Hornbill School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is an outstanding school. Excellence has been sustained since the last inspection. Standards in reading, writing and mathematics have risen and are above average.

Pupils are exceptionally well-prepared to deal with change and their future learning. Pupils of different abilities make excellent progress. Any barriers that hinder learning are successfully overcome.

Gaps in pupils' knowledge and skills are closed quickly. Specialist teachers, including those from Nepal, and carefully tailored support ensure that all pupils can excel and develop their talents. A rich variety of subjects is taught outstandingly well so pupils thoroughly enjoy school and are eag...er to learn.

Skilful staff know their pupils extremely well, make learning interesting, purposeful and give useful feedback. What pupils need to do to improve is not precise in a few classes. Improvements have been made in the Early Years Foundation Stage and children get off to a strong start.

Detailed information is not routinely shared with parents about their child's next steps. Pupils' behaviour is exemplary and embodies the strong values that underpin everything the school does. Parents, staff and pupils are justifiably proud.

High expectations and the constant pursuit of excellence are driven by the inspirational headteacher who is extremely well-supported by dedicated leaders, governors and staff.

Information about this school

Hornbill is a larger-than-average-sized primary school with a nursery. It provides for service families, including Nepali children of Gurkha soldiers, and civilian employees attached to the military community.

Approximately three quarters of pupils speak English as an additional language and over a third are currently at the early stages of learning English. The number of pupils and staff who join or leave the school at different times is very high, linked to military Unit moves and operational deployments. Pupils arrive from at least five different education systems and the school liaises with up to 65 other schools.

The proportion of pupils with special educational needs supported at school action is lower than average and broadly average for those supported at school action plus. No pupil has a statement of special educational needs. The school is used by the Brunei Ministry of Education as a training school.

In March 2014 the school was designated as a National Support School and the headteacher as a National Leader of Education. Since the last section 5 inspection a substantial new building programme has been completed and all members of the School Governance Committee are new. The school meets the government floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils' attainment and progress.