St Bartholomew’s Church of England Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

St Bartholomew's Church of England Primary School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

What is it like to attend this school?

The school has established influential values of being considerate, cooperative and confident. These values are consistently modelled by adults and inspire pupils to support each other with kindness and respect.

Pupils routinely contribute as role models in the school. Through these roles, pupils care for younger pupils and each other. Leaders have built a culture that helps all pupils to feel fully included in the life of the school.

Pupils are happy and safe in this caring school.

The... school has implemented an ambitious curriculum for pupils. Pupils, and children in the early years, learn most of the curriculum well.

Staff deliberately enhance the curriculum with opportunities for pupils to try new things. For example, pupils contribute to an art exhibition and participate in a brass band. These opportunities encourage a number of pupils to join the local brass band and perform in their community.

Pupils consistently live out the school's values and behave well. Staff successfully help pupils to manage their own feelings and behaviour. Pupils' behaviour is calm and focused, so learning is not disrupted.

Pupils enjoy their learning and achieve well. The school makes sure that pupils and families understand the importance of attendance. Pupils' attendance is improving gradually.

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

The school has high expectations for what pupils learn and remember. Across the curriculum, the school has clearly identified the knowledge and language pupils need to learn. In physical education, for example, pupils discuss their impressive knowledge of how to pass a rugby ball.

They link this to their knowledge about sports and teamwork. In art, pupils explain their knowledge of tint and shade. They use this to create depth and texture in their artwork.

In early years, staff help children quickly understand the number sequence in mathematics. Older pupils use this knowledge to solve mathematical problems. For example, pupils spot factors in fractions to make accurate calculations.

Sometimes, teachers do not check that pupils have mastered new learning. Some teachers move on to new learning before pupils are ready. Added to this, in some subjects, the activities teachers select do not help pupils build a sufficiently rich body of subject knowledge.

As a result, some pupils develop gaps in their understanding.

In early years, staff provide captivating activities for children. Children concentrate well in order to complete these activities.

For example, children develop their dexterity by picking up objects with tweezers, and they practise their art skills by creating printed patterns. Children cooperate consistently well with each other. Across the school, pupils have very positive attitudes to their learning.

Reading is a priority across all year groups. In early years, children confidently master new sounds quickly. Staff introduce new language which children use confidently.

Older pupils learn to analyse the texts they read. They use their reading skills to answer questions about these texts accurately. Pupils, including those who are disadvantaged or those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), have high-quality support to help them become fluent readers.

If any pupils fall behind, they are given the right tuition so they catch up quickly. Throughout the school, adults invest in carefully chosen literature. Pupils enjoy reading.

The school provides effective support for pupils with SEND. Staff routinely identify pupils' additional needs and meet them by adapting activities for pupils. This helps pupils with SEND to develop their confidence and communication skills.

Pupils with SEND achieve well.

The school's work to promote pupils' personal development is high quality. Pupils develop an impressive understanding of diversity.

They hold mature conversations about difference and respect. Pupils know how to stay safe when online and have a secure understanding of healthy relationships and consent. Leaders enhance the curriculum for pupils.

For example, pupils speak with enthusiasm about working with a rugby coach and performing in the school choir. The school also works with a local museum. This helps pupils to deepen their understanding of the impact of the Second World War on their local area.

These opportunities inspire pupils. They speak confidently about their growing knowledge in a range of areas.

Governors make sure that the school takes the right actions in the best interests of pupils, including the most vulnerable.

They ensure that all pupils are fully included in all aspects of school life. The workload and well-being of staff are carefully considered. Staff are well supported by leaders in the school.

This motivates staff to make sure pupils are at the heart of everything that they do. They are proud to work in this 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 subjects, the activities teachers select for pupils do not focus on the most important knowledge that pupils need. From time to time, some pupils struggle to connect their new learning to the things they already know. The school should ensure that teaching strategies focus clearly on the important knowledge identified in the curriculum so that pupils can connect new and prior learning.

• Some teachers do not routinely check that pupils have understood new learning. When this happens, some pupils develop gaps in their knowledge. The school should ensure that teachers are fully equipped to identify and remedy pupils' gaps in knowledge before introducing new learning.

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 second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good for overall effectiveness in May 2015.

Also at this postcode