Barton Moss Community Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils told us that they are the 'Barton Moss family'. They enjoy school and attend regularly. Pupils say that they have many friends and there is always someone to play with.

Pupils feel safe and are happy. They have good relationships with staff. The caring ethos and the kindness shown by staff help pupils to feel well supported.

Pupils new to the school are quickly welcomed into the family.Pupils behave sensibly in class and work hard in lessons because expectations are high. Teachers make sure that pupils understand the school's rules.

Pupils can explain clearly why they are important and the consequences that are in place if they are not followed. Bullyi...ng is not tolerated in this school. Pupils trust staff to deal with any worries quickly.

Pupils are encouraged to think about how they can make a difference. They enjoy raising money and supporting charities. Staff plan opportunities for pupils to reflect on what is happening in the world.

Pupils spoke with dismay about how plastic was affecting the life of animals in the ocean. They told us how they had reduced their use of plastic. Pupils enjoy the responsibilities that they have across the school.

They take on these roles with pride.

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

Since the school became part of the Prestolee Trust, many improvements have been made to the quality of education. Leaders, governors and staff make sure that the school's vision of 'We give, and expect, 100% every day from everybody' is upheld by all.

As a result, the ethos around the school is one of excitement for the future.

Leaders and governors care and support the staff well. Staff appreciate this.

Staff told us that they are now happy at work. Parents have noticed this. They were keen to tell us the impact that this is having on their children.

Parents also said that they feel welcome in school.

Leaders have made sure that plans for most different subjects are ambitious and interesting. They have thought about what pupils will learn and when they will learn it.

Pupils are able to build on what they already know and can do. This is particularly strong in mathematics. The trust has provided training for teachers so that they have strong subject knowledge.

This is having a positive impact on pupils' achievement in reading, writing and mathematics, particularly in key stage 2. The proportion of pupils who attained the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of key stage 2 in 2019 remained below the national average. However, pupils' attainment in these subjects in key stage 2 has risen steadily and securely over the last three years.

Curriculum plans in some subjects like art, design and technology, history and geography do not have enough information about what children have already learned in the early years. This stops some teachers from planning activities that build on what pupils already know and can do.

Subject leaders are knowledgeable and keen to raise pupils' achievement in all subjects.

They provide support and training to other staff. In most subjects, leaders check the quality of the curriculum. As a result, they know how well pupils are doing.

However, due to recent staff changes, some leaders have not had the opportunity to check on the quality of education in their subjects. Plans are in place to address this.

Staff use the assessment of pupils' learning in English, mathematics, science and physical education (PE) to plan activities that build on what they already know and can do.

This is most noticeable for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils with SEND now know and remember more. However, in some other subjects, some pupils with whom we spoke could not always remember their learning in detail from previous year groups.

Leaders have started to improve assessment systems so that teachers can address this.

There has been a high number of pupils who start or leave the school at different times during the school year. This has affected pupils' attainment in reading, which was below the national average in key stage 2 in 2019.

However, the progress these pupils made was similar to their peers nationally. Leaders have made reading a high priority. Recent improvements to the reading curriculum make sure that pupils achieve to their potential.

Pupils learn about different comprehension skills and have many opportunities to practise these skills. Teachers read to pupils daily and pupils have time to read on their own. Pupils told us that they love reading.

The teaching of phonics is effective. Staff know what pupils need to learn and by when. Pupils read books that are well matched to the sounds that they are learning.

Staff check pupils' progress well and provide extra support for pupils who need to catch up. As a result, the proportion of pupils who meet the expected standard in the Year 1 phonics screening check is similar to the national average.

Pupils love coming to school.

They value the many activities that they can take part in during the day and after school. Pupils have opportunities in different year groups to take part in sporting competitions. The entrance hall celebrates the many trophies that pupils have achieved.

This contributes well towards pupils' personal development.

Pupils say that staff respect them and see the best in them. As a result, behaviour is good and their learning proceeds without interruption in classrooms.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders make sure that keeping children safe is a priority across the school. All staff and governors receive thorough training and regular updates on safeguarding.

This helps them to carry out their roles well. Leaders know their pupils and families well.They keep careful records of any concerns and take the necessary action to keep children safe.

Pupils told us that they feel safe. The curriculum provides many opportunities for them to learn about how they can keep safe and be healthy.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

In some subjects, there is insufficient detail about how the curriculum builds on what children have learned in the early years.

This prevents some teachers from planning activities that take account of what pupils already know and can do. Leaders need to make sure that all curriculum plans include this information so that pupils can achieve well in these subjects. .

In some subjects, teachers do not use assessment information as well as they do in English, mathematics, physical education (PE) and science in order to inform pupils' future learning. As a result, some pupils have gaps in their learning. Leaders need to make sure that assessment is used to check pupils' learning so that they know and remember more in all subjects.

. Due to recent changes in subject leadership and staffing within the school, some leaders do not yet evaluate the quality of the curriculum in their area of responsibility. This means that they do not know how well pupils are achieving in these subjects.

Leaders need to make sure that the plans that they have made are implemented so that leaders improve the quality of education in their area of responsibility. . The reading curriculum has been recently strengthened.

Leaders have made sure that teachers develop pupils' vocabulary and inference skills. This is helping pupils to know and remember more. Leaders need to ensure that these recent initiatives are embedded so that pupils' attainment in reading improves further.

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