Warrington St Barnabas CofE Primary School

Warrington St Barnabas CofE Primary School Collin Street, Warrington, Cheshire, WA5 1TG

p.1

Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Good 2 This inspection: Good 2 Leadership and management Good 2 Behaviour and safety of pupils Good 2 Quality of teaching Good 2 Achievement of pupils Good 2 Early years provision Good 2

p.1

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Achievement is good. When children start at the school they have skills and abilities that are below what is typical for their age but they make good progress throughout school due to the good quality of teaching that they receive.  For the last three years, attainment has risen at the end of Year 6 and in 2014, pupils’ attainment overall was higher than the national average. This picture of improving standards can also be seen in Key Stage 1 with standards in 2014 improving to match the national average.  Disadvantaged children, those with special educational needs and those for whom English is not their first language, all make good progress during their time at school. This is because of the excellent support they get with their work.  The leadership of the headteacher and other leaders in school is good. Leaders have an accurate view of the school’s performance and are determined to make the school even more

p.1

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

successful.  Governors play a key role in school life. They are very well informed about the school’s performance and provide excellent support and challenge to leaders.  The school has a strong Christian ethos and is very effective in promoting pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.  Pupils’ behaviour is good. Children are polite, courteous and proud of their school.  The school is a happy place. Children feel safe and there are extremely good relationships between staff and children which promotes their overall well- being, as well as their academic achievement.  The curriculum is interesting and varied and is enhanced by a range of extra-curricular activities. Provision for opportunities to play sport is a strength of the school.

p.1

It is not yet an outstanding school because

 The quality of teaching does not yet result in outstanding achievement for all pupils. Sometimes work is not hard enough to fully challenge the most able pupils.  Progress in mathematics across the school is not as rapid as it is in reading and writing.  Pupils do not have enough opportunities to practise and develop their skills in mathematics in other subjects.  Marking of pupils’ work does not always make it clear to pupils how to improve their work. Pupils are also not given enough opportunity to act upon any advice given.

p.1

Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed lessons or part lessons across the school.  Meetings were held with school leaders and with five governors, including the Chair of the Governing Body. Inspectors also met a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors met two groups of pupils and also spoke informally to other pupils in lessons and during breaks and lunchtimes.  Inspectors looked at the work pupils were doing in lessons and recorded in their books over time. They listened to pupils read and talked to them about their enjoyment of reading.  Inspectors observed the work of the school and examined a number of documents concerning pupils’ current achievement and progress, development plans and information about teachers’ performance. They also looked at records relating to behaviour, attendance and safeguarding arrangements. Minutes of governing body meetings were also scrutinised.  Inspectors took account of 42 responses to the on-line questionnaire (Parent View) and also spoke to

p.2

Information about this inspection

parents informally. They also considered 15 responses to the staff questionnaire.

p.2

Inspection team

Mark Williams, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

p.2

Information about this school

 Warrington St Barnabas Primary School is an average sized primary school.  The large majority of pupils are White British. The proportion of children from minority ethnic groups is just below average.  The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is just below the national average.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs is above the national average.  The proportion of disadvantaged pupils known to be eligible for free school meals or in the care of the local authority is above average. Additional government funding known as the pupil premium supports these pupils.  A high proportion of children do not join the school’s Reception class after their time in the Nursery when about one-third of the children leave to go to a nearby Catholic school.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which are the minimum expectations for

p.3

Information about this school

pupils’ attainment and progress in English and mathematics by the end of Year 6.  The early years comprises of a part-time Nursery provision and a Reception class. The Nursery class also offers eight places for two-year old children.  The school is part of the Warrington Teaching School Alliance and part of the SOPE Partnership, a group of local schools delivering the School Direct teacher training programme.  The headteacher provides support to other schools as a local leader of education (LLE).

p.3

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching in mathematics in order to raise achievement, in particular for the most able pupils by:  ensuring that there is enough challenge for pupils at all times in the learning tasks in lessons  giving pupils more opportunity to use and develop their skills in mathematics in different areas of the curriculum.

p.3

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of marking in all subjects so that pupils always know what to do to improve their work and provide time for pupils to make corrections and act on the advice given.

