Arthur Bugler Primary School

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Arthur Bugler Primary School St James Avenue East, Stanford-le-Hope, Essex SS17 7BQ

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Outcome

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

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Outcome

The headteacher of this school is Richard Turner. This school is part of Osborne Co- operative 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), Paul Griffiths, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Trisha Jaffe. There is also an executive headteacher, Lisa Glandfield, who is responsible for this school and one other.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are extremely polite, friendly and welcoming at Arthur Bugler Primary School. They are proud of their school and delight in showing it off to visitors. Pupils have a love of learning and highly positive attitudes to school life.

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What is it like to attend this school?

In classrooms and around the school, pupils conduct themselves well. The atmosphere is calm. Pupils play an active role in promoting positive behaviour. For example, in the dining room, Year 5 pupils act as lunch-time helpers. Year 6 pupils hand out reward points in recognition of good manners.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Adults have high expectations of pupils’ achievements. The school is very inclusive. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are encouraged to aim high, regardless of any barriers to learning they face. Pupils work hard and achieve well overall.

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What is it like to attend this school?

A wide range of opportunities extends pupils’ learning beyond the curriculum. Pupils connect with their community by singing at a nearby care home, visiting the mayor’s office and fundraising for the local foodbank. The school’s summer festival provides a platform for pupils to showcase their musical talents. Budding writers enjoy success in an annual national writing competition. A lucky few travelled to Buckingham Palace for last year’s final. 25 and 26 March 2025

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

The school is settling back down after a turbulent time. Half its buildings were closed from September 2023 to July 2024 due to the presence of reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC). Trust and school leaders steered the school through a challenging period of building works. They kept pupils safe and continued to offer them rich and rewarding experiences.

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

Since the last inspection, the school and trust have refined the curriculum. This revised curriculum identifies goals for each year group in each subject. It sets out the steps of learning in a clear sequence, so that teachers know what to teach and when to teach it. From the moment children join the school in early years, the curriculum 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?

Overall, teachers are confident about the subjects they teach. Where this is not the case, trust subject specialists deliver targeted support and provide effective coaching opportunities. Teachers explain new learning clearly to pupils. They bring learning to life in creative ways. For example, in mathematics, pupils become ‘right angle detectives’, hunting for right angles around their classroom. In the Reception Year, children investigate which materials are best for the three little pigs’ house, using a teddy, a hosepipe and a selection of porous and non-porous materials.

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

Teachers check pupils’ learning in a variety of ways. They use these checks to adjust their teaching according to individual pupils’ needs. Occasionally, teachers’ checks are not as effective as they should be. As a result, some pupils’ gaps or misconceptions are not always addressed. This slows some pupils’ progress.

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

The school identifies pupils with SEND swiftly. It adapts the curriculum and provides support so that most pupils with SEND learn alongside their peers. A small number of pupils with more complex needs attend the newly established base for pupils with autistic spectrum condition. In the base, pupils follow a highly personalised curriculum. It allows them to access key learning at a level that is appropriate for them. Consequently, pupils with SEND achieve well from their various starting points.

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

High-quality texts support pupils’ learning throughout the school. In early years and key stage 1, pupils learn the basic knowledge and skills they need to become fluent readers. Well-trained staff teach phonics consistently well. In key stage 2, pupils continue to develop their skills and extend their love of reading. If any pupils fall behind, the school gives them the effective support they need to succeed as readers.

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

A carefully planned curriculum for personal, social, health and economic education teaches pupils key lessons for life beyond Arthur Bugler. Pupils learn about healthy lifestyles, positive relationships and how to keep themselves safe, including when online. The school promotes images of diversity through the curriculum, core texts, assemblies and themed events such as Black History Month or Deaf Awareness Week. As a result, pupils are well versed in what makes people different. The school and trust’s ’co-operative values’ are widely understood. They equip pupils well for their future lives. 25 and 26 March 2025

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Despite the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, disruption caused by RAAC and changes in leadership since the last inspection, school and trust leaders have continued to drive improvements. They have focused on what is best for pupils, while sensitively managing staff welfare. Trustees and governors have the knowledge and skills to fulfil their roles effectively. They provide on-going support and challenge to help the school achieve its key priorities.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Occasionally, teachers’ checks on pupils learning are not as effective as they could be. This means that some pupils’ gaps or misconceptions go undetected and persist. This slows some pupils’ progress. The school and trust should ensure they support teachers to use assessment as effectively as possible to address gaps and misconceptions, and to help pupils learn as well as they can.

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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 second ungraded inspection since we judged the predecessor school, Arthur Bugler Primary School, to be good for overall effectiveness in March 2011.

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You can use to give Ofsted your opinion on your child's school, or to 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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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). 25 and 26 March 2025

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School details

Date of previous inspection 12 June 2019, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of Osborne Co-operative Academy Trust.  The school runs a daily breakfast club.  A specially resourced provision for pupils with autistic spectrum condition opened at the school in February 2025. The provision is for up to ten pupils from key stages 1 and 2. Four pupils currently attend.  The school does not use any alternative provision.  There have been several changes in leadership since the last inspection. The current headteacher joined the school in January 2023.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school's education provision. 25 and 26 March 2025

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 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and has taken that into account in her evaluation of the school.  The inspector met with a range of senior leaders, including the headteacher, executive headteacher and the trust CEO and deputy CEO. The inspector also met with a group of governors and trustees, including the chair of governors and the chair of trustees.  The inspector 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 inspector: 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.  The inspector reviewed a range of school documentation and policies. These included

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the school development plan, the school self-evaluation form, minutes of governing board and trust board meetings, attendance information, behaviour logs and safeguarding records.  The inspector observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school site.  The inspector considered the responses to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text comments. She reviewed the responses to the online staff survey. In addition, the inspector spoke with pupils, parents and staff to gather their views of the school.

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Inspection team

Caroline Crozier, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector 25 and 26 March 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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