Bredgar Church of England Primary School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 12 January 2022

Pupils enjoy coming to this school and are happy to tell visitors why. When asked, some older pupils found it hard to identify what could be better, agreeing that 'mostly, this is a great school'. They also said that they feel that all staff are supportive and that teachers 'expect a lot'. Pupils behave well here. They told inspectors it is easy to make friends. One pupil who joined the school recently was keen to relate how other pupils had been kind to her when she arrived. Other pupils said that bullying is not a problem in this school, and that staff are friendly and always there to help. Despite the negative impact COVID-19 has had on school life in the recent past, pupils talk avidly about trips out of school, including a recent visit to the beach to build 'Mayan sandcastles' and learn about 'sea creatures'. Older pupils also talked excitedly about stargazing nights and the Year 6 residential trip which they hope will take place later this year. The large majority of parents are positive about the school. They value what they see as the family-centred and caring ethos it promotes.

What the school should improve

• Not all pupils value and enjoy books or are as keen about reading as they might be. This is especially the case for older pupils, some of whom are not overly eager to read widely or for pleasure. While this is partly due to a legacy issue, leaders need to make this a priority in their plans to improve the school. This will mean that the current high levels of enthusiasm for books and reading clearly established in some parts of the school become the norm throughout, further broadening and enriching the experiences and life chances of all pupils at the school.
• Leadership of specific curriculum areas is not as developed as it might be. Senior leaders have started a programme to develop subject leadership across the curriculum. This work should be accelerated, so that subject leaders can have a greater impact on improving the curriculum. This will mean that the quality of education the school provides will improve further, and that teaching staff will benefit from specialist advice to develop their subject knowledge and expertise.

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