Barn Croft Primary School

Barn Croft Primary School Brunel Road, Walthamstow, London, E17 8SB

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Satisfactory 3 This inspection: Requires improvement 3 Achievement of pupils Requires improvement 3 Quality of teaching Requires improvement 3 Behaviour and safety of pupils Requires improvement 3 Leadership and management Requires improvement 3

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This is a school that requires improvement. It is not good because

 Teaching overall is too variable and is not yet good enough.  Not all leaders and teachers make enough use of information on pupils’ progress to ensure pupils are making the best possible progress.  Adults’ expectations of behaviour in some lessons and around the school are too low.  Behaviour management strategies are not applied consistently across the school.  Marking does not always inform pupils how to improve their work and they do not always have the opportunity to respond to the advice given.  Subject leaders are at an early stage of checking and evaluating the effectiveness of the work in their subjects.  The Early Years Foundation Stage requires improvement because of the inconsistency in leadership and management.

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The school has the following strengths

 Standards at the end of Key Stage 1 have risen this year in reading, writing and mathematics.  Pupils benefit from a range of clubs, trips and visits to reinforce their learning and understanding.  The school provides effective opportunities for children to experience spiritual, moral, social and cultural education across all subjects.  The governors are now providing more challenge and support to the school.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspectors visited 17 lessons of which 13 were joint observations with the headteacher or deputy headteacher.  Inspectors held meetings with the headteacher, subject leaders, governors, staff, groups of pupils, and a representative from the local authority. They also heard pupils read.  Inspectors took account of the 22 response to the on-line questionnaire (Parent View) and the 20 staff questionnaires in planning and carrying out the inspection.  Inspectors observed the school’s work. They also looked the school’s monitoring and self- evaluation plan, a range of policies and arrangements for safeguarding pupils.  Years 1 and 2 were on a trip on the first day of the inspection.

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Inspection team

Emma Merva , Lead inspector Additional Inspector Milan Stevanovic Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 This is an average-sized primary school.  Mobility is above average.  The school provides a breakfast club.  Other White, Pakistani and Black Caribbean are the largest groups of pupils in the school.  The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for the pupil premium (additional funding provided to schools to support children in local authority care, those from service families and those known to be eligible for free school meals) is above average.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs who are supported at school action is above average. The proportion who is supported at school action plus or in receipt of a statement of special educational needs is average.  The school meets the government’s floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Raise the quality of all teaching and learning to good or better so that all pupils make good or better progress by ensuring that:  marking and assessment consistently show the next steps towards pupils understanding what to do next and ensuring that pupils follow up the guidance provided by teachers.  Improve behaviour by:  setting high expectations for behaviour and attitudes to learning in all lessons  ensuring that pupils’ behaviour is consistently well managed when playing outside and moving around the school.  Develop the effectiveness of all leaders and managers by: - ensuring middle leaders have a clear understanding of how to monitor, evaluate and analyse information on pupils’ progress so that support can be swiftly given where it is needed.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Achievement requires improvement because too few pupils make rapid enough progress in English over time, especially at Key Stage 2.  Attainment in Year 2 and Year 6 in 2012 was below average, because systems for checking information on pupils’ progress are inconsistent.  Pupils in the current Year 2 are making better progress due to the consistently good teaching. School information and the work in their books show that they are making good progress because the exciting and stimulating activities help them in their learning.  Pupils join the Nursery and Reception class with skills and knowledge that are below those expected for their age. They make only steady progress because the teaching has not been good enough to ensure that they reach average standards by the end of Key Stage 1.  Disabled pupils, those who have special educational needs, those for whom English is their second language and those from Pakistani, Other White and Black Caribbean heritages are

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

making similar progress to their peers.  Pupils eligible for free school meals who are supported by the pupil premium funding were just over a term behind other pupils in English but more than three terms behind in mathematics in 2012. They have made faster progress this year because of the extra provision they have received, such as one-to-one support, and are starting to close the gap with their peers.  Pupils enjoy reading and can choose from a wide variety of books. However, reading standards in both Year 2 and Year 6 are below average, although internal school data suggests this is improving. This is because the recent emphasis on whole school reading and guiding reading has not had sufficient time to be securely embedded across the school.  Pupils are encouraged to read and younger pupils use their knowledge of letters and sounds to help break down any difficult words and become confident readers. However, their performance

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

in the Year 1 phonics check in 2012 was below national expectations. The recent phonics check in 2013 indicates improvement.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Although teaching is improving, particularly in English and mathematics, the quality is too variable, and there is not enough that is consistently good to ensure all pupils make good progress in all classes and subjects.  The quality of teachers’ marking is too variable, often work just being stamped or ticked. Marking does not always give pupils enough guidance or opportunities to improve their work.  When questioning, adults do not always chose different pupils to answer questions and sometimes accept answers that are short and do not deepen pupils’ understanding.  Additional adults are used well in classrooms to support disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs. For example, in a mixed year group phonics lesson, an additional adult supported pupils with special educational needs very well so they made as much progress as their peers, when they learned how to sound and write the letter ‘K’.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 In the Early Years Foundation Stage, adults provide a supportive environment by planning opportunities for both indoors and outdoors learning. There is a good balance of teacher- and children-led activities. However, teaching is inconsistent between the Nursery and Reception classes. In stronger lessons there is an effective balance of high expectations, regular checking on pupils’ understanding by the teacher and challenging work which allows pupils to make good progress. For example, in a Year 1 mathematics lesson on adding and dividing, the more able pupils progressed well and moved onto more challenging work as a result of well-planned varied tasks which enabled the most able to progress well.  Relationships between adults and pupils are warm and positive. Occasionally, teachers talk for too long and when this happens concentration wanes and opportunities for pupils to work on their own are limited.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils requires improvement

