Bramshall Meadows First School

Inspection of Bramshall Meadows First School Ivinson Way, Uttoxeter ST14 5EQ

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

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

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The executive headteacher is Andrea Cairns. This school is part of Innovate2Educate Partnership Limited 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), Kerry Rochester, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Sidney Slater. There is also an executive headteacher, Andrea Cairns, who is responsible for this school and two others. 25 and 26 March 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

Bramshall Meadows is a welcoming school. The school’s motto of ‘wonder, kindness and self-belief’ is the foundation for the school’s work. Staff are supportive, they encourage pupils to believe in themselves. Pupils live up to the school’s high expectations and achieve well in reading, writing and mathematics.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff have created a calm atmosphere for learning. Pupils are polite and respectful. There are clear expectations known as ‘The Bramshall 5’, explaining how pupils should sit and listen in lessons. Most pupils behave well during lessons, although just occasionally, lose their concentration. Playtimes are active, with games and sports on offer. Pupils are happy and safe.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils have a wide range of inclusive extra-curricular activities to choose from. These include arts and crafts, desk drumming and cricket. Pupils take part in sports competitions such as a dodgeball festival. The curriculum is enriched through visits, for example to a local farm where pupils learn about animal habitats.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is committed to making sure that pupils experience a range of opportunities called ‘The Bloom Agreement’. This includes opportunities to plant seeds in the school’s muddy meadow and prepare a healthy meal. Pupils are ready for the next stage in their education.

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

The curriculum has been carefully constructed to include the important concepts, knowledge and vocabulary that pupils need to learn. The school has made sure that the curriculum is well planned beyond Year 2 as it grows to full capacity.

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

The trust provides valuable support to strengthen subject leadership. This has led to improvements in teaching and learning. In most subjects, teaching is effective, and staff have strong subject knowledge. However, in a minority of subjects, staff’s knowledge is not as secure. Additionally, recently introduced approaches to checks on pupils’ learning are not fully embedded. This means that some curriculum content is not revisited to routinely address any gaps in pupils’ learning. As a result, pupils’ learning is not as strong as it could be in a few subjects.

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

Pupils are taught phonics every day from when they join school in the Reception Year. Staff teach early reading effectively. The phonics curriculum is taught as intended. Regular checks on pupils’ knowledge help staff to know which pupils need extra support with reading. Those who need it receive extra support each day until they have caught up with their peers. Pupils take home books that are well matched to their reading knowledge. They have a ‘snuggle time’ book to share with an adult at home to encourage reading for pleasure . As a result, pupils get off to a good start in their ‘reading journey’ and develop a love of reading. 25 and 26 March 2025

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Children in the early years are well cared for. The environment is inviting. The early years curriculum is carefully crafted with a clear and ambitious sequence of learning. The school makes sure that children develop their physical skills through a wide variety of well- designed activities. For example, children manipulate dough, use scissors, lace and thread items using different materials. Over time, children gain the knowledge and control needed in readiness for early writing.

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The school’s improved processes mean that any additional needs are quickly identified. Generally, pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are supported well. However, occasionally this support is not fully effective. As a result, pupils with SEND sometimes do not achieve as well as they could.

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Pupils develop a sense of responsibility through their roles as school councillors and eco- warriors. School councillors annually select three charities to support and help to organise fundraising opportunities. Eco-warriors support the local community. For example, they carry out litter-picking in the local area. Pupils understand fundamental British values. They know that laws and rules are there to help keep everyone safe. They know who to speak to if they have a worry or concern.

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Governors and trustees understand and fulfil their roles and responsibilities. They make appropriate checks on the work of the school. Governors and trustees hold leaders to account. The trust has introduced appropriate strategies to support staff well-being. Most staff report that their workload is well managed, and their well-being is supported.

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Some parents have been unhappy with aspects of the school’s work. The trust is providing effective support to the school in building stronger relationships with parents and the local community.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Some aspects of teaching are not as effective as they could be. In a minority of subjects, staff’s knowledge of the school’s intended curriculum is not fully secure. Additionally, teaching does not consistently address gaps in pupils’ learning. As a result, pupils’ achievement across the breadth of the curriculum is not as strong as it could be. The trust should support the school to strengthen these aspects of teaching so that pupils achieve equally well across the curriculum.  Support for some pupils with SEND is not as effective as it should be. Sometimes pupils with SEND are not achieving as well as they could. The school should make sure that all pupils with SEND are supported effectively so that they achieve their full potential. 25 and 26 March 2025

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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). 25 and 26 March 2025

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School details

Date of previous inspection 25 May 2022, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school runs a before- and after-school club.  The school does not currently use any alternative provision.  The school is part of Innovate2Educate Partnership Limited multi-academy trust. There are currently nine schools in the trust.  The school was newly opened in September 2022. It is currently open to pupils up to the age of seven. The number of pupils on roll has been increasing every year as the school moves towards capacity.

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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 25 and 26 March 2025

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

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n Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision. n 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. n Inspectors met with trustees and members of the local governing board. They held meetings with the CEO, the executive headteacher, senior leaders, subject leaders, teachers and pupils. They also talked with pupils and staff to gather their views about the school. n Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: English, mathematics, geography and art and design. 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. They also considered the

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curriculum and teaching in other subjects. n 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. n Inspectors reviewed a range of school documents. These included information about behaviour, attendance, the curriculum and improvement planning. n Inspectors observed informal times of the day. n Inspectors considered the responses to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View, and parents’ free-text comments. They also considered the responses to Ofsted’s online staff survey.

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Inspection team

Emma Titchener, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Darren Bishop Ofsted 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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