Braeburn Primary and Nursery Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations for pupils. Pupils enjoy learning.

They work hard in lessons, take pride in their work and participate very well. Pupils behave very positively. The school is a calm and orderly environment that is well looked after.

Pupils know that if they are worried about anything, staff will help them. They play cooperatively together at social times and are very active and well cared for by staff. Pupils have great trust in staff.

The school's values of respect, self-belief, honesty and kindness permeate its work. Pupils are polite, kind, respectful, courteous and friendly to each other and to adults. Pupils have a strong sense of equali...ty and fairness.

They are clear that all people should be treated equally and say they treat others as they want to be treated.

Relationships between staff and pupils are very strong. The school ensures that all pupils are able to participate fully in school life.

This includes making adjustments or adaptations to its provision for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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

Much thought has gone into designing a curriculum that reflects the school's high aspirations for pupils. The curriculum is carefully sequenced from early years to Year 6.

The school identifies any pupils who need additional support. It provides this effectively so that all pupils learn the same curriculum. Links with local industry and commerce give pupils an understanding of knowledge applied to 'real-life' situations.

Staff receive purposeful training that enables them to deliver the curriculum confidently. They design interesting activities and ask questions that deepen pupils' knowledge. Consequently, pupils' current work shows that standards are improving in comparison to the school's previous published outcomes.

Pupils learn well in most subjects, including mathematics and reading. Overall, staff follow the curriculum closely and make thorough checks on pupils' learning. Pupils speak knowledgeably and fluently about what they learn.

However, the new writing curriculum is not taught consistently well as there are times when the curriculum is not followed closely. This leads to variations in the quality of pupils' writing across the school. In religious education (RE), activities and assessment are not closely matched to what pupils are expected to learn.

Therefore, pupils are not remembering key knowledge over time.

Staff teach the curriculums for phonics and early reading very effectively. They model the use of pure sounds and expect pupils to do the same.

Staff identify and address pupils' errors quickly. Pupils who find phonics difficult receive extra support to help them keep up. Older pupils enjoy reading.

They read online books at home and in school. Staff use these to check pupils' understanding and increase pupils' reading speed. The school promotes reading very well, and pupils are confident and fluent readers.

Children in the early years have a wonderful start to school. Staff focus on developing children's language skills and confidence. Consequently, children speak well and are keen to discuss learning with adults and their peers.

Children have opportunities to explore and learn in the spacious classrooms and outdoor spaces. For example, they enjoy learning about dental hygiene, listening to stories, completing mathematics activities and learning about their senses when on a nature walk. Staff check children's learning regularly and provide extra support when needed.

Pupils develop a keen awareness of the importance of democracy, tolerance and the rule of law. They have many opportunities to contribute to the school. For example, older pupils read to children in the early years and pupils in 'Team Phoenix' organise a tuck shop.

Pupils benefit from the school's unwavering focus on the wider curriculum. There are many clubs, such as 'cooking school', where pupils learn skills that they can use to prepare meals at home. There are also visits to the theatre and school residentials.

Pastoral care for pupils is very strong. The school has a detailed understanding of pupils' needs. It puts effective support in place for pupils who need help with managing their feelings to meet staff's high expectations of behaviour.

Pupils know they are listened to, cared for and valued. The school is improving pupils' attendance and reducing the number of pupils who are often absent.

Trustees and members of the school's local governing body fulfil their duties thoroughly.

The school and the trust keep a close eye on staff's workload and support staff's professional development. This leads to motivated staff who are equipped to fulfil their roles to the best of their ability. Staff are proud to work in the school.

They say they are listened to and enjoy working there.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In a small number of subjects, there are inconsistencies in the way the curriculum is taught.

For example, sometimes the activities teachers design do not match the intended learning outcomes. This means that pupils do not have sufficient opportunities to practise and apply their key learning and do not remember it as well as they should in those subjects. The school and trust should ensure that they support staff to deliver the curriculum consistently well so that pupils learn well across the curriculum.