Henry Bradley Infant School

Inspection of Henry Bradley Infant School Princess Street, Brimington, Chesterfield, Derbyshire S43 1HR

p.1

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 Good 23 and 24 April 2024

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils love coming to this happy school, where they feel safe and secure. Everyone gets on well. Martha, the much-loved school dog, makes them feel at home. Children in the Nursery settle in quickly. They enjoy making ‘porridge’ in the mud kitchen with new friends.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Staff are kind and caring. They tell pupils to ‘Reach for the stars’, and pupils are eager to do so. They know the school’s motto means that they must aim high. When they do, they are proud of becoming a ‘Henry Bradley Hero’. They see that staff recognise and celebrate their hard work and good behaviour. Pupils agree that ‘Hot Chocolate Friday is the best of all’.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils say that being at Henry Bradley is fun. Skilled teachers teach them to read and to understand multiplication without delay. In science, they learn about wildlife. They like going on visits to the ‘Eureka! Science and Discovery Museum’ and to see ‘Aladdin’ at the ‘Winding Wheel Theatre’. They play their part as future citizens by raising money for Children in Need. They also enjoy learning new skills at the many clubs that staff organise for them, such as basketball.

p.2

better?

Staff are a united team. They know every pupil well and want the very best for each of them. A carefully designed curriculum is delivered effectively and meets pupils’ needs. Funding is well used to support those who are disadvantaged. Lessons and activities are adjusted skilfully for those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Everyone is included. As a result, pupils achieve well from their starting points. They leave well prepared for junior school.

p.2

better?

The school has wasted no time in addressing the weaknesses noted at the last inspection. They now have reliable systems to record what pupils know. Staff have been given the knowledge to plan the precise steps they need to teach next in each subject.

p.2

better?

Children get off to a good start in the early years. Staff help children to begin to catch up with their language and communication. They learn how to identify different sounds. This means they are ready to begin learning their phonics from the first week in the Reception Year.

p.2

better?

Last year, the school replaced its phonics scheme to one that staff judged to be better. The adjustment hindered the progress of some pupils in the interim, and in 2023, too many pupils did not pass the phonics check that all Year 1 pupils complete. However, the scheme is now fully embedded and is being effectively delivered. Pupils love hearing about the ‘Tricky Witch’. They listen carefully as staff teach them an ambitious early reading curriculum. Weaker readers are given help to learn any sounds they do not know. These readers practise with reading books that give them plenty of confidence. As a result, pupils learn to spell words like ‘turned’, 23 and 24 April 2024

p.2

3

to make compound words and to use suffixes. They read fluently, and love hearing stories like ‘The Gruffalo’.

p.3

3

Pupils know and remember more across subjects. In mathematics, children in the early years are taught to recognise doubles and to count well. By Year 2, they can solve division problems. In history, pupils can describe how they understand timelines and find out about who Henry Bradley was. They make square-based pyramids in design and technology. They sketch portraits using shade, tone and cross-hatching in art and design. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has left some pupils struggling with their handwriting and having less stamina to write. This has meant their writing skills are not as good as they could be.

p.3

3

Pupils behave well. Even the youngest pupils pay attention, listen, follow instructions and do their best. Their attention span is good. Pupils are eager to learn and do not disrupt lessons. They can explain the school’s values and uphold them. They are kind, respectful and cooperative. They line up smartly and move around the school sensibly. Most attend well. Leaders are doing all they can to work with any families whose children are persistently absent.

p.3

3

The school’s personal development programme broadens pupils’ experiences. In the early years, children talk about their feelings and how things change over time. Those in key stage 1 learn about healthy lifestyles, money and the need to respect everyone. This helps pupils to make safe, well-informed decisions. Pupils also find out about those whose cultures or religions are different from their own. ‘Positive Play’ sessions form an important part of the school’s pastoral support package.

p.3

3

Unsurprisingly, parents hold the school in high regard. Almost all would recommend it to another parent.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 COVID-19 has resulted in some pupils lacking stamina when writing, with their presentation poor due to lower fine motor skills. In addition, pupils’ communication skills have been impacted so that they do not habitually write in sentences. These factors have resulted in pupils’ attainment in writing not being as high as it needs to be. The school should give pupils sufficient opportunities to form their handwriting correctly and, whenever appropriate, to use full sentences and write for different purposes. 23 and 24 April 2024

p.3

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.

p.4

How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

p.4

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

p.4

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). 23 and 24 April 2024

p.4

School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

p.5

School details

Chair of governing body Rev. Daniel Cooke

p.5

School details

Dates of previous inspection 7 and 8 February 2023, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

p.5

Information about this school

 There have been no significant changes since the last inspection.  The school does not make use of alternative provision.

p.5

Information about this inspection

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

p.5

Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision.  Inspectors discussed any continuing impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation.  In order to judge the quality of education, inspectors focused the inspection on specific subjects of the curriculum. They undertook deep dives in early reading, mathematics, history, and design and technology. This involved meeting with senior and subject leaders, scrutinising curriculum planning and visiting lessons where pupils were learning these subjects. Inspectors met pupils from the lessons and looked at their work in these and in other subjects. They held meetings with 23 and 24 April 2024

p.5

6

teachers about the curriculum they were delivering. Inspectors heard children in different year groups reading to a familiar adult. They looked at other subjects of the curriculum in less depth.  Inspectors met with the chair of the governing body, the leader for the early years and the coordinator for pupils with SEND. They spoke with a representative of the local authority. Inspectors read a wide variety of school documents. They also spoke to other members of staff, such as midday supervisors. They checked whether pupils were safe and happy at the school’s breakfast club.  Inspectors took note of the responses to Ofsted Parent View, met with parents at the start of the school day and considered the results of the Ofsted staff questionnaire. They met pupils from different year groups to ask their views about the school.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors reviewed the single

p.6

6

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.

p.6

Inspection team

Roary Pownall, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

p.6

Inspection team

George Huthart Ofsted Inspector 23 and 24 April 2024

p.6

7

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.

p.7

7

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.7

7

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

7

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

7

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7