Brougham Primary School

Inspection of Brougham Primary School Brougham Terrace, Hartlepool TS24 8EY

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Inspection dates: 19 and 20 November 2024

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

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The headteacher of this school is Sarah Greenan. This school is part of Ad Astra 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 (CEO), Andrew Brown OBE, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Richenda Courtenay Broad. 19 and 20 November 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is at the heart of the local community. It provides pupils and their families with exceptional pastoral care and support. It values pupils for who they are, develops pupils’ character and instils in pupils’ a respect for all. This is a truly welcoming school that celebrates pupils’ achievements.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high aspirations for its pupils. It works with determination and intelligence to remove any barriers to pupils’ success. Pupils achieve well. They work hard in lessons and show an interest in their learning. The school prepares pupils well for the next stage of their education.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well. The school has established a clear set of routines that pupils follow. This helps to create a calm and orderly environment. Moreover, pupils are polite, friendly and inquisitive. They are kind to each other and support each other’s well-being.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy school life. They take great pride in their roles as subject ambassadors, librarians and as school council representatives. Pupils take part in a range of clubs and activities that develop their talents and interests, including sports and the arts. They also enjoy visits to places of cultural interest that enrich their learning and strengthen their sense of community.

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

The school has established a broad and ambitious curriculum which is well-sequenced. It builds pupils' knowledge and skills in a clear and logical way. In the early years, there is a central focus on the development of children’s language and communication. Children also develop the personal and social skills they need in preparation for more structured learning in key stage 1. By the end of key stage 2, pupils gain the knowledge they need for their future learning.

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

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) access the same curriculum as their peers. The school adapts the curriculum with expertise for pupils with more significant needs. It identifies and meets the needs of pupils with SEND effectively. Pupils with SEND achieve well from their individual starting points.

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

The school prioritises reading. From Reception, pupils learn to read using phonics. Pupils who need extra help with reading get it. This helps them to catch up with their peers. By the end of Year 1, most pupils can read with accuracy and increasing fluency. As pupils move into Year 2 and beyond, they develop their reading skills in a systematic and progressive manner.

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

Pupils read often and widely. The school selects texts that engage pupils’ interest, reinforce their learning and build their vocabulary. The school develops pupils’ love of reading. Pupils enjoy author visits, reading projects and trips to the local library. 19 and 20 November 2024

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Teachers are well trained. They revisit what pupils have learned previously and build on that learning step by step. Teachers present new information clearly for pupils. This helps pupils to gain a coherent body of knowledge. For instance, in mathematics, pupils achieve well. They secure the basic mathematical knowledge they need. As pupils move through the school, they develop their mathematical fluency. They are able to apply their knowledge to solve mathematical problems.

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In the early years, teachers design rich and purposeful activities. These activities promote pupils’ physical development and develop their understanding of the world. However, sometimes in the early years and key stage 1, staff do not adapt their teaching with enough precision, particularly with regard to pupils’ language development.

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The school has high expectations of pupils’ behaviour and attendance. Pupils meet those expectations with regard to behaviour. The school has developed a rigorous approach to attendance. This is having a positive impact on reducing rates of pupil absence. However, persistent absence is high, particularly for disadvantaged pupils.

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The school has established an age-appropriate personal development programme. Pupils learn about different relationships, equalities and diversity. They understand the importance of physical and mental health. The school responds swiftly to any local and national issues. Pupils benefit from visits by external agencies, such as the police and fire service. They learn about making the right choices and how to keep safe. The school prepares pupils well for life in modern Britain.

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Trustees and local governors perform their duties effectively. They hold school leaders to account and provide appropriate strategic oversight. The school engages with educational research and works well with a range of educational organisations. Its approach to professional development is exemplary. Staff benefit from effective training that develops their practice. The trust also contributes to staff development, for example through subject leader networks. Staff enjoy working at the school. The school values staff highly and prioritises 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 in the early years and key stage 1, staff do not adapt teaching with sufficient precision to support pupils’ language development. This means that some pupils do not develop and secure their foundational reading and language skills as quickly as they could. The school should ensure that it provides teachers and other adults with training in relevant pedagogy and pedagogical content knowledge so that 19 and 20 November 2024

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they can adapt teaching effectively for pupils who are at the earliest stages of reading and language development.  Levels of persistent absence are high, particularly for disadvantaged pupils. This means that several pupils are missing too much of their education. These pupils do not experience the continuity of learning that will enable them to reach their potential and achieve well. The school should ensure that it sustains and develops further its rigorous approach to improving attendance so that levels of persistent absence continue to fall.

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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 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). 19 and 20 November 2024

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School details

Date of previous inspection 13 June 2019 under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of the Ad Astra Academy Trust.  The school has provision for two-year-olds.  The school does not use any alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

The inspector(s) 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. 19 and 20 November 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 met with the headteacher, deputy headteacher, two trust school improvement leads and the CEO of the trust. They also met with the chair of the board of trustees, other trustees and with the chair and vice chair of the local academy committee.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, science and geography. For each deep dive, the 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 history and design technology. They looked

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at samples of pupils’ work in these subjects.  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 considered the responses to Ofsted’s surveys for pupils and staff, and to the online survey for parents, Ofsted Parent View.

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Inspection team

Ian Rawstorne, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Gary Scott-Cummings Ofsted Inspector 19 and 20 November 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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