Brading Church of England Controlled Primary School

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Brading Church of England Controlled Primary School West Street, Brading, Sandown, Isle of Wight PO36 0DS

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Outcome

Evidence gathered during this ungraded (section 8) inspection suggests that aspects of the school’s work may not be as strong as at the time of the previous inspection. The school’s next inspection will be a graded inspection.

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What is it like to attend this school?

This is a highly inclusive school where pupils are valued for their individual qualities. There is a strong focus on understanding the needs of pupils. The values of trust, respect, unity, sincerity and tolerance run through the school. Pupils talk about why these are important and the ways they can demonstrate them.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils relish the opportunities they have to take on roles and responsibilities. They are proud advocates for their school. The ‘mini governors’ are keen to share ideas, and they appreciate having a voice in changes for the future.

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What is it like to attend this school?

There is a calm and purposeful environment across the school. This helps to provide an atmosphere where pupils can learn well. Pupils do not worry about the behaviour of others. They know that staff are always on hand to provide support and to help resolve disagreements. Playtimes are happy occasions. From the early years, children are taught how to take turns, share and listen attentively. These skills build throughout the school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils have experienced many changes this year. The school’s curriculum is still developing. This means that some pupils are not achieving as well as they could in some subjects. In addition, pupils do not always get the help they need to be ready for future learning. 3 and 4 June 2025

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

The school has had a turbulent year. This has hampered school improvement. There have been a number of staff changes and a decreased number on roll. As a result, the school has swiftly moved to mixed-age classes. The curriculum is still being refined to meet the needs of these new classes. Generally, teachers have good subject knowledge. However, there is variability in how well they design tasks to support pupils to learn the intended content. In the strongest areas, pupils develop a broad and rich understanding of the subject-specific knowledge that they need to access future learning. Staff check pupils’ understanding through questioning. Pupils appreciate the opportunities they have to share their thinking and ideas.

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

There has been a continued focus on the provision for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Staff identify pupils with SEND well and understand their specific needs. The school is further developing strategies to support pupils with SEND to learn the curriculum. However, these are not yet fully established across the school. Staff do not consistently choose the most effective ways to help pupils with SEND to achieve as well as they could.

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

A love of reading is developed throughout the school. Pupils talk animatedly about the books they are reading. They are keen to make recommendations to their peers. Pupils who are learning to read are given the support they need. Staff have a secure understanding of the school’s phonics programme, and clear routines begin in the early years. This helps children to be prepared for key stage 1.

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

Pupils’ wider development is a strength of the school. This is underpinned by the kind and nurturing support that staff provide. The school has a genuine desire to raise aspirations for pupils and to broaden their horizons. Pupils are highly positive about careers week and enjoy learning about different jobs that are available to them in the future. School trips and visits are a highlight for pupils. They share what they have learned and relate this to their topic work. Tolerance runs through the school. Pupils share that everyone is welcome here and difference is celebrated.

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

Secure relationships based on trust and understanding are integral to the work that the school does. Staff take time to build these with pupils and their families. This work starts from the early years. There are high expectations for behaviour. Pupils generally rise to meet these. Some pupils need more help to do this. The school tailors support to help them to be successful. As a result, there is a productive environment across the school. However, some pupils do not attend school regularly enough. The school works closely with external agencies to promote the importance of regular attendance, but there are still too many pupils who are persistently absent.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 3 and 4 June 2025

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Some subjects in the curriculum are still being refined to meet the needs of pupils in mixed-age classes. In these subjects, pupils do not always learn as well as they could. The school should continue to refine the curriculum to ensure that it is suitable for mixed-age classes. Further support for teachers should also be provided to support the effective teaching of the curriculum in these subjects.  Attendance remains persistently low for some pupils. As a result, these pupils develop gaps in their learning. This hampers their achievement. The school should continue to use the established systems to further reduce absence.  At times, staff do not use the most effective strategies to support pupils with SEND to learn the intended curriculum. This means that some pupils with SEND do not always get the help they need to learn well. The school should ensure that staff know how to adapt learning for pupils with SEND.

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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 school to be good for overall effectiveness in July 2016.

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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. 3 and 4 June 2025

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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). 3 and 4 June 2025

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Chair of governing body Patricia Redfern

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 11 to 12 February 2020, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school was subject to a statutory closure notice from January 2025 to March 2025.  Since the previous inspection, there have been a number of staff changes. The school has moved to mixed-age classes this academic year.  The school does not currently use any alternative provision.  The school is part of the Diocese of Portsmouth. The last inspection of the school’s religious character was in July 2024.

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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 inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspector met with the headteacher and members of the senior leadership team. 3 and 4 June 2025

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 The inspector met with members of the governing body, including the chair.  The inspector visited a range of lessons, spoke to pupils about their learning and reviewed a sample of books.  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 considered the responses to Ofsted’s survey for staff and spoke to a range of staff and pupils about their views of the school. The inspector also took account of the responses to Ofsted’s online survey for parents, Ofsted Parent View, and the free-text responses.  The inspector reviewed a range of documentation, including the school development plan and school self-evaluation.

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Inspection team

Sara Staggs, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 3 and 4 June 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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