St Bartholomew’s Church of England Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

St Bartholomew's Church of England Primary School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

St Bartholomew's Church of England Primary is a warm and welcoming school. Despite its larger-than-average size, the school has a family feel and has strong links with the local community.

Pupils are happy and engaged and feel well cared for.

Leaders are aspirational for pupils and have high expectations. The curriculum is ambitious for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). As a result, pupils access engaging lessons and achieve well.

Pupils enjoy their lessons. They are positive about their learni...ng and are eager to do well. They are proud of their school.

They are well mannered and demonstrate a respectful confidence. One pupil stated, 'I would give the school 10/10. I gain confidence every year and all of the teachers make my learning fun.'



Pupils understand the school's 'CARES' code. The principles of the code are lived out by everyone in the school. Pupils actively support each other in lessons and play happily with one another during outdoor playtimes.

Pupils have access to a wide range of trips and experiences which enhance their learning. Pupils value after-school clubs and the range of opportunities they have to take on additional responsibility.

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

Children get off to a strong start.

The Reception Year learning environment is well resourced. Children explore the different areas of the provision and learn through play. The outdoor area provides children with opportunities to take risks and develop their gross motor skills.

Relationships between staff and children are strong. Staff have created a nurturing environment that prepares children well for their next stage of education.

Leaders have prioritised reading.

They are passionate about all pupils being confident and fluent readers. A positive reading culture is promoted in all classroom environments. Daily 'reading for pleasure' takes place across the school.

Leaders have increased the quality of books pupils read. Pupils access a range of diverse books which expose them to different cultures and faiths. In guided reading sessions, pupils develop their comprehension skills and vocabulary.

The phonics programme is well sequenced, and children access this straight away in the Reception Year. Sessions are fast-paced and engaging. Teachers ensure that pupils 'keep up'.

Pupils who find reading more difficult get extra help to ensure they 'catch up'. Reading books are well matched to the sounds pupils have been learning.

Teachers plan and deliver mathematics lessons that develop pupils' fluency and problem-solving and reasoning skills.

Pupils use a range of resources and practical equipment to support their grasp of new concepts. Teachers plan regular opportunities for pupils to recap prior learning. This helps pupils to know and remember more.

Leaders have created an ambitious wider curriculum for all pupils. This is well sequenced from the Reception Year through to Year 6. Pupils' knowledge and skills build progressively from the foundations established in the Reception Year.

Leaders have ensured that most lesson plans include the knowledge and skills covered previously and what will be coming next. Pupils can talk about their learning and reflect upon how their current learning builds upon their prior learning. Leaders have processes in place to check what pupils know and remember.

For example, in physical education (PE) lessons, teachers and pupils use video evidence to evaluate the performance of gymnastic sequences. However, in some foundation subjects, teachers do not yet have systems in place to identify where there may be gaps in pupils' knowledge and skills.

Pupils with SEND are well supported.

Teachers adapt lesson plans to meet the needs of these pupils. Leaders work collaboratively with a range of external agencies to secure specialist support for individual pupils' needs.

Personal, social and health education and relationships and sex education lessons prepare pupils well for life in modern Britain.

Pupils have a secure understanding of fundamental British values and can relate them to their everyday lives. They understand the importance of respecting and valuing difference. They have a secure, age-appropriate understanding of different types of families and relationships.

Pupils understand how important being active is to their health. They have a range of opportunities to represent their school in competitive sports. This includes pupils with disabilities who recently took part in a wheelchair sports tournament.

Sports ambassadors take pride in their role of actively promoting exercise during lunchtimes. Pupils understand why it is important to eat a healthy and balanced diet.

The school is well led and managed.

Staff are overwhelmingly positive about the support they receive from leaders. They feel well looked after and valued. Leaders are accessible and staff workload and well-being are carefully considered.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

There is a strong safeguarding culture at the school. Staff attend annual safeguarding and child protection training.

They also access refresher training and receive termly safeguarding updates. Leaders proactively engage with external agencies to support pupils and families.

Staff know how to report concerns.

Leaders act on these concerns in a timely manner. Safeguarding records are accurate. Governors fulfil their statutory duties with regard to safeguarding.

Pupils feel safe and know how to keep themselves safe, including when online. One pupil shared, 'We can talk to any adult about anything and they will always comfort us.'

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Leaders have not yet ensured that there are consistent systems in place for checking what pupils know and can do in all foundation subjects.

As a result, in these subjects, teachers do not regularly adapt plans to address gaps in knowledge or skill acquisition effectively. Leaders need to establish clear processes for the assessment of the wider curriculum to ensure that any knowledge gaps are identified and addressed to enable pupils to know and remember more in all foundation subjects.

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 December 2017.

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