Barnsole Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud of their school. They enjoy being with their friends and say that school makes them feel happy, safe and valued.

Pupils appreciate the opportunities that the school provides, such as being house captains and school councillors. Pupils enjoy taking part in forest school activities, where they sit around the firepit and listen to stories. There are trusting relationships between staff and pupils.

For example, during 'mindfulness sessions', pupils learn how to keep mentally healthy by sharing their feelings and emotions.

The school is a calm and orderly environment. Staff have high expectations and pupils behave well.

The school aims fo...r pupils to be resilient and have a lifelong curiosity about the world. There are high expectations for all pupils to do well. Pupils strive hard to meet these high expectations, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

The trust and school have continued to keep improving the school through a period of significant staff turnover. Staffing is now stable, and this has led to faster improvements. Parents are very supportive and praise the many positive changes.

They say their children have kind, caring and supportive teachers, who really care about their children's well-being and education.

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

The quality of education across the school is now effective. The school and trust took decisive action to address the areas identified as requiring improvement at the time of the previous inspection.

The school rightly recognises that there is still more to do. Published outcomes last year were low because pupils still had gaps in their learning. Currently, due to improvements in the curriculum and teaching, pupils are making strong gains in their knowledge and understanding.

This is evident in subjects such as reading, science and mathematics. However, gaps in writing skills still remain for some older pupils, which means that they do not achieve as highly as they could.

The school has designed an ambitious curriculum.

It identifies the important knowledge and vocabulary that pupils need to learn. In history, for example, pupils learn about significant national historic events and how these relate to the rich maritime history of the local area. The curriculum is well sequenced so that pupils can build on their previous learning.

Teachers are well trained to deliver the curriculum. They check on pupils' learning effectively to make sure that they know more and remember more. Any gaps or misunderstandings are spotted and addressed quickly.

Teachers make sure that the needs of disadvantaged pupils, including pupils with SEND, are accurately identified. The curriculum is carefully adapted, where necessary, so they can achieve the best possible outcomes. Children in the early years enjoy many exciting activities, both inside and outside.

However, staff do not always check on what children in the early years already know and can do. This means they do not learn as much as they could.The school prioritises phonics and early reading.

Staff deliver the phonics programme with expertise. They help pupils to learn new sounds and blend them together accurately to make words. Staff check pupils' phonics knowledge well and provide effective support any pupil, including those with SEND, who is falling behind.

Books are well matched to the sounds that pupils know. Once pupils can read fluently, the school helps them to develop their love of reading with a range of different fiction and non-fiction texts. Pupils particularly enjoy using the reading nooks, which are decorated with child-sized models of sharks and dinosaurs.

Pupils behave well. They understand how good behaviour helps towards the smooth running of the school community. Children in the early years learn to follow routines quickly.

Older pupils talk confidently about the 'Barnsole Values'. They understand why it is important to show kindness and behave responsibly. Pupils attend well, and absences are rigorously followed up by the school and sometimes external agencies.

The school promotes pupils' personal development well. The school is very inclusive, and pupils know about the protected characteristics. There are many opportunities for pupils to expand their cultural knowledge, including through local visits.

While there are some opportunities for extra-curricular clubs, mainly in reading, music and sports, the school is keen to develop this area further. Pupils understand how to keep themselves safe. They are aware of the risks of social media and the dangers that they may encounter online.

Trustees and local governors have a clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities. They know the strengths and next steps that the school needs to take. Staff are proud to work at this school.

They feel well supported to teach the curriculum. The school has introduced new initiatives, including the use of artificial intelligence, to help staff manage 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 older pupils have gaps in their writing skills. This makes it more difficult for them to write well across the curriculum. The school should continue taking swift action to rectify this by teachers providing focused support.

• In the early years, staff checks on what pupils know and can do are not always consistently effective. This means that children do not develop the knowledge and skills across all areas of learning as well as they could. The school needs to extend the knowledge and expertise of staff to ensure that children get the support needed.