Keyham Barton Catholic Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Keyham Barton Catholic Primary School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

The headteacher of this school is Sarah Rowe.

This school is part of Plymouth CAST, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Zoe Batten, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Elizabeth Ruth O'Donovan.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel safe and well-cared for at Keyham Barton.

They have trusted adults to support them. Pupils understand the school values. These values are reflected in the positive behaviour shown by th...e majority of pupils.

For example, they know what it means to behave with courage and integrity, both in and outside of school. However, the learning of pupils can sometimes be disrupted by the behaviour of some pupils in the younger years.

The curriculum sparks pupils' interest.

For example, pupils enjoy making links between their learning in history and English. They understand how their learning is relevant to the wider world and their local area. The school has high expectations of pupils, and this is mostly reflected in their achievements at the end of key stage 2.

However, recent staffing challenges have had a negative impact on the quality of education of a small number of younger pupils.

The school celebrates pupils' achievements. There is a strong focus on character development, nurtured through a range of trips and enrichment opportunities.

For example, residential trips for pupils in key stage 2 and mini police. Pupils enjoy taking on positions of responsibility, such as school council representatives. Older pupils take seriously their role as 'buddies' to children in Reception.

They are excellent role models for them.

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

The school's curriculum is ambitious for all pupils. It has identified the most important knowledge pupils need to know, and in which order.

In most cases, the work given to pupils helps them know and remember more over time. The majority of pupils talk about their learning with confidence and have the vocabulary to do so. They take pride in their work.

The school has effective systems in place to check pupils' learning. Most of the time, staff address misconceptions quickly, enabling pupils to work with increasing independence. Pupils enjoy reading, including in their own time at home.

This is because the school places great importance on this. The learning environment in Reception is engaging. Activities promote a love of reading and develop early maths skills as well as offering daily opportunities for arts and crafts.

The school has faced significant challenges in the last two years. This has had an impact on staffing and the way classes are structured, including in Reception causing some uncertainty for parents. The school has taken decisions in the best interests of pupils.

However, some of these changes are very recent. This means that some younger pupils, including children in the early years, have experienced disruption to their phonics learning and have gaps in their knowledge. The school is addressing these issues, by ensuring that all staff have the right knowledge and expertise.

However, this is not yet having a positive impact on all pupils. The school does ensure that pupils read books matched to the sounds they know.Older pupils' learning is not disrupted by poor behaviour.

Pupils in these classes work with purpose and understand what is expected of them. However, the expectations staff have for the conduct of some younger pupils are not high enough. This results in some pupils whose learning is disrupted, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabil-ities (SEND).

Pupils with SEND are accurately identified. In the majority of cases, staff support these pupils well, including working with external agencies when appropriate. The warm and trusting relationships between staff and pupils underpin this success.

In Reception, children's social and emotional development is prioritised. Staff interact with children positively, modelling vocabulary and celebrating their achievements. Children's motor skills are developed appropriately through a range of activities that sustain their interest for extended periods.

Most of the time, children play and learn happily and harmoniously.

The school's work to improve the attendance of some pupils has had a positive impact. This work is on-going.

Governors and trust leaders are supporting effectively with this.

Pupils have a detailed knowledge about how to keep themselves safe and healthy. They understand how to recognise online risks.

Pupils learn about other cultures and the school actively celebrates its increasing diversity. In addition, the school promotes citizenship through raising money for charity and developing pupils' understanding of difference, for example, through its link to a school in Uganda.

The school is proud of its place in the local community and is effectively supported by its governors.

While recent challenges have inevitably impacted staff, there is a shared commitment to ensure pupils have the best possible education. This is being realised for the vast majority of pupils.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate body)

• Some staff do not have the necessary knowledge or expertise to teach the school's phonics programme as intended. This means that some pupils fall behind and are not well supported to become the fluent readers they should. The school and the trust should ensure that all staff have the knowledge required to teach phonics as intended.

• Sometimes, the expectations of younger pupils' conduct are not consistently high enough. Consequently, pupils' learning is sometimes disrupted. The school and trust should ensure that all staff understand what the expectations of pupils' conduct are and consistently implement these expectations.

Background

Until September 2024, on a graded (section 5) inspection we gave schools an overall effectiveness grade, in addition to the key and provision judgements. Overall effectiveness grades given before September 2024 will continue to be visible on school inspection reports and on Ofsted's website. From September 2024 graded inspections will not include an overall effectiveness grade.

This school was, before September 2024, judged to be good for its overall effectiveness.

We have now inspected the school to determine whether it has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at that previous inspection. 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's work has improved significantly or that it may not be as strong as it was at the last inspection, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection. A graded inspection 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 first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good for overall effectiveness in November 2018.