Bearwood Primary and Nursery School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Bearwood Primary and Nursery School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

The headteacher of this school is Cheryl Smith. This school is part of Hamwic Education Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Robert Farmer, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Gary Plummer.

What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high ambitions for all pupils. Pupils meet these ambitions and achieve in line with national expectations. Beyond the academic, the school encourages pupils to develop their character and resilience, ...so they are ready for the next stage of their education.

Newly established behaviour rules of 'ready, respectful, safe' are central to school life. They underpin the school's intention for pupils to be successful. The school supports pupils' well-being and mental health, helping them to recognise and manage their feelings and emotions.

Pupils develop positive and trusting relationships with staff. If bullying occurs, they know staff will deal with it. As a result, they enjoy school and feel safe.

Trips and residential visits create lasting memories. Older pupils speak fondly of the recent outing, where they enjoyed adventurous activities, such as using a zip wire. Pupils benefit from opportunities to develop their talents and interests, including taking part in gymnastics, singing and cheerleading clubs.

Staff expect pupils to contribute to school life. They are proud to take on roles such as reading ambassadors, well-being warriors or members of the school council.

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

The school has maintained the standard of education identified at the previous inspection.

It has designed an ambitious curriculum. In most subjects, the school has set out the important knowledge that pupils should learn and the order in which they should learn it from the early years to Year 6. However, in some subjects, the curriculum is new or being revised.

In these cases, key knowledge has not been identified with the same precision. As a result, some pupils are not clear about what is expected of them.

Reading is the bedrock of the school's curriculum.

Staff promote a love of reading from an early age. For example, the children in Nursery enjoy listening to 'Handa's Surprise'. Children learn to read from the moment they start in the Reception Year.

Pupils read books that match their abilities. Those who need support receive extra practice to keep up with the sounds they need to learn. Most older pupils enjoy reading.

They benefit from listening to their teachers read in the classroom. The much-loved vibrant library, at the heart of the school, provides age-appropriate texts that inspire pupils to read more widely.

The school identifies the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities accurately.

Staff make suitable adaptations to ensure these pupils learn the same ambitious curriculum as their peers.

Teachers regularly check pupils' understanding and address any misconceptions. Whole-school practices such as low-stake quizzes and 'remember' activities at the start of each lesson help pupils recall what they have learned before and 'Knowledge organisers' provide key learning reminders for pupils across the curriculum.

Leaders have introduced a common approach for delivering the curriculum. However, it is too soon to see the full impact of these actions. For example, some teachers do not explain new learning sufficiently well.

As a result, some pupils have gaps in their knowledge or are unclear about their learning.

Typically, pupils, including children in the early years, behave well. They know about strategies that support them when they are stuck or struggling with their emotions.

However, the school's high expectations for pupils' behaviour are not always consistently applied by adults. Occasionally, a small minority of pupils sometimes do not live up to the school's high expectations.

There is a well-developed programme for personal development in the school.

Curriculum enrichment 'road maps' contribute well to pupils' enjoyment of learning and broadens their life experience. Trips to places of interest, such as Brownsea Island, complement the curriculum and bring learning to life. Pupils develop a good understanding of a range of faiths and cultures through the taught curriculum and whole school assemblies.

Pupils learn about online safety, healthy relationships and how their bodies change as they get older. The school expertly weaves outdoor learning through the curriculum. Pupils develop their skills and knowledge to see how concepts learned in class can be applied outdoors.

The trust and the local governing committee know where the school is doing well, and what it needs to improve further. They are determined for it to be the best it can be.

The school and the trust carefully consider staff workload in all their decision making.

Staff feel valued and are proud to work at the school. They appreciate opportunities for training and professional development to support their pupils' learning.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The behaviour policy is not consistently applied by all staff across the school day. Occasionally, a small minority of pupils do not always live up to the school's high expectations for behaviour. The school should ensure that all staff have the same high expectations for pupils' behaviour and apply the school's behaviour policy consistently.

• In some subjects, where the curriculum is new or recently refined, the curriculum does not set out the most important knowledge that pupils are expected to know and remember. This means some pupils have gaps in their knowledge. The trust should ensure that each subject is successfully implemented as intended.

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 good for its overall effectiveness.

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.

This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be for overall effectiveness in September 2019.

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