 Behaviour requires improvement because it is inconsistently managed across the school. Systems for managing behaviour are not sufficiently well developed to monitor it well, especially at playtimes.  Incidents at playtime are not logged consistently enough nor are they monitored sufficiently to give an overview of numbers and actions due to the different types of incidents of unacceptable behaviour.  Pupils are happy to be at school, they feel safe and know who to speak to if they have a problem.  Pupils say they are aware of, and understand, different types of bullying, including name calling, cyber and homophobic bullying. Of the limited times when bullying occurs it is promptly dealt with by adults.  Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage play well together and learn how to form positive relationships with adults and each other.  Parents speak positively about the school and say their children are safe at school.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils requires improvement

 Attendance in school is at the national average, and improving. The absence rates for those pupils who find it difficult to attend regularly are falling, due to strategies such as engaging external support.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 Leadership and management are not yet good because some leaders have been in post for less than a year and, at present, their checking and analysing of performance information are at an early stage of development.  The school has addressed the areas for improvement since the last inspection. For example, the number of pupils who miss school regularly has declined and there are now more opportunities for pupils to engage in speaking and listening activities in lessons. This, and the recent improvements in teaching, learning and governance, show the school has the capacity to make further improvements.  Procedures for managing staff performance are carried out in line with the national Teachers’ Standards. Staff are held to account for the results of their classes which are closely linked to any salary progression.  Leadership and management of the Early Years Foundation Stage require improvement.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

Management systems are not robust enough and do not enable consistency in teaching between the Nursery and Reception classes.  There are an effective range of clubs, activities and trips to reinforce learning. Social, moral, spiritual and social development is developed well across the school. For example, pupils worked well together developing their social skills whilst learning about Egypt during a whole class workshop.  The school has developed positive relationships between the school and parents.  The school promotes equality of opportunity well and deals well with any discrimination of any kind.  Safeguarding arrangements are effective. Staff and governors have received regular training, including safer recruitment and child protection.  The local authority maintains an accurate view of the school and provides regular support.  The governance of the school: – The governors provide an effective balance of challenge and support to the school. They set

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The leadership and management requires improvement

targets for the headteacher and also make sure that staff pay rises are linked to pupils’ progress. Governors have supported the school in making decisions about staff salaries in relation to performance. They know how the school is performing in relation to others nationally. Governors have an accurate understanding of the quality of teaching, the school finances and know how the pupil premium is used and the impact it is having on eligible pupils. They know the school’s strengths and weaknesses well. Statutory duties, including safeguarding, are fulfilled well. The governors have received up-to-date training, for example on safeguarding and financial management.

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding An outstanding school is highly effective in delivering outcomes that provide exceptionally well for all its pupils’ needs. This ensures that pupils are very well equipped for the next stage of their education, training or employment. Grade 2 Good A good school is effective in delivering outcomes that provide well for all its pupils’ needs. Pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education, training or employment. Grade 3 Requires improvement A school that requires improvement is not yet a good school, but it is not inadequate. This school will receive a full inspection within 24 months from the date of this inspection. Grade 4 Inadequate A school that has serious weaknesses is inadequate overall and requires significant improvement but leadership and management are judged to be Grade 3 or better. This school will receive regular monitoring by Ofsted inspectors. A school that requires special measures is one where the school is

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Grade Judgement Description

failing to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education and the school’s leaders, managers or governors have not demonstrated that they have the capacity to secure the necessary improvement in the school. This school will receive regular monitoring by Ofsted inspectors.

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School details

Unique reference number 131057 Local authority Waltham Forest Inspection number 400135

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School details

This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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School details

Type of school Primary School category Community Age range of pupils 4 – 11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 244 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Wayne Tennant Headteacher Frances Wilson Date of previous school inspection 29 – 30 March 2011 Telephone number 020 8521 1145 Fax number 020 8520 4306 Email address office@barncroft.waltham.sch.uk guidance ‘raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234 , or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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School details

You can use Parent View to give Ofsted your opinion on your child’s school. Ofsted will use the information parents and carers provide when deciding which schools to inspect and when and as part of the inspection.

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School details

You can also use Parent View to find out what other parents and carers think about schools in England. You can visit www.parentview.ofsted.gov.uk , or look for the link on the main Ofsted website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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School details

achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work- based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection. Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the Education Act 2005, the school must provide a copy of this report free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please

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School details

telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as you give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the information in any way. To receive regular email alerts about new publications, including survey reports and school inspection reports, please visit our website and go to ‘Subscribe’.

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School details

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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