Bugle School

Overview

Leaders have established a clear vision to ‘build a love of learning that will last a lifetime’, resulting in a ‘calm and purposeful’ environment where pupils enjoy learning. The school has moved significantly from its previous inadequate rating, with parents praising leaders for ‘putting children first’ in a nurturing setting.

Strengths

• Early years provision is strong, with children getting off to a ‘flying start’ through well-resourced environments and a focus on language development.
• Reading is prioritised effectively, with high-quality phonics teaching helping pupils who struggle to catch up quickly.
• Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive timely support and access an ‘ambitious curriculum’.
• Behaviour is generally positive, with bullying described as ‘rare’ and pupils showing respect to others.
• Staff well-being is considered, with leaders supporting the team through recent changes while maintaining a focus on improvement.

Areas to improve

• Teachers must use assessment more precisely in some subjects to understand pupils’ prior knowledge and prevent gaps in learning.
• Leaders need to be persistent in improving attendance, which remains below expectations and hinders pupils’ ability to build knowledge.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective, with staff receiving regular training to spot signs of abuse and leaders acting quickly to support vulnerable families.