Bushmead Primary School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 15 October 2024

This is a happy and nurturing school. Staff and pupils maintain warm, good-humoured relationships. The school expects pupils to be 'ready, respectful and safe', and pupils know this. Pupils are happy in school and enjoy their time here. They are willing to share their feelings and experiences openly with visitors to the school. Pupils are clear that everyone should be treated with respect, regardless of their differences. Staff and pupils share high expectations of pupils' behaviour. Pupils listen well in lessons and work hard. For pupils who need it, support in the nurture group helps develop their resilience and improve engagement with learning. Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe, including when online. Pupils know that they can always speak to staff if they have worries. Staff have high expectations for all pupils, including those who are disadvantaged. The curriculum is broad and ambitious. Consequently, most pupils achieve well. Pupils enjoy a stimulating learning environment and plenty of space outdoors. This is used to develop their resilience, problem-solving skills and teamwork. Pupils enjoy a range of trips that help bring the curriculum to life. They learn about people, places, cultures and customs that they would not necessarily encounter in their everyday lives.

What the school should improve

• Sometimes, staff do not check how well pupils have learned the key knowledge. This means that the next steps in learning are not always matched to pupils' needs. This includes some pupils who are given reading books that do not match the sounds that they have learned. As a result, some pupils are not achieving their full potential. The school should ensure that all staff have the knowledge and understanding to assess pupils' progress in reading and through the curriculum accurately and adapt future learning accordingly.
• Sometimes, pupils with SEND do not receive effective support. Resources do not always precisely match their needs and some activities are not broken down into small enough steps. Consequently, they do not progress as well as they could. The school should ensure that all pupils with SEND receive effective support, appropriate resources and activities to maximise their progress.

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