Billesley Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Billesley Primary School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

The principal of this school is Karl Rogerson. This school is part of The Elliot Foundation 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), Hugh Greenway, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Tim Coulson.

What is it like to attend this school?

Billesley Primary School has a strong sense of community. The school creates a caring and compassionate environment in which pupils flourish.

The high-quality pastoral care for pupils is a ...key feature of the school's work. Warm relationships between staff and pupils abound throughout the school. This helps pupils to feel safe, happy and valued.

The school has high expectations for academic achievement, behaviour and pupils' wider development. Pupils live up to these expectations and most achieve well. They are terrific ambassadors for their school.

They embody the school's values of 'inspire, create and achieve'.

Pupils' behaviour is exemplary. They are polite and considerate.

They work hard and take pride in the work they produce. Pupils are very proud of their school. They value the leadership opportunities that they have.

For example, play leaders ensure that 'nobody is left out'. Other pupils live up to their sustainability pledges. They take action by litter picking to protect wildlife, recycling and conserving water.

The school is unwavering in its commitment to providing the best possible opportunities for pupils. Pupils benefit from a broad range of trips and visits to bring learning to life. They also enjoy a wide range of extra-curricular activities to develop their talents and interests.

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

Children in the early years thrive and gain a strong start to their education. They benefit from a vibrant and richly resourced provision. Knowledgeable staff have a sharp focus on children's communication and language needs.

Staff model important vocabulary with precision. Children quickly learn to live up to the high expectations that embody the school. This prepares them well for their next stages in learning.

The school has designed an ambitious curriculum to engage and inspire pupils. The school has identified the key concepts and skills that pupils should learn. Staff have strong subject knowledge.

The school supports staff development well through effective coaching and mentoring. Staff present new information clearly. Teaching regularly revisits previously taught content to help pupils to recall it.

Staff carefully check what pupils have learned and adjust tasks to address any misunderstandings. This helps pupils build a strong body of knowledge over time. They produce high-quality work across the curriculum.

The school's approach to teaching early reading is highly effective. Pupils read books that closely match their stage of reading. Staff swiftly identify any pupils who fall behind.

They provide timely and effective support to help them keep up. As a result, pupils become confident, fluent readers.

The school is inclusive.

Precise identification of the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is a real strength of the school's provision. Pupils with SEND get the support that they need to succeed and achieve well. Pupils who learn in the specialist resource base receive bespoke and effective support to prepare them well for their next steps in learning.

A calm and purposeful atmosphere pervades the school. Pupils value their education. They work diligently in the classroom.

They know what is expected of them and rise to the school's high standards. Pupils play harmoniously with each other at social times.

The school has taken effective action to address the low levels of attendance in previous years.

Staff quickly identify pupils who need extra support to attend regularly. They identify any barriers and provide effective support. As a result, most pupils attend well.

The school caters for pupils' personal development in a wide range of ways. Pupils learn in an environment where there is respect for all. The school teaches pupils to recognise their own emotions and supports them to develop self-control and compassion for each other.

Pupils develop a keen awareness of the importance of fundamental British values. Pupils learn about and celebrate diversity. They know how to keep themselves physically and mentally healthy.

They learn how to be safe and demonstrate a deep understanding of their responsibilities to others and the wider world.

The trust has a strong understanding of all aspects of the school's work. They use a wealth of information to gather stakeholder views and probe expertly to hold leaders to account.

They value the wider work that the school provides through its research and school-to-school support.

Staff often refer to the 'family community' at this school. They appreciate the high regard for staff workload and well-being.

They feel valued and proud to work at the school. Parents and carers appreciate the compassion and care that staff provide for their pupils as well as the many opportunities that the school plans for parents to see learning in action.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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 outstanding 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 outstanding for overall effectiveness in May 2019.