Barlby High School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Since the previous inspection, new leaders have improved the school in many areas.

Pupils' learning experience has improved significantly. However, there is more to do to ensure all pupils receive a good quality of education and that pupils' behaviour meets leaders' high expectations.

Pupils who attend Barlby High School understand that others may be different from themselves.

The curriculum includes important messages about respect for the beliefs, cultures and sexual orientation of others. Pupils experience bullying much less frequently than in the past. Discriminatory behaviour and inappropriate language have reduced significantly over time.

Leade...rs have taken action to reduce the number of negative behaviour incidents. Pupils' learning is interrupted less often than it was previously. A new policy for managing behaviour is in place.

However, the way in which staff apply the policy is inconsistent. At times, lessons are still impacted by low-level disruption.

Many pupils recognise the improvements that have taken place at the school.

Inspectors spoke to pupils who now feel safe around the site. Most pupils said that if they raise a concern, it is dealt with well by staff. Opportunities for pupils to contribute to the school community are growing.

Pupils are part of a 'house' system and take part in competitions. They can also become 'reading buddies' for younger pupils or participate in the school production.

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

Leaders have a secure understanding of the actions that are still required to improve the school further.

Serious concerns about pupils' behaviour and safety have been addressed successfully. Staff from the multi-academy trust and external advisers have worked closely with leaders to improve curriculum design. However, it is too early to see the full impact of this curriculum on pupils' learning over time.

The academic outcomes and attendance of certain groups of pupils, notably those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and disadvantaged pupils, are significantly weaker than those of their peers. Leaders are aware of these attainment and attendance gaps, and plans are in place to reduce them.

Leaders continue to develop the curriculum on offer at the school to help meet the needs of all pupils.

However, the specific knowledge leaders want pupils to learn at each stage of the curriculum is not identified clearly in all subjects. This leads to a lack of focus on the most important elements of the curriculum. Some pupils do not learn the intended curriculum as well as they might.

Some staff assess pupils' understanding well by using carefully crafted questions or resources. However, there is more to do to ensure assessment is effective in all lessons and enables staff to identify gaps in pupils' knowledge swiftly.Leaders monitor the quality of pupils' learning effectively and they support staff to improve their work in the classroom when necessary.

Specific training aimed at improving pupils' learning experience is in place. However, the way staff support pupils to do well in lessons remains inconsistent.

Plans and strategies to support pupils with SEND contain specific targets that are well understood by staff.

Suitable adjustments are made in most lessons to support pupils with specific needs, for example dyslexia.

Reading is an ongoing priority for leaders. Pupils who are at an early stage of learning to read get the additional help they need.

This enables them to read with confidence. Leaders have planned a number of opportunities for pupils to read more widely in lessons. However, many pupils do not read for pleasure outside of lessons.

The school's personal development curriculum, taught through personal, social and health education and tutor times, is new. Leaders have identified the most important messages that pupils should understand within this curriculum. These include knowledge of the protected characteristics and healthy relationships.

Pupils' understanding of these is strong. However, their knowledge of other faiths, cultures and British values is much less secure.

Careers education is a strength for older pupils at the school.

Year 11 pupils receive careers guidance, take part in mock job interviews and visit local colleges. These opportunities contribute to pupils having clear ambitions for their future. However, younger pupils do not benefit as strongly from this information as their older peers.

Staff feel well supported. They are proud to work at the school. Governors work with leaders to bring about school improvement.

They regularly review their skills and knowledge to ensure they can hold leaders to account effectively for the performance of the school.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders, governors and staff have a strong, shared understanding of risks that pupils may face both inside and outside of school.

Staff are confident to report any concerns they may have about a pupil's well-being. Leaders act upon these concerns and seek help from other professionals if required. Pupils and their families get the support they need quickly.

The school curriculum helps pupils to understand the risks they may encounter in person or online. Pupils are confident to speak to an adult if they, or someone they know, may be at risk of harm. Parents are regularly informed of potential risks that pupils may face.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The planning and implementation of the curriculum is not of a consistently high quality. The important knowledge and potential misconceptions that pupils may develop are not well identified in some subjects. Pupils' learning varies across the school.

This means that pupils do not learn the curriculum as well as they might, or have misconceptions about important aspects of their learning. Leaders should ensure that all subjects have a precise curriculum in place that identifies important knowledge and potential misconceptions. Leaders must ensure that all staff receive ongoing training that helps them teach this curriculum effectively to all pupils.

• Some groups of pupils, notably those with SEND and disadvantaged pupils, do not attend school regularly enough. Rates of persistent absence among this group of pupils are also higher. Absence from school is negatively impacting upon the outcomes of these pupils and their engagement in the wider curriculum on offer at the school.

Leaders must strengthen their efforts to secure improved attendance among these pupils. ? The behaviour policy at the school is not implemented consistently by all staff. As a result, disruption to lessons continues to impact negatively on some pupils' learning.

At times, poor behaviour goes unchallenged and/or sanctions are used inconsistently. This leads to pupils being unclear about staff expectations of them. Leaders must ensure that all staff have ongoing training to understand how to use the behaviour policy effectively.

Leaders should closely monitor the ongoing impact of this upon pupils' behaviour and attitudes. ? The personal development curriculum is not embedded across the school. Pupils do not have a strong understanding of other faiths, cultures or British values.

This limits how well they are prepared for life in modern Britain. Leaders should ensure that staff receive appropriate training linked to the personal development curriculum. Leaders must continue to monitor the teaching of this curriculum and how well it is understood by all pupils.