Keyham Barton Catholic Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Continue to develop further the wider curriculum in key stage 1 so that pupils secure a deeper understanding of subject-specific skills and knowledge.
• Routinely provide sufficiently challenging work for the most able pupils in mathematics so that they achieve as well as possible.
• Ensure that attendance for pupils who are persistently absent continues to improve.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• Since the previous inspection, the school has been through a period of instability in the senior leadership team. However, since their appointments, the headteacher and deputy headteacher have galvanised the staff team and taken decisive action to bring about rapid change. Leaders are successfully driving improvements and raising aspirations for pupils.
• Leaders have an accurate understanding of the school’s strengths and areas that require further improvement. Their plans are sharply focused and reviewed regularly. There is a culture of ‘only the best is good enough for pupils of Keyham Barton’, and this vision is shared by all staff.
• Leaders have put in place a rigorous monitoring system for checking that planned actions to improve the school are having the desired impact. For example, actions to improve the quality of teaching, learning and assessment are scrutinised regularly by leaders and link directly to improvements in teaching. Leaders’ plans and records align with what inspectors found during the inspection.
• Leadership of teaching and learning is effective. Leaders work closely with a range of external partners to provide teachers with tailored packages of professional development and support where required. Staff report that since the appointment of the headteacher, their teaching skills have improved.
• Middle leadership is a strength of the school. Leaders are passionate about their areas of responsibility and are keen to keep on developing their expertise. They rigorously evaluate the impact of their actions and respond swiftly if improvements are not taking shape quickly enough. They work alongside colleagues well to strengthen teaching and, as a result, have improved outcomes for pupils.
• Leaders use the physical education (PE) and sport premium well. Pupils engage with a range of experiences within and beyond school. For example, there are increased opportunities for competitive sport across the Plymouth School Sport Partnership. Furthermore, coaches from Plymouth Albion Rugby Club work with teachers to develop their skills. Staff report favourably on their professional development in PE. Members of the rugby coaching staff also act as role models to reluctant readers. They provide extra reading support to promote the love of reading through sport. Pupils enjoy their reading sessions with the sports coaches.
• Leadership to support pupils with SEND is strong. Leaders use additional funding well to ensure that pupils receive the appropriate support they need to overcome any barriers to learning. The special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) is meticulous in ensuring that pupils continue to make progress and flourish, regardless of the challenges that they may face.
• Leaders successfully use additional pupil premium funding to support the learning and attendance of disadvantaged pupils. As a result, the attendance of disadvantaged pupils has improved and their current progress across nearly all year groups is strong. However, there remains a small proportion of disadvantaged pupils who remain persistently absent.
• Staff are enthusiastic and committed to improve the school further. Staff morale is high. Those who spoke with inspectors said that they feel valued by leaders and appreciate the opportunities they have to develop professionally.
• Parents and carers are overwhelmingly supportive of the leadership of the school. One parent’s comment, which was typical of many parents who met with inspectors, was that the headteacher is ‘brilliant’.
• Leaders promote pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development and their understanding of fundamental British values well. Lessons and collective worship focus regularly on areas such as respect. Assemblies are enhanced further by visitors educating pupils in the rule of law, for example members of the emergency services and the local Member of Parliament. Pupils value these experiences and told inspectors that it helps them think deeper about their actions.
• Leaders have created a curriculum to meet the needs of pupils at Keyham Barton. They have planned the curriculum to inspire pupils to use their skills and knowledge across different subjects. Leaders ensure that teachers build in opportunities for pupils to develop and hone their skills further and plan for progression, while motivating pupils to learn. However, evidence of work in pupils’ books in key stage 1 demonstrates that further work is needed to ensure that standards across all subjects are high.

