Barlby Community Primary School

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T 0300 123 4234 www.gov.uk/ofsted

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Mrs Jillian Baker Headteacher Barlby Community Primary School Hilltop Barlby Selby North Yorkshire YO8 5JQ

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Short inspection of Barlby Community Primary School

Following my visit to the school on 23 May 2018, I write on behalf of Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills to report the inspection findings. The visit was the first short inspection carried out since the school was judged to be good in June 2014.

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Short inspection of Barlby Community Primary School

The leadership team has maintained the good quality of education in the school since the last inspection. You demonstrate a passion and determination to provide the best for the pupils. Through astute changes to the leadership structure, the school now has four senior leaders who possess a wealth of skills and knowledge. They know the school well and areas highlighted for improvement in the last inspection report have been tackled with rigour. Middle leaders and junior staff are supportive of leaders and, through their dedication and teamwork, an attractive and stimulating environment for learning has been created. Displays in the corridors and classrooms are vibrant and teaching walls provide practical support and examples of good practice. A number of parents praised the good work of the school and particularly the professionalism of the teaching staff and teaching assistants. One parent wrote to me saying, ‘We are impressed on every level and both my children

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Short inspection of Barlby Community Primary School

are blossoming.’ Pupils are equally proud of their school and spoke enthusiastically of the many good things it offers. All said they felt safe and well supported and, consequently, enