Barton Stacey Church of England Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Barton Stacey Church of England Primary School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at this school are happy and joyful.

The school is described by parents and staff as the 'Barton Stacey Family' because of its caring nature. This means that pupils feel supported throughout their education. Pupils joining the school mid-year are welcomed and settle in quickly.

Similarly, Year 6 pupils are well prepared for the move to their secondary schools.

Pupils know who to talk to if they should have any concerns. Because adults know them so well, any help pupils need is quickly and efficiently organised.

Additionally, the scho...ol has a deep awareness of any potential challenges faced by its pupils from military families. The school's Base Club helps to bring these pupils together and ensures that they have access to the support they need.

Pupils are helped to be independent and self-aware through the school's focus on building character and social skills.

Pupils are proud of the way that they treat each other. They understand the school's Christian values of love, hope, trust and forgiveness. This is demonstrated in their day-to-day behaviour.

The school is calm and pupils are able to enjoy both playing and learning together.

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

The school has a distinctive curriculum that helps pupils develop a real enjoyment of learning. Pupils are interested and engaged by their lessons.

They are enthusiastic about exploring new ideas and concepts. In many subjects, the knowledge which pupils need has an exact sequence. As a result, pupils learn and remember more over time.

For example, in reading and mathematics, pupils build their knowledge steadily starting as soon as they start at the school. In early years, children practise using numbers frequently and build a secure foundation for their future learning. Similarly, children's use of vocabulary, writing and sounds is developed through a daily focused creative session.

Children eagerly participate in this, strengthening their ability to communicate their ideas and views and to work with their friends.

However, in some subjects, the school has not yet precisely set out what pupils need to know, and when they need to know it. This results in some lesson activities which are not ambitious enough in building the depth of knowledge that pupils need.

Additionally, opportunities for pupils to develop and practise their writing are sometimes missed. This means that pupils' confidence and writing ability are not as well developed as the school intends. Leaders recognise this and are providing training to staff to make the necessary improvements.

Staff are positive about this support, including how their workload and well-being are considered.

Reading is a priority across the school and pupils love to read. They keenly discuss their school library books and welcome each other's recommendations.

Carefully chosen texts are linked to lesson topics. This adds depth to pupils' understanding. Precise use of the school's chosen phonics programme means that new readers learn quickly.

Pupils find their phonics sessions enjoyable. Staff make sure pupils see that they are getting better at reading. This leads to pupils feeling successful and confident.

Leaders regularly check that pupils at all stages of reading are improving. Where pupils need extra help, they receive carefully targeted support. Because staff know pupils very well, they are able to make sure that interventions provide exactly what pupils need.

The school's support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is strong. Regular checking makes sure that support and interventions to meet pupils' needs are working as intended. Pupils, including those with SEND, are taught to recognise their emotions, and are given strategies to help manage their behaviour.

As a result, pupils with SEND feel included and achieve well.

The school has high expectations of pupils' attendance. This has led to attendance steadily improving.

Should families find supporting their children to attend regularly difficult, leaders are diligent in helping to find a solution. Parents are highly positive about the school and its place in the community. They appreciate the attentive pastoral care and how their children are helped to learn and develop.

Pupils take part in a wide range of clubs and extra activities. Sporting events and visits help to enrich pupils' experiences. This includes the much-anticipated Year 6 residential.

Leaders make sure that all pupils, including disadvantaged pupils, have the chance to be involved. Pupils from every year group perform and present in assemblies, shows and local church activities. As a result, pupils are confident, friendly and excited to come to school.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority) ? In some foundation subjects, the sequencing of component knowledge is not clearly identified. This can lead to some variance in how teachers implement the planned curriculum and how well pupils build a deep knowledge of a subject.

The school should ensure that curriculum planning identifies and effectively sequences this important knowledge within units of work. ? Some tasks that pupils complete do not always help them learn effectively the school's ambitious curriculum. This includes regular opportunities to write across the curriculum.

This hinders how much pupils are learning and the development of their writing skills. The school should further focus its training and support to ensure all staff have the skills and expertise to help pupils achieve well in every subject.

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 2015.

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