St Bartholomew’s CofE VC Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils and staff describe St Bartholomew's CofE VC Primary School as 'a family'. Staff make time to get to know pupils and families well. Staff care about each individual and work hard to promote pupils' well-being.

This makes the school a happy, welcoming and inclusive place to learn.

Leaders are ambitious for all pupils. Pupils respond well to leaders' expectations and show pride in their achievements.

Pupils value their education. Pupils say that staff help them to be the best they can be.

Pupils are polite and welcome visitors.

Adults teach pupils to be 'courageous advocates'. Staff reward pupils for helping, being kind or doing somethin...g good. Pupils appreciate these rewards and behave well.

Pupils say bullying is dealt with quickly by staff. This helps everyone to feel safe. Pupils are confident that staff listen to them and take their views and concerns seriously.

Pupils have many opportunities to contribute to daily school life. Pupils across the school, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), take on leadership roles such as 'global stars', prefects, house captains and well-being ambassadors. They carry out their responsibilities with maturity.

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

Leaders have designed an ambitious curriculum that covers a broad range of subjects. They have identified the knowledge they expect pupils to know and remember in most subjects. Teachers deliver this information in a logical order.

Pupils achieve well as they move through school. However, in a small number of subjects, the curriculum is not yet fully developed. In these subjects, the curriculum lacks precise detail about the key knowledge pupils should learn and remember.

This means that pupils do not develop a depth of knowledge over time as well as they might.Leaders have made significant changes to the school's approach to early reading. Children in early years are immersed in a world of reading where they hear lots of rhymes and stories.

Children in Reception then start to learn phonics early in the autumn term. These daily lessons are well organised and build children's phonics knowledge logically. Staff quickly identify any children who need extra help to enable them to keep up with the reading programme.

In addition, teachers promote a love of reading. For example, they invite parents to join their children at reading workshops. However, the range of genres and texts that pupils read is not as broad as it might be.

Children in the early years get off to a super start. From the age of two, children learn in a supportive, caring environment. Staff carefully plan what children need to learn and ensure that activities are purposeful.

Staff provide many activities to capture the children's imagination and curiosity. This helps the children to achieve well.

Leaders make sure the needs of pupils with SEND are identified swiftly.

Staff help pupils to be independent learners; they provide additional resources and support them skilfully. As a result, pupils with SEND access a broad range of subjects and make progress through the curriculum.

Staff work closely with families to ensure that they understand the importance of pupils being in school.

Although attendance has improved for some pupils, too many still do not attend school regularly. Leaders are determined to improve pupils' attendance, but there is still more work to do to ensure that all pupils attend as leaders expect.

Staff have high expectations about pupils' behaviour.

Pupils behave well in lessons and have positive attitudes to learning. If any pupils lose focus in class, staff ably refocus them. This helps all pupils to make the most of all learning.

Pupils are proud of their achievements. They develop confidence in their abilities through a variety of experiences that extend beyond formal lessons. For example, they work with visitors, take part in competitions, attend residential experiences and work with local businesses.

Such experiences help pupils learn to be resilient and keep trying. Pupils and staff say working as a team is really important at St Bartholomew's.

Staff across the school appreciate the help and support they receive from leaders to make their workload manageable.

Parents speak highly of the school. Leaders actively engage parents and carers in their children's learning and school life.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders ensure that a strong culture of safeguarding runs throughout the school. Staff receive regular training. This means they are vigilant and know what to do if they have any concerns about a child.

Leaders' systems to report concerns are robust, this includes any concerns about pupils who miss school regularly.

Leaders prioritise communication with families. They work hard to maintain positive relationships with parents and work well with external agencies when necessary.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The range of genres and texts that pupils read is not as broad as it might be. This limits pupils' reading experiences. Leaders should continue to broaden the range of texts included in the reading curriculum.

• In a small number of subjects, leaders have not identified the key knowledge and ideas they want pupils to know and remember. This means that pupils do not develop a deep understanding of the subject. Leaders should ensure that the curriculum precisely identifies the key knowledge pupils should learn in all subjects.

• Some pupils do not attend school regularly. As a result, they miss too much learning. Leaders should continue to work with families to ensure that all pupils attend school regularly.