Bridlewood Primary School

Bridlewood Primary School

Address: Chartwell Road, SN25 2EX Unique reference number (URN): 149193

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Safeguarding standards met

The safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and have established an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, pupils are made safer and feel safe.

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How we evaluate safeguarding

When we inspect schools for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:

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How we evaluate safeguarding

Met: The school has an open and positive culture of safeguarding. All legal requirements are met. Not met: The school has not created an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not all legal requirements are met.

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Achievement Expected standard

On the whole, pupils are prepared for their next stage of learning. They progress well through the curriculum across year groups. Pupils achieve well. Disadvantaged pupils achieve in line with their disadvantaged peers nationally. Pupils working at the higher standard achieve in line with the national average for writing and mathematics, but not for reading. Pupils build on their prior knowledge to achieve well. They extend their knowledge of forces, from gravity lower down the school to friction and air resistance further up the school. Most pupils secure the basics of reading, writing and mathematics well. However, on some occasions, the quality of handwriting and pupils’ letter formation does not live up to leaders’ high standards. Overall, however, pupils make positive progress from their starting points and learn the curriculum well.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Attendance is a priority for the school. Leaders routinely analyse absence information. They use this analysis well to identify patterns and trends, including any causes of low or persistent absence. When absence is a concern, leaders intervene at an early stage. They work closely with parents, carers and external agencies to remove any barriers to high attendance for disadvantaged pupils and pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Consequently, pupils attend school often and rates of persistent absence are decreasing.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Leaders ensure that staff understand and consistently apply the school’s approach to behaviour. Consequently, there is a calm and purposeful atmosphere around the school. Staff are positive role models. They help pupils to understand the importance of showing high levels of respect to adults and one another. Pupils are polite and well mannered. They know that any discriminatory behaviour and remarks will not be tolerated. Pupils arrive each morning with smiles on their faces and typically behave well in lessons. They show positive attitudes toward their learning. This starts in the early years, where children develop a love of, and delight in, their learning. During social times, pupils enjoy the opportunities they have to spend time with their friends and to help younger children.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders have an accurate understanding of the quality of the curriculum and teaching. They have constructed a curriculum that is generally well designed and sets out the order in which knowledge should be taught. The curriculum considers the most important knowledge pupils need to learn. The school understands the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and the barriers faced by other pupils. Staff consider and carefully implement any adaptations effectively.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Typically, the curriculum is taught well. Staff use their subject knowledge to explain new concepts and check on pupils’ understanding, for example during phonics. However, at times, teachers do not revisit prior learning before teaching pupils new knowledge. This means some pupils struggle to make links between new learning and what they have learned before.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders identify pupils who have not secured the basics in reading, handwriting and mathematics. Pupils who struggle with their reading and mathematics receive support that helps them to catch up. Leaders have designed a clear and deliberate approach to teach handwriting. However, there is some variability in how well this is taught. This means that, on occasion, some pupils’ handwriting and letter formation do not meet the high expectations of leaders.

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Early years Expected standard

The school prioritises high-quality care and education for children in the early years. Staff work in partnership, and form positive relationships, with families and nursery settings. Leaders ensure that appropriate information is shared when children move to their next stage. This helps children settle into the routines of school quickly.

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Early years Expected standard

Leaders have designed a curriculum with clear steps that detail what children should learn as they progress through the early years. Central to this is the development of children’s communication and language. Leaders have ensured that there is a rigorous approach to teaching early vocabulary. Provision for 3-year-olds focuses on precise repetition of challenging sounds so that children learn to speak clearly. Typically, interactions between staff and children are rich and help to extend children’s vocabulary, for example using ambitious words such as ‘majestic’. Children are taught the skills that they need to learn to read as soon as they start school. Reading is an integral part of the curriculum. Children share their knowledge of phonics confidently, for example when reading their friends' names. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are supported well to learn the same curriculum as their peers.

