Sharnbrook Primary

Inspection of Sharnbrook Primary High Street, Sharnbrook, Bedford, Bedfordshire, MK44 1PF

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Overall effectiveness Good

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

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Overall effectiveness Good

The headteacher of this school is Hannah Bennett. This school is part of a single academy trust called Sharnbrook Primary, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Hannah Bennett, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Matthew Swan. 12 and 13 June 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils love attending school where they learn skills they successfully use in their day-to-day life. They are inquisitive. Pupils delight in exploring the rich opportunities to learn about themselves and the human experience. They do well in the academic curriculum. Pupils also thrive in the meticulously planned enrichment programme, which complements the academic curriculum exceptionally well. They develop important characteristics such as confidence, resilience and the willingness to take calculated risks. After Year 6, pupils are well prepared to make positive steps into young adulthood.

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What is it like to attend this school?

In lessons, on the playground and around the school, pupils, and children in the early years, demonstrate the highest standards of behaviour. On arrival in the morning, they warmly greet staff and each other. Pupils show great kindness when learning and playing together. When others need help, peers willingly step forward to provide any assistance they can. In the early years, children share, take turns and quickly learn how to manage their emotions and resolve disagreements.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils benefit from the improvements made to the school’s curriculum. Overall, pupils learn what the school intends and achieve well. In key stage 1, pupils achieve exceptionally high standards in national assessments.

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better?

Since the previous inspection, the school has thoroughly redesigned the curriculum. The school now has a well-organised curriculum that enables staff to teach knowledge in a logical order. The school provides staff with clear guidance about the exact knowledge pupils must learn. Staff have been well trained, so typically plan effective learning activities. They routinely check what pupils know and understand. When staff find pupils misunderstanding or forgetting something, they provide timely support to ensure pupils do not fall behind. As a result, pupils understand and remember much of the key knowledge. However, staff sometimes miss when pupils are ready to grapple with more sophisticated ideas. When this happens, staff do not give pupils opportunities to think more deeply.

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better?

The school’s new approach to the teaching of early reading is working well. Starting in Nursery, staff develop children’s communication and literacy skills with lots of high-quality discussions. In Reception, children learn the basics of reading and start learning the knowledge they need to understand what they read. By the end of key stage 1, nearly all pupils read fluently. Staff support those that find reading difficult effectively. These pupils become fluent readers. Across the school, most pupils enjoy reading. In the school’s book clubs many pupils suggest books for their peers to read.

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better?

The school’s provision for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is particularly noteworthy. With precision, the school quickly identifies pupils’ needs. It monitors closely how well these pupils are learning and ensures staff have 12 and 13 June 2024

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the expertise needed to alter provision as necessary. Consequently, staff successfully address these pupils’ exact needs so that they keep up with their peers.

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Pupils understand and live up to the school’s very high expectations of learning behaviours. Starting in Reception, pupils work diligently in lessons free from any distractions. They sustain concentration for long periods of time. Pupils also support each other well when learning in groups. They take pride in their learning and celebrate each other’s achievements. Because pupils take learning seriously and enjoy school, they attend regularly.

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The school has an exceptionally well-developed programme for pupils to learn about the wider world. Pupils at an early age consider the different careers they could pursue as adults. They also learn about personal finance, including tax calculations, balancing monthly budgets and pensions. The school’s commitment for every pupil to develop a hobby is evident in the extensive extra-curricular offer. The list of clubs is regularly updated in response to pupils’ interests and to ensure meaningful links with the academic curriculum.

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The school ensures pupils are prepared to live alongside people with different lifestyles and beliefs. When discussing differing religious views, pupils speak sensitively and thoughtfully. Pupils also show a mature understanding of relationships.

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Parents are highly positive about the school. They are effusive with praise about what the school does for their pupils. All staff are proud and enjoy working at the school. They particularly value the training they receive. Staff feel well supported to maintain a reasonable workload.

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Governors have an accurate understanding of the quality of provision at the school. They identify areas to improve and hold leaders accountable to ensure the necessary changes are made.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Staff sometimes do not catch when pupils are ready to learn more complex ideas. When this happens, pupils do not get the chance to think with greater sophistication. The school must ensure that staff identify this and provide appropriate learning opportunities for pupils ready to think more deeply. 12 and 13 June 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 June 2024

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School details

Website www.sharnbrookprimary.beds.sch.uk

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School details

Date(s) of previous inspection 23 March – 21 April 2022, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The headteacher joined the school in September 2022.  The school has provision for two-year-old children.  The school provides before- and after-school care.  The school does not use any alternative providers.

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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.  Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school. 12 and 13 June 2024

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 Inspectors held discussions with the chair of the trust board, trustees, the headteacher, members of the senior leadership team, subject leaders, teachers, members of support staff and pupils.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: mathematics, music, physical education and early reading. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke with teachers, spoke with some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. Inspectors also discussed the wider curriculum, looked at a range of curriculum documents, looked at samples of pupils’ work and spoke with some pupils about their learning in some other subjects.  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

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culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  Inspectors observed behaviour of pupils in lessons and during social time.  Inspectors looked at relevant documents, considered pupils’ work and held discussions with leaders, staff and pupils about the provision for pupils’ wider development.  Inspectors considered the 16 staff responses and 49 parent responses to Ofsted’s online surveys.

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Inspection team

Al Mistrano, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Caroline Dawes Ofsted Inspector 12 and 13 June 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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