Governance of the school

• Until recently, governors were held responsible for the school’s work. A recent restructure at trust level means that the trust now has full accountability for the performance of the school. Regardless of their delegated powers being withdrawn, governors at local level remain very committed to improving the school.
• Governors know the school well because they are regular visitors and monitor leaders’ planned actions closely. They use the information provided by senior leaders to ensure that they have a good strategic oversight of the strengths and weaknesses of the school. They work closely with the headteacher and senior leaders to achieve further improvement.
• Governors receive a range of training, from both within the trust and the local authority. This enables governors to develop their skills to take on specific areas of responsibility and provide support and challenge, for example in areas such as safeguarding.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. The single central record of checks on staff and visitors is up to date and compliant. Checks carried out on new members of staff and volunteers are thorough and well managed through a rigorous induction process.
• There is a good culture of safeguarding throughout the school. Adults in the school ensure that pupils are kept safe. Senior leaders are tenacious in monitoring vulnerable pupils and ensure that they receive the support that they need from other agencies. Leaders are not afraid to escalate matters further, to ensure pupils’ well-being, when agencies have not responded quickly enough.
• Pupils understand how they can keep themselves safe. They can explain what they should do if they receive an unkind message on their phone, as well as how to keep themselves safe while using the internet.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• The quality of teaching and learning is consistently good. Teachers use their good subject knowledge to plan activities which motivate and inspire pupils. Pupils enjoy learning and they make good progress across a range of subjects.
• Positive relationships exist between all adults and pupils. Teachers use questioning effectively to check pupils’ understanding and provoke deeper thinking about pupils’ learning. They are not prepared to accept any answers without a clear rationale articulated by pupils. As a result, teachers secure a depth of knowledge before moving on to the next learning point.
• Pupils in key stage 2 who spoke to inspectors were very knowledgeable about their learning in subjects other than English and mathematics. Teachers provide regular opportunities to support pupils in making links in their learning though educational visits. For example, pupils in Year 5 spoke positively about how they relived the life of a Victorian child and how it supported their understanding of the Victorian age.
• Teachers and teaching assistants provide effective support to enable pupils who have fallen behind to catch up. This includes pupils with SEND. As a result, the progress these pupils make is broadly in line with that of other pupils nationally.
• The teaching of phonics is consistent across the early years and key stage 1. Pupils receive regular and consistent opportunities to practise the sounds that words make and apply them in their writing.
• The teaching of reading in key stage 2 has been a focus for school improvement. Reading has improved because of leaders’ sustained focus in this area. Leaders have recently restructured the approach to reading, with an increased spotlight on reading stamina and teaching the specific skills needed to be able to develop comprehension. Although it is too early in its implementation to see any sustained impact, a scrutiny of a range of sources found current pupils to be making positive progress.
• Teaching assistants use resources and questions well to clarify misconceptions and to deepen pupils’ understanding. They challenge pupils to explain what they are learning, to build on and make connections with prior learning. As a result, pupils who are supported by teaching assistants make good progress.
• A consistent approach to teaching writing is in place across the curriculum. The school has adopted a new approach that focuses on further opportunities to develop pupils’ speech and language. This has led to improvements in pupils’ attainment and progress. In 2018, by the end of key stage 2, pupils’ writing attainment and progress were above the national average. During the inspection, pupils were proud to show their high-quality written work from across a range of subjects. Teachers’ expectations of pupils in key stage 2 are as high in other subjects as in writing.
• Standards in key stage 1 are not as well developed. This is because the wider curriculum is not as effective in providing pupils with opportunities to develop their skills further.
• Teachers plan mathematics lessons that are well structured. Pupils have frequent opportunities to practise their skills and apply their knowledge to solve problems. Teachers constantly ask pupils to explain what they have learned and how to deepen their understanding. However, leaders are also aware that the next step for the school is to increase the level of challenge for the most able pupils in mathematics. This is because, over time, pupils at the end of key stage 2 do not attain as well as other pupils nationally. Inspectors looked at a range of evidence and, in some lessons, the most able pupils do not receive the challenge they require to develop their knowledge further. Where this is the case, teachers do not use assessment information well enough and tasks are sometimes set at too low a level.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.
• Teachers provide regular opportunities for pupils to develop respect towards one another and raise their self-esteem through the school’s personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education. As a result, pupils say that they are confident and respect one another’s viewpoints. They recognise that people in society have different viewpoints and that diversity should be celebrated.
• Pupils are taught well about how to stay safe both inside and outside of school, including when using social media. They say that adults respond swiftly to any concerns that they may have. Pupils say that they feel safe and well cared for.
• Relationships between staff and pupils are warm and friendly. The school has a calm atmosphere that supports effective learning. If pupils do have any worries, there are safe places known to them where they can go and have support from an adult.
• Pupils have a good understanding about the choices that contribute to a healthy lifestyle. They have regular opportunities to develop their physical fitness through exercising during social time, including participating in their daily mile. Food provided by the school is of a healthy nature. However, leaders are working hard in educating the school community on what makes up a healthy packed lunch.
• The school offers a wide range of trips and extra-curricular opportunities. These are well attended and contribute well to pupils’ personal development.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good. They conduct themselves well, both in lessons and in social time.
• Leaders respond swiftly in dealing with instances of unacceptable behaviour. As a result, the number of fixed-term exclusions in the school has declined and is now below the national average. Leaders will only use exclusion as a very last resort.
• Pupils are keen to achieve the challenges that leaders have introduced to improve behaviour. Pupils talk with pride about their behaviour rewards and personal targets and are disappointed if they do not reach their milestones.
• Pupils value opportunities given to them to support the behaviour of other pupils at break and lunchtimes. Sport leaders are the first port of call for pupils who have a disagreement. If mediation has not been effective, pupils are confident to escalate their concerns to teaching staff. Pupils say that this gives them a meaningful leadership role in school.
• Historically, absence has been above rates seen nationally, including that of pupils who are persistently absent. However, since the introduction of tougher sanctions by leaders, attendance for all pupils is now in line with the national average. Although improved significantly, the proportion of pupils who are persistently absent remains above the national average and remains a priority for school leaders. This is because some parents do not see the link between pupils’ regular attendance and achievement.

