Belvoirdale Community Primary School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 7 November 2023

This is an inclusive, vibrant and happy school where pupils thrive. Leaders have created an ethos that nurtures and supports pupils. Most pupils who shared their views said that they are happy to come to school. They feel safe and know that adults care about them. They know who to talk to if they have any worries. However, some pupils do not attend well. Staff have high expectations of behaviour. Pupils rise to the challenge and behave very well. Pupils of all ages play well together during social times. Incidents of bullying are rare. Staff deal with concerns quickly. The school has ensured that pupils' wider development is at the heart of school activities. Pupils talk confidently about their roles of responsibility, including decisions made on the school council. The pupil librarians value their leadership role and support classes with book choices for their reading areas. Staff have high expectations of what pupils can achieve. However, some pupils do not gain the knowledge they should across the curriculum. This is because some subjects are not as well planned as others. Parents and carers are very positive about the school. One parent spoke for many when they described the school as 'an amazing community school'.

What the school should improve

• In some foundation subjects, the curriculum does not precisely identify the key knowledge that pupils should know and remember. This leads to some pupils not developing detailed knowledge of all the subjects they study. The school should ensure that the curriculum in all subjects identifies the knowledge that pupils should acquire so that teachers can help pupils recall what they have studied and achieve well.
• The school does not have a rigorous approach to assessing pupils' learning in all foundation subjects. As a result, in these subjects, teachers do not always know what pupils have learned. The school should ensure that teachers are able to identify what pupils do and do not know in foundation subjects without placing an unnecessary burden on staff.
• The proportion of pupils who are regularly absent from school or who arrive late is too high, particularly for disadvantaged pupils. This means that pupils miss too much of their education. The school should continue to work with children and their families to further develop strategies to ensure that all pupils attend school regularly and on time.

Read the full Ofsted report (opens in a new tab)