Barlestone Church of England Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Barlestone Church of England Primary School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

The headteacher of this school is Claire Murray.

This school is part of Rise Multi Academy Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), Dave Ellison-Lee, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Stephen Adshead.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils appreciate the warm welcome they receive here.

They know that all staff care about them and want them to do well. This fosters high levels of mutual respect. Staff hel...p pupils succeed academically and support their well-being.

Therefore, pupils have a positive and safe school experience.

Pupils are enthusiastic about their learning. They diligently follow the advice their teachers give them.

As a result, pupils are successful learners. Staff skilfully support pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). These pupils have their needs appropriately catered for.

Pupils are very clear on how they are expected to behave. They follow the school's expectations consistently well. School is a harmonious place to learn and play in.

Younger pupils also quickly settle into routines.

From early years upwards, pupils take an active role in school life. There are a range of leadership roles pupils can be elected to, including sports leaders, school councillors or as members of the 'Christian ethos team'.

All pupils take part in sporting festivals, performances and educational visits in their time at this school. Pupils like meeting other pupils from across the trust at these events and taking part in the popular Christmas fundraiser. Older pupils benefit from having staff mentors.

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

The school, ably supported by the trust, has in place a curriculum that ensures pupils learn the key knowledge expected for their age. The school has ensured that the reading, writing and mathematics curriculum is ambitious. Most pupils achieve well in national assessments.

Pupils therefore are suitably prepared for the next stage of their education.

Pupils become fluent and confident readers. Staff ensure pupils are given regular opportunities to access rich vocabulary and diverse texts.

Pupils enjoy reading books chosen from the library or linked to the sounds they have been practising in class. Pupils also understand key mathematical concepts well.

Since the last inspection, the school has strengthened the design of the wider curriculum.

It has made sure that the detailed prior learning pupils need to build on is clearly outlined. This builds from early years upwards. This is resulting in some pupils being able to recall and connect knowledge in more depth.

For example, older pupils can link their knowledge in history, geography and personal, health, social and economic education to show a detailed understanding of the impact of imperialism. However, in a few subjects, these links in learning between subjects are not made explicit enough to some pupils. As a result, some pupils are not yet acquiring knowledge in the depth the school intends.

In lessons, staff quickly address any misconceptions pupils have. Staff across the school are clear in the advice they give pupils to help them if they are finding learning tricky. This means pupils catch up, including in reading.

Pupils with SEND have reasonable adjustments in place so they can successfully access the curriculum. The school acts on advice from external professionals to meet these pupils' needs well.

The school makes regular and robust checks on how well pupils are securing knowledge.

Staff use this information to identify pupils who need additional help to overcome gaps in knowledge. However, these checks are not used to routinely adapt next steps in learning within lessons. This means some pupils have limited opportunities to go over knowledge they are unsure of or extend their knowledge even further.

This results in some pupils not gaining the levels of in-depth knowledge the school aspires to.

Children in early years are taught how to take turns and be kind. In all year groups, pupils behave well.

Pupils respond quickly to reminders. This means no learning time is lost. Pupils play safely and happily outside.

They want to be at school and attend regularly. The school takes swift action if this is not the case.

The school has a well-thought-out personal development programme.

With trust support, pupils access a range of wider opportunities that they may not otherwise receive. These experiences broaden their appreciation of life beyond the school. Pupils are very knowledgeable about cultures and lifestyles that are different to their own lived experiences.

They know that discrimination is wrong. They value democratic values through elections in school to certain leadership roles. They are well prepared for life in modern Britain.

The trust and governors provide robust oversight of the school. They ensure staff and pupil well-being is a priority. The trust ensures staff access ongoing professional development.

This benefits pupils as staff share good practice with and from other schools in the trust.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• There are occasions when some pupils do not get sufficient guidance from staff on how prior knowledge links to new learning.

This means that some pupils do not achieve in some curriculum areas in the depth that leaders intend. The school needs to ensure these connections in pupils' knowledge are secured so that pupils consistently meet the ambitious curriculum aims. ? The school is not consistently using checks on what pupils know already to inform next steps in teaching.

This means that at times the work set is not sufficiently matched to address pupils' needs. The school needs to ensure these checks are used to adapt learning. This includes increasing the expectation for those pupils who are ready to extend their knowledge further.

Background

Until September 2024, on a graded (section 5) inspection we gave schools an overall effectiveness grade, in addition to the key and provision judgements. Overall effectiveness grades given before September 2024 will continue to be visible on school inspection reports and on Ofsted's website. From September 2024, graded inspections will not include an overall effectiveness grade.

This school was, before September 2024, judged to be good for its overall effectiveness.

We have now inspected the school to determine whether it has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at that previous inspection. This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005.

We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school's work has improved significantly or that it may not be as strong as it was at the last inspection, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection. A graded inspection is carried out under section 5 of the Act.

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good for overall effectiveness in October 2019.

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