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Early years Expected standard

Children typically achieve well from their starting points. Overall, most are ready for their next stage of learning.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The school identifies potential barriers to learning before pupils join the school. Staff use this information to adapt teaching and to make learning accessible for all pupils. Consequently, pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), learn well and develop positive attitudes to learning from an early age. This is also the case for pupils who speak English as an additional language.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Staff are trained well to support pupils with SEND. A range of support strategies ensures that disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND are fully included in all aspects of school life. Leaders monitor the success of these support strategies and targets carefully. Alternative provision is used appropriately and supports pupils’ specific needs effectively. As a result, these pupils learn to manage their behaviour and emotions positively, as well as improve their attendance. Leaders make sure that the pupil premium funding meets pupils’ needs. 'Pupil passports’ identify the most effective strategies to support pupils. Staff use these well to ensure that they meet the pastoral and academic needs of disadvantaged pupils. The school works in partnership with families and external agencies to ensure that the needs of pupils with SEND are well met.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders and those responsible for governance are ambitious for the school and the community it serves. Leaders have an accurate understanding of the unique context of their school. They know the school's strengths and have clear improvement priorities, underpinned by evidence and data. Leaders articulate these clearly. Where there are inconsistencies or enhancements needed to the curriculum and teaching, leaders take effective action or have appropriate plans in place to address these.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Those responsible for governance meet their statutory duties well. They hold leaders to account for managing resources, such as how they can best use staff time. They provide clarity of vision, strategic direction, challenge and support to enable continual improvement. Trust leaders and those responsible for governance assess the impact of the school’s work through the checks they make.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders ensure that, through meaningful engagement, staff and governors feel valued and involved. The trust puts staff's professional learning at the forefront to build expertise. Leaders, governors and trustees meaningfully consider the wellbeing of staff. Staff are positive about the consideration given to their workload, which helps keep it as manageable as possible.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders and those responsible for governance make decisions in the best interests of pupils, particularly those who face barriers to their learning. For example, they forge constructive professional relationships with local schools and charities.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Parents and carers speak positively about the school, particularly about the provision for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities. They would recommend the school to other parents.

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Personal development and well-being Expected standard

Pupils benefit from the school’s personal development programme. Personal, social and health education is well designed and sequenced. It makes clear the important knowledge and skills pupils need to know and when, starting in the early years.

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Personal development and well-being Expected standard

The school provides a wealth of opportunities for pupils to develop their social and cultural awareness. Pupils learn about the importance of human rights and about different beliefs. Most pupils develop an understanding of fundamental British values. For example, pupils understand voting and democracy through elections for the school council. Pupils see the impact of their leadership roles, such as being anti-bullying ambassadors. These pupils are given the independence and authority to support their peers with any friendship issues. Pupils develop their character by raising money for road safety charities or by taking part in the ‘junior good citizen’ day, where pupils learn from external agencies such as the police.

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Personal development and well-being Expected standard

Pupils learn about relationships and sex education and health education in an age- appropriate way. They know how to spot risks online and the importance of staying safe. Pupils understand that some relationships can be unhealthy. They know how to seek help when they need to. Older pupils talk with maturity about topics such as consent.

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Personal development and well-being Expected standard

The school’s promotion of pupils’ sporting, artistic and musical talents is a strength. Pupils participate proudly in sporting events. They enjoy learning to play musical instruments, such as the clarinet, or participating in clubs, including hockey and dodgeball.

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Personal development and well-being Expected standard

Leaders track pupil participation at clubs and engagement with the wider range of activities on offer with rigour. They ensure the school’s approach removes barriers for the most vulnerable pupils. This ensures that pupils, particularly those who are disadvantaged, experience opportunities, such as taking part in national choir events, that build their confidence and resilience. Pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils enjoy coming to this welcoming and inclusive school. They value the school’s community feel. This helps everyone, including those who are new to the school, to develop a clear sense of belonging. Pupils know and live up to the school’s values of respect, responsibility and honesty. For example, they learn to respect those of different backgrounds through the school’s ‘discovery days’.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils feel safe. They enjoy positive relationships with adults who know them well. Pupils learn to communicate their feelings and manage their emotions. They talk confidently about the way in which staff listen to their ‘worries post’ in the ‘worry boxes’ and use this to help them resolve any issues that may arise.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils understand the school’s behaviour expectations. They follow the routines that are in place well. This starts in the early years, where children settle quickly into the routines of school. They listen carefully and play well with one another. If bullying happens, pupils know that staff will deal with it swiftly.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils enjoy their learning. This is demonstrated by their punctuality and improved attendance. By the end of Year 6, many pupils achieve the standards expected of them and are ready for secondary school. The school works with families to reduce any barriers to learning. Consequently, pupils progress well through the curriculum from their starting points.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils appreciate the many activities on offer to them to develop their interests, such as football and hockey clubs, museum trips and residential trips. They are proud of their roles and responsibilities. For example, pupils act as role models to younger pupils in their esteemed roles of anti-bullying ambassadors, house captains, school councillors and sports leaders. They understand how these roles help them to give back to their school community.