p.3

The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher provides strong leadership and she is supported well by the senior leadership team, middle leaders and a highly effective governing body. Their strong leadership together has ensured that teaching is consistently good, as is pupils’ behaviour. Staff feel proud to be a part of the school and morale is high.  Middle leaders have worked effectively in school and play a key role in devising action plans for their subject and then monitoring the impact of their strategies. The school has developed leadership teams for different areas of learning. All staff are allocated to a team and are able to contribute to planning improvements in school.  The school’s curriculum is broad, balanced and enhanced by a wide range of after-school clubs, trips, residential visits and visitors to school. School provision for sporting activities is particularly strong and as well as the traditional sports, such as football, netball and cricket, pupils can participate in many other

p.4

The leadership and management are good

sports including fencing, judo and lacrosse. At the time of the inspection, the school had just finished a lot of work to commemorate Armistice Day and a special football match had been organised with a neighbouring school to remember the Christmas Day match that was played by opposing soldiers in no- man’s land during the First World War.  Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is promoted well through the curriculum and the programme of assemblies. Pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain. The school has a strong Christian ethos and understanding and tolerance of other faiths is promoted well. Recently, pupils have played an important part in rewriting the school’s mission statement: ‘Preparing for a positive future: achieved through faith.’  Pupil premium funding has been used extremely well by the school to promote the achievement of disadvantaged pupils. The school has used this funding to provide appropriate support and intervention

p.4

The leadership and management are good

and this has had a beneficial impact on the achievement of disadvantaged pupils throughout the school.  The primary physical education and sport premium is being used effectively by the school. Funding has been used to provide training for teachers from specialist sports coaches. It has also been used to provide a range of after-school sporting clubs and to enable pupils to compete in sports against other schools. This is helping pupils to lead a healthy life. For example, last year, a large majority of pupils attended a sports club that they had never tried before.  The local authority is confident that the school is well-led and performing well. As a result, its support has only needed to be light-touch.  The school’s commitment to providing an equal opportunity for all pupils is shown in the way that school leaders closely monitor the progress of individual pupils and address any underachievement quickly by

p.4

The leadership and management are good

providing extra help. The school’s provision for children with special educational needs and those for whom English is not their first language is particularly strong. As a result, these children make good progress.  The school’s arrangements for safeguarding pupils are effective and meet statutory requirements.  The governance of the school:  Governors are very effective and are a strength of the school. They are very well informed about how well the school is doing and have high aspirations. They have a good grasp of performance data and know how well different groups of children are performing and what the school’s priorities are.  They are fully aware of their role and ensure that they provide both appropriate support and challenge for the headteacher. This is evident in the detailed minutes of governing body meetings which demonstrate how governors ask relevant questions regarding all aspects of school life.

p.4

The leadership and management are good

 Governors regularly visit the school and, as a result, they have a good overview of the quality of teaching. Each class has an assigned governor who works closely with the class, for example, coming in to see them in lessons and attending their class assemblies.  Governors have a good understanding of the performance management process and how decisions about teachers’ pay are linked to their performance.

p.4

Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good. This was the case in almost all lessons observed, as well as at playtimes and in the dining hall. When talking with inspectors, pupils confirmed that good behaviour is the norm. They do say that there are a few incidents of misbehaviour but that teachers deal effectively with any problems.  Parents are also extremely positive about the behaviour of children in school.  Pupils have good attitudes to learning. Most work hard and are fully engaged in lessons. This is particularly the case when lessons capture their imagination. This was illustrated in Year 5 when pupils used computers to research and to then record their ideas for making a balloon-powered car. There was barely a sound in the room because they were so engrossed in their work.  Pupils are polite and considerate. Their behaviour reflects the school’s strongly held values and beliefs that have recently been agreed with the involvement of parents and pupils. During the inspection, the value

p.4

Behaviour

being highlighted was ‘compassion’ and pupils developed a very good understanding of empathising with others.

p.5

Safety

 The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good. Pupils feel safe in school and parents confirm this view. Pupils say bullying is rare and they would know what to do if it happened. They are confident that the school would deal effectively with any problems.  Pupils are aware of different types of bullying, including cyber-bullying, and can explain how to keep themselves safe when using the internet.  Attendance has improved and is now in line with the national average. The level of persistent absence has also reduced. The school has recently focused on improving punctuality and this too has improved.  All statutory requirements regarding safeguarding are met.

