St Barnabas Church of England VC Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Governors should ensure that:
  • standards continue to rise by planning improvements in teaching with a focus on learning
  • leaders are held to account so that standards improve rapidly.
• Improve the quality of teaching, learning and assessment, by teachers:
  • having the highest expectations of what pupils can achieve, particularly the most able
  • planning for the different ability levels of pupils.
• Maintain the focus on attendance so that more pupils attend on a regular basis. An external review of governance should be undertaken in order to assess how this aspect of leadership and management may be improved.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management

Requires improvement

• Governors have not led strategically. They have accepted excuses for poor results without challenge.
• Training given to teachers has not had an impact on improving the results of pupils in the end-of-key-stage-2 tests. The training was not evaluated effectively. It has not improved teaching for middle-ability pupils and the most able pupils.
• The performance management of staff is not monitored by some leaders. This happens because senior leaders and governors are not checking these processes.
• The acting headteacher is focusing on the most critical aspects of improvement. Before, there were six plans which led to confusion and a lack of prioritisation.
• The curriculum provides an appropriate range of subjects for pupils to experience. Pupils enjoy the activities within the curriculum. Pupils celebrate the festival of Eid as well as Christmas. Pupils comment on their enjoyment and appreciation of learning about each other. The curriculum focus on the city of Bristol and its history has added to the sense of community. Local artists, poets and caterers have taught pupils, and sometimes parents, the skills of their trades.
• Extra-curricular activities are cultural and sports orientated. Pupils enjoy these activities, are successful in them and gain confidence as a result.
• Christian values permeate the spiritual, cultural, social and moral values. Pupils experience Christian and British values in assemblies and themed activities. They understand and exhibit tolerance and respect for each other.
• Leaders spend the pupil premium funding wisely. Additional staff manage disadvantaged pupils’ complex needs. Pupils are progressing as well as other pupils nationally. They attend trips and camps with their peers.
• The physical education and sport premium funding supports pupils going to competitive sports events. Teachers have learned gymnastics coaching.
• Pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities are making good progress. Leaders spend the funding for them effectively. Parents of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities praised the work of the special educational needs staff. Pupils are happy and achieving well as a result of the support offered.
• A part-time speech therapist works with pupils who have speech and communication needs. A learning mentor works full time with families. As a result, pupils learn well and parents support their children’s education at home.
• The early years foundation stage is successful as children develop as individuals. The leader and class teacher manage children’s needs according to their ability and progress. Staff encourage routines and use language and communication of a high standard. Children are resilient, polite and ready for the next stage of their education at the end of Reception.

Governance of the school

• Governance has not been effective in improving teaching, which has led to the poor results in the end-of-year tests in key stage 2.
• Governors support but do not challenge. Minutes of governance meetings show that pertinent questions are asked but governors accept the reasons proffered without seeking a resolution to any problems.
• Leaders have failed to present information in an understandable way. Governors focused on understanding information instead of interrogating it. There has been too little urgency, so improvements have not materialised. It is recommended that a review of governance takes place to help speed up the process of school improvement.
• The achievement of targets set for managing the performance of staff are not checked.
• Governors manage funds for pupil premium and special educational needs effectively.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• Governors and leaders ensure that safeguarding arrangements are fit for purpose and that records are of a high quality and detailed. Staff are trained well on how to keep pupils safe from abuse, sexual exploitation, and the influence of radicalisation and extremism. A team of staff meets weekly to ensure that pupils with complex needs are safe and secure in school. The team works determinedly, yet sensitively, with pupils, parents and external agencies to monitor and support the most vulnerable pupils. Safeguarding arrangements are secure and part of the school’s culture.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

• Teachers are not planning effectively. Pupils are given the same tasks regardless of ability. The extension activities for the most able pupils are not provided consistently. Pupils are not reviewing their work or learning from their mistakes. They are not showing resilience within their learning. They are over reliant on teachers to provide information.
• Too many pupils in key stage 2 are not correcting basic mistakes in their writing, such as the placement of capital letters and full stops. Pupils’ lack of understanding means that they do not have the skills and knowledge necessary to use more sophisticated punctuation and grammar correctly.
• Teachers focus on the current learning goal when praising pupils. They ignore other errors. Pupils feel successful even though their work is imperfect.
• Teaching assistants are skilful and work well with individuals and small groups of pupils. Disadvantaged pupils, including the most able disadvantaged pupils, benefit from this support.
• Pupils do homework on basic skills, such as spelling and reading. The strong work with families supports pupils in this.
• Children in the Reception class and pupils in Year 1 progress rapidly. Phonics (letters and the sounds they represent) is taught effectively and this improves children’s reading and writing.
• End-of-year reports for each year group provide parents with accurate information about how their children are progressing. The reports explain the next steps in learning.
• Stereotyping does not occur in school. The curriculum encourages inclusive practices that pupils accept.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.
• Pupils are confident when engaging with adults. They speak sensitively and articulately on a range of topics.
• Pupils are proud of their own culture and religion. They are receptive to the practices of others in the community.
• Pupils understand bullying in its various guises. They are clear about what steps they need to take, as and when it happens. They spoke of the school’s efficient systems for dealing with these rare occurrences.
• Pupils feel safe in school. They know how to use the internet safely.
• Pupils, staff and parents expressed no concerns about pupils’ safety at school.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good.
• Pupils wear their uniform with pride.
• Pupils show respect for each other. They listen attentively in class and assemblies.
• The school has a comprehensive behaviour policy. Pupils understand it well. Younger pupils spoke enthusiastically about the golden parties that take place. These happen when pupils receive a sufficient amount of golden rewards.
• Pupils conduct themselves in an orderly way around the school throughout the day.
• Pupils’ good behaviour is not yet adding to their progress in lessons. Pupils’ attitudes to learning are good. They bring an eagerness and commitment to their learning which is not fully utilised by teachers.
• Attendance is not in line with the national average. Leaders know the case studies of pupils not attending. They are working with families to explain the importance of education and the devastating impact that non-attendance has on pupils’ progress. Leaders take a firm stance on pupils’ attendance.
• There are too few pupils in alternative provision to comment on their progress and attendance.

