Barleyhurst Park Primary

Barleyhurst Park Primary School Forfar Drive, Milton Keynes, MK3 7NA

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Requires improvement 3 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

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This is a good school

 The school is well led and managed. The headteacher provides strong leadership. She knows the school well and has a clear vision for its future development.  Leaders and managers, including governors, are effective in making sure that teaching and pupils’ achievement are improving.  Teaching, pupils’ progress and the quality of leadership and management have all improved since the previous inspection.  Pupils behave well and have good attitudes towards learning. Members of staff form good relationships with them and set a good example.  The school’s work to keep pupils safe is outstanding. Consequently, pupils feel very safe at school and are very knowledgeable about how to stay safe.  The quality of teaching is good. Teachers are particularly skilled in helping pupils to extend their vocabulary. They also manage behaviour well so that pupils are keen to learn.  Children achieve well in the Reception class

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This is a good school

because they thoroughly enjoy learning. Their behaviour is exemplary.  Pupils make good progress across the school and do especially well in reading. Standards in reading, writing and mathematics are broadly average by the end of Year 6.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Teachers do not always make clear what pupils of differing ability are expected to learn next or give them, especially the most able, suitably challenging work.  Not all pupils form letters correctly or write neatly. They do not have enough opportunity to check and improve their written work.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspection team observed teaching and learning in 18 lessons, of which three were observed jointly with the headteacher.  Meetings were held with senior leaders, teachers, pupils and members of the governing body. A discussion was held with a representative from the local authority.  The inspection team took into account the 26 responses to the online survey, Parent View, and held informal discussions with a number of parents and carers.  The inspection team considered the views expressed in the survey responses from 33 members of staff.  A range of information supplied by the school was scrutinised, including the school’s own information about how well pupils are doing, planning documents, checks on the quality of teaching, the school development plan, and records relating to behaviour, attendance and safeguarding procedures.

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Inspection team

Alison Cartlidge, Lead inspector Additional inspector

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Information about this school

 Barleyhurst Park Primary School is smaller than the average-sized primary school.  There is one full-time Reception class in the early years provision.  The majority of pupils are White British, with the others coming from a range of ethnic backgrounds. The proportion who speak English as an additional language is above average at one in five pupils. Only a few are at the early stages of learning to speak English.  The proportion of pupils for whom the school receives the pupil premium is above average at one in three pupils. This is additional funding for pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and children who are looked after by the local authority.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs is broadly average at one in six pupils.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Strengthen the impact of teaching by:  ensuring that teachers make clear to pupils what they are specifically expected to learn  making sure that pupils, especially the most able, are always given challenging work to help them learn quickly.  Accelerate achievement in writing by:  developing pupils’ handwriting so that they form letters correctly and neatly  giving pupils more opportunities to check and improve their work.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher provides a clear direction for the development of the school. She is ably supported by the staff and governing body and is making the changes needed to make the school even better. The school’s own view of the quality of its work is accurate; leaders know the school’s strengths and the next steps they need to take.  The school has effective ways of checking the quality of teaching and learning. Consequently, teaching has improved since the previous inspection. All staff are involved in identifying what they need to do next to improve their work, and are provided with relevant training to help them to reach their targets.  Members of staff promote equality well. There are good relationships between staff and their pupils so that the school is calm and welcoming. The school does not tolerate any form of discrimination.  The role of subject leaders has developed well since the previous inspection. They provide other teachers

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The leadership and management are good

with helpful challenge and support. There are suitable new arrangements for recording pupils’ learning in line with recent changes to the way subjects are taught. Leaders are aware that while this information on pupils’ progress is being used to help plan future work, teachers are not always making clear to pupils precisely what they are to learn next, or providing enough challenge.  Disadvantaged pupils who are eligible for additional funding are supported well. A senior leader is making sure that the support given to these pupils, and the progress they are making, are being monitored more rigorously than in the past. Support is aimed at pupils’ specific needs and financial support enables these pupils to take part in visits and other additional activities. The gaps in attainment between these pupils and others are narrowing quickly.  The way that subjects are being taught (the curriculum) is helping pupils to enjoy learning. There is a

