Brooklands Primary School

Brooklands Primary School

Address: Woodbourne Road, Sale, Sale, Cheshire, M33 3SY Unique reference number (URN): 106301

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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 Strong standard

Over time, pupils develop detailed knowledge across the curriculum and can recall this securely. Pupils read confidently with fluency and accurately recall key number facts. Overall, pupils build on their high starting points and achieve well. This is reflected in the consistently above-average published outcomes in phonics and the number of pupils reaching the expected and higher standard in key stage 2 national tests. In some subjects, such as reading and mathematics, the gap between disadvantaged and non-disadvantaged pupils nationally has closed.

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Achievement Strong standard

Pupils produce consistently high-quality work that demonstrates their understanding and their ability to practise and apply their learning. They confidently articulate their understanding of different concepts. Across all key stages, pupils are very well prepared for the next stage of their education.

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Attendance and behaviour Strong standard

Pupils relish attending school. Leaders work closely with parents and carers to reinforce the importance of regular attendance. This work has paid dividends. Pupils’ attendance is consistently high, including for disadvantaged pupils.

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Attendance and behaviour Strong standard

Leaders have established a calm and purposeful atmosphere across the school. Pupils know how to behave well. This begins in the Nursery, where children learn routines such as lining up sensibly at different points in the day. Older pupils act as excellent role models for younger pupils.

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Attendance and behaviour Strong standard

Staff apply a consistent approach to managing behaviour, which pupils understand well. As a result, there is rarely any disruptive behaviour. Classrooms are hives of activity and enquiry, enabling pupils to flourish. Pupils follow instructions immediately. Consequently, they benefit from a culture that is highly conducive to learning.

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Attendance and behaviour Strong standard

Leaders and staff identify any pupils who need additional support swiftly. They use a range of well-tailored strategies to help pupils manage their behaviour successfully. For example, pupils use breathing techniques to calm themselves, and some make effective use of the sensory room to regulate their emotions. Warm, respectful relationships between staff and pupils sit at the heart of the school’s ethos and underpin pupils’ conduct. Any form of bullying or discrimination is not tolerated.

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Early years Strong standard

Leaders have made astute decisions in the early years, which enable them to build on children’s high starting points. They have designed an ambitious curriculum that extends children’s learning, and this is expertly delivered by well-trained staff. Leaders plan carefully for high-quality interactions with children. Staff’s secure knowledge of each child, their starting points and the curriculum ensures that these interactions are purposeful and promote children’s language development effectively. Staff work purposefully with parents and carers, building strong partnerships that support children’s learning, language and wider development.

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Early years Strong standard

Reading is front and centre in the early years. From the moment children start in the Nursery Year, they are immersed in books. They enjoy joining in with familiar rhymes. By the end of the Reception Year, most children read accurately, preparing them well for the demands of Year 1. Deliberate choices around staffing and provision help to ensure a smooth transition into Year 1.

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Early years Strong standard

Children are encouraged to be inquisitive. They become independent, resilient and eager to learn. Leaders have ensured that children’s social development is carefully considered. Children play harmoniously together and demonstrate an awareness of others. They support their peers, for instance by praising one another and recognising each other’s strengths.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders have established an inclusive culture where high expectations apply to all pupils. Leaders’ and staff’s insightful knowledge of pupils helps them to quickly identify any potential barriers to their learning or wellbeing. Staff are well trained to support pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Staff employ a raft of tailored strategies to support these pupils. As a result, pupils with SEND thrive. The wide range of strategies staff employ is carefully tailored to meet pupils’ needs. Leaders review the impact of the support pupils receive and make changes where necessary. For example, timetables have been adjusted appropriately to reintegrate a small number of pupils successfully back into class.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders are ambitious for pupils, including those who are disadvantaged, known to social care or those experiencing temporary challenges that may affect their learning. Their mantra of ‘a high tide raises all boats’ is evident in high-quality classroom practice and in carefully targeted interventions. For example, pupils in receipt of pupil premium funding benefit from tutoring and access to a wide range of enrichment experiences. This helps them to build the knowledge and confidence to achieve well and to take a full part in school life. Parents and carers appreciate the support they receive, such as staff signposting them to external agencies.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Leaders have carefully designed a personal development programme that builds on pupils’ prior experiences and is an entitlement for all. It is responsive to local and national events. For example, pupils learned about significant events in the news in a sensitive and age- appropriate way.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Pupils debate complex issues thoughtfully, showing empathy and kindness towards others. Leaders use assemblies effectively to promote fundamental British values and develop pupils to be well prepared for life in modern Britain. Pupils articulate strongly that everyone has the right to express themselves. They respond confidently when this is not upheld. They have a clear understanding of what constitutes a healthy relationship. Across the school, pupils are highly articulate and engage maturely in conversation with adults.

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Expected standard

Leaders and staff successfully build pupils’ confidence. This begins in the early years, where children develop resilience, such as when they persevere in rebuilding a tower that has fallen down.

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Expected standard

Pupils build detailed knowledge that helps them to make informed decisions, such as choosing healthy foods to fuel their bodies. They confidently discuss the benefits and risks of using artificial intelligence and demonstrate a strong awareness of how to stay safe online. In the early years, staff help children to understand the importance of sharing and working together.

