and personal development. Inspectors also met with the leaders with responsibility for pupils with SEND and the school’s designated specialist provision.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, 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 examined a range of school documentation, including leaders’ self- evaluation, the school improvement plan, and documentation relating to behaviour, attendance and governance.  The lead inspector listened to a sample of pupils in Year 1, Year 2 and Year 3 read to a familiar adult. Inspectors met with groups of pupils from across the school.  The lead inspector met with executive leaders from Life Multi-Academy Trust, as well as members of the trust board and the local governing body.

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 Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Ofsted Parent View, and considered the results of the Ofsted staff and pupil surveys.

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Inspection team

Shaun Carter, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Chrissie Barrington Ofsted Inspector 12 and 13 March 2024

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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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