Outcomes for pupils Good

• Leaders have placed a high priority on improving pupils’ reading skills in key stage 2. This is because, in this key stage, pupils’ progress and attainment have been below national averages. This focus is proving to be successful for current pupils and evidence collected during the inspection found that pupils are making strong progress.
• As a result of good phonics teaching, pupils acquire strong phonic knowledge. This enables pupils to get a good start in their early writing development. Pupils are eager to use what they have learned and apply it to their writing.
• Pupils’ writing across the school is strong, including for the most able pupils. Pupils’ attainment and progress are above national averages by the end of key stage 2. Pupils use regular opportunities to develop their writing for a range of purposes. This regular frequency has enabled pupils to focus on improving specific skills to enable them to write effectively.
• The majority of disadvantaged pupils make good progress from their starting points in reading, writing and mathematics. This is evident from work in pupils’ books and in the school’s current performance information. In 2018, the progress made by disadvantaged pupils in writing and mathematics was above the progress made by other pupils nationally. Although reading progress was not as positive, differences in performance are diminishing over time.
• Additional government funding is used well to provide focused support for pupils with SEND. As a result, these pupils make good progress throughout the school.
• Leaders have created a culture which promotes the development of pupils’ literacy and numeracy skills across the curriculum. The work in current pupils’ books demonstrates that pupils make strong progress in reading, writing and mathematics, from often low starting points. However, in some classes, the most able pupils often complete work which is not well matched to their abilities, particularly in mathematics.
• Current pupils in key stage 2 make strong progress in a wide range of subjects. For example, in history, pupils are able to talk with good knowledge and understanding of the life of Adolf Hitler before, during and after the war. However, work from across the curriculum for current pupils in key stage 1 does not promote the same breadth or standards.

