Brook Community Primary School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 10 May 2023

This is a buoyant and nurturing small school with big ambitions. Leaders' aspirations are warmly inclusive. Their high expectations are realised through strong, shared values. Children in the early years love celebrating when their peers are 'courageous'. Lunchtime, playtime and breakfast club offer stimulating enjoyment for all. Pupils become happily immersed in games of chess, netball and football. Others love to read, draw, share construction equipment or balance on the trim trail. Older pupils model careful use of the mud kitchen for younger children. Pupils take care of equipment and tidy away beautifully. All pupils feel safe and happy. Relationships are reassuring and compassionate. Leaders have made effective improvements with the new behaviour approach. Impressive pastoral care has led to great success for vulnerable pupils. Behaviour is positive, apart from when pupils are over-excited and talk when adults are speaking. Pupils were thrilled to be part of a conservation project, playing a pivotal role in saving an endangered species of black moth. Pupils also appreciate regular storytelling workshops at a local country house. They learn about agriculture through 'hands-on' trips to a local farming museum. Church events and visits from the vicar are enriching. Staff offer a variety of clubs, including construction, language, choir and sports.

What the school should improve

• Lessons are sometimes not designed precisely enough to ensure that pupils learn and remember the knowledge mapped out in curriculum plans. This means that some pupils may not achieve as well as they could in some subjects. Leaders must continue their work to ensure that lesson design and assessment practice are highly effective across all classes and subjects.
• High expectations about behaviour are not always met during lessons. While learning is not disrupted, some pupils talk when teachers are explaining important learning, which means other pupils may get distracted. Teachers should use the school's behaviour approach with greater consistency to ensure that all pupils listen and concentrate well in class.

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