Brampton Primary Academy

Inspection of a good school: Brampton Primary Academy Brampton Road, Bexleyheath, Kent, DA7 4SL

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Outcome

Brampton Primary Academy continues to be a good school.

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Outcome

The headteacher of this school is Zara Winter-Nolan. This school is part of REAch2 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, Cathie Paine, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Gavin Robert.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils flourish at this happy primary school. Pupils want to ‘aim high’. They work together collaboratively in all that they do. Relationships between staff and pupils are respectful. Pupils know that if they have a worry they can speak to a trusted adult who will help them. This helps pupils to feel safe.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ behaviour is excellent across the school both in lessons and around the building. Pupils’ conduct in corridors is orderly and calm because routines such as ‘fantastic walking’ are firmly established. Pupils are motivated and achieve well. This is because staff have high expectations for them.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Older pupils are role models for younger pupils. For example, sports mentors are responsible for looking after the playground equipment and anti-bullying ambassadors support their classmates to create a kind environment for all.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils access a range of enrichment experiences. They have the opportunity to ‘sleep under the stars’ in a tent on the school field while other pupils learn how to construct a den and make a fire. Pupils enjoy the wide range of clubs on offer such as, roller skating, multi-skills and choir. These opportunities help pupils to develop their talents and pursue their interests.

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

Reading is given priority across the school. Pupils have opportunities to visit the school library and carefully chosen books are shared by adults during ‘story time’ assemblies. These experiences develop pupils’ love for reading. 5 and 6 June 2024

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Children start learning to read right from the start of Reception. This is because leaders want all pupils to read confidently as early as possible. Staff have been well trained in early reading. There is a consistent approach to the teaching of phonics. Pupils read books that are matched to the sounds that they know. This means pupils read with developing fluency.

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There are regular opportunities for pupils to practise previously learned sounds. Most classroom staff quickly identify which pupils need extra help so that these pupils are given the support that they need to keep up with their peers.

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The school has established a well-designed curriculum. Leaders have identified the important knowledge and skills that pupils need to know and when they need to learn it. For example, pupils in Year 4 explain the techniques needed to paint in the style of Monet. This is because they have previously been taught the skills of ‘layering’, and ‘rapid brush strokes’. Children in Reception can share a group of objects because they have been taught the meaning of ‘equal’. Following disappointing outcomes in national tests in 2023 the school is taking appropriate action to ensure that pupils’ progress in mathematics improves.

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Teachers have good subject knowledge and typically correct misconceptions quickly. In physical education, pupils practise the correct positioning of their arms when sprinting. This is because the techniques that pupils need to know are modelled effectively.

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There are appropriate processes in place to identify pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). Staff typically support pupils with SEND well so that these pupils learn alongside their peers. For example, visual supports are used to help pupils to learn new language. However, sometimes teachers and teaching assistants do not check what pupils with SEND know and can do sharply enough. This means that some pupils do not do as well as they could. The school works effectively with external professionals such as educational psychologists and speech and language therapists. The school ensures that pupils with SEND participate in all that the school has to offer.

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Pupils behave extremely well. This means the curriculum can be taught without interruption. Attendance is a priority for the school. Leaders take appropriate action to support families so that attendance remains high.

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The wider curriculum is well thought out and purposeful. Pupils are taught about concepts such as risk and consent in an age-appropriate manner. They learn about healthy and unhealthy relationships.

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Pupils visit different places of worship. These experiences provide opportunities for pupils to respect difference and celebrate other cultures.

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Leaders value pupils’ suggestions and opinions. For example, pupils suggested that an area within the school could be developed into an allotment. They worked with leaders to plan what they would grow, and their produce was used by the school kitchen. These experiences help pupils to develop their own ideas. 5 and 6 June 2024

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The local governing board and trustees have an accurate understanding of the school’s strengths and areas for development. There are clear systems in place for the trust and governors to monitor the effectiveness of the school’s work. Staff value the support they receive from leaders to fulfil their role and support their well-being.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Sometimes the learning of pupils with SEND is not checked sharply enough. This means that some pupils have gaps in their learning and do not learn as well as they could. The school needs to ensure that the learning of pupils with SEND is checked precisely so that these pupils develop detailed skills, knowledge and understanding.

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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 first ungraded inspection since we the school to be good in December 2018.

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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 5 and 6 June 2024

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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). 5 and 6 June 2024

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CEO of the trust

Cathie Paine Headteacher Zara Winter-Nolan

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CEO of the trust

Dates of previous inspection 11 and 12 December 2018, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Brampton Primary Academy is part of the REAch2 Academy Trust which consists of sixty-two schools.  The school runs a breakfast club and an after-school club.  The school does not make use of any alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

The inspector carried out this ungraded inspection under section 8 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.  This was the first 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 her evaluation of the school. 5 and 6 June 2024

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 The inspector held meetings with the senior leadership team to discuss school development.  The inspector met with representatives of the board of trustees, the local governing body and with the deputy director for the trust.  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 around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  The inspector scrutinised a wide range of documents, including those related to pupils’ wider development and behaviour and attendance. The inspector also met with groups of staff and pupils to discuss these aspects of the school’s work.  The inspector carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, and physical education. For each deep dive, the inspector held discussions about the

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curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, 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.  The views of parents and staff were also considered, including through Ofsted’s online surveys.

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Inspection team

Deborah Walters, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector 5 and 6 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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