Beechwood Primary School

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Beechwood Primary School Linden Road, Luton, Bedfordshire LU4 9RD

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Inspection dates: 11 and 12 February 2025

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Outcome

Beechwood Primary School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at Beechwood Primary School love to learn. They enjoy the many interesting learning opportunities they have. Pupils show a great deal of commitment to their education. As a result of this, and the high expectations of staff, pupils work hard and achieve well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff expect pupils to behave well. Pupils do so because they know the school’s straightforward routines and expectations. Older pupils serve as positive role models. This encourages younger pupils to follow their example, and they usually do. Pupils learn how to manage their emotions and feelings. This helps them to become more resilient and better able to deal with any challenges.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Many older pupils have additional responsibilities that help to develop their interpersonal and leadership skills. They earn these roles by representing themselves well and by supporting others. Even the youngest children develop skills that help them to become responsible young people.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils learn to be aspirational and look forward to an exciting future. They also learn to challenge gender stereotypes, for example by exploring non-traditional roles and jobs. In most subjects, pupils gain a wide range of knowledge and skills. This prepares them well for the next stage of their education.

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

In each subject, the school has identified the important knowledge and skills that pupils should learn throughout school. This helps teachers to know what to teach and when to teach it. In many subjects, teachers have strong subject knowledge. They give clear 11 and 12 February 2025

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explanations of new concepts. They also link new knowledge to what pupils have learned before. As a result, pupils’ knowledge generally develops well.

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In the early years, staff develop children’s language and communication skills well. Staff model appropriate vocabulary effectively, such as using words related to their current topics. As a result, children use this language in their everyday conversations and build thinking skills. This prepares them well for their learning in Year 1. In most subjects, staff teach pupils to know and use subject-specific vocabulary well. However, in a few subjects, this focus is not as strong. Sometimes, teachers are not clear about which key vocabulary to focus on. As a result, pupils are not able to use the correct vocabulary to explain their thinking. This makes consolidating their understanding of new concepts in these subjects harder and slows their progress through the curriculum.

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The 2024 phonics screening check results fell short of the school’s expectations. A swift analysis identified the gaps in pupils’ understanding. Targeted, effective, and ongoing support has addressed this. The school now identifies pupils who have speech, language, and communication needs at an earlier stage. This enables specialist teachers to provide tailored support, as these needs can slow pupils’ reading progress. Additionally, teachers check pupils’ reading skills accurately and regularly. This allows them to provide timely keep-up sessions. Pupils in key stage 2 who are not fluent readers receive extra phonics teaching for as long as it is needed. As a result, pupils learn to be confident readers.

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Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) have their needs identified effectively. Parents and carers, staff and pupils collaborate to create supportive plans. These specify the adjustments needed for most pupils with SEND to learn successfully. Some pupils who need extra support learn a tailored curriculum. This fills gaps in pupils’ understanding, supports their individual needs and is ambitous for them.

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During lessons, pupils behave well. They are keen to ask and answer questions. They listen attentively to each other and the teachers. At social times, pupils get along well with one another. They are friendly and caring. Many children in the early years have learned key listening skills. They also know how to share with their peers.

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Pupils learn to be good friends by being honest and kind. They understand other religions and eagerly share what they know about various cultures, including their own. They learn about topics such as discrimination and equality through the personal, social and health education curriculum. Pupils learn to be tolerant and understanding, creating a harmonious school community.

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The school and governors work well together to provide pupils with a broad education. Governors understand the strengths and priorities of the school and complete all of their statutory duties. They also help to understand the needs of the local community. Parents are positive about the education their children receive. The school consistently supports staff in developing their teaching skills. Staff also value the efforts made to ease their workload and support their well-being. 11 and 12 February 2025

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a few subjects, teachers are unsure which key vocabulary to concentrate on and incorporate into their lessons. This makes it harder for pupils to use the correct vocabulary to express their thoughts, and this affects their ability to retain new knowledge. The school should ensure that the key vocabulary pupils should learn in each subject is identified clearly to ensure that pupils learn and consolidate their understanding of subject-specific vocabulary across all subjects.

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Background

Until September 2024, on a graded (section 5) inspection we gave schools an overall effectiveness grade, in addition to the key and provision judgements. Overall effectiveness grades given before September 2024 will continue to be visible on school inspection reports and on Ofsted’s website. From September 2024, graded inspections will not include an overall effectiveness grade. This school was, before September 2024, judged to be good for its overall effectiveness.

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Background

We have now inspected the school to determine whether it has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at that previous inspection. 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’s work has improved significantly or that it may not be as strong as it was at the last inspection, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection. A graded inspection 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 judged the school to be good for overall effectiveness in September 2019.

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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. 11 and 12 February 2025

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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). 11 and 12 February 2025

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 11 and 12 September 2019, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school does not use any alternative provision.

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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 headteacher, other leaders and staff. The inspectors also met with representatives from the governing body, including the chair of governors. The lead inspector also met with a representative from the local authority.  The inspectors visited a sample of lessons, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  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 11 and 12 February 2025

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the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  The inspectors considered responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text responses. They also considered the responses to Ofsted’s online staff and pupil surveys.

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Inspection team

Jessie Linsley, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Carley Holliman Ofsted Inspector 11 and 12 February 2025

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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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