p.5

The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching is good overall and this has led to the year-on- year improvements in children’s achievement by the time they leave Year 6. Teachers speak very positively about how school leaders help them improve their teaching. Any previous weaknesses in teaching have been tackled effectively by the headteacher.  Teachers and teaching assistants all contribute to the positive climate for learning in school through the warm, positive relationships that they have developed with pupils.  Teaching assistants and other additional adults in class are particularly well-deployed to support pupils with their work and they play a key role in the good progress made by pupils who need additional help. An example of this was seen in a Year 2 lesson where pupils made good progress with their reading.  Resources are used well to engage pupils with their work. For example, pupils in Year 6 demonstrated good research skills using computers when they had to find out about mountain ranges around the world

p.5

The quality of teaching is good

and were totally absorbed in their work.  Displays in classrooms are attractive and are used well to support children with their learning.  The school’s marking policy is used and so pupils are given advice on how to improve their work. However, advice and targets for improvement are not always given regularly enough. In addition, opportunities for pupils to respond to the marking of their work are few.  Teachers plan lessons carefully and generally work is set at the right level for pupils which results in them making good progress. There is, at times, a lack of challenge in the work, especially for the most able pupils in mathematics. In addition, opportunities for pupils to develop their use and understanding of mathematics in other areas of the curriculum are limited.  Pupils and parents are very positive about the quality of teaching in the school.

p.5

The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils’ achievement is good. In 2014, their attainment at the end of Year 6 was above the national average in all subjects and their attainment in reading and in the English, grammar, punctuation and spelling test was significantly higher than nationally. Attainment has risen each year from 2012 onwards and school data indicates that this will continue next year too.  All pupils made the progress expected of them in reading, writing and mathematics. The proportion that made better than expected progress was also above average in all subjects.  Most children join the Nursery class with skills and knowledge that are below what is typical for their age. They make good progress during their time at the school.  Attainment in Key Stage 1 had been below the national average for a number of years. However, in 2014 overall attainment improved and was broadly in line with attainment nationally. Attainment was highest in

p.5

The achievement of pupils is good

reading.  The proportion of pupils achieving the higher levels in reading at the end of Year 2 is similar to national figures although the proportion is lower in writing and mathematics. By the end of Year 6, the proportion of pupils achieving the higher levels is above average in reading and mathematics but lower in writing.  The most able pupils make good progress and achieve well overall. However, in mathematics this is not consistent in all classes and their progress is not always as rapid as it could be. This is because work is sometimes not hard enough to fully challenge them.  Children with special educational needs and those who speak English as an additional language make good progress because of the support they are given with their work. Their individual needs are met well through the excellent support given by teachers and teaching assistants.  The teaching of phonics (the link between letters and the sounds they make) is effective. The proportion

p.6

The achievement of pupils is good

of children achieving the expected standard in the Year 1 national phonics check is just below the national average.  The school’s tracking system shows that for pupils currently at the school, progress in mathematics is not as rapid as it is in reading and writing.  Pupils enjoy reading both fiction and non-fiction books. They talk enthusiastically about which authors they prefer.  In Year 6 in 2014, the attainment of disadvantaged pupils in reading and mathematics was about one and a half terms behind non-disadvantaged pupils in the school and around half a term behind non- disadvantaged pupils nationally. In writing, they were approximately two terms behind non-disadvantaged pupils in the school and one and a half terms behind non-disadvantaged pupils nationally. The school’s own data and inspection evidence show that these gaps are now narrowing throughout the school and in other classes the attainment of disadvantaged pupils generally is higher than non-disadvantaged pupils.

p.6

The early years provision is good

 Attainment on entry to the Nursery varies but overall most children start with skills and knowledge below what is typical for their age, particularly in the specific areas of reading, writing and mathematics. They make good progress from their starting points to the end of the Reception Year. This is especially so of children who join the Nursery and continue through the Reception Year. However, children who join in the Reception class having had little or no early years education, and who then only have the benefit of one year in Reception, are not as well prepared as their peers to start in Year 1.  The quality of teaching is good in the early years. The school has a clear system for teaching phonics by weaving opportunities skilfully through different areas of learning. For example when children in the Reception class were writing party invitations, they were encouraged to use their knowledge of letters and

p.6

The early years provision is good

the sounds they make.  Children learn well both indoors and outdoors and engage well in activities for sustained periods of time showing good levels of interest and enjoyment. Behaviour is good.  There is a good range of activities for children, some of which adults direct them to and some of which children choose themselves.  Adults interact extremely well with children to help them to develop their language skills. Children with special educational needs and those whose first language is not English are supported very well.  The early years leader has a clear understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the provision and has ensured communication with parents is good.  Safeguarding procedures and risk assessments are all in place.

p.6

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 failing

p.7

Grade Judgement Description

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.

p.7

School details

Unique reference number 111299 Local authority Warrington Inspection number 448414

p.8

School details

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

p.8

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 230 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Carsten Kressel Headteacher Penny Johnson Date of previous school inspection 15 April 2010 Telephone number 01925 633606 Fax number 01925 241264 Email address StBarnabas_Primary@warrington.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 .

p.8

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.

p.9

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

p.9

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 and 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

p.9

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’.

p.9

School details

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

p.9