Bedonwell Infant and Nursery School

Bedonwell Infant and Nursery School

Address: Bedonwell Road, Belvedere, Kent, DA17 5PF Unique reference number (URN): 143866

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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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Early years Strong standard

Leaders have developed a creative and ambitious early years provision that gives children a great start to their learning. Leaders have skilfully designed a curriculum based on children's interests. Staff demonstrate a high regard for children's welfare while in their care. Children behave well and cooperate with one another. Staff encourage children to share, take turns and discuss their ideas, which helps develop their confidence and social skills.

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Early years Strong standard

Leaders provide staff with effective training to develop pupils' language. As a result, carefully designed activities consistently maximise the opportunities to develop children's vocabulary. High-quality interactions alongside consistent routines ensure that children develop their language skills across all areas of learning. The learning environment is purposeful inside and out. Children can revisit and practise key knowledge, including early reading, number and fine motor skills. Staff introduce phonics systematically and provide extra help promptly when children need it. Leaders and staff know the children well and check on their learning regularly to identify next steps. Staff provide children requiring additional support, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, with pre-teaching and visual resources, such as ‘mini-me’ prompts. Staff proactively support children to address any gaps

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Early years Strong standard

in learning so that they can take part fully in school life.

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Early years Strong standard

As a result, children build secure foundations for future learning. By the end of the Reception Year, children are well prepared for Year 1.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders know the pupils very well and have a secure understanding of their needs. Leaders prioritise identifying pupils' needs so that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, those who are disadvantaged and those known or previously known to children’s social care are supported effectively.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders work closely with families and external services to provide appropriate and tailored support. Leaders use detailed approaches, such as 'individual development plans', to reduce barriers to learning and/or wellbeing. Leaders ensure staff have a clear understanding of pupils' needs and put the right support in place. For example, in classrooms, teachers skilfully adjust and adapt what is taught on an individual basis to secure pupils’ understanding. They present learning in manageable steps so that pupils build understanding securely.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The local authority and experts from across the trust provide relevant and highly effective training that strengthens staff expertise. Pupils who are known to social care benefit from leaders' close collaboration with other professionals and the local authority, who tailor support to pupils' circumstances.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders use additional funding strategically for disadvantaged pupils to provide additional pastoral support, including small-group activities, access to enrichment activities and targeted mentoring by learning mentors.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Leaders share a strong vision that all pupils feel included, achieve and flourish. Leaders have a strong commitment to removing barriers. This means that leaders' decisions are firmly rooted in what is in pupils' best interests, particularly those who are vulnerable. Leaders, trust staff and those responsible for governance work closely together to ensure ongoing improvement for priority areas and ensure they meet their statutory responsibilities, such as safeguarding. The trust has highly effective oversight of the school and provides useful expertise to empower staff and bring about further improvement.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Leaders carefully design evidence-informed professional development to match identified priorities. This enables staff to continually strengthen their subject knowledge and expertise in how children learn. Staff actively seek further development opportunities. Staff collaborate with other schools across the trust to further improve their practice. Leaders evaluate the impact of their decisions in detail by checking that their actions improve pupil outcomes and classroom practice.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Leaders take staff wellbeing and workload into careful consideration. Staff value this. The school works closely with parents, carers and a wide range of external agencies. Parents and staff speak very highly of the school.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Leaders provide a personalised and coherent programme of personal development that develops pupils' knowledge securely. The programme is extensive, providing pupils with a range of opportunities to support their wider development, including personal, social, health and economic education. This is firmly embedded from the early years to Year 2. Pupils use this learning in their daily routines. They have a sophisticated level of knowledge about the brain, how to regulate their emotions and how to calm down. 'Pupil ambassadors' help others be their very best. Pupils know about staying safe, including when online, road and bike safety and personal safety. Pupils understand healthy relationships.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Leaders have built a programme that provides pupils with rich, memorable experiences. Every year group takes part in several trips and workshops. These include visits to the local church, park and library. Where needed, the pastoral team provides targeted support for disadvantaged pupils and pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Leaders work effectively with external services to strengthen pastoral support.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain. Pupils develop a secure understanding of difference and the fundamental British values, including a clear sense of right and wrong, as well as the recognition of individuals' rights when making decisions. Pupils understand democracy through local elections when voting for school council representatives and other roles of responsibility in the school. Pupils develop meaningful social skills and a secure sense of responsibility through the range of leadership roles available. For example, they are proud to be mental health ambassadors, play leaders and school councillors. Pupils develop a secure understanding of different faiths and cultures. They enjoy finding out about different celebrations and festivals and respect the beliefs and values of others. This contributes to a strong culture of inclusion and mutual respect.

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Achievement Expected standard

Pupils generally progress well through the curriculum from their starting points. They talk confidently about their learning. Typically, pupils retain key knowledge over time.

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Achievement Expected standard

Pupils develop secure foundations in reading, writing and mathematics, and this is particularly the case for children in the early years. Published outcomes show that pupils' attainment is in line with the national average in the Year 1 phonics screening check. Disadvantaged pupils typically achieve above their peers nationally in this measure. Pupils become confident readers. They use their phonics to blend and segment words and have many opportunities to read and develop their fluency. However, pupils' handwriting varies in key stage 1. Some pupils' handwriting lacks fluency, and inaccuracies in letter formation affect the presentation of their work across subjects.

