Barrs Court Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Barrs Court Primary School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils embrace the school motto of 'be the best you can be'. They thoroughly enjoy coming to school.

Staff cheerfully greet pupils at the start of each day. Pupils, parents and carers value this greatly. Pupils feel safe and parents agree.

Staff get to know pupils well and this helps them feel part of the school family. Classrooms and corridors are purposeful and vibrant. Pupils work hard in lessons and always behave well.

Bullying is not tolerated. Staff resolve these incidents quickly and effectively on the rare occasions when they occur. Pupils understand the differ...ence between friendship issues and bullying.

They know that staff would help them sort out problems immediately. Pupils are kind and respectful. They hold the door open for each other and welcome visitors to their school proudly.

Pupils accept different beliefs and traditions. This helps them to understand what it is like to grow up in modern Britain.

Pupils grow in character.

They enjoy many opportunities to develop leadership skills. For example, pupils aspire to be 'health heroes' who lead physical activities for younger pupils at breaktimes. Being a member of the school council teaches pupils how to conduct debates about important issues.

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

Leaders have raised aspirations across the school. Staff set high expectations. Pupils rise to these.

The curriculum is ambitious for all pupils. Subject leaders are knowledgeable and passionate about their subjects. They ensure that knowledge and skills build progressively year on year.

Leaders have designed learning in the early years to support children to get off to the best possible start. The curriculum in Reception prepares children effectively for key stage 1. No time is wasted.

The whole-school oracy focus supports pupils to answer questions precisely. This helps pupils to think deeply about what they have learned.

Leaders identify the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) accurately.

They ensure that staff receive appropriate information to enable them to adapt the curriculum for these pupils. Teaching assistants work closely with teachers to provide targeted and purposeful support. As a result, pupils with SEND thrive.

Teachers use assessment effectively in some subjects, such as mathematics and early reading, to identify what pupils know and have learned. They use this information to inform future teaching. However, in the wider curriculum, assessment of what pupils know and remember is not as precise.

Reading is a high priority for all staff. Well-trained staff teach early reading as soon as children join the school. Pupils practise reading books that match the sounds they know.

This helps them to develop fluency and confidence. Staff check pupils' learning of phonics carefully. They identify when pupils need support to strengthen their reading skills.

Expert staff support those who need help. This ensures that pupils catch up quickly. Older pupils rush to the library at breaktimes to read and borrow books.

Staff use daily story time to enthuse and develop a love of reading in pupils.

Staff teach pupils the school values of curiosity, determination, pride, joy and respect. Pupils apply these values daily in lessons.

Pupils are curious and welcome questions that stimulate thinking. They learn to work together effectively at an early age. This helps them to respect each other's views and learn collaboratively.

The clear school rules support pupils to behave extremely well.

Pupils have many opportunities to take part in activities that develop their talents and interests. They choose from a wide range of activities, including cooking, Rubik's cube club, learning a musical instrument or singing in the school choir.

Cultural ambassadors use their artistic skills to promote events, such as the school production. Pupils of all abilities represent the school in sports teams. This builds their confidence.

The eco-council teaches pupils to take care of the school environment. For example, pupils planted a hedge on the school field and tend the forest school. Activities such as these teach them valuable life skills.

Governors provide strong support and challenge for leaders and staff. They are thoughtful and thorough in their approach. Staff are very proud to work here.

They value the family feel of the school and support each other willingly. Staff recognise the support that leaders give them to manage their workload and do their best for the school community.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

A strong culture of safeguarding is deeply embedded. Leaders, including governors, are meticulous in ensuring that children are safe. All staff know how to identify a potential concern.

They know to report it immediately. Leaders are diligent in following up concerns in a timely manner. Leaders ensure there is expert support for those who need it.

Parents know they can ask for help, and appreciate the care taken by school staff to support them.Pupils have trusted adults they can talk to. One pupil told the inspector that, 'Everything the staff do here is to help keep us safe.'

Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe in personal, social and health education lessons. Importantly, they also learn how to look after their mental health from an early age.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Leaders have not established an effective approach to assessment in some subjects.

This means that assessment does not provide teachers with vital information to inform future teaching and reduce gaps in pupils' knowledge. Leaders should ensure that they establish, implement and embed effective assessment in all subjects.

Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good.

This is called an ungraded inspection and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act.

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in January 2014.

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