Broomhaugh (VA) Church of England First School

Overview

Broomhaugh (VA) Church of England First School is described as “nurturing and inviting,” where pupils are “happy and safe.” The report highlights an “ambitious and broad curriculum” that prepares pupils well for the transition to middle school, with particular praise for the “excellent” early years provision and a “strong reading culture.”

Strengths

• The early years curriculum is “excellent,” with children who “play and work together brilliantly” and confidently use taught vocabulary.
• Pupils achieve well due to a “well-sequenced curriculum” and daily opportunities to revisit prior learning.
• There is a “strong reading culture” where pupils learn to read “quickly and confidently,” supported by staff who are “experts in teaching reading.”
• Personal development is outstanding, with pupils developing “self-esteem and empathy” and a “firm understanding of justice and equality.”
• Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive “well-planned support” and are “fully involved” in school life.

Areas to improve

• Teachers do not consistently check how well pupils have remembered important knowledge, meaning they sometimes fail to identify “gaps in their knowledge.”
• The school should ensure assessment is refined so that “gaps in pupils’ knowledge and misconceptions are addressed quickly and effectively.”
• A small group of parents of pupils with SEND do not feel the school communicates effectively with them.

Safeguarding

The report states that “the arrangements for safeguarding are effective.”