Bricknell Primary School

Inspection of Bricknell Primary School Bricknell Avenue, Hull HU5 4ET

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

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The headteacher of this school is Hannah Stannard. This school is part of The Constellation Trust, which means that other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), Dr Cathy Taylor, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Neil Porteus.

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Until November 2020, the school was exempt from routine inspection because it was judged as outstanding for overall effectiveness at its previous inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. The school has not been inspected under section 5 of the Act since April 2015. Since September 2024, schools have not been awarded an overall effectiveness grade. 18 and 19 March 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils thrive at this caring and aspirational school. They are happy and meet the school’s high expectations for their academic achievement and personal development. Pupils have strong and positive relationships with staff. Pupils know that adults in school keep them safe, and if they have any worries, any member of staff will help them.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ behaviour is exemplary. They listen carefully, are highly motivated and show respect and kindness towards adults and each other. Pupils are confident when sharing their ideas with their peers and can build on each other’s learning and explanations. They understand the importance of education and link what they are learning to future careers and opportunities in the wider world. Pupils and their families know the importance of regular attendance.

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What is it like to attend this school?

There is a tangible passion for every pupil to succeed and ‘aim high in everything they do’. School leaders have designed the ‘Bricknell Graduate Programme’, which encourages pupils to take on extra learning within a subject area. They ‘graduate’ by demonstrating their new learning. Activities like this help to develop pupils’ perseverance and resilience.

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

Pupils benefit from a broad and highly ambitious curriculum. In many instances, it exceeds what is expected nationally. Across each subject, leaders have broken down the knowledge and skills that pupils need to know and have identified the end points pupils need to reach. Teaching ensures that pupils have many opportunities to revisit what they have previously learned and regularly checks what pupils can remember from previous lessons. Pupils’ knowledge builds exceptionally well across the curriculum. They achieve very well in school, and this is further reflected in their very strong performance in national tests.

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

The school has high expectations for pupils’ behaviour and conduct around the school. Strong routines ensure that pupils are calm and polite, both inside and outside the classroom. From the early years, pupils show a highly focused attitude to their learning.

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

Teachers benefit from a range of subject-specific training. They are experts in their subjects and present information clearly. Pupils have multiple opportunities to consider and then discuss their ideas. They listen to each other and offer points of agreement or challenge politely. This encourages them to embed their new knowledge and apply it to new contexts.

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

From the beginning of their time in the early years, children receive expert tuition to learn how to read. Children master phonics quickly. They use the strategies that they are taught to read new books successfully. Skilled staff provide precise support for the small number of pupils who struggle to read. This support helps these pupils to gain confidence. Pupils become fluent and expert readers. They appreciate the wide range of texts that they are given, which further inspires their curiosity to learn. 18 and 19 March 2025

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The provision for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is exceptional. Dedicated and well-trained staff are swift to identify any needs. Staff provide expert support, which helps pupils to learn effectively with increasing independence. Pupils with SEND work successfully alongside their peers in the classroom wherever possible.

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The personal development offer for pupils is exemplary. Staff help pupils to develop a secure understanding of topics such as finance, safety, mental health and careers. School leaders have designed an ‘Aspiration Curriculum’ in which pupils are helped to develop their personal development skills in all subject areas. The culture of the school is based on every child being successful in all areas of the curriculum. Pupils have a strong understanding of British values and protected characteristics. Pupils are very well prepared for life in modern Britain.

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The school is not complacent. It reflects on how well its provision is improving the life chances of pupils. At all levels, staff seek to further develop the school’s offer. Staff greatly enjoy working here. They are supported fully with their well-being and workload. Parents and carers are very positive about the quality of the school’s provision for their children.

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Trust leaders and trustees make decisions in the best interests of pupils. They fulfil their roles with commitment and tenacity. The trust and those responsible for governance are highly knowledgeable about the school. They match the exceptionally high expectations that leaders have for all pupils.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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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. 18 and 19 March 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). 18 and 19 March 2025

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School details

Local authority Kingston Upon Hull City Council

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 28 and 29 April 2015, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this school

 This school is part of The Constellation Trust.  The school has a breakfast club, which is run by the school.  The school does not currently use any alternative provision.  The specially resourced provision for pupils with SEND provides for 10 pupils aged from 3 to 11 years with autism spectrum disorder.

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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 provision). Schools receiving a graded inspection from September 2024 will not be given an overall effectiveness grade. 18 and 19 March 2025

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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. 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 senior leaders from the school and other school leaders.  The lead inspector held meetings with the CEO and the primary executive lead for the trust, the chair of the primary trustee board and the chair of the local advisory board.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, design and technology, art and geography. 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.  Inspectors also discussed the curriculum in some other subjects.

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 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.  The inspectors took account of responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text responses. The inspectors also considered the responses of staff and pupils to Ofsted’s online surveys.

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Inspection team

Rebecca Clayton, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Jenny Winfield Ofsted Inspector 18 and 19 March 2025

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