Browick Road Primary and Nursery School

Inspection of Browick Road Primary and Nursery School 8 - 12 Browick Road, Wymondham, Norfolk NR18 0QW

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Inspection dates: 22 and 23 October 2024

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

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Until November 2020, the school was exempt from routine inspection because it was judged as outstanding for overall effectiveness at its previous inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. The school has not been inspected under section 5 of the Act since July 2013. The school received a monitoring inspection under section 8 of the Act in July 2018. Since September 2024, schools have not been awarded an overall effectiveness grade. 22 and 23 October 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils gain confidence and a keen sense of responsibility over time at Browick Road. As a result, pupils become model citizens and contribute strongly to the life of the school. The oldest enthusiastically run games for the younger pupils at breaktimes and look after other aspects of the school, such as composting. Pupil captains lead their houses with pride. Pupils across all years enjoy attending school and talk enthusiastically about what they have learned. Their attendance is very high and behaviour is good.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school expects pupils to work hard and they do. The school has high expectations for what pupils should achieve. Most pupils learn to read quickly. They have excellent knowledge of what they have been taught. However, some pupils’ writing skills are weaker than their reading ability.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are given many opportunities beyond the core curriculum. The school has lots of local links, including with older people and artists. This helps pupils become responsible and community minded. Pupils in key stage 2 all learn to play musical instruments, and many learn to play more than one. Pupils regularly compete at local and county level in music and physical education events. As a result of this provision, they become more self- confident and experience life beyond the local area.

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

The school has a broad and ambitious curriculum. Skilled staff adapt the curriculum well to meet the needs of all pupils. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are included in this. Staff know all their pupils very well. They adapt activities carefully to help those who need additional support. As a result, pupils learn well.

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

The way that pupils are taught to read is effective. Most learn the building blocks of phonics early. Regular checks on what pupils know make sure that any gaps in reading ability are identified and pupils are given additional support to catch up. The school has ensured that books reflect the diversity of modern Britain and are interesting for pupils to choose from. This encourages pupils to read widely.

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

Pupils develop a deep knowledge of the topics they study. A high focus on language means that they gain a wide vocabulary and are clear speakers. The very youngest have language expertly modelled to them by adults through play and investigation.

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

Pupils are enthusiastic to write and they do so at length. This is because of their lessons based around quality books. However, some pupils have weaker technical writing skills. They have weak handwriting and understanding of how to use sentence structure and punctuation. This means their writing does not reflect their understanding. The school has begun to have a greater emphasis on teaching technical writing skills, but this is at an early stage.

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

Pupils’ learning is enhanced to a high standard through the many wider opportunities available to them. The curriculum is enhanced by many activities, for example expert-led 22 and 23 October 2024

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art and science weeks. Many pupils benefit from further music tuition or joining clubs run by experts, for example in gymnastics. The school ensures that pupils with SEND and pupils who are disadvantaged have the same opportunities as others. Staff understand individual pupils’ interests and help nurture everyone’s talents.

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The school is inclusive and pupils positively welcome new starters. They look after each other. Pupils from the specialist resource base who are only with the school for a short time are fully included in other pupils’ play and whole-school events where possible. Pupils know the expectations for behaviour and, as a result, behave well. They are very clear about how to keep themselves safe. Pupils talk confidently about how the adults will help them if they are worried or upset. The youngest children quickly become confident to separate from their parents and/or carers and try new things.

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Staff feel well supported by leaders. Comprehensive training has helped staff develop their skillsets. Leaders at all levels work collaboratively to further improve the curriculum. Governors have been part of this work. Together, they look at pupils’ work and talk to them so that their voice also contributes to what might need to change. Governors bring a wealth of educational and other expertise to the school, which helps them challenge and support the school well.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Some pupils have weak technical writing skills. This is either because pupils have not been taught these well enough or because gaps in learning these skills have not been identified and addressed. As a result, some pupils have weak handwriting, understanding of sentence structure and punctuation. The school needs to ensure that pupils are taught these specific skills to improve their writing.

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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. 22 and 23 October 2024

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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). 22 and 23 October 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 10 and 11 July 2018, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Since the previous full inspection, the school has changed from a three-form entry infant school to a one-form entry primary school as part of reorganisation of the local school arrangements. This conversion was completed in September 2019.  In 2017, the nursery became part of the school. The nursery provides places for two- year-olds as well as those in the rising four year group.  The school hosts a specialist resource base for up to 10 pupils, aged four to seven. The spaces are for pupils with speech, communication and language needs.  The school does not use any alternative provision.

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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. 22 and 23 October 2024

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 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. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors spoke to the headteacher, deputy headteacher and other subject leaders. They met with representatives of the governing body and the local authority.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, English, mathematics, science and history. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors also discussed the curriculum in some other subjects and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: reviewed the single

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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.

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Inspection team

Tessa Holledge, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Alison Hughes Ofsted Inspector 22 and 23 October 2024

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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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