Barley Croft Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school Pupils and staff are justifiably proud of their school.

It is clear to see how the school lives up to its aim: 'to provide a stimulating and challenging learning experience'. Senior and middle leaders work together effectively. They have high expectations for the quality of teaching, learning and assessment.

There is strong capacity to ensure continuous improvement. Leaders and staff are currently re-designing the curriculum to ensure that it is broad, balanced and relevant to the school's context. Teachers have good subject knowledge.

They use questioning effectively to develop pupils' understanding. Pupils with special educatio...nal needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive effective teaching and support, both in the designated specialist provision and in mainstream classes. Consequently, these pupils thrive and make increasingly strong progress.

Pupils' behaviour is orderly, calm and polite. They show natural respect for adults and for each other. Pupils value diversity, saying, 'It's good to be different'.

For the past three years, pupils have made consistently strong progress in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 6. The progress of disadvantaged pupils has also been consistently strong, in the top 10% or 20% nationally. Standards of attainment in reading, writing and mathematics have fluctuated over time.

In key stage 2, the combined figure for attainment dropped to well below average in 2018. Occasionally, teachers set activities that are not well matched to pupils' abilities, especially for the most able pupils and in mathematics. Leaders and governors have not made sure that their plans for spending the pupil premium and physical education and sport funding are systematically reviewed.

This means that they do not have an up-to-date overview of the impact of the spending. Leadership and teaching in the early years are good. Children make strong progress and are well prepared for Year 1.

However, adults in the early years are not consistently skilled in encouraging children's language development.

Information about this school

Barley Croft Primary School is larger than the average-sized primary school. The school runs a daily breakfast club, which is overseen by the governing body.

The proportion of disadvantaged pupils is above the national average. The proportion of pupils with SEND is above the national average. The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is almost three times the national average.

The school runs designated specialist provision for pupils with SEND. The provision offers up to 15full- or part-time places for pupils from Years 1 to 6, all of whom are supported for their speech, language and communication needs through an education, health and care plan. This provision was inspected as part of this inspection.

The school hosts on-site specialist provision (Oaklands @ Barley Croft) for up to eight pupils who are on roll at the nearby Oaklands Special School. Although Oaklands pupils currently have some social interaction with pupils at Barley Croft Primary School, the Oaklands pupils receive all of their teaching from the special school staff. This satellite provision was not inspected as part of this inspection.