Barningham Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Barningham is a school at the heart of its community. Pupils and their families value the welcoming 'family feel'. Pupils are supported 'to be ambitious, to be kind and to give'.

The taught curriculum supports pupils to learn and build upon their knowledge over time. They achieve well, particularly in the core areas of learning. Pupils are well prepared academically for their next stage.

The pastoral support is a real strength. Pupils feel safe in school. They speak very confidently about adults they can talk to if they ever feel worried.

Relationships between pupils and adults are strong. Pupils know they are listened to and valued.

Pupils behave po...sitively around school.

They want to learn and make the right choices to ensure this happens. Pupils are highly motivated to move up the 'rainbow ladder' for demonstrating excellent behaviour. Playtimes are a happy, sociable time.

School councillors revel in their roles. The worship council supports, organises and leads acts of worship. Pupils raise money and contribute to the local community.

These roles of responsibility help pupils develop their leadership skills. The annual careers week helps raise aspirations. Pupils are ambitious for what they can go on and achieve.

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

The school has developed an ambitious and well sequenced curriculum which considers the school's mixed-age classes. It identifies the key knowledge and vocabulary pupils should learn from early years onwards. Some subjects are more developed than others in the wider curriculum.

Children make a strong start in early years. The curriculum for children in Reception is firmly established. Adult-led and child-initiated tasks are designed to support children in learning and developing their learning through play.

There is a clear focus on children developing their key learning foundations. For example, children eagerly and accurately order numbers using a washing line in the outdoor environment. The curriculum for Nursery children is developing.

Nursery children settle in well and are well supported by trained adults to complete meaningful tasks. The school is intent on further developing its provision for Nursery children to help them increase their independence.

The school has a well-established early reading curriculum designed to help pupils learn to read from the time they start school.

This is typically delivered well and supports pupils to be successful in the early stages of reading. Pupils' progress is checked, and support is given to any pupil who falls behind. However, some staff are developing their expertise in delivering the phonics programme.

This means that sometimes the teaching of phonics is not as effective as it could be. As a result, some pupils do not learn to read as quickly as they could.

The school curriculum is typically delivered well.

Teachers revisit previous learning. They question pupils skilfully to check understanding and adjust the curriculum to help pupils when they need some additional support. On occasion, though, the key knowledge pupils need to learn is not introduced as clearly as it could be.

Sometimes the activities pupils complete do not support them in learning and remembering the key content identified in curriculum plans. In these lessons, pupils do not achieve as successfully. Over time, they do not learn the intended knowledge as securely.

The needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are accurately identified. The school identifies any significant barriers to learning. Teachers adapt learning tasks to support most pupils with SEND to access the same curriculum as their peers successfully.

The school's approach to managing behaviour has recently been revised. There are clear expectations. Pupils are expected to follow the rules of 'be ready, be respectful, be safe'.

Many pupils eagerly meet these expectations. Pupils who need more bespoke support are provided with this. Classrooms are typically calm and orderly, and learning proceeds without disruption.

Attendance has improved significantly. The school has placed great importance on pupils being in school as often as possible. They celebrate good attendance and do not delay in tackling any absence.

Having not done so in the past, pupils now attend school very well.

The personal, social and health education programme is firmly in place. Pupils develop a strong understanding of different cultures and beliefs.

They respect and value difference. Pupils know how to keep themselves safe, including online. Pupils talk confidently about how to keep their minds and bodies healthy.

The governing body is heavily invested in the school. Members care deeply about the school and offer strong support and challenge to school leaders. Staff feel valued and appreciated by school leaders.

They know their well-being and workload are carefully considered when changes are made. Staff are proud to work at this school.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• On occasion, the teaching of the early reading curriculum is not supported by secure subject and teaching knowledge. This means that some pupils are not fully supported to ensure they read fluently and accurately at the early stages of reading. The school should ensure staff have sufficient expertise to deliver their early reading curriculum effectively.

On occasion, in wider curriculum subjects, the core knowledge and vocabulary pupils need to secure is not suitably prioritised. This means some pupils do not secure the core learning they are intended to learn and remember over time. The school should support teachers so that the key learning content is at the forefront of teaching approaches used.