St Bartholomew's Church of England Primary School (Aided)

St Bartholomew’s Church of England Primary School Aided Front Street, Longbenton, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, NE12 8AE

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Satisfactory 3 This inspection: Good 2 Achievement of pupils Good 2 Quality of teaching Good 2 Behaviour and safety of pupils Good 2 Leadership and management Good 2

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.  Pupils do well here. They do much better now than at the time of the previous inspection.  The majority of pupils make good progress in all subjects. Progress in reading is particuarly good as a result of an intensive effort to improve results.  Teaching and learning across the school is mostly good and some is outstanding.  Those pupils who are not progressing as well as they might, are identified early and given the help they need so that they catch up quickly.  The overall effectiveness of the Early Years Foundation Stage is good.  Pupils enjoy school and behave well. They are polite and courteous and engage well in their learning.  The new headteacher is a very effective leader and is forming a strong leadership team, many of whom are relatively new in post.  Robust action has been taken to improve teaching and this is making a significant difference to how well the pupils do.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Staff are very pleased with all aspects of the school and are determined that the school should improve further.  The governing body supports the school well and offers an increasing degree of challenge.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 In a few lessons, teachers do not get pupils to work independently soon enough nor provide them with the skills and opportunities to be able to reflect on how well they are learning.  The roles of some leaders in charge of the learning of different groups of pupils and of subjects are not sufficiently well developed.  When leaders observe lessons to judge the quality of teaching, occasionally they do not focus sufficiently on how well pupils are learning and progressing.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspectors observed 16 lessons, taught by 11 teachers. One observation was conducted jointly with the headteacher.  The inspectors observed the school’s work and looked at a range of documents, including those relating to safeguarding and child protection, development planning and the monitoring of the quality of teaching. They also looked at information about teachers’ professional development.  Discussions were held with the headteacher, other leaders in the school, members of the governing body and with a representative from the local authority.  The inspectors spoke to many pupils in lessons, at breaks and lunchtimes. They spoke formally to two groups of pupils on the first day of the inspection.  The inspectors listened to pupils read individually as well as observing them read in class.  The 47 responses to the on-line questionnaire (Parent View) and the 12 responses to the staff questionnaire were analysed.

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Inspection team

Alison Thomson, Lead inspector Additional Inspector David Wilson Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 St Bartholomew’s is slightly smaller than the average-sized primary school.  Most pupils are White British and speak English as their first language  A very small minority of pupils are from ethnic minority backgrounds and do not speak English as their first language.  The proportion of pupils who are supported at school action is well below average. The proportion supported by school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is average.  The proportion of pupils eligible for the pupil premium is below average. The pupil premium is additional funding for pupils known to be eligible for free school meals, pupils in local authority care and those whose parents are in the armed forces. The school has pupils eligible for free school meals and those whose parents are in the armed forces, but by far the largest group is those eligible for free school meals.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations

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Information about this school

for pupils’ attainment and progress in English and mathematics.  Since the previous inspection, there have been considerable changes in staffing, including the headteacher, and changes in the structure of the leadership team.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Raise achievement even higher by increasing the proportion of teaching that is outstanding and eradicating the little remaining that requires improvement by:  getting pupils to work independently as soon as possible in their lessons  ensuring teachers provide pupils with the skills and opportunities to be able to reflect on how well they are learning.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve aspects of leadership and management, building on improvements to teaching and achievement by:  leaders always having a clear focus on the learning and progress pupils make when observing lessons  ensuring all leaders in charge of subjects and the learning of different groups of pupils have the necessary skills to rigorously check and evaluate the progress of pupils in their areas.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Children enter the Nursery class with skills that are similar to those expected for their age and leave Year 6 with standards that are above average in reading, writing and mathematics.  Pupils’ achievement has risen considerably over the past two years since the previous inspection. In 2012-13, many more pupils reached the expected Level 4, Level 5 and even Level 6 by the end of Year 6 than before. This reflects the increase in challenge given, especially to the most able pupils, so that the progress they make has improved strongly.  The progress of pupils in each year group is good and has improved significantly in reading, writing and mathematics, helped by the school’s rigorous tracking. Girls in mathematics in Key Stage 1 now make good progress. This was a previous area of relative underachievement.  Addressing any underachievement early has ensured that pupils who are eligible for free school

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The achievement of pupils is good

meals and supported by pupil premium funding make good progress. The gap in standards reached by these pupils in reading, writing and mathematics compared to their peers closed completely in 2012-13.  Progress in reading is particularly good. This is as a result of a greater focus on reading throughout the school and of good one-to-one and small group support for those who are behind the expected level. Listening to pupils read during the inspection confirmed that standards in reading in Key Stage 1 are generally above average.  Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs generally make good progress. This is because of the good support they receive from teaching assistants, which helps them to understand their work well.  The few pupils who come from ethnic minority groups, some of whom do not speak English as their first language, make good progress from their starting points. The school places great

