Barrow Hedges Primary School

School report Barrow Hedges Primary School

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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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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Since the previous inspection, the headteacher and senior team have worked tirelessly to improve teaching and pupils’ achievement.  Pupils’ progress is good in all year groups.  Pupils’ attainment at the end of Key Stages 1 and 2 is significantly above the national average in reading, writing and mathematics, and continues to rise.  Children in the early years receive a good start to their education, effectively preparing them for Year 1.  Pupils’ attendance is well above the national average.  Pupils’ behaviour is good. They are polite and friendly and show respect for each other and adults.  All of the school’s work promotes pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.  The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good.  Teaching is good and some is outstanding. Teachers have good subject knowledge and use questioning well to develop pupils’ understanding. Their marking is of a high quality.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Governors carry out their roles and responsibilities effectively. They carefully challenge and question the school’s leaders when they hold them to account.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Some teachers do not expect enough of the most able pupils. Some of the work set for them is too easy.  Pupils do not have sufficient opportunities to use their mathematical skills in other subjects.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors made 31 visits to lessons and attended an assembly. Seven lessons were jointly observed with the headteacher and deputy headteacher.  Meetings were held with members of staff, including the leadership team, the headteacher, four governors and two groups of pupils and a representative from the local authority.  Inspectors heard pupils read and scrutinised pupils’ work.  Inspectors examined a range of documentation, including records of pupils’ progress, the school’s own evaluation of its strengths and weaknesses, the minutes of governing body meetings and information relating to safeguarding and behaviour.  Inspectors took into account the 93 responses to the online questionnaire Parent View and the school’s own parent survey. They spoke to parents at the start of the school day and looked at all the other responses from parents. Inspectors also looked at the 38 questionnaires completed by staff.

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Inspection team

Sharona Semlali, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 Barrow Hedges is larger than the average-sized primary school. The early years provision comprises a part-time Nursery and three full-time Reception classes. There are three classes in each of Years 1 to 5 and two in Year 6.  Most pupils are White British. The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is lower than the national average but is increasing in the early years.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs is well below average.  Less than 10% of pupils are supported by the pupil premium, which provides additional funding for pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and those in local authority care. This is well below the national average. In 2014, there were fewer than five eligible pupils in Year 6.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in English and mathematics.

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Information about this school

 The headteacher returned from maternity leave immediately following the previous inspection.  There has been significant staff turnover since the previous inspection. In September 2014, 12 teachers were recruited, nine of whom were newly qualified.  The school works in partnership with Avenue Primary School, a local Teaching School, to facilitate a support programme for all newly qualified staff.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Ensure that teachers expect more of the most able pupils by setting them work which is consistently challenging.  Give pupils sufficient opportunity to apply their mathematical skills in other subjects.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher and her senior team, with the full support of the governors, have successfully tackled all the weaknesses identified at the previous inspection. They have improved the quality of teaching, so that it is now good and improving. As a result, pupils make at least good progress throughout the school.  The checks on the quality of teaching and learning made by senior and middle leaders are rigorous. All teachers and teaching assistants have challenging targets. Teachers’ targets are linked to the national Teachers’ Standards and to pupils’ progress. Teachers have access to a good training support package and all newly qualified teachers feel well supported. The induction processes for new staff are thorough.  All leaders use the school’s performance information well. Data are analysed and used effectively to identify the appropriate priorities for the school. The school’s evaluation of itself is thorough and accurate.

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The leadership and management are good

 The good interrogation of data helps leaders to spot those pupils who are not making fast enough progress so that extra support can promptly be put into place. The school shares the way it uses its data systems with its local cluster of schools. It is regarded as a model of good practice in ensuring that all pupils have an equal opportunity to do well.  Discrimination of any form is not tolerated. For example, those pupils with complex learning needs are issued with the correct equipment promptly.  Subject leaders are effectively raising standards in their subjects. They have a good overview of the quality of teaching and pupils’ achievements because they regularly monitor what is going on in classrooms and analyse relevant data.  The pupil premium is used effectively to support disadvantaged pupils. For example, some benefit from the encouragement and motivation that comes from music lessons while others have extra adult support

