INSPECTORS have praised a primary school’s “exceptionally” well-behaved pupils, caring relationships and ambitious curriculum.
Regulator Ofsted said the behaviour and attitudes of pupils at Hambrook Primary School was ‘outstanding’ and rated the school ‘good’ in all other areas – quality of education, personal development, leadership and management, and early years provision.
Two inspectors visited the school in Moorend Road, which has 196 pupils aged from four to 11 on its roll, last November.
They said: “Pupils behave exceptionally well at Hambrook Primary School.
“They show exemplary attitudes to their learning. The school has high expectations of pupils’ behaviour.
“Hambrook is an inclusive and welcoming school. The caring relationships in the school mean that pupils feel safe and happy.
“Pupils respond to each other with kindness and respect. They understand the importance of looking after each other and being kind as a part of the ‘Hambrook family’.”
The report said the chance to take on responsibilities was enjoyed by pupils, adding: “They say that these roles make them feel proud, help them to set a positive example to others and make the school better.”
‘Ambitious’ curriculum has ‘sharp focus on reading’
The inspectors said the school’s curriculum is “ambitious and is designed to develop pupils’ curiosity about the world and empathy for others”.
They highlighted the “sharp focus on reading”, from early teaching of phonics, rhymes and stories to developing more complex skills in older pupils.
Books are well-matched to children’s abilities, enabling them to “develop a love for reading”.
The maths curriculum is “designed and sequenced well”, with clear explanation of new concepts, and pupils were “supported to catch up and keep up” in many subjects.
The inspectors also highlighted the school’s support for pupils’ mental health and well-being, with “many high-quality opportunities” such as outdoor forest school lessons and meditation.
Support for children with special educational needs or disabilities, and teaching of “British values”, including democracy and equal treatment for all.
Staff feel well supported and “are proud to work at this school”, the inspectors said, reporting that school leaders were mindful of workloads and well-being.
To improve further the inspectors said the school needed to ensure the important knowledge that pupils need to learn and remember was identified in all subjects, to use assessment more precisely to understand what pupils know and adapt where necessary.
Report is a ‘testament’ to staff dedication to every pupil
Head teacher Jennifer Rubel said: “The inspectors were glowing about the work our school does in enabling our children to thrive, both personally and academically.
“They praised the range of opportunities we provide and the high quality learning that happens in all classrooms.
“In addition to the report we are rightly proud of the continuing academic success of Hambrook Primary School. Out of the 97 primary schools in South Gloucestershire, we have been consistently ranked in the top 5 for the progress and attainment of our pupils, for the last five years running.
“This is testament to the dedication we have of providing every pupil with the best start to their education.
“On behalf of all Hambrook staff, we are very proud of the report but also the work we do each and every day to make Hambrook such a special school, in which our pupils thrive.”
Top picture: Pupils from Hambrook Primary School with certificates for achievement presented at a celebration assembly in January.