Barnfield Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy learning at Barnfield.

Leaders are ambitious for all pupils to succeed. Pupils understand and embody the school's principles of being healthy, ambitious, empathetic, curious and creative. Pupils behave well and show respect to adults and their peers.

As a result, pupils feel safe and are kept safe at school.

Pupils learn a typically well-designed and implemented curriculum. They produce work of good quality.

Careful thought is given not only to the academic curriculum but also how pupils develop as individuals. Pupils benefit from visits that enhance the curriculum, including to the Science Museum and London Zoo. Pupils enjoy a range of ...clubs, such as different sports, including archery, gardening and choir.

Members of the Performing Arts Club recently enjoyed putting on a production of Disney's 'Frozen'.

The school provides pupils with a wide range of leadership opportunities. These include being eco-warriors who contribute to the school community in a variety of ways, including gardening and growing flowers to make the most of green spaces.

Older pupils support their younger peers in the playground as mediators and part of the Playground Squad. The school council has given input into how reward time can be used. This has created a strong sense of responsibility among the pupils, who take pride in their school.

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

Leaders have designed a curriculum that matches the breadth and ambition of what is required nationally. In each subject, the most important knowledge pupils need to learn has been identified. This builds sequentially from early years throughout the school so that pupils are supported to develop a deep and cumulative understanding across the curriculum.

For example, in science, children in early years explore sensory gardens and grow plants in the allotment. Pupils build on these experiences when classifying different plants. This supports older pupils to understand the life cycle of plants and flowers.

Careful thought has also been given to how some areas of the curriculum link into other subjects. For example, in English, pupils read the book 'Lob' and have had the opportunity to plant beans. This complements their learning in science about plants.

The curriculum is typically well implemented. Teachers choose effective tasks that help pupils to learn the planned curriculum. Assessment is generally used effectively to check pupils' understanding.

However, in some subjects, the curriculum is more recently introduced and less well embedded. Pupils' learning in these subjects is sometimes less secure. This is because gaps that may exist in their prior knowledge are not sufficiently identified or addressed.

Leaders are aware of this and have plans in place to tackle the issue.

Effective systems are in place to identify pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Leaders ensure information is shared promptly with staff.

This enables teachers to make appropriate adaptations to support pupils to access the curriculum and learn well.

The school has rightly prioritised early reading. Staff are well trained and implement the school's chosen phonics programme with precision.

Pupils practise reading using books that are closely matched to the sounds they know. Appropriate and effective intervention is provided to those pupils who need extra help to catch up. These pupils learn to become confident, fluent readers.

Leaders' work in this area has been successful. Over time, there has been a significant improvement in pupils meeting the Year 1 phonics screening check.

Pupils are encouraged to develop a love of reading from the start of their time at school.

For example, children in Reception take turns to bring Lex or Dex (the class T-rexes) home for hot chocolate and biscuits and to enjoy reading together. Similarly, older pupils enjoy taking part in Barnfield Bingo, where they are rewarded when they complete their target number of books to read. Older pupils are eager to read with younger pupils as their 'reading buddies'.

Pupils' personal development is well considered. The curriculum is designed to help them understand important issues, such as democracy and the rule of law. Pupils learn to understand and celebrate diversity, for example, through learning about a range of religions and what different families may look like.

The curriculum also gives pupils opportunities to identify and reflect on their 'super north star' – their goals for the future. Pupils particularly enjoyed Aspirations Week, where they had the opportunity to meet people from a range of professions. This helps to ensure pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education.

Pupils behave well in lessons and around the school. This is because expectations and routines are well established and consistently applied. Leaders have rightly identified improving attendance as a priority for the school.

They have established rigorous systems in place and work closely with families. As a result, rates of attendance are improving.

Leaders, and those responsible for governance, have a secure understanding of the school's strengths and priorities for further improvement.

Staff appreciate the consideration given by leaders to their workload.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Some subjects are at an earlier stage of design and implementation.

Pupils' understanding in these areas is not as consistently secure. The school should ensure that assessment is used more systematically in these subjects to check what pupils know and remember. This will help to ensure that they are well supported to build a deep understanding across the curriculum over time.