Barnton Community Nursery and Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Staff have extremely high expectations of pupils at Barnton Community Nursery and Primary School. Pupils, and children in the early years, excel in every aspect of their education.

All pupils embrace the school's values of inspire, believe and achieve.

Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), are exceedingly well prepared for the next steps in their education. Pupils in each of the specially resourced provisions for pupils with SEND (specially resourced provisions) also thrive because of carefully designed and expertly tailored curriculums.

Pupils take absolute pride in the work that they produce. It is of an exceedin...gly high standard. Pupils were delighted to talk about what they have been learning.

Pupils across the school thrive in a harmonious and caring environment.

Pupils behave exceptionally well. They are fully attentive in lessons.

They work hard without any distraction or disruption. Pupils are confident that staff will swiftly resolve any concerns that they may have. The school is built on a strong culture of respect.

Pupils are kind and caring towards one another. They feel happy and safe.

Pupils delight in the vast array of high-quality enrichment activities that the school offers.

For example, pupils are keen to attend art, trampolining and football clubs. The school carefully tailors its clubs to suit the needs and interests of all pupils, including those with SEND and those in the specially resourced provisions. The school's excellent programme of wider personal development enables pupils to foster their talents and interests far beyond the academic curriculum.

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

From the early years to Year 6, the school, trustees and members of the local education committee have ensured that the curriculum flows seamlessly. The curriculum is extremely well designed and implemented fully by staff. The order in which pupils learn new knowledge and information is crystal clear.

Consequently, pupils across the school develop a rich and deep body of subject knowledge over time. This includes pupils with SEND and pupils in the specially resourced provisions. Without doubt, children in the early years and pupils across the rest of the school shine.

Pupils achieve exceptionally well in all subjects.

The school, trustees and members of the local education committee make full use of the latest educational research to inform teaching, learning and curriculum development. The school also delivers the highest quality ongoing training to staff.

As a result, staff are exceedingly well equipped to design learning activities that enable pupils to thrive and to learn the curriculum exactly as intended. Pupils reap the rewards of staff's excellent training and development.

Across the school, including in the early years, staff are adept at identifying misconceptions swiftly and effectively.

They use assessment strategies exceedingly well to identify where pupils may have gaps in their knowledge. Adults use this information with precision to adapt the delivery of the curriculum and to shape future learning.

The school has cultivated a love of reading in its pupils.

It has successfully prioritised reading from the early years through to Year 6. Pupils, and children in the early years, read widely and often. They were enthusiastic to share the breadth of their diverse reading experiences with inspectors.

Children in the Nursery class gain a secure foundation in communication and language. This prepares them well for when they begin the phonics programme in the Reception Year. Pupils practise reading with books that closely match the sounds that they have learned.

Staff check carefully that pupils can remember previously learned sounds. As a result of a carefully designed reading curriculum, the majority of pupils are confident and fluent readers by the end of Year 2.

The school identifies the additional needs of pupils quickly and accurately.

Staff successfully adapt all aspects of the delivery of the curriculum to meet the needs of pupils with SEND, including those who attend the specially resourced provisions. Pupils with SEND, where appropriate, are encouraged to be independent and to take responsibility for their own learning alongside their classmates. Staff take extreme care to ensure that all pupils with SEND can access the plentiful enrichment opportunities that the school offers to enhance their learning.

Pupils, including children in the early years, display a real thirst for learning. As a result, they rarely have to be reminded how to behave. Their kindness to each other means that the school environment is calm and harmonious.

Pupils' rates of attendance are high. Where there are any slight dips in pupils' attendance, the school acts quickly and effectively to ensure that pupils' attendance improves.

The way that this school goes about fostering pupils' personal development is exemplary.

Pupils make everyone feel welcome in their school. They have a deep-rooted knowledge of wider religions and fundamental British values. They respect people's differences and ensure that everybody is treated equally.

Pupils understand how to keep themselves safe online and how to keep themselves physically and mentally healthy. Annual residential trips, and a wide array of clubs and activities, broaden pupils' horizons and nurture their talents. Pupils relish the enrichment opportunities that are woven throughout their curriculum.

For example, pupils participated in the community soup-kitchen, visited a synagogue and welcomed a wide range of visitors from other faiths into school.

Trustees understand their statutory duties thoroughly, and they fulfil their responsibilities diligently. Moreover, along with members of the local education committee, they have a firm grasp of the school's strengths and priorities for further improvement.

They routinely challenge the school and hold it fully to account.

Staff are overwhelmingly positive about the support that they receive from leaders to manage their workload when new ideas or approaches to working are introduced.Staff particularly appreciate the collaborative working culture that is fostered by the trust and school leaders.

The school engages with parents and carers consistently well. For instance, it holds a phonics café for parents to learn how to reinforce phonics learning when their children are at home.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.