Briscoe Primary School & Nursery

Inspection of a good school: Briscoe Primary School & Nursery Academy Felmores End, Pitsea, Basildon, Essex SS13 1PN

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Outcome

Briscoe Primary School & Nursery Academy continues to be a good school.

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Outcome

The head of school of this school is Terri Chudleigh. This school is part of HEARTS 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, Debbie Rogan, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Vaughan Collier.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school’s values of ‘happiness, esteem, achievement, respect, responsibility, truth, service and spirituality’ are evident from Nursery to Year 6. Pupils enjoy coming to school and learning. There are warm relationships between staff and pupils. Older pupils are positive role models for younger children. Pupils behave extremely well. Pupils feel safe at school and know who their trusted adults are. They trust that staff will listen to any worries they have. Pupils understand what bullying is and how to report any concerns.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations of pupils. Pupils respond well to these and achieve well. In the early years, children form good habits for learning together. Pupils of all ages have positive attitudes to learning and follow routines well. As a result, the school has a calm and orderly atmosphere.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud of their school. They enjoy carrying out special roles such as prefects and eco-warriors. The school provides a wide range of educational experiences to bring learning to life, including visits to theatres and historical sites. Pupils talk about such events with excitement and enthusiasm. There are many clubs on offer, including multi- sports, choir and dodgeball.

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

Pupils learn a broad and ambitious curriculum. The curriculum has been sequenced to support pupils to build their learning on what they already know and can do. It outlines the most important knowledge and skills that pupils should learn. In most subjects, pupils 12 and 13 March 2024

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have a good depth of knowledge. Teachers know what to teach and when. They have strong subject knowledge and use assessment effectively. In the majority of subjects, teaching helps pupils to remember important information. If pupils have misconceptions, these are quickly corrected. In a few subjects, however, activities set for pupils are too broad and pupils struggle to remember the details of what they have been learning.

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The school identifies the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) well. Teachers make sure that pupils with SEND receive the support that they need to access the same curriculum as their peers. Consequently, pupils with SEND achieve well.

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As soon as children start in Nursery, they begin learning to read. Pupils enjoy reading. They thoroughly enjoy the wide range of books available. Well-trained staff deliver the phonics scheme effectively. Regular assessments check the sounds that pupils know and any pupils at risk of falling behind are quickly identified. Very effective support is put in place so that they can achieve well.

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Children in the early years get off to a strong start, and expectations from leaders are high. The school prioritises the development of their communication and language skills. This prepares them well for key stage 1. Children are highly engaged and enthused by their learning. This is an environment rich in high-quality interactions, where every opportunity is taken to model vocabulary and talk. As a result, children are confident communicators and thrive in the many and varied opportunities they have to develop their knowledge and skills.

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The school is determined that every pupil will succeed at school. There is a well- considered and cohesive offer for all. This goes beyond the academic curriculum. For example, pupils are able to showcase their talents at a recent Briscoe’s Got Talent event. The school’s personal development work is a real strength. Relationships between adults and pupils are strong and built on mutual respect. Children in the early years know not to give up if they do not succeed the first time and older pupils understand that these skills will help them in later life. Pupils are aspirational and have their emotional development well supported because of the exceptional personal development offer that they access. Pupils enjoy the opportunity to gain badges and awards via the HEARTS promise scheme.

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Leaders at all levels work diligently to improve the school further and share a common ambition for all pupils. The school and trust benefit from leaders who understand and fulfil their roles effectively. They challenge each other to ensure that decisions and changes benefit pupils. Staff feel supported by leaders. They also know that leaders consider their workload and do not add to it unnecessarily. The local advisory board and trustees fully meet their statutory responsibilities. They provide effective support and challenge for leaders.

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Most pupils attend school regularly. The school keeps a close eye on the small number of pupils who are often absent. It takes appropriate and effective action when any pupils’ attendance begins to decline. 12 and 13 March 2024

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a few subjects, the work given to pupils does not always support them to remember the essential knowledge. As a result, some pupils do not learn as well as they could in these subjects. Leaders should ensure that the activities chosen for pupils support them to remember more across the curriculum.

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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 July 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.

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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, 12 and 13 March 2024

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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

Headteacher Terri Chudleigh (Head of School)

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School details

Date of previous inspection 20 March 2018, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 This school is part of The HEARTS Academy Trust.  The school does not make use of alternative provisions.  The school has a breakfast club and an after-school club operating on the site. This provision is managed by the school.  The school runs a Nursery with provision for three-year-olds.

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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 spoke to the headteacher, deputy headteacher, assistant headteacher and special educational needs coordinator, as well as to phase and subject leaders in 12 and 13 March 2024

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school.  The inspector also met with the chief executive officer and the director of curriculum, learning and assessment for the HEARTS Academy Trust, as well as members of the local advisory board, including the chair and vice-chair of the trust.  The inspector carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics and computing. For each deep dive, the inspector held discussions about the curriculum, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. The inspector also discussed the curriculum in some other subjects.  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 that puts pupils’ interests first.  The inspector observed pupils’ behaviour during lessons, around the school and at

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lunchtime. The inspector spoke to pupils about pupils’ behaviour.  The inspector reviewed a wide range of documents, including the school’s self- evaluation and improvement plans and information on the school’s website.  The inspector considered responses to Ofsted Parent View, including parents’ free-text responses. The inspector also took account of responses to Ofsted’s pupil surveys.

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Inspection team

Joseph Figg, lead inspector 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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