Brinkley Grove Primary School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 8 October 2024

Pupils receive a high level of care at Brinkley Grove. Parents and carers are very impressed with how staff go above and beyond to support pupils' well-being. Pupils have many trusted adults to talk to. They benefit from weekly visits from a church minister where they can share their feelings. Many pupils behave very well. Older pupils display excellent levels of focus on their work. They are proud to meet adults' high expectations of what they should achieve. Likewise, in Reception, children are developing important knowledge and learning habits. They are proud to share their emerging writing skills. However, in some other years, adults' expectations of how pupils should behave, and what they should achieve, are not as ambitious as in other areas. Pupils are delighted by their outdoor play and learning areas. They play with their peers and develop excellent friendships. Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), have a vast array of well-planned activities to enjoy from a giant sand pit to a dress-up zone. From the Reception Year, they develop their physical stamina, curiosity and social skills. This is often a highlight of their day. Many pupils enjoy the responsibility of being peer rangers and helping to keep their peers safe and happy.

What the school should improve

• Not all adults are sufficiently well trained to meet the needs of all pupils, including those with SEND. Sometimes adults do not provide pupils with appropriate work to ensure they meet the aims of the curriculum. Too often younger pupils are not being supported well enough to read, write or apply mathematics as well as they should for their age. The school needs to ensure that all adults are provided with appropriate training and support so they develop the knowledge and skills to support all pupils to achieve well.
• Some teachers do not use assessment well enough. They do not always identify accurately pupils' different starting points and gaps in knowledge or understanding, often as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The school should ensure that all teachers understand how to best check pupils' understanding and how to use this information effectively to inform their teaching.
• Some adults do not have high enough expectations for how pupils should behave. This is particularly the case for pupils in the younger years. Too often, adults have not established clear classroom routines for pupils to follow. Adults do not consistently provide pupils with the most effective support to help them build good learning habits. The school needs to ensure that adults receive the support and training they need to create a purposeful learning environment where all pupils can flourish.

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