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The leadership and management are good

good balance between the teaching of basic skills and making use of them when learning about other topics.  The additional funding to increase participation in sport and to improve physical education is used well. A coach provides good-quality training for teachers and the pupils. Pupils are taking part in more sporting competitions and clubs than previously and these have contributed well to the development of their physical performance, confidence and self-esteem.  Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is promoted successfully. There are good opportunities in assemblies and lessons to learn about various cultures and religions. The curriculum ensures that pupils have developed a good awareness of what it is like to live in modern Britain. The school ensures that diversity is explored and celebrated. As a result, pupils show respect for others and are tolerant of differing points of view.

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The leadership and management are good

 Safeguarding arrangements meet requirements. The school has very thorough arrangements for keeping pupils safe and leaders are careful to follow up any concerns as soon as they arise. Members of staff are fully trained in keeping the pupils safe and they work closely with external agencies to help support families as needed. All adults working in school are checked for suitability.  The local authority is providing the right level of ‘light-touch’ support for this good and improving school. Support has reduced since the previous inspection when it became clear that leaders were bringing about the necessary improvements themselves.  The school has an effective partnership with its parents, and attendance at meetings, including those to discuss their children’s progress, has increased. Parents are pleased that their children come to this school. One parent spoke for others when she said of the school, ‘It’s really good.’

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The leadership and management are good

 The governance of the school: Governance is good. Governors are kept well informed of all aspects of the school’s work and, as a result, they understand the school’s strengths and areas for improvement well. They know how well the school is performing compared with others and are well placed to provide a good level of challenge and support for senior leaders. They are fully involved in checking up on how well teachers are doing and in setting them targets to improve further. Governors know how good teaching is at the school, how good teaching is rewarded and what is done to tackle any weaknesses.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good. Pupils behave well in class and around the school. They help each other when working together in groups or with a partner. Parents and pupils agree that behaviour at the school is good. Rare instances of poor behaviour are tackled swiftly and successfully.  Leaders are checking pupils’ attendance rigorously and attendance figures are broadly average. The school has been successful in encouraging some families who were poor at coming to school to attend regularly.  Pupils are proud of their school and are polite to each other and to adults. They are knowledgeable about different types of bullying and are clear about what to do if they have any concerns. Instances of bullying are rare and are dealt with effectively by members of staff.  Pupils have good attitudes towards learning and are keen to take part in various activities. As one pupil said, ‘Our school is great, well resourced and really helps me learn.’ Instances of low-level disruption are

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Safety

 The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is outstanding. There are exemplary procedures for keeping pupils safe, enabling them to feel very safe. Members of staff are vigilant in recording and following up any concerns to ensure that pupils are free from harm. Parents are very positive about how the school helps to keep their children safe.  Pupils know how to deal with potentially unsafe situations. For example, they know what steps to take to remain safe when using the computers. They say that they feel very safe at school and are involved in helping to reduce playground accidents. For example, older pupils support younger ones by being play leaders or ‘buddies’ and help to ensure that games are safe and fair.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers and teaching assistants make sure that there is a purposeful and friendly atmosphere in school. They form good relationships with the pupils and motivate them to want to learn. Behaviour is managed well across the school and this helps to create a good climate for learning in all classrooms.  Teachers are skilful in asking questions that encourage the pupils to think hard and learn quickly. For example, in a literacy lesson in Year 6, a range of well-focused questions enabled pupils to develop sentences to persuade holidaymakers to go to a certain destination.  Teaching has a positive impact on the pupils’ learning, including in reading, literacy and mathematics. Since the previous inspection, the school has successfully developed the teachers’ subject knowledge. They are now confident and are particularly skilled in helping pupils to use new vocabulary well, especially in mathematics.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers make sure that good resources are available to support the pupils’ learning. For example, in Year 2, pupils had free access to various types of equipment to help them add together two-digit numbers.  Well-trained teaching assistants work well with individuals and small groups of pupils, providing specific help as needed. For example, in a literacy lesson in Year 4, teaching assistants guided the pupils well, while giving them the opportunity to put forward their own ideas for their stories.  Homework is frequent and makes a strong contribution to pupils’ learning. Parents who responded to Ofsted’s on-line ‘Parent View’ questionnaire were very positive about homework.  Occasionally, teachers do not make sure that pupils are clear about what they should achieve in a lesson, and this can slow their progress. In addition, pupils are not always encouraged to check their written work so that they can improve it straight away.

