Bartons Primary School, Bognor Regis

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy coming to school and being part of 'Team Bartons'. The school values of 'independence, respect, communication, happiness, responsibility and creativity' are well understood by pupils.

They demonstrate these in all areas of school life. This means that pupils are kind to each other and work well together. Pupils work hard in lessons and do not give up if they find their work difficult.

Staff have high expectations for pupils and encourage them to do their best. Leaders have made sure that pupils are taught well and are learning the skills that they need to be ready for secondary school. Pupils behave well in class.

They enjoy their lessons; they f...ind them fun and exciting.

Pupils feel safe at school. They say that everyone is welcomed and that they make sure that no one is left out.

They told us that bullying is very rare. They know that staff would deal with any problem quickly.

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

Leaders are ambitious for pupils and challenge them to do their best.

They want to make sure that every child knows more and remembers more across all national curriculum subjects. This revised curriculum planning has led to important improvements since the last inspection. Some subjects are further along than others.

Teachers have good subject knowledge and are keen to develop their teaching even further. They make accurate assessments of children's understanding of the early steps in English and mathematics. This means that pupils are building on firm foundations of learning.

Pupils listen carefully in lessons. They are interested in activities and work together well.

Recent improvements in teaching phonics (letters and the sounds they make) are already benefiting pupils.

Pupils across the school enjoy reading. All children benefit from hearing well-chosen stories and poems. Parents told us that they like the school's approach to reading and that their children are very keen to read.

The importance that leaders have placed on reading since the last inspection is having a positive impact on all areas of pupils' learning.

Pupils' writing is improving. They use interesting vocabulary and phrases from the stories that they have shared.

The most able pupils use increasingly sophisticated language and sentences. In mathematics, pupils remember what they have learned and develop their understanding over time. This is because leaders have planned the mathematics curriculum well.

Teachers ensure that pupils master core skills before they move onto more difficult topics.

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are very well supported and achieve well in all key stages. Leaders have a very detailed knowledge of these pupils and their families.

Teachers make sure that lessons are adapted, if necessary, so that pupils with SEND can learn alongside their friends right across the curriculum.

Pupils talked with interest about the topics that they study. Teachers choose books carefully to engage and excite pupils.

For example, Year 6 pupils talked animatedly about a book on survival. In science, pupils build on their knowledge from previous years. For example, we saw them use this to explain that light travels in straight lines.

However, in other subjects, such as computing, history and geography, pupils found it harder to recall the important learning from previous work. In these subjects, assessment is in the early stages of development. Leaders know what needs to be done and work is well underway to address this.

Pupils were keen to talk about the many sports clubs that they attend at school and trips that they have enjoyed. They were enthusiastic about special events such as art days, when each class studies a different type of art.

In early years, children have a great start to their school life.

They learn respect towards everyone, determination and resilience. For example, inspectors saw pupils working together to decorate a shared postbox. Children learned to make compromises and take turns.

Others worked together outside successfully to turn a large box into a sleigh. Staff skilfully supported these tasks and ensured that these experiences developed children's learning.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Pupils feel safe in the school. They know which adult they could tell if they were worried about something. Leaders carry out all necessary checks.

Staff are well trained to spot and report any concerns that they have about children. Leaders seek help for families when necessary and work well with other agencies to keep pupils safe.

Governors, also, are well trained in safeguarding.

They check the school's systems and record-keeping. They have ensured that there is a strong sense of safeguarding throughout the school.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

In some subjects, the curriculum is not as well planned as in others.

This means that pupils do not retain the key components of their learning. Leaders need to improve planning in some subjects so that it is consistently strong across the curriculum. .

Teachers' assessment in foundation subjects is not as secure as in other subjects.This means that, in these subjects, pupils do not remember as much of their learning. Teachers need to ensure that their assessments in these areas are more effective.