Early years provision Good

• Leadership in the early years is good. Senior leaders brokered a range of external advice to support staff in ensuring that children get off to the best possible start. Staff responded well to the support and advice and brought about clear improvements. For example, the setting layout is now more purposeful to provide a range of learning experiences. Children have access to resources that promote problem solving, enquiry and encourage independence.
• Most children enter the early years with skills, knowledge and understanding below those typical for their age, most notably in communication. However, children get off to a flying start because leaders have a clear rationale to focus on developing children’s early reading and writing development. For example, teachers’ effective modelling of the sounds that letters and words make enable children to be able to use their phonic knowledge to commit to writing.
• The proportion of children who achieve a good level of development at the end of the Reception Year is broadly in line with that seen nationally for all children, including those who are disadvantaged. However, over time, there have been very few children who reach the higher standards.
• The early years is a ‘hive’ of activity, where children inquisitively engage with activities that have real purpose to meet their needs. This is because teachers know the children well. They use the well-resourced setting to plan effective learning opportunities, which they match closely to children’s interests.
• Teachers work closely with parents to ensure that they are aware of the progress of their child. They contribute to records of their child’s progress through capturing ‘wow’ moments, and this supports teachers in planning next steps.
• Children behave well in the early years. This is because teachers set high expectations of children. As a result, children are able to develop well both socially and emotionally.
• Parents speak highly of the early years. One parent, reflecting the views of many others, noted, ‘My children look forward to coming to school every day.’ Parents value the opportunities provided for them to learn with their children and how to support their children at home. The number of parents attending the open learning sessions and workshops is increasing. Leaders work hard to ensure that these are of benefit to parents when supporting their children outside of school.
• Such academic achievement, together with well-developed social skills, ensures that when children leave the Reception class, they are well prepared for Year 1.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 140730 Plymouth 10058313 This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. Type of school Primary School category Age range of pupils Gender of pupils Academy converter 4 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 185 Appropriate authority Board of trustees Chair Headteacher Telephone number Website Email address Alaine Cocker Shelley England 01752 567684 www.keyhambarton.plymouth.sch.uk admin@keyhambarton.plymouth.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 12–13 October 2016

Information about this school

• The school is part of Plymouth Catholic Anglican School Trust (CAST). This trust has 36 academies (33 primary schools, two secondary schools and one nursery school). Governance is provided by the board of trustees. More recently, delegated powers to the local governing body have been removed and the local governing body is overseen by a senior officer of the trust. The trust board takes full responsibility for challenging and supporting leaders to ensure positive outcomes for pupils. The trust is led and managed by a chief executive officer.
• The majority of pupils are of White British background.
• The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is below the national average.
• The proportion of pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals is above that found nationally.
• The proportion of pupils with SEND or who are supported by an education, health and care plan is above average.
• The headteacher was appointed in January 2016.
• The school is designated as having a religious character and received a section 48 inspection in October 2015.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors observed learning in lessons across the school. Some observations were undertaken jointly with senior leaders. Inspectors also observed pupils’ behaviour around the school and at break and lunchtime. An inspector also visited the breakfast and after-school club provision.
• Meetings were held with the headteacher and senior leaders, including the mathematics and English leader, the person responsible for safeguarding, a senior officer from the trust and the leader with responsibility for pupils with SEND.
• The lead inspector had a telephone conversation with the chief executive officer of the trust and also held a meeting with four governors, including the chair of the governing body.
• Inspectors spoke with pupils informally during their break and lunchtimes and in class. They also held a more formal discussion and listened to groups of pupils read.
• Inspectors examined a range of documentation provided by the school, including minutes of meetings of the governing body, the school’s self-evaluation document, the school’s improvement plan and documentation relating to the safeguarding of pupils.
• Inspectors examined a sample of pupils’ books from across the school jointly with the headteacher and senior leaders.
• Inspectors spoke with parents as they brought their children to school in the morning and at the end of the school day. They also considered 17 responses to the Ofsted online survey, Parent View, 32 responses to the pupil survey and the 15 responses to the staff survey.

Inspection team

Matt Middlemore, lead inspector Martin Bragg

Her Majesty’s Inspector Ofsted Inspector