Barnwood Park School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school Leaders and governors have worked with resolve and integrity to improve the standard of education the school provides, following disappointing results in the past.

They are well placed to move forward with confidence. In 2018, the progress that pupils made by the end of Year 11 was significantly above the national average. This is due to leaders' honest reflection and well-directed actions.

However, leaders do not always evaluate the impact of their strategies precisely enough. Middle leaders are knowledgeable about their roles and responsibilities. They are a cohesive team who have supported leaders in the continuous drive for improvemen...t.

However, they do not routinely identify the gaps in pupils' subject knowledge or skills so that pupils make stronger progress. The quality of teaching and learning is typically good. However, teachers do not always use assessment well enough to make clear what pupils need to do to improve.

Occasionally, low-prior-attaining pupils' work is poorly presented or unfinished. Disadvantaged pupils are now making better progress. However, leaders do not explicitly identify the barriers to learning for such pupils so that their academic needs are most effectively met.

The needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are well catered for. As a result, pupils are making improved academic progress. The school is a welcoming and inclusive environment.

The core values underpin the work of the school. Pupils speak highly of what staff do to promote their personal and social development, particularly their emotional well-being. Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural education is a strength of the school.

Pupils speak eloquently about how they reflect on moral issues and understand how to be thoughtful and active citizens. Leaders have redirected their strategies to improve the rates of attendance. While there is some initial success, this is yet to show sustained impact, particularly for those pupils who miss school regularly.

The advice that pupils receive to support their next steps is comprehensive and well planned. The large majority of pupils move to suitable further education or training. Behaviour, both in lessons and around the site, is positive and pupils feel safe.

Pupils who are at risk of exclusion are well supported and, as a result, the number of fixed-term exclusions is reducing.

Information about this school

Barnwood Park Arts College is smaller than the average-sized secondary school, catering for pupils between the ages of 11 to 16. The first cohort of boys was admitted into Year 7 in September 2018.

An unusually high number of pupils leave the school roll at points other than at the end of Year 11. Many pupils join the school, either mid-year or at points other than in Year 7. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals is in line with the national average.

The proportion of pupils with SEND is above national figures. There was a larger-than-average increase in the proportion of pupils requiring special educational needs support between 2017 and 2018. The proportion of pupils with an education, health and care plan is lower than the national average.

The majority of pupils are White British. The school has 15 out of the 17 possible ethnic groups set out in Ofsted's Inspection Data Summary Report. The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is just below the national average.