Barming Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils love being part of this vibrant school where staff welcome them enthusiastically each day. Pupils are taught to treat everyone kindly as they carry out their roles of responsibility, such as being school councillors and house captains.

They look forward to social times and the many choices of activities on offer. They enjoy playing with their friends in the mud kitchen, building shelters and competing at table tennis. Some pupils prefer to read a book quietly, crochet, or relax while colouring.

As one parent put it: 'Barming Primary School is not only a school but a family and community.'

The school has high expectations for pupils' academic achieveme...nt. Pupils respect adults and strive to live up to their high hopes for them.

Staff teach pupils how to care for their emotional well-being. Pupils feel safe and accepted, knowing there is always a trusted adult to talk to. They persevere when learning is challenging and practise new learning diligently.

Pupils appreciate their morning 'well-being time', saying it helps them get ready for learning.

Pupils behave commendably because they understand the standards set out in the school rules and routines. They concentrate in lessons and politely hold doors open for each other in corridors.

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

Leaders recognise that since the COVID-19 pandemic, pupils have not attained as well as they could by the end of key stage 2. Since this point, the school introduced a more ambitious curriculum. Now, pupils' learning builds more securely, in small steps, from Reception to Year 6.

Staff identify any gaps in pupils' knowledge quickly and fill those gaps expertly. This has got pupils' learning back on track successfully. Pupils achieve well now.

Their attendance has also improved. They enjoy coming to school and attend regularly.

The school has placed a strong emphasis on reading.

It has introduced a more rigorous early reading curriculum and, as a result, children learn to read securely. Children love stories right from the Pre-school, where they learn rhymes, sing songs and explore new words at every opportunity. Children get off to a strong start in Reception.

They begin the early reading curriculum straight away. In lessons, adults consistently check that children understand new learning and give ample time for them to practise it. Adults pick up on any children who struggle, and they adapt the teaching so that no one is left behind.

The school is ambitious for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Some of these pupils have tailored support and they learn to read successfully. As pupils develop in fluency, the school ensures that they continue to read a wide range of books across the curriculum.

Teachers know the most important elements of the curriculum that must be taught. Pupils revisit and make connections between new and previous learning. For example, in history, they understand how the concept of power in the monarchy has changed as they make comparisons between King Henry VIII and the present King Charles III.

Pupils discuss confidently how previously learned skills in physical education (PE) help them to master more advanced concepts needed for different sports.

The school is still developing how it adapts teaching in some areas of the curriculum. This is so that all pupils can access the whole curriculum and learn securely right from the start of school.

Staff know their pupils well and understand how to identify any learning needs, including for pupils with SEND. Activities are sequenced carefully for all. For example, in mathematics, pupils use counters and place value frames to consolidate their understanding of number.

This means that pupils' learning builds securely and they attain well. Leaders know what must be done so that pupils achieve equally highly across the whole curriculum.

Pupils are knowledgeable about the school values and how they should behave.

They understand the fundamental British values. Pupils are passionate about celebrating each other's differences and treating everyone fairly. They comment, 'It doesn't matter what you look like on the outside, it's what's on the inside that counts.'



The trust understands the strengths of the school and provides effective support to address the next steps of school improvement. The whole team has worked together successfully to make the necessary changes happen. Leaders focus on staff development.

Staff feel valued and recognise how their workload has been taken into consideration through this time of change. They appreciate the training they have received and share the trust's ambition for their pupils.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Activities in some lessons are not consistently adapted to meet pupils' needs across some subjects. As a result, some pupils do not achieve as well as they could. The school should continue to develop teaching so that all pupils achieve equally highly across the whole curriculum, and none are left behind.