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Next steps

• Leaders should ensure that teachers use assessment information consistently and effectively to address misconceptions and help pupils apply prior knowledge to new learning. • Leaders should ensure that the strategy to improve pupils' handwriting is implemented consistently well across the school so that pupils secure the knowledge and skills they need to write well.

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Team inspectors:

Ben Jordan, His Majesty's Inspector Richard Light, His Majesty's Inspector

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Facts and figures used on inspection

The data was used by the inspector(s) during the inspection. More recent data may have been published since the inspection took place.

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About this inspection

This school is part of The Park Academies Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Gemma Piper, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Mike Taylor.

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About this inspection

Inspectors carried out this full inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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About this inspection

Following our renewed inspection framework, all inspections are now led by His Majesty’s Inspectors (HMIs) or by Ofsted Inspectors (OIs) who have previously served as HMIs.

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About this inspection

Inspectors spoke with the headteacher, deputy headteacher, subject leaders and staff. They met with the director of primary education from the trust. The lead inspector also met with the chief executive officer and the chair of trustees.

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About this inspection

The inspectors confirmed the following information about the school:

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About this inspection

The school makes use of one alternative provision.

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About this inspection

Headteacher: Vicky Sammon The total number of pupils currently at this school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England.

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What does this mean?

The total number of pupils who can attend the school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with an education, health and care plan. This covers pupils with more support than is available through special educational needs support.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with reported special educational support needs at the school.

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What does this mean?

Based on the English Indices of Deprivation (2019) and the school's location, we have calculated whether the school is located in a more or less deprived area.

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What does this mean?

Whether school has Resourced Provision or SEND unit (if applicable).

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standards in a combined reading, writing and maths measure.

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in reading.

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher assessed writing

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher assessed writing.

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in maths

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in maths.

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Disadvantaged pupils' performance

Disadvantaged pupils are those who have been eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years and children looked after.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher assessed writing

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher assessed writing.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in maths

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in maths.

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average

‘S’ in the table above indicates the data has been suppressed, which is usually due to small cohorts. The suppression rules applied by the DfE when publishing the data have been mirrored and applied in the report card.

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Disadvantaged pupils' performance gap

Disadvantaged pupils are those who have been eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years and children looked after. The school disadvantage gap is the difference between the performance of the school's disadvantaged pupils compared to the performance of all non-disadvantaged pupils nationally.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and maths, including the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading and the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher assessed writing

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher assessed writing and the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in maths

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in maths and the disadvantaged gap.

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average

‘S’ in the table above indicates the data has been suppressed, which is usually due to small cohorts. The suppression rules applied by the DfE when publishing the data have been mirrored and applied in the report card.

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Overall absence

The percentage of all possible mornings and afternoons missed due to absence from school (for whatever reason, whether authorised or unauthorised) across all pupils.

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national average

2024/25 (1 term) 4.7% 5.1% Close to average

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Persistent absence

The percentage of pupils missing 10% or more of their possible mornings and afternoons.

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national average

2024/25 (1 term) 12.5% 14.3% Close to average

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Exceptional

Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other schools can learn from it.

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Strong standard

The school reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standards expected of them.

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Expected standard

The school is fulfilling the expected standard of education and/or care. This means they are following the standards set out in statutory and non-statutory legislation and the professional standards expected of them.

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Needs attention

The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements.

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Urgent improvement

The school needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care.

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Urgent improvement

services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects and regulates services that care for children and young people.

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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