Samuel Barlow Primary Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy coming to Samuel Barlow Primary Academy. Staff and pupils treat each other with respect. Pupils feel safe in school.

They are confident that any member of staff they go to with a problem will help them to sort it out.

Leaders are ambitious for pupils. They want every pupil to do as well as they can and to leave the school well prepared for the next stage in their education.

Pupils are aspirational for their futures. For example, some pupils say they want to become nurses and police officers when they leave education.

The school is a calm and welcoming place to learn.

A large majority of pupils behave well. Leaders and pupils kno...w that some pupils find it hard to behave well all of the time. Leaders make sure these pupils get extra help.

Bullying is not tolerated. Teachers take reports of bullying seriously and make sure it is quickly resolved.

Despite the challenges presented by the pandemic, leaders have worked tirelessly to continue to improve the school.

They have made sure that pupils have not missed any important learning. Leaders have also prioritised the well-being of pupils and staff. Pupils, governors and staff are proud of the school.

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

Leaders have designed a broad and well-organised curriculum. Curriculum plans identify the important knowledge so that teachers know exactly what pupils need to learn. New learning builds on prior learning.

Teachers use assessment well to check that pupils remember what they have been taught. They use this information to identify pupils who need extra help to fill gaps that have emerged in their knowledge. However, some of the curriculum has only recently been designed.

This is at an early stage of being implemented.

Many subject leaders are experts in their area of responsibility. They support their colleagues to develop the subject knowledge they need to teach well.

They have a clear overview of what is going well in their subject, and what needs to be done to improve it further. A small number of curriculum leaders are new to role. They have not developed the same degree of confidence, knowledge and skills as the more experienced subject leaders.

They are at an early stage in checking how well pupils are learning the intended curriculum in their subject.

The school is an inclusive community. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) do well in school.

Leaders with responsibility for pupils with SEND support staff to identify pupils who have additional needs. Staff receive appropriate training to help them to plan to meet the needs of these pupils. While some parents raised concerns about the support that pupils with SEND receive, the needs of pupils with SEND are successfully met in the school.

Most pupils engage positively in their learning. In some lessons, teachers do not quickly address the small number of pupils who do not join in straight away or stay on task.

Leaders prioritise the teaching of reading.

The reading curriculum is well planned. Phonics is taught well. Pupils in the early years begin to learn phonics straight away.

Pupils use the sounds they know to read books with confidence and increasing fluency. Pupils who are not keeping up when learning new sounds receive extra help.

Pupils say that they enjoy reading.

Teachers read to pupils regularly from a wide range of age-appropriate books. Texts include poetry, books about other cultures and non-fiction books. Teachers use every opportunity to introduce pupils to new vocabulary, including technical, subject-specific words.

Children in the early years get off to a good start. Teachers know the children well and quickly spot where they have additional needs. Staff plan learning activities that are well matched to the children's abilities.

They focus on the key knowledge and skills that these youngest pupils need to acquire. Children learn to listen, and to play and learn alongside their peers, and develop age-appropriate oracy, early reading and numeracy skills.

Pupils' personal development is high on leaders' agenda.

Teachers plan rich and exciting experiences for pupils. Pupils are taught about the characteristics that will help them to become positive citizens, such as resilience, respect and teamwork. Pupils value kindness.

One pupil said: 'It's important to be kind to everyone.' Pupils have opportunities to express their kindness by contributing to their community. Pupils make donations to food banks and have planned and led an armistice service at a local church.

Staff and governors all agree that the school has improved significantly during the time of the pandemic. They say that the school's strong leaders and the support the school has received from the multi-academy trust are key to the many positive changes the school has made.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Safeguarding pupils is given the upmost importance. Leaders make sure that staff know how to identify and support pupils who may be at risk of harm. Staff and governors receive a wide range of safeguarding training.

Detailed records of concerns are kept. Leaders systematically review these records. They check that pupils, and families, receive the support they need.

Pupils learn about how to keep themselves safe through their lessons and in learning during assembly time. Leaders provide helpful advice to pupils and their parents about how to keep safe while using the internet, including how to behave responsibly online.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• A few pupils do not begin learning promptly in lessons or remain on task.

This means they do not learn as well as they could. Leaders should ensure that all pupils develop a positive attitude to learning. ? Some staff are new to subject leadership and are not as confident as more experienced staff in fulfilling their responsibilities.

They lack the expertise to check precisely how well pupils are learning the curriculum. Leaders should ensure that these staff have the training and opportunity to further increase their confidence and skills in order to carry out their roles effectively. ? Some of the curriculum plans are relatively new.

The long-term impact of what pupils know and remember is yet to be determined. Leaders should ensure that further monitoring activities are completed. This will enable them to identify where the curriculum requires further refinements to increase the knowledge that pupils gain.