Bedfield Church of England Primary School

Inspection of Bedfield Church of England Primary School Bedfield, Woodbridge, Suffolk IP13 7EA

p.1

Inspection dates: 15 and 16 October 2024

p.1

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Insufficient evidence

p.1

Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

p.1

The executive headteacher of this school is Imogen Wallis. This school is part of The St Edmundsbury and Ipswich Diocesan Multi-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, Tracey Caffull, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Andrew Blit. The executive headteacher is responsible for this school and one other. 15 and 16 October 2024

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

This small school is like a big family. Pupils are extremely happy. When they join the school, pupils quickly make new friends. Staff look out for pupils. They make sure pupils are safe and keep physically and mentally healthy. Pupils know they can share concerns with an adult. Cleo, the school dog, is always around for a cuddle.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are ready to learn and are inquisitive. They bring tremendous enthusiasm to everything they do. They love reading and finding out about the world around them. When faced with a problem, they are resilient and do not give up. Most pupils behave consistently well and learn much because of their teachers’ high expectations. When some pupils’ behaviour is less positive, teachers deal with it appropriately.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

For such a small school, pupils enjoy a dazzling range of clubs and extra-curricular activities. These experiences help them hone new skills and enhance curriculum knowledge. They play sports and compete against other schools. Pupils visit farms and the zoo and look after chickens. These opportunities help pupils build an understanding of animal welfare and the environment. They develop balance and coordination at Piper’s Vale gymnastics centre. Pupils build confidence and sing at Snape Maltings concert hall.

p.2

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

The school has constructed an ambitious and inclusive curriculum. A significant proportion of pupils have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Teachers have strong subject knowledge and support all pupils to learn the curriculum because of the training they receive. Teachers adopt a consistent approach to implementing the curriculum. They introduce new knowledge clearly. Teachers ensure pupils revisit what they have learned before. This helps pupils remember knowledge well. In mathematics, for example, pupils can multiply with ease.

p.2

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

The knowledge pupils learn builds on prior learning. This ensures pupils grasp more complex ideas. Pupils, therefore, can explain their working out and solve problems in mathematics. In science, they use accurate subject-specific language to explain food chains, the ecosystem and life cycles. At their best, teachers meticulously identify gaps in knowledge and misconceptions. Pupils receive precise support to help them improve.

p.2

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

Learning to read is a priority. Younger pupils, including those with SEND, learn to read well. They apply their phonics knowledge to read unfamiliar language. They read with fluency because they practise often. Older pupils read with expression. They retell stories in their own words. The books pupils read help them to build a rich vocabulary and understand grammar. They use this knowledge to craft imaginative stories based on significant historical and cultural events. The school checks regularly how well pupils read. Those who fall behind receive immediate help and swiftly catch up. However, some teachers do not rigorously identify spelling, punctuation and grammatical errors in the work of some younger pupils. As a result, some pupils sometimes continue to make the same mistakes. 15 and 16 October 2024

p.2

3

A highly inclusive ethos resonates throughout the school. Pupils are kind, compassionate and value other world religions and cultures. They understand how to nurture healthy relationships based on respect. Pupils with SEND flourish and participate equally in the wider life of the school. The school provides staff with precise guidance on how to adapt the curriculum for pupils with SEND. As a result, pupils with SEND achieve well.

p.3

3

Some pupils with SEND can demonstrate more challenging behaviours. The school provides these pupils with the support they need. They are equipped with the language to express how they feel. As a result, pupils know how to modify their behaviours without prompting. At times, some pupils with SEND do not attend as well as they could. The school takes appropriate action when this occurs.

p.3

3

Parents and carers overwhelmingly praise every area of school provision. They acknowledge how the school has improved. This is because leaders have a highly ambitious vision for pupils’ lives. The trust, governors and leaders work well together to fulfil this vision. Teachers are happy because they receive support to be at their best. Leaders know precisely how the school needs to improve. They have the skills and knowledge to make this happen.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Some teachers do not rigorously identify spelling, grammatical and punctuation errors in a minority of younger pupils’ work, and these pupils do not receive the precise help they need to improve. As a result, these pupils continue to make the same errors. The school must support teachers to ensure they identify mistakes in pupils’ writing and provide pupils with the help they need so that they learn better.

p.3

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.

p.3

How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school. 15 and 16 October 2024

p.3

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). 15 and 16 October 2024

p.4

School details

Dates of previous inspection Not previously inspected

p.5

Information about this school

 The school is part of The St Edmundsbury and Ipswich Diocesan Multi-Academy Trust.  The school has a Church of England ethos.  The previous school, Bedfield Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, prior to converting to academy status, received a section 48 inspection on 30 October 2019. The school is expecting a section 48 inspection in 2025.  The school makes no use of alternative provision.  At the time of the inspection, there was only one child in Reception Year. 15 and 16 October 2024

p.5

Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. During a graded inspection, we grade the school for each of our key judgements (quality of education; behaviour and attitudes; personal development; and leadership and management) and for any relevant provision judgement (early years and/or sixth form provision). Schools receiving a graded inspection from September 2024 will not be given an overall effectiveness grade.

p.6

Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation 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 inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspectors met with the chief executive officer, the chair of trustees, other trustees, the chair of governors, other governors, the executive headteacher, the head of school, other leaders, subject leaders, teachers and support staff. The inspectors carried out deep dives in reading, mathematics and science. These included discussions with subject leaders, visits to lessons, meetings with staff and pupils, scrutiny of pupils’ work and a review of any curriculum documentation. They also scrutinised other curriculum documentation and other areas of the curriculum.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: reviewed the single

p.6

Information about this inspection

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 considered the views of pupils, staff and parents. There were nine responses to Ofsted’s staff survey. There were 17 responses to Ofsted’s pupil survey. There were 19 responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Ofsted Parent View. The inspector considered 18 free-text responses from parents.

p.6

Inspection team

Adam Cooke, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

p.6

Inspection team

Nick Asker Ofsted Inspector 15 and 16 October 2024

p.6

7

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