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The leadership and management are good

to help them to speed up their progress. This is helping to narrow the gaps between disadvantaged pupils and others.  As well as providing an effective framework for the development of pupils’ reading and writing, the new curriculum provides pupils with a range of experiences beyond the school. They can take part in different outdoor pursuits around Surrey, for example. Pupils are taught about the British values of democracy and the rule of law. For example, pupils in Year 2 voted for their jobs in the classroom and discussed the Scottish referendum.  Curriculum plans do not provide sufficient opportunities for pupils to apply their mathematics skills in other subjects. Even though the curriculum is modified to support pupils with special educational needs, it does not provide enough challenge for the most able pupils.  The school promotes pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development very well. Pupils learn about

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The leadership and management are good

the major faiths present in Britain and celebrate some of the different religious festivals. This helps to develop their tolerance and respect for each other. Pupils engage well with the local community. For example, they invite senior citizens for Christmas tea and mount a musical performance for them. By the time they leave at the end of Year 6, all pupils have been given the opportunity to attend a residential team-building event.  The primary sport and physical education funding is used effectively to buy in specialist coaches who teach some lessons and help to improve the skills of class teachers. This is helping pupils’ progress in physical education both now and in the longer term.  The school has good relationships with parents. Parents’ views are sought at parent consultation meetings and the school provides a range of workshops for them which are well attended. Those who spoke to inspectors were mostly happy with the school’s work, and responses from questionnaires showed that

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The leadership and management are good

most parents would recommend the school.  At regular intervals, the local authority meets with representatives from the governing body and the senior team. When needed, the local authority gives effective support, but this has reduced over time as the school has improved.  Arrangements for safeguarding pupils meet statutory requirements. The school’s policies and procedures help to keep pupils safe.  The governance of the school:  The governing body is very committed to the school and its members are dedicated and knowledgeable. Governors know the school’s strengths and weaknesses and are fully involved in setting its strategic direction and shaping its priorities. They challenge the school’s leaders and hold them to account.  Governors know what the quality of teaching is like in all year groups. They know how to interpret the data on the school’s performance and were instrumental in reshaping the way that the school presents

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The leadership and management are good

them with information.  Through the pay and personnel committees, governors are involved with the rewarding of good teaching. They are clear about the performance management procedures which are in place for the headteacher and staff. They know that suitable support is given when teaching is not as good as it should be and that systems are in place to address any serious underperformance.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good. Pupils understand the school’s system of rewards and sanctions and know the consequences if they do not follow the rules. The school’s records show that any unacceptable behaviour is analysed and dealt with effectively.  Pupils are courteous, respectful and very welcoming to visitors. They open the doors for each other and move around the school in a well-ordered fashion. They sometimes remind each other to be quiet when they walk around the school.  At lunchtimes, pupils eat their snacks sensibly together at the tables. They act in a very mature way, showing respect for each other.  Pupils proudly wear their uniforms and all have the correct clothes for physical education lessons.  Pupils are keen, want to learn and work well together. On the odd occasion, when they are not challenged enough by the tasks they have been set in lessons, their concentration wanders.

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Behaviour

 Pupils said that it is important to have some form of responsibility because it helps them to become ‘responsible and organised adults’. After pupils in a Year 5 class wrote very persuasive letters to the headteacher, they now have a pet for which they are accountable. Other jobs include being a ‘hippo leader’ organising games tournaments at lunchtimes, or a ‘buddy’ helping the younger children to become fit and active.  Pupils enjoy coming to school and their attendance is well above average.

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Safety

 The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good. Governors undertake regular health and safety walks to ensure that all areas of the site are safe and secure. All risk assessments and safeguarding training for staff are thorough and up to date. There is good supervision at lunchtimes. The ‘buddy bus- stop’, where pupils go to if they need someone to play with, works well. It stops some pupils from feeling lonely during playtimes.  Pupils said that they feel safe at school. They know how to keep themselves safe outside the school and understand road safety and how to keep themselves safe from strangers. Pupils’ awareness of the potential dangers of the internet is not as well developed as it is in other areas.  Pupils are clear about the different types of bullying and said that they do not know anyone who has been bullied in the school. They described how their understanding of bullying had been helped by acting out