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Expected standard

Pupils embrace the wide range of opportunities available to them. Many, including disadvantaged pupils, learn to play musical instruments, including the French horn, trombone and clarinet. They are eager to perform for their peers and teachers. Leaders further raise pupils’ aspirations by inviting visitors to share their career experiences.

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Expected standard

Staff are vigilant in identifying pupils who need extra support. They know pupils well and anticipate their needs with precision. A range of strategies, including play therapy and mindfulness techniques, helps pupils to flourish. Leaders ensure that disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities participate fully in school life. For instance, pupils enjoy taking part in inclusive sporting events, which helps them to feel proud of their achievements.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

In most subjects, leaders have thoughtfully constructed an ambitious curriculum that enables pupils to build securely on what they have learned before. The many strengths in curriculum and teaching enable pupils to build detailed knowledge and produce high-quality work. In a few subjects, however, the school's approaches to checking pupils' learning are not as embedded and purposeful. This means that assessment information does not consistently give leaders the insights needed to adjust the curriculum and make sure that high standards are maintained.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders support staff well to develop their subject knowledge. Staff explain new ideas clearly and teach the curriculum effectively. They are highly aware of pupils’ additional needs and have been well trained to adapt learning, when necessary, so that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) can participate fully and access the curriculum. Teachers typically make frequent checks on pupils’ learning and address misconceptions promptly. A small number of pupils who struggle to secure the basics in reading, writing and mathematics receive appropriate and highly effective support that helps them to catch up quickly.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders have prioritised the development of pupils’ communication skills. Carefully considered opportunities enable pupils to articulate their learning impressively. Staff design learning activities well, incorporating any appropriate adaptations for pupils with SEND. This helps pupils to develop their confidence and spoken language effectively.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Pupils are at the heart of leaders’ decisions. Leaders are tenacious in removing barriers that disadvantaged pupils may face so that they can succeed. Leaders listen to pupils and value their opinions. For example, leaders have acted on pupils’ feedback to improve the school’s lunch menu.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders are highly visible and act as role models of caring professionalism. For instance, they cheerfully support pupils crossing the road each morning. They have a clear vision and set high standards. Governors support leaders well and work alongside them to bring about positive change.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Staff are overwhelmingly positive and happy working in the school. The extensive professional development programme for staff and governors helps them to feel valued. Staff also appreciate leaders’ consideration of workload, including the use of flexible deadlines.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

At times, leaders’ processes for evaluating the impact of their work in a few areas are not sufficiently robust. As a result, governors do not always receive insightful analysis of some aspects of the school’s work. This means that, in a minority of areas, improvement is not as rapid as it could be. Even so, leaders have a broad understanding of the school’s strengths and areas for development, and they have driven improvement in many areas of the school.

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

Pupils love coming to school. They feel valued and understand the role that they play in their school community. The school’s values of perseverance, respect, friendship and honesty fly proudly on the school flag. They provide intrinsic motivation for pupils. As a result, pupils behave extremely well. Firmly established routines are quickly adopted by children in the early years.

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

Staff help pupils to manage their emotional wellbeing and readiness to learn, for example, pupils enjoy ‘Brookland breathing’ sessions. Consequently, pupils are eager to learn and hungry for knowledge. They benefit from teachers’ clear explanations and subject expertise. Staff are adept at using strategies that reduce any barriers to learning. This helps pupils to build a secure body of knowledge across the curriculum, reflected in consistently above ‑ average outcomes in key stage 2 national tests. Children in the early years get off to a strong start and are extremely well prepared for key stage 1.

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

Pupils benefit from the warm and welcoming culture that leaders have created for them and their families. Pupils overwhelmingly describe an ethos of acceptance in the school. This is demonstrated through their respect for others. Pupils are confident that any rare cases of bullying are dealt with quickly. This helps pupils to feel safe in school. Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, attend regularly because they want to take advantage of all that the school offers.

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

Pupils take part in a wide range of activities that develop their talents and interests, including coding, mindfulness and writing for the Brookland’s Bugle newspaper. They are active

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Team inspectors:

Liz Kelly, Ofsted Inspector Lisa Hesmondhalgh, Ofsted Inspector Craig Dewar-Willox, Ofsted Inspector citizens who contribute positively to school life through leadership roles. For example, the eco team is helping to reduce food waste in the canteen. Pupils value the work of the pupil parliament, including the introduction of large-scale playground games.

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Next steps

• Leaders should sharpen their oversight of the different areas of their work and ensure that there are robust processes in place to evaluate the impact of their work. • Pupils achieve highly, but in a very small number of subjects, some aspects of the curriculum are not yet organised well enough. Leaders should strengthen the coherence of the curriculum so that all pupils continue to learn well.

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About this inspection

The chair of the board of governors in this school is Mrs Anne Madden.

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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, senior leaders and other staff, a representative of the local authority and members of the governing body, including the chair and vice chair of governors, during the inspection.

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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 does not make use of any alternative provisions.

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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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What does this mean?

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. National average: 26.3%

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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 mathematics

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standards in a combined reading, writing and mathematics 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 mathematics

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics.

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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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mathematics

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

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average

2024/25 (revised) 43% 47% Close to average

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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 mathematics

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

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average

2024/25 (revised) 71% 61% Close to average

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average

2022/23 (final) S 59% S ‘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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mathematics

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

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics 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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Persistent absence

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

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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 standard 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 standard 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

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