Outcomes for pupils

Requires improvement

• In the end-of-year tests at key stage 1, pupils are achieving in line with the national average. The potential of pupils is not developed in key stage 2. Pupils’ progress in the end-of-year tests at key stage 2 was below the national average in 2016 and then dipped further in 2017.
• The most able pupils are not making strong progress in English and mathematics because the activities set are limiting their achievement. They are not achieving a high standard in the end-of-year tests at key stages 1 and 2.
• Teachers had an overgenerous view of achievement. They accepted levels of progress and improvement that were not high enough as being evidence of good learning. The acting headteacher is aware of this and changing systems accordingly.
• The most able pupils show effective learning when starting the foundation subjects. Teachers are not building on this prior learning, so progress stalls.
• Too many pupils are not prepared sufficiently for learning in secondary schools in foundation subjects as a result.
• Pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities are working well, dependent on their starting points. Staff are aware of these pupils’ needs. Skilful teaching assistants provide support which ensures that progress is sustained.
• Disadvantaged pupils, including the most able, are achieving in line with other pupils nationally at key stages 1 and 2.
• Pupils read well in the school. The library is well-resourced and used for class reading as well as social times. Parents of pupils in key stage 1 come into school for the first 15 minutes of the day to sit and read with their children. This practice is popular. For those pupils whose parents cannot make this time, teachers and teaching assistants hear them read. Hence, all pupils in key stage 1 read every day. Pupils in key stage 2 are reading challenging fiction and non-fiction. This enhances their vocabulary as well as their general knowledge.

Early years provision Good

• The leader of early years is experienced and capable.
• Most children come into school with skills and knowledge below national expectations. Children in the early years make good progress. Children are well prepared for Year 1, as shown by their achievement in the early learning goals in 2017.
• Teaching in the Reception class is effective because it focuses on the individual needs of children.
• Current children are settling well in Reception class. The routines ensure that children respect the equipment used. Children are polite to each other and to staff. They are enthusiastic about the new experiences.
• Children’s keen involvement in the physical activities shows that they feel safe.
• Children’s personal and social development is strong because staff know the children well. Transition arrangements are thorough and involve visits to nurseries and the children’s homes. Parents are involved in the initial assessment of children’s abilities. This provides a stable start in identifying strengths and needs.
• Children learn to share and take turns.
• Children with speech, language and communication difficulties are supported well and make strong progress.
• The most able children are not making accelerated progress and exceeding in a good level of development.
• Staff have created a learning environment that engages children. However, the threads for literacy and numeracy are not used advantageously enough in the outdoor learning areas. Children are not able to flow freely from inside to the outside area and follow a themed activity.
• The leader ensures that children are safe and free from harm.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 109144 Bristol City 10033191 This inspection was carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. The inspection was also deemed a section 5 inspection under the same Act. Type of school Primary School category Age range of pupils Gender of pupils Voluntary controlled 4 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 202 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Headteacher Telephone number Website Email address Jill Yeomans Victoria Bowen 0117 3772391 www.st-barnabasprimary.co.uk stbarnabasp@bristol.gov.uk Date of previous inspection 29–30 January 2013

Information about this school

• The school does not meet requirements on the publication of information about assessment data for 2017 on its website.
• St Barnabas Church of England VC Primary School is smaller than the average primary school.
• The acting headteacher was appointed in September 2017.
• The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is below the national average but the proportion of pupils who have education, health and care plans is above.
• The proportion of pupils supported by the pupil premium funding is much higher than the national average.
• The school met the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of Year 6, in 2016.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors visited lessons jointly with senior leaders.
• A wide sample of pupils’ work, from all year groups and a range of subjects, was scrutinised.
• Inspectors talked with pupils from key stages 1 and 2, as well as with pupils informally across the site.
• Meetings were held with the headteacher, middle leaders and members of the governing body. The lead inspector met the senior school improvement officer for the local authority.
• Information and other documentary evidence were evaluated, including that relating to safeguarding, assessment, school evaluation and external reviews.
• The lead inspector took account of the 10 responses to and seven comments on the online Parent View survey and the 15 responses to the staff online survey.

Inspection team

Kathy Maddocks, lead inspector Jen Edwards James Hood

Her Majesty’s Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector