Saint Barnabas Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Ensure that leaders at all levels, including governors, are highly effective by:
  • consistently promoting the British values and pupils‟ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development
  • working with parents to improve communication between home and school
  • sharpening up the systems for recording incidents of inappropriate pupils‟ behaviour and the concerns of parents, so that all staff take responsibility and concerns are dealt with promptly
  • sharing responsibility to monitor the progress of pupils to ensure that all leaders are focusing on tackling any historical underachievement.
• Improve the quality of teaching, learning and assessment so that pupils, including those with SEND, make stronger progress by ensuring that:
  • recently implemented changes are embedded further, particularly in mathematics, across key stage 2
  • teachers, particularly those in key stage 2, consistently challenge the most able pupils
  • teachers‟ expectations of pupils‟ behaviour for learning in the classroom are consistently high across all classes
  • all teachers consistently equip pupils with strategies which enable them to develop increased independence to learn in lessons.
• Improve pupils‟ behaviour by:
  • ensuring that pupils concentrate fully on their learning
  • reducing the incidents of bullying and poor behaviour by working in partnership with pupils, staff and parents
  • improving attendance, particularly of pupils who are disadvantaged, to ensure that fewer pupils are persistently absent.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

• Following the last section 5 inspection, the quality of teaching, learning and assessment declined. However, in response to the next steps identified at the section 8 inspection in May 2018, the headteacher has secured improvements to the quality of subject leadership and teaching, learning and assessment. As a result, all leaders share a clear vision and have set the school in the right direction. Although this has already started to make a difference to the progress made by pupils, leaders are aware that some of these approaches are not embedded and pupils‟ progress is not consistently good.
• Historically, some pupils have not made sufficient progress from their previous starting points in some subjects, particularly mathematics. They are not catching up with their peers quickly enough. Although subject leaders can measure short-term progress of pupils, they are less confident in monitoring pupils‟ progress over key stages to identify where progress is urgently required.
• The headteacher has embraced the partnership support from headteacher colleagues, which was brokered by the local authority. This has been successful in bringing about improvements, particularly in the recent changes to teaching, learning and assessment of mathematics. Teachers and pupils accurately assess their work, as a starting point, and then teachers focus the planning accordingly. Evidence in pupils‟ books shows that pupils are currently making increased progress because of this sharp focus on planning. However, it is too soon to see the full impact of these changes on pupils‟ outcomes.
• Leaders have ensured that professional development of staff has been paramount, to equip the staff with the knowledge and skills they need to implement the new approaches to teaching, learning and assessment. Staff have benefited from the guidance from the local authority and the sharing of good practice with schools which have provided support. As a result, the quality of teaching has improved. This is leading to pupils making stronger progress across the curriculum.
• The additional funding for physical education (PE) and sport has been used effectively. It has been used to purchase high-quality equipment. It has also led to increased pupil participation in a wider range of physical and sporting activities, including the „daily mile‟, dance, gymnastics and football. Sports coaches have worked with teachers to improve their skills. Pupils‟ participation in sports festivals and competitions with other schools is helping them to develop their sporting skills for a purpose.
• Leaders have worked hard to develop their curriculum subject areas to enrich the curriculum for pupils. For example, the detailed syllabus for computing ensures that pupils have been taught the necessary information and communication technology skills they need to use in a range of other curriculum subjects. Pupils talk enthusiastically about learning the ukulele or learning drama techniques to perform in a theatre production of „Macbeth‟ with other local schools. Many visitors and educational visits, including residential trips, widen pupils‟ experiences and enable pupils to find out about the world around them.
• Leaders ensure equal opportunities for all pupils and tackle any discrimination promptly. The curriculum for Christian religious education is prevalent in all areas of school. Pupils say that staff frequently remind them of the importance of the school‟s Christian values. However, promotion of pupils‟ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development and fundamental British values is not as effective. As a result, pupils lack secure knowledge of world faiths and democracy. Some pupils are unable to manage their feelings and behaviour well.
• While many parents hold positive views about the school, a large proportion of parents expressed concerns about how well staff listen to their concerns and deal with issues. The school‟s management of bullying and effective communication were other areas of concern for some parents. Leaders are aware that there is more work to be done to ensure that all staff consistently follow the systems for recording any behaviour incidents and communicating with parents.

Governance of the school

• Governors are knowledgeable and committed to developing their own effectiveness. They bring a wide range of skills and experience to their roles and carry out regular skills audits. Governors use the findings of these to appoint new governors who possess the relevant skills required. Governors have a good understanding of the strengths and weaknesses in the school and share the determination of the headteacher to improve outcomes for pupils.
• Governing body minutes show that governors ask challenging questions to check on the impact of leaders‟ actions, particularly regarding outcomes for pupils. However, governors recognise that they do not hold leaders to account regarding attendance information for groups of pupils in the same way.
• Governors hold school leaders to account for the progress of disadvantaged pupils. They ask relevant questions, contribute effectively to the implementation of the pupil premium strategy and check regularly on the progress that disadvantaged pupils make. However, governors recognise that they need to check that this group of pupils attends school more regularly.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• All statutory risk assessments, policies and procedures are in place. All staff and governors have attended up-to-date safeguarding training and are aware of the signs that pupils may be at risk of harm. All record-keeping regarding these cases is detailed and robust. Staff and governors have also completed training to identify pupils at risk from, for example, radicalisation.
• Pupils say that they feel safe and they are taught how to keep themselves safe. For example, they learn how to ride a bike and cross the road safely. Pupils know the importance of staying safe when using the internet because they receive guidance to support them with this. Pupils say that if they are concerned, they can talk to adults, who will listen and take action to help them.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

• The quality of teaching, learning and assessment is improving steadily, but there is still variability in teaching across the school. Teachers have worked hard to implement the new approaches since the last inspection in May 2018. As a result, improvements can be seen in the way pupils present their work and the quality of their handwriting.
• Teachers generally have high expectations of what they want pupils to learn. The work that is set, particularly in mathematics, is now better matched to the pupils‟ abilities. However, the expectations set for pupils‟ behaviour for learning are not as high. As a result, in some lessons, there are times when pupils do not concentrate fully on their learning.
• Teachers and teaching assistants have built strong relationships with pupils, resulting in pupils being confident and enjoying school. Pupils trust adults to help them if they struggle with their work. Teachers organise their classrooms to aid pupils‟ learning, for example, through providing resources and information in wall displays which support pupils. Teachers have raised their expectations of pupils‟ presentation and handwriting. These are of a high standard in pupils‟ books. The school‟s policy on presentation and handwriting is consistently applied, and pupils generally take pride in their work.
• Learning, particularly in mathematics in key stage 2, is not consistently effective because teachers do not always provide sufficient challenge for the most able pupils. Sometimes, most-able pupils complete their work quickly, then wait for the others to catch up or for adults to provide more work. Similarly, some lower-attaining pupils struggle with the work set and wait for adults to help. Pupils often spend a long time using simple strategies to calculate and are not familiar with the mathematical techniques to support more challenging mathematics.
• Work in pupils‟ books indicates that since the introduction of new approaches to assessing mathematics, pupils‟ progress has improved. However, too few of the most able pupils are on track to reach the higher standards that are expected of them by the end of key stage 2.
• Teachers and teaching assistants provide specific support for pupils with SEND or pupils who are disadvantaged. This means that individual pupils or small groups can access learning with their peers within the classroom. This is leading to strong progress for disadvantaged pupils. Progress of pupils with SEND is not as strong.
• The teaching and assessment of phonics across Reception and key stage 1 are effective. Teachers ensure that pupils have the skills to read words accurately. This is building pupils‟ confidence to become more fluent readers. Adults provide the correct balance of support and challenge to pupils in phonics lessons. Consequently, pupils successfully apply the phonics skills they are acquiring in their reading and writing.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement

Personal development and welfare

Behaviour

Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

• Leaders‟ decisive actions to improve the quality of teaching and learning have resulted in an improving trend in attainment and progress by the end of key stage 2 over three years.
• In 2018, the proportion of Year 6 pupils reaching the expected standards in reading, mathematics and English grammar, punctuation and spelling improved compared to 2017. However, attainment was still below the national average for mathematics. In mathematics and English grammar, punctuation and spelling, very few pupils reached the higher standards of learning. Pupils‟ progress across key stage 2 has been average in reading, writing and mathematics, but lowest in mathematics. Work in current pupils‟ books shows that pupils‟ progress is variable across year groups and different subjects.
• In 2018, the proportion of key stage 1 pupils reaching the expected standard was above the national average in mathematics, but below for reading and writing. The proportion of pupils reaching the higher standards of learning was above the national average for all three subjects.
• Disadvantaged pupils make progress that is similar to, and sometimes better than, other pupils. This is because leaders use the pupil premium funding effectively to provide targeted and appropriate support to meet pupils‟ needs. The progress of disadvantaged pupils across key stage 2 has improved in reading and writing over three years. Pupils‟ progress in mathematics for the same period has not been as strong but remains average. Some disadvantaged pupils are absent from school too often, and this prevents them from making better progress.
• Attainment and progress for pupils with SEND are stronger in reading and writing than in mathematics. Pupils‟ progress is evident over short-term periods. However, the targets set do not consider pupils‟ previous underachievement since the last key stage. This means that pupils‟ progress is not good enough to help them reach the standards expected of them.
• In 2018, the proportion of pupils reaching the expected standard in the Year 1 phonics screening check declined. However, pupils made strong progress from their starting points. Current pupils in Year 1 are acquiring a secure knowledge of phonics, with two thirds of pupils already working at the required standard. Almost all pupils in Year 2 reach the standard expected of them before entering key stage 2.

Early years provision Good

• Children in Reception get off to a good start. Staff are skilled at assessing what the children can do well and where they need to improve. Staff use this information carefully to adapt the learning activities to meet children‟s needs.
• Staff have created a vibrant and purposeful learning environment where children can develop their curiosity, social skills and independence, which leads to strong progress for children. For example, during the inspection, an inspector observed children self-selecting a range of resources to set up their own activities. Children demonstrated strong independent skills when organising the activity, taking turns, sharing resources and then tidying up.
• Most children enter Reception with skills below those typical for their age, particularly in social and emotional skills, reading, writing and number. Children, including those who are disadvantaged, make good progress in all areas of learning. By the end of Reception, the proportion of children attaining, and exceeding, a good level of development is at least in line with national averages.
• The quality of teaching across the early years is good. Staff have forged strong relationships with children, and the children demonstrate pride and excitement in their environment. Strong teaching and incisive questioning by adults in the rich learning environment is enabling children to develop secure speaking, reading, writing and mathematical skills.
• Children make a smooth transition from Reception to key stage 1. Staff from Reception and Year 1 work together effectively to ensure that the Year 1 curriculum is adapted to meet the children‟s needs. This is particularly successful for pupils who enter Year 1 without attaining a good level of development.
• Leaders ensure that all safeguarding and early years welfare requirements are met. Parents of children in Reception say that their children are safe. Children participate confidently in play, where they are confident to take risks. In these activities they develop a range of skills, but also manage risks to keep themselves safe. For example, during the inspection, children were observed building a wooden bridge with crates, wooden planks and ladders. After they had carefully created their structure, they tentatively tested that it would hold their weight before they walked across it.
• Parents of children in the early years are overwhelmingly positive about their children‟s experiences. They speak highly of communication between home and school, approachability of the staff and effective support for children when they join Reception. They also appreciate the many opportunities for parental involvement. One parent commented, „I am impressed by the “stay and learn” and “maths café” sessions. I can work in partnership with the school to help my child‟s development and ensure I am taking a similar approach.‟

School details

Unique reference number 121473 Local authority York Inspection number 10055212 This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. Type of school Primary School category Voluntary controlled Age range of pupils 5 to 11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 165 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Ann Rawlinson Headteacher Karen Boardman Telephone number 01904 653323 Website stbarnabasprimary.co.uk Email address stbarnabas@york.gov.uk Date of previous inspection

Information about this school

• This school is smaller than the average-sized primary school.
• Most pupils are White British.
• The proportion of disadvantaged pupils eligible for the pupil premium is average.
• The proportion of pupils with SEND is above average.
• The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is below average.
• The school offers a breakfast club and a range of other sessions before school. The school also offers a range of clubs and activities after school.
• The school is designated as having a religious character and received a section 48 inspection in March 2017.
• The local authority brokered support for the school in the form of partnership working from two headteacher colleagues.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors observed teaching and learning in all classes. In many of these sessions, the headteacher accompanied them. The quality of pupils‟ work in a wide range of subjects and in all classes across the school was scrutinised.
• Inspectors observed behaviour in lessons, at breaktimes, in and around the school and in the dining hall.
• The lead inspector spoke to members of the governing body, the school improvement partner from the local authority and the assistant director from the Church of England Diocese of York.
• Inspectors considered the 88 responses to Ofsted‟s online survey, Parent View, and 57 parents‟ free-text responses. Inspectors also considered 15 responses to the staff questionnaires. There were no responses to the pupil survey. Inspectors met with parents at the start of the school day on both inspection days.
• Inspectors listened to pupils read in key stages 1 and 2 and observed the teaching of phonics in Reception and Years 1 and 2.
• Inspectors met with groups of pupils to listen to their views about the school. The views of the other pupils were gathered during lessons and at lunchtime.
• A range of documentation was examined, including a summary of the school‟s self-evaluation, the school development plan, safeguarding information, behaviour logs, attendance documentation, pupil premium documents, sports premium documents, the school‟s assessment information and governing body meeting minutes.

Inspection team

Alison Aitchison, lead inspector Her Majesty‟s Inspector Rebecca Clayton Ofsted Inspector