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Safety

bullying situations in lessons and they know whom to go to if they have a problem. Pupils said that everyone gets on well together regardless of their culture or beliefs.  Parents, pupils and staff all agree that the school keeps pupils safe.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching continues to improve and some is now outstanding.  Teachers have good subject knowledge and are good at using questions to check and extend pupils’ understanding. For example, in Year 6, the teacher’s secure knowledge of mathematics helped pupils to make outstanding progress in their understanding of algebraic equations. In a physical education lesson, the expertise of the specialist dance instructor helped pupils to learn the basic steps of the tango.  Some of the activities and tasks set by teachers for the most able pupils are too easy, limiting their progress.  Pupils enjoy reading for pleasure because reading is taught well throughout the school. All classroom libraries are attractively stocked with interesting books that are constantly used by pupils. Teachers make sure that pupils use the precise pronunciation of the sounds that letters make when they read unfamiliar words. Teachers encourage pupils to give a book to the library on their birthday rather than bringing in

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The quality of teaching is good

sweets.  In mathematics, teachers ensure that pupils know and use the correct terminology. For example, in Year 5, the teacher made sure that all pupils fully understood the terms ‘lowest common multiple’, ‘numerator’ and ‘denominator’. Teachers use inspiring activities and resources that are helping pupils to learn and enjoy their multiplication tables. However, pupils do not always have the chance to apply their mathematical skills in other subjects.  Pupils’ books and displays around the school show that teachers are encouraging pupils to write at length in different subjects. The teaching of spelling, punctuation and grammar is good and reflected in significantly above average results. Pupils know how to draft and edit their work, and some of it is published online, giving them an added incentive to write for a purpose. Teachers have high expectations of the way that pupils present their work. As a result, pupils take great pride in what they produce. Their

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The quality of teaching is good

final piece of written work is always neatly presented to a high standard.  Teachers always mark pupils’ work thoroughly and give them clear and explicit guidance on how they can improve. Pupils’ books reveal both teachers’ written feedback and the pupils’ responses. The local authority uses the school’s work on marking as an example of good practice for other schools.  Teachers use teaching assistants and any additional adults well to support pupils’ learning. Together they form a good partnership. Teaching assistants are well prepared for lessons and use their own initiative sensitively to determine when a pupil needs their support.

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is good

 Pupils continue to make good progress in all year groups and in all subjects. Standards at the end of Key Stage 1 are above average in writing and significantly above average in reading and mathematics. At the end of Key Stage 2, their attainment is significantly above the national average in all subjects and continues to rise.  The school caters extremely well for disabled pupils and those with special educational needs. Adaptations to the environment and specialist equipment help them to make progress, while teaching assistants provide skilful support that helps them to become better at dealing with their emotions. As a result, these pupils make good progress from their starting points.  The attainment gap is rapidly closing between disadvantaged pupils and others in the school.  The few pupils who speak English as an additional language make good progress. At the end of Key Stage 2, they reach higher levels than their peers and others nationally in all subjects.

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is good

 The most able pupils do well. At the end of Key Stage 1, the proportion of pupils at Level 3 in writing is above average and the proportion at this level in reading and mathematics is well above average. At the end of Key Stage 2, the proportion of pupils at Level 5 in reading, writing, mathematics and spelling, grammar and punctuation is significantly above average.

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is good

 Children make good progress in the early years and leave well prepared for Year 1. Disabled children and those with special educational needs are given support tailored to their needs which helps them to make good progress. Those children who are at the early stages of acquiring English also make rapid progress and the attainment of boys, which has somewhat lagged behind that of girls, is improving.  Teaching is good. Teachers’ planning and assessment take into account children’s needs and interests. There is a good focus on teaching phonics (the sounds letters make) and, as a result, children develop good reading and writing skills. The most able children write well-constructed sentences using connectives and correct punctuation; their spelling is generally correct. In mathematics, children can add and subtract numbers up to 10 and beyond. However, because teachers do not always expect enough of them, some

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is good

children, particularly the most able, find the mathematics activities too easy.  Staff ensure that the environment is safe and interesting. Children can choose stimulating activities in all the outdoor and indoor areas, and they enjoy these activities immensely. They behave well, play amicably with peers, share equipment and happily take turns.  The leadership and management of the early years are good. Teaching is monitored robustly and effective support is given to newly qualified teachers to ensure pupils continue to make rapid progress. Relationships with parents are strong, and parents receive good information about what their children are learning in weekly newsletters. At the same time, workshops organised by teachers demonstrate to parents how reading and mathematics are taught.

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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 102959 Local authority Sutton Inspection number 453476

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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 3–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 646 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Anna Bowman Headteacher Louise Wood Date of previous school inspection 20–21 March 2013 Telephone number 02086434428 Fax number 02086432269 Email address barrowhedgesprimary@suttonlea.org 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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