Barugh Green Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Standards of education have fluctuated in the considerable period since the last inspection. Much has changed in the school and new leaders have come in. These leaders have made the right decisions about the actions needed to improve some of the weaknesses in the school.

Pupils now learn a wide range of subjects in a broad curriculum.

However, teaching of subjects across the curriculum is variable. Pupils are sometimes tested on knowledge and skills that they do not have.

They are sometimes not ready for the work that teachers give them. Pupils do not remember some important knowledge because they have not successfully understood it in the first place.
...r/>Pupils are well behaved and treat each other with kindness and courtesy.

Relationships across the whole school are strong because staff show warmth and care to pupils and each other. Pupils have confidence in staff to look after them and keep them safe. Pupils know that staff will sort out issues such as bullying or using unkind words on the rare occasions they do happen.

Pupils are respectful and talk with confidence about the need to show all people respect. They learn important values like charity through the 'BG Charter'. They do not just raise money for charities but gain a deep understanding about the cause they support, such as the plight of refugees.

Pupils speak with knowledge and maturity about subjects like gender respect or the rights for all. As one pupil said, 'Difference doesn't matter, we are all the same inside.'

What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

The headteacher has made the right decisions at the right time.

He is relentless in his pursuit of building a positive culture for staff and pupils. He, along with senior leaders, has an accurate understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the school.

Leaders have brought in a new phonics programme.

Most staff teach phonics effectively because they have been trained in how to use it. Pupils enjoy reading and are successful in reading books because they have been taught all the sounds in them. Staff give good support to pupils who fall behind by helping them practise the sound that they are struggling with.

Mathematics is taught well because teachers have good subject knowledge and know what the small steps of knowledge they need to teach are. Teachers check pupils understand what they have been taught through precise questioning. Teachers show pupils what to do in a clear way and come back to work that pupils have done in the past.

Pupils remember the important facts and methods that they need.

Leaders have more recently introduced new curriculums in all other subjects. These curriculums are well planned and cover all the content needed for pupils to learn.

Leaders have made sure that these plans identify how pupils will build up knowledge over time, starting from Reception. However, leaders recognise that there is still much more work to do to make sure that these plans are used effectively by teachers.

In some subjects, teachers are not sure how to break down what they want pupils to learn into smaller steps.

Teachers try to build up pupils' knowledge to an outcome such as a piece of writing or some computer coding. However, because the steps to get there are not defined, pupils are often unsuccessful in achieving the goals set for them.

Teachers' use of assessment does not consistently help them to understand what pupils have understood or what they can do.

Teachers carry out tasks that follow the school's policies, but teachers often do not use this information purposefully. They check on overall outcomes but do not gain a clear picture of which aspects pupils have found difficult. This means that pupils do not get the extra support or direction where they most need it.

Leaders have produced a lot of new guidance and systems for staff to understand in a short amount of time. Much of these were needed. However, staff do not consistently use them successfully.

Leaders have provided suitable training for staff but it is not showing the impact leaders want. Despite this, staff report that leaders are considerate of their workload. Staff are on board with new initiatives and the reasons for doing them.

Some training for teachers has been disrupted due to COVID-19.

Leaders have ensured that the assessment of all pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is now accurate. The needs of pupils are correctly and quickly identified.

Leaders know that more needs to be done to make sure the provision for these pupils is well matched to their needs. Currently, this is not the case for too many pupils. There is a lack of precision in some plans, so staff do not know how best to support some pupils.

Sometimes, pupils are asked to do work that they do not have enough prior knowledge of to be successful. Some pupils then do not get better at basic skills, such as handwriting or reading books fluently.

Attendance of pupils is similar to that of other pupils nationally.

Leaders want it to be even better. They have brought in a new system that notifies parents when their children's attendance has become a concern. This has shown early promise and attendance for pupils is improving.

Leaders have provided effective training for staff in the early years in early reading and speaking and listening. Staff emphasise sounds in words and check children can form letters correctly. Staff in the early years make sure that what children do independently matches the curriculum.

However, the curriculum is not precise enough for much of this to be successful. Issues with breaking down knowledge into smaller steps that exist in other parts of school are also evident in the early years.This means that children are sometimes asked to do work that is too difficult.

Staff are not sure precisely what children need to know in some of their independent work and so, sometimes, do not offer them the right support at the right time.

Governors are realistic about the strengths and weaknesses of the school. They are skilled in their roles and are providing effective support and challenge to senior leaders.

They have set up a 'quality of education committee' that meets to check on improvements to the curriculum. They speak to subject leaders and pupils to check what leaders are telling them is accurate. These actions are helping to improve the education in the school.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

The headteacher has instilled a real culture of 'it could happen here' in all staff in the school. He has ensured that the site is fully safe and that all staff have the training they need to be watchful for anything that might be of concern.

Parents are appreciative of this work and recognise the need for everyone in school to have the level of urgency needed.

Leaders have thought carefully about the education that pupils need to help them make positive choices. Pupils are taught about healthy relationships and the need to respect others.

All staff have been trained on spotting the signs of potentially problematic behaviour that could lead to sexualised behaviour. Staff take a zero-tolerance approach to discriminatory language. Pupils are in no doubt that incidents like this will be dealt with and why it is so important that they are.

This is one reason pupils feel so safe in the school.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Leaders have recently written plans which break down key composite knowledge into its component parts in each subject. As these plans are new, leaders have not trained teachers in how to use them, so teachers are not teaching the component parts in some subjects and do not have the subject knowledge to break it down themselves.

Pupils are not successful in some lessons because they are not ready for what they are being taught. Pupils are not remembering some of the important knowledge that they have been taught in the past. Leaders should train teachers on how to use the new knowledge, skills and vocabulary plans.

Leaders should continue to improve the subject knowledge of teachers so that they can implement these plans effectively. ? Teachers do not use assessment well to inform them what pupils need to do next. There is too much reliance on assessing the final outcomes of a sequence of learning and not each step along the way.

Therefore, teachers miss when pupils have not grasped the knowledge that they need to achieve the next step. Pupils are not as successful in final outcomes, such as extended pieces of writing or talking about periods in history, as they could be. Leaders should ensure the assessment that teachers use gives teachers the information they need about how well pupils have understood each component part of the sequence.

Summative assessments should test what pupils can and cannot do based on what they have been taught. ? Plans for pupils with SEND are too imprecise and teachers do not support these pupils as well as they could in some subjects. Interventions can be vague and unhelpful.

Pupils with SEND are not improving in some of the basic skills that they need as well as they should. Leaders should ensure plans for pupils with SEND are precise and matched clearly to their needs. Teachers should use these plans to provide the necessary support and teaching for these pupils.

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