Beaver Road Primary School

Inspection of Beaver Road Primary School Beaver Road, Didsbury, Manchester M20 6SX

p.1

Inspection dates: 26 and 27 November 2024

p.1

The quality of education Outstanding Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding Early years provision Outstanding

p.1

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

p.1

The head of school is Michael Davenport. This school is part of the M20 Learning 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)/Executive Headteacher, Elizabeth Hardy, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by David Allan.

p.1

Ofsted has not previously inspected Beaver Road Primary School under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. However, Ofsted previously judged Beaver Road Primary School to be outstanding for overall effectiveness, before it opened as an academy. Since September 2024, schools have not been awarded an overall effectiveness grade. 26 and 27 November 2024

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils thrive at this nurturing, caring school in the heart of the community. The school’s ‘Rights Respecting’ ethos is at the heart of everything it does. Pupils are proud of their school, particularly the inclusive and harmonious environment, which is welcoming to all and nurtures pupils’ individual talents.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

The school is highly ambitious for pupils to succeed, including disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils are curious and keen learners. They have a strong appetite to improve their knowledge. Pupils achieve exceptionally well. They are superbly prepared for the next stage of their learning.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ behaviour is exemplary. This is because routines are well established. Pupils know what is expected from them. Classrooms are calm and purposeful. Pupils learn to be respectful, confident and articulate when expressing their thoughts and views. They are well mannered, kind and courteous to staff and to each other.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils benefit from the impressive and wide-ranging experiences that enrich their personal development. The school carefully considers each activity to best support pupils’ education and wider development. These activities include sports, art, music and outdoor education.

p.2

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

The school has developed and embedded a clear vision linked to its values. Trustees and governors work closely with the school and provide effective support and challenge to ensure that pupils’ achievement is high.

p.2

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

The school has designed an ambitious curriculum that meets the needs of the diverse school population. The curriculum carefully sets out the knowledge and vocabulary that pupils should learn across all year groups. Children get off to a flying start in the early years where their learning prepares them very well for the demands of key stage 1.

p.2

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

Staff use their strong subject knowledge well to enable pupils to secure and recall their learning and important subject-specific language effectively. For example, additional teaching and revisiting prior learning help pupils to build a secure understanding of new concepts and make links across and within subjects. Pupils’ knowledge and understanding are checked before they move on to new curriculum content. Any misconceptions are addressed swiftly and successfully. This helps pupils to develop a deep and rich knowledge over time.

p.2

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

Learning to read is a priority. Pupils develop their love of reading from the beginning of their time in the Nursery class through rhymes and songs. Staff deliver the well-ordered phonics programme effectively. They make sure that children in the early years, and pupils in key stage 1, read from books that include the sounds that they have already learned. Teachers are swift to spot any pupils who are not keeping up with the 26 and 27 November 2024

p.2

3

programme and help them to catch up quickly. As a result, almost all pupils become confident readers who achieve exceptionally well in reading by the end of Year 6.

p.3

3

The school identifies very effectively the specific needs of pupils with SEND at the earliest possible opportunity. Staff make careful adaptions to the delivery of the curriculum when needed. This allows pupils with SEND to learn the same content as their peers. Pupils with SEND participate in all aspects of school life and achieve very well.

p.3

3

The school has high expectations for pupils’ attendance. Pupils are rarely absent. Nevertheless, the school maintains a close eye on attendance. It takes early and effective action to support any pupil whose attendance begins to decline.

p.3

3

The programme to support pupils’ personal development is exemplary. It supports pupils to be exceptionally well prepared for life beyond school. The school has thought carefully about the qualities and values that it wants to teach pupils. It ensures that pupils develop into respectful, caring and considerate individuals with a strong sense of moral and social purpose.

p.3

3

Pupils deepen their learning through trips linked to the curriculum. These visits help to make learning come to life and develop pupils’ cultural awareness. Pupils make a real contribution to the school community by taking on leadership roles. For example, pupils have influenced change by supporting their community to make the area around the school safer. Pupils are especially proud of the work that they do to raise money for local charities and supporting the school’s own food bank.

p.3

3

The school has created a culture of ambition and continuous improvement for staff and pupils alike. Staff are immensely proud to work at this highly inclusive school. They value the strong relationships and teamwork with their colleagues. The school considers staff’s workload to help them to fulfil their responsibilities.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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.

p.3

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school. 26 and 27 November 2024

p.3

4

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). 26 and 27 November 2024

p.4

School details

Number of pupils on the school roll 1,061

p.5

School details

Headteacher Elizabeth Hardy (Executive Headteacher) Michael Davenport (Head of School) Website www.beaverroad.org.uk

p.5

School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

p.5

Information about this school

 Beaver Road Primary School is a member of the M20 Learning Trust.  The school is a very large primary school providing education on two sites, approximately one mile apart.  The school manages its own breakfast and after-school club.  At the time of the inspection, there were three-year-old children on roll at the school in accordance with the school’s funding agreement.  The school does not use any alternative provision.

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 26 and 27 November 2024

p.5

6

provision). Schools receiving a graded inspection from September 2024 will not be given an overall effectiveness grade.

p.6

6

 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 with the headteacher and with other leaders and members of staff. The lead inspector spoke with members of the multi-academy trust and the local governing body. He also met with the trust’s CEO.  The lead inspector also spoke with a representative of the local authority and the school’s improvement partner.  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 culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.

p.6

6

 Inspectors carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics, science, geography, physical education, design technology and history. They talked with curriculum leaders of these subject areas. Inspectors also visited lessons, looked at examples of pupils’ work, held discussions with teachers and spoke with pupils.  The lead inspector observed some pupils from Years 1, 2 and 3 read to a familiar adult. He also discussed reading with pupils from Year 5 and listened to them read.  Inspectors considered the curriculum in some other subjects. They met with the curriculum leaders, spoke with pupils and looked at examples of their work.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour during lessons and around school. They also observed pupils while they played outside at playtime and lunchtime.  Inspectors spoke with groups of pupils about their experiences at school.  Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text

p.6

6

comments. They also met with parents and carers before school.  Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted’s online surveys for pupils and for staff.

p.6

Inspection team

Ian Shackleton, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

p.6

Inspection team

Lisa Hesmondhalgh Ofsted Inspector 26 and 27 November 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