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The achievement of pupils is good

importance on checking how well these pupils as progressing and, as with other groups, addresses any underachievement early.  The school has not yet received its primary schools’ sports funding. However, there are plans in place to use the money to purchase additional sports equipment and also to work with the local secondary school to further the teachers’ skills in coaching sports.  Basic skills of literacy, numeracy and information and communication technology (ICT) are integrated well into many subjects. Inspectors saw many instances of this during the inspection. For example, Year 5 pupils were enjoying learning new ICT skills by editing a news article on screen about Henry VIII setting up a new Church.  Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage get a very good start to their schooling. There are now more opportunities for writing. This means that progress here is now good, in line with other areas.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The vast majority of parents who responded to the on-line questionnaire felt that progress is good. The inspectors agreed with this view.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The quality of teaching has improved greatly, through well-focused staff development. It is rarely less than good and it is sometimes outstanding.  Teachers are enthusiastic and adapt the work well for the needs of all the pupils in their classes. They question pupils skilfully to make them think and this has helped the most able pupils in particular to achieve even more highly.  In the best lessons a brisk pace of work is maintained. Pupils are engaged in tasks early on in the lesson that enable them to learn independently. In addition, they are given the opportunity to check for themselves how well they are learning. This was illustrated especially well in a Year 6 mathematics lesson, on the properties of mathematical shapes where all groups of pupils made outstanding progress.  However, in a few lessons pupils of all different abilities sit for too long listening to the teacher give the same information and instructions to the whole class. As a result, the learning and

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The quality of teaching is good

progress of some pupils slows.  Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is promoted well in many lessons. For example, the wonder of the life cycle of butterflies was experienced in the Reception class, and poppies representing the suffering in the First World War were thought provoking in a Year 3 art lesson.  Teachers mark the pupils’ work thoroughly. Marking includes many comments to help pupils know how to improve their work. There are many instances of pupils responding to these comments, although this is not entirely widespread, especially with the least able pupils.  The responses to Parent View showed that most parents agree that their children are well taught.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils behave well, are very polite and courteous and enjoy school very much. This was evident throughout the inspection. Around school, at break times and during lunchtimes pupils are considerate of others.  Parents and staff are very positive about behaviour. Key Stage 2 pupils are a little more critical of the behaviour of a few of their peers. They do say, however, that the behaviour overall has been good for some time.  Good behaviour was seen in almost every lesson during the inspection and this contributes well to pupils’ learning. Most pupils rise to the challenge of marking their own work and that of their peers when they are given the opportunity to do so.  Pupils are confident to talk about their experiences and enjoyed sharing their views with the inspectors. They appreciate the rewards for good work and behaviour and say that this helps most people to behave well.  Pupils told the inspectors that their school is very safe. Every parent who expressed a view on

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

Parent View said that the school keeps their children safe.  Pupils demonstrate a good knowledge of how to stay safe, including e-safety when using the internet. They understand the different forms of bullying and say that bullying is very rare. If someone is not being nice to someone else, they said that the school deals with it right away.  Pupils are very punctual to school and their attendance has been consistently above average for a number of years.  One young pupil described her school as, ‘cool, because playtime is fun and sometimes lessons are fun too!’

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The leadership and management are good

 Although not long in post, the headteacher has been instrumental in guiding the leadership team to secure substantial improvements, particularly in pupils’ achievement.  There has been a considerable turnover in staffing and responsibilities within the school. Many leaders in charge of the progress of different groups of pupils and of different subjects are relatively new in post. There has not yet been time for their roles to be developed fully, particularly in checking and evaluating the progress that pupils make.  The leadership and management of teaching and learning have improved the quality of teaching and thus the progress that pupils make. There is good performance management of individual staff and this has ensured that each teacher has been clear about areas for development in their teaching. However, some leaders do not always have a close enough focus on pupils’ learning and progress when observing lessons, thus improvements in teaching have not occurred as

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The leadership and management are good

quickly as they might do.  The school knows well its areas for development. Tracking of pupils’ progress is increasingly rigorous, underachievement is identified early and appropriate strategies put in place to address this. Leaders of literacy and mathematics have been particularly adept in addressing relative underachievement, such as that of the most able pupils in Key Stage 2 and of girls in mathematics in Key Stage 1.  Gaps between groups of pupils’ performance are virtually non-existent, reflecting the inclusiveness of the school and the excellent commitment to ensuring every pupil has equality of opportunity.  The curriculum is skilfully adapted to the interests of the pupils and there are many occasions where it is extended beyond the classroom. There is a wealth of clubs, visits and visitors. Pupils talked eagerly to the inspectors about their residential trips and how much they gained in

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The leadership and management are good

confidence from them. There are very strong links with the church and a wide variety of activities to promote pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. For example, through musical opportunities and visits to Beamish to experience how hard life was in Victorian times.  Staff questionnaires completed during the inspection revealed that all members of staff are happy about all aspects of the school.  All statutory requirements relating to safeguarding are met.  The local authority has provided appropriate support for the school which has helped it to improve.  The governance of the school  The governing body works closely with the school. It has played a key role in the allocation of the budget, including pupil premium funding and this is improving the progress of those pupils who are eligible. Governors have a realistic view of the quality of teaching and ensure that the teachers’ pay is linked closely to their performance. The governing body undergoes training,

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The leadership and management are good

including training to understand data about pupils’ progress and how well the school is doing when compared with other schools. This is helping governors to offer the school an increased level of challenge.

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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 108615 Local authority North Tyneside Inspection number 425786

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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 Voluntary aided Age range of pupils 3–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 193 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Martin Lee Headteacher Richard Restall Date of previous school inspection 4 October 2011 Telephone number 0191 2007466 Fax number 0191 2007467 Email address stbartholomews.primary@northtyneside.gov.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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