St Barnabas Church of England School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

St Barnabas Church of England School continues to be a good school.

The executive headteacher of this school is Mrs Fiona Hull. This school is part of Peterborough Diocese Education Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Mrs Ruth Walker-Green, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Mrs Margaret Holman.

What is it like to attend this school?

St Barnabas Church of England School is a happy and caring place to learn. The school's values of love, obedience, respect, forgiveness, honesty and kindness underpin how pupils behave towards each other and to staff. Staff know pupil...s and their families well.

Pupils and adults have a strong sense of belonging here. There is a 'family feel' to this school.

Staff have high expectations of all pupils.

As a result, pupils try their best and strive to earn rewards, including 'hot chocolate Friday'. Pupils typically behave and learn well. They say that bullying does not happen.

Pupils appreciate being able to talk to staff if anything worries them. They say that they feel safe in school. Staff and pupils are rightly proud of their school.

Pupils are enthusiastic about their learning and wider opportunities. They praise the amount of lunchtime and after-school clubs on offer. Pupils are excited by these rich experiences.

The activities, such as learning a musical instrument and dance club, help to develop pupils' talents and interests.

Pupils have opportunities to attend trust sporting competitions and have visits to the pantomime and seaside. The school makes sure that pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain.

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

Everyone at the school shares a common purpose. They want all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), to achieve their best. Working together, they have designed a well-sequenced curriculum that meets the needs of all pupils.

The school's curriculum is organised so that pupils' learning builds on what they already know. The school has ensured that pupils can develop their vocabulary in each subject. In some subjects, the curriculum is new.

It is too soon to see the impact on pupils knowing and remembering more in these subjects.

Pupils love to read. Staff promote a love of reading through their choice of high-quality texts and inviting reading areas in classrooms.

Pupils enjoy their visits to the well-stocked library. In the early years, children start learning to read as soon as they start school. Well-trained staff deliver the phonics programme consistently well.

Teachers make timely checks on how well pupils develop their phonic knowledge. Pupils who need extra support get the help they need to become fluent readers. As a result, pupils learn to read well.

Children in the early years get off to a flying start. There are clear routines and expectations of children's behaviour. The learning environments, both indoors and outdoors, support children's learning well.

Children play and learn happily together. Adults are great role models for the children. They skilfully develop children's speech and language.

Children are confident, independent and curious learners.

The school is welcoming and inclusive. There are clear systems in place for the identification of pupils with SEND.

The school provides teachers with strategies and resources to support these pupils. In lessons, adults provide effective support and encouragement. This support helps pupils to confidently access the full curriculum.

Pupils are excited to learn and concentrate well in lessons. Learning is rarely disrupted by poor behaviour. While pupils say they enjoy coming to school, too many do not attend school often enough.

These pupils are missing out on vital learning. They are not achieving as well as they could.

Parents are overwhelmingly positive about the school.

Comments such as, 'The school feels like a family. This is a fantastic school, which I often recommend to others' are typical.

Pupils experience a range of activities beyond the classroom.

They have time to reflect on their beliefs during collective worship. Pupils benefit from visitors who teach them about keeping safe. They learn about different faiths and cultures.

Trained staff support pupils' mental health and well-being.

Staff, including those new to the school, value the support the school provides. They thoroughly enjoy working at the school.

They appreciate that the school is mindful of their workload and well-being.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Recent changes to the curriculum development for some subjects are still new.

It is too soon to see the full impact on pupils knowing and remembering more in these subjects. The school should continue with their ambitious curriculum plans and monitor the impact developments have on improving pupils' knowledge over time. ? Despite the school's best efforts, the proportion of pupils who are regularly absent from school is too high.

As a result, they miss too much learning and do not achieve as well as they could. The school should continue to work with pupils and their families to reinforce attendance expectations and to make sure that pupils attend school regularly so that they can achieve as well as they could.

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 first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in September 2017.