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Achievement Expected standard

Overall, pupils are typically well prepared for the next steps in their education.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Leaders closely track any absence from school. Leaders have begun promoting the importance of attendance from the early years. The school works closely with parents and carers to identify any barriers to pupils' attendance. Leaders use their detailed knowledge of each family to identify the support parents need and provide it promptly to improve attendance. Pupils' overall attendance is close to the national average. The number of pupils who are persistently absent from school is also close to the national average. However, leaders acknowledge that too many pupils are still missing school regularly and that further improvement is needed, as these pupils are missing out on important learning and not getting the benefit of the full school experience.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Leaders have established clear expectations for behaviour from the early years onwards. Staff apply the behaviour policy consistently. Leaders have developed a restorative culture when teaching children about behaviour. Any incidents of bullying or discrimination are rare, and staff deal with them promptly and sensitively. Pupils show positive attitudes and behave well in lessons, rarely disrupting learning. This creates a calm and purposeful environment where pupils can focus on their learning. Leaders ensure that staff make appropriate adjustments and adaptations to support pupils' needs while maintaining high expectations for all.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders have designed a well-sequenced curriculum that builds on prior knowledge and clearly sets out what pupils need to learn and by when. Leaders prioritise high-quality teaching across the school. Leaders are proactive in working with other specialists and schools across the trust to further build on this. They regularly check the quality of teaching and provide staff with effective support to develop their expertise. Across the curriculum, pupils use subject-specific vocabulary with growing confidence. Teachers help pupils remember what they learn by linking and revisiting knowledge across subjects through ‘live working walls’. However, on occasion, inconsistencies in how teachers deliver the curriculum prevent some pupils from grasping and remembering their learning as well as they could.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Pupils generally master basic skills in reading, writing and mathematics because the school prioritises these foundations for future learning. Staff consistently teach the school’s chosen approach to phonics, where they model sounds accurately and revisit vocabulary. Staff teach pupils about the importance of posture and handwriting using the '4 P approach'. While this is embedded in the early years, staff do not apply it as consistently in Years 1 and 2. Consequently, this hinders some pupils' writing fluency, and they continue to use incorrect pencil grips and form letters inaccurately.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders have established an agreed approach to checking pupils' learning, which enables teachers to identify gaps and address them swiftly. Staff carefully check pupils' understanding and re-teach when needed. As a result, staff meet the needs of disadvantaged pupils and pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities effectively.

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

Pupils start each day in a happy and inclusive school where staff know them and their families well. Pupils feel supported and ready to learn because staff work proactively with parents and carers. These positive relationships help pupils flourish. Pupils confidently demonstrate the school's 'PROUD' values and take pride in being part of the 'Bedonwell family'.

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

Pupils enjoy coming to school. Generally, they attend well, although some pupils need to attend more regularly to benefit fully from everything the school offers. Pupils feel safe and well cared for. Pupils know who to talk to if they have any concerns. Leaders listen to pupils' voices and ideas and act on them when appropriate. Pupils are aware of risks in their world, such as crossing roads and staying safe online. Pupils know that staff take any concerns they have seriously, such as bullying, which is rare.

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

Pupils' behaviour across the school is calm and purposeful. Pupils learn successfully because of the well-established routines. Their respectful relationships enable them to be kind and considerate towards one another.

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

Pupils are fully included in school life. Pupils typically achieve well across the curriculum. Children in the early years develop secure core skills in early reading, writing and mathematics. Pupils engage confidently in learning because staff understand their needs extremely well. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, disadvantaged pupils and those who face other barriers to their learning and/or wellbeing access the support they need to participate fully and achieve well. Pupils enrich their learning through carefully planned educational visits, visitors to the school and a range of clubs, including the 'wellbeing club' and basketball club. They talk very positively about these experiences.

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Next steps

Leaders should continue to develop staff expertise in delivering the curriculum so that all pupils develop greater knowledge and skills and are consistently well prepared for the next stage. Leaders should ensure that teachers consistently support the development of pupils' handwriting in key stage 1 so that pupils' writing is fluent and legible over time and work is well presented across all subjects. Leaders should further refine and embed the attendance strategy so that more pupils attend regularly and the number of pupils who are persistently absent from school reduces.

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About this inspection

This school is part of London South East 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 (CEO), Dr Sam Parrett, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Rama Venchard.

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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 trustees and governors, members of the central trust team, the chief executive officer (CEO), headteacher, other senior leaders, pupils and parents and carers 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 currently uses no alternative provision.

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Team inspectors:

David Worrall, Ofsted Inspector Ray Lau, His Majesty's Inspector Annabel Davies, His Majesty's Inspector

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Facts and figures used on inspection

This was the data available at the time of the full inspection, taken from different sources . More recent data may have been published since the full inspection took place.

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Facts and figures used on inspection

The inspector(s) used this data during the full inspection on 7 July 2026

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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 6 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 needs support 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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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 (3 term) 5.4% 5.2% Close to average

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national average

2023/24 (3 term) 5.1% 5.5% Close to average

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national average

2022/23 (3 term) 5.9% 5.9% 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 (3 term) 13.4% 13.0% Close to average

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national average

2023/24 (3 term) 12.7% 14.6% Close to average

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national average

2022/23 (3 term) 13.2% 16.2% 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 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

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

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