Three Bridges Primary School

Inspection of Three Bridges Primary School Gales Place, Three Bridges, Crawley, West Sussex RH10 1QG

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Requires improvement Previous inspection grade Good 14 and 15 May 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy and secure in this friendly and welcoming school. Pupils say that everyone is welcomed into school. Those with roles as ‘Young Interpreters’ are understandably proud of the part they play in supporting pupils for whom English is an additional language. Pupils enthuse about the wide variety of trips and sporting events available.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school’s calm, orderly atmosphere contributes to pupils’ wellbeing and to their enjoyment of school. Pupils are kind to each other and get on well together. One said: ‘Everyone can have a different opinion and that’s okay’. They are clear about the school’s rules: ‘ready, respectful, safe’, and know why these are important. Pupils feel safe and well cared for in school. They say that teachers are good at putting things right if they are worried about anything. Most behave well and the youngest children have settled into school nicely. Parents recognise strengths in the school, including some of the positive changes made in the past year.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school’s ambition for all pupils to achieve well, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), is clear. However, pupils do not achieve as well as they should because the curriculum is not yet delivered effectively across all key stages.

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better?

Leaders have tackled weaknesses in provision with urgency, commitment and some success. However, more work is needed to ensure that the revised curriculum is implemented consistently well across early years to Year 6. The curriculum is ambitious and well-sequenced. However, not all staff have the expertise or depth of subject knowledge needed to deliver the curriculum effectively. This means that some pupils, including those who are disadvantaged, are achieving less well than they should and are not prepared fully enough for the next stage of their education. Leaders are clear about where further improvements are needed and have robust plans for development. Governors are knowledgeable about the school’s work and have a realistic view of its performance.

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better?

The school’s phonics programme is well organised and provides the content required to support pupils’ reading. However, the programme has not been delivered systematically enough over time. Last year, the results of the Year 1 phonics check in 2023 were not strong. Changes have been made since then to improve phonics teaching. The frequency of phonics lessons have increased, expectations are higher, and support is given to pupils who need extra help. These steps have made a difference. More pupils in Year 1 are on track to achieve expected levels in the phonics check this year. However, not all staff have the subject knowledge needed to teach the phonics programme rigorously enough.

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better?

Pupils want to do well. They work hard in lessons and listen carefully to their teachers. Children in early years are happy and comfortable because staff take good 14 and 15 May 2024

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care of them. Staff expect pupils to behave well, and most are skilled in helping fidgety pupils to get back on track. However, there are some inconsistencies in the way the school’s revised behaviour policy is implemented. For instance, sometimes staff are slow to notice and respond when pupils disengage during lessons. The school has worked hard to support attendance over the past year. Attendance has improved overall as well as for every pupil group as a result.

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Developments in the mathematics curriculum are taking effect. Teachers implement the new mathematics programme consistently and effectively from early years to Year 6. They use assessments well to check pupils’ learning and make sure that any gaps in pupils’ knowledge are addressed. Pupils are increasingly confident about mathematics. Standards in mathematics are rising.

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Provision for pupils with SEND has improved. The curriculum is suitably adapted to support pupils with SEND most of the time. Pupils are accessing the curriculum and are learning more successfully as a result. However, these improvements are recent and variations in curriculum delivery mean that pupils with SEND are not yet achieving as well as they should. Those who attend the specialist support centre learn happily alongside their classmates in the main school. They are well supported and are fully involved in all aspects of school life.

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The school’s well-established personal development programme provides pupils with many activities and experiences which enrich learning. Pupils learn about different cultures and religions, take part in debates, and acquire important safety skills, such as how to use the internet safely.

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Staff are positive about working in the school. Improvements in the curriculum mean that they are increasingly clear about what they need to teach. Staff feel that training provided so far has been valuable. They appreciate steps taken by leaders to ease workload pressures.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The school’s revised curriculum, including the phonics programme, is not yet delivered consistently well from early years to Year 6. Variations in the quality of implementation mean that pupils do not achieve as well as they should, including disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND. The school should ensure that all staff have the depth of subject knowledge and expertise they need to deliver the curriculum to a consistently high standard.  The school’s behaviour policy is not always followed closely enough by all staff. This means that sometimes disengaged pupils are not refocused with sufficient 14 and 15 May 2024

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urgency during lessons. The school should ensure that all staff are clear about expectations, and confident about what to do when pupils are reluctant to learn.

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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). 14 and 15 May 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Website www.threebridgesprimaryschool.co.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 19 June 2018, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school operates on two sites which are a short distance from each other. Early years and key stage 1 classes are based on the lower school site and key stage 2 on the upper school site.  The school has a specialist speech and language centre for pupils with speech and language needs. The centre currently has 16 pupils on roll. Pupils from the speech and language centre are fully integrated into mainstream classes. They attend the centre for specialist teaching and therapies.  The school uses one unregistered provider.

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Information about this inspection

The inspector(s) 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. 14 and 15 May 2024

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Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school

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 Inspectors held a wide range of meetings during this inspection. These included discussions with the headteacher, deputy headteacher, assistant headteachers, and other leaders. They also spoke with a range of staff at different times during the inspection.  The views of pupils, parents and staff were gathered through a range of sources, including Ofsted’s surveys and discussions. Inspectors spoke with pupils in lessons and at other times of the school day. They also met with a group of key stage 2 pupils.  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 carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, writing, mathematics, history and physical education. Deep dives included visiting lessons,

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looking at pupils’ work and talking with subject leaders, teachers and pupils.

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Inspection team

Julie Sackett, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Andrea Harris Ofsted Inspector 14 and 15 May 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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