Isambard Kingdom Brunel Primary School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 23 May 2023

Isambard Kingdom Brunel Primary School is much loved by pupils, parents and the community. Leaders pride themselves on building an effective education for children that begins in the Nursery. Leaders know every child and family well. They demonstrate warmth and high ambition for all. Pupils know this, and they are proud of their school. At breaktimes, pupils enjoy a range of activities and play. Each day, Nursery children join the rest of the school for family dining, where they learn the formalities of dining and enjoy eating together. Pupils show care for one another. Children learn to share and take turns. Leaders run a large number of clubs and activities for pupils. From performance to reading and multi-skills to craft, a majority of pupils participate in the clubs. Pupils enjoy a range of educational visits, including to the local secondary school. The breakfast club and after-school club are well attended and provide a range of structured activity. Parents and families are wholeheartedly supportive of the school. They appreciate the strong communication from leaders and appreciate how well staff know them.

What the school should improve

• Sometimes, the learning activity does not meet the needs of pupils. This is because checks on what pupils know and can do are not always timely. As a result, pupils who are secure in their understanding do not move on promptly to new and more complex learning when they are ready. Leaders need to make sure learning activities are well matched to what pupils know and can do.
• In early years, activities and resources do not always help children to build on what they know and can do. When this occurs, children's knowledge and recall are not as strong as leaders intend. Leaders need to consider how the resources children use promote their learning more precisely.

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