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The quality of teaching is good

 At times, pupils, especially the most able, are not set challenging enough tasks that help them to make rapid progress.

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is good

 Pupils achieve well from their starting points and attainment has been rising over the last three years. Attainment in reading, writing and mathematics is now broadly average by the end of Year 6 and pupils make good progress across the school.  Pupils do especially well in reading. The school has improved the way that sounds and letters (phonics) are being taught and consequently attainment was above average in the most recent Year 1 phonics screening check. Pupils enjoy reading, are confident and make good use of their phonics to help read unfamiliar words.  Staff training and a focus on mathematics are ensuring that pupils are making faster progress in this subject than at the time of the previous inspection.  In writing, pupils use interesting vocabulary, but their handwriting is often untidy and they do not always form letters correctly. In addition, they are not given enough time to check their writing and to

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is good

improve it.  Disadvantaged pupils eligible for additional funding make good progress from their starting points. In 2014, pupils at the end of Year 6 were a term behind other pupils at the school and nationally in reading, two terms behind in writing and a year behind in mathematics. Data show that these gaps in attainment are closing in the school and pupils are now making more rapid progress.  Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs make good progress. This is because their specific needs are identified and teachers and teaching assistants provide the right level of support in lessons without stifling their ability to do things for themselves.  The most able pupils do well in most classes and the school is increasing the number who are working above the levels expected for their age. There are still a few occasions when teachers do not provide them with challenging enough work, however, and this can limit their progress.

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is good

 The small number of pupils who are at the early stages of learning to speak English as an additional language do so quickly. There is a strong emphasis on promoting new vocabulary and members of staff and other pupils are keen to support them during discussions.  Pupils’ literacy and numeracy skills are sufficiently developed to support their learning in other subjects.  Pupils do well in physical education. For example, pupils in Year 6 were keen to talk about how they could improve their skills in passing a ball and they remained active throughout their dodgeball lesson.

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is good

 The majority of children start school working below the levels typical for their age. They achieve well and make good progress, especially in developing their social skills and ability to listen. A broadly average proportion of children reach a good level of development by the time they join Year 1. Children have well- developed social skills so that they are ready for the next stage of their education. On rare occasions, when working together as a class the learning of a few children slows when they are not sufficiently involved.  Disabled children and those with special educational needs make good progress because they are supported effectively. Members of staff make sure that tasks are adapted so that they are able to take part in all activities.  Teaching is consistently good or better and a particular strength is the delightful relationships between members of staff and the children. Consequently, children’s behaviour is exemplary and they are very

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is good

keen to take part in the breadth of exciting activities available. They are good at sharing resources and play together sensibly. For example, a small group of children were very good at cooperating with each other when taking part in the story ‘Goldilocks and the Three Bears’.  Provision for the children’s safety is outstanding. Children are cared for very well and members of staff are fully trained in how to keep the children safe. Very thorough information is kept on the children’s welfare and how well they are doing in their learning. There are close links between children’s homes and the school. Parents benefit from helpful weekly information on how to support their children’s learning at home.  Leadership and management ensure that the good quality of provision has been successfully maintained from the previous inspection. Leaders are very knowledgeable about individual children and work together well to support their differing needs.

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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 failing

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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.

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School details

Unique reference number 110327 Local authority Milton Keynes Inspection number 453592

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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 200 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Simon Kelley Headteacher Wendy Smith Date of previous school inspection 7–8 March 2013 Telephone number 01908 378291 Fax number 01908 375297 Email address office@barleyhurstpark.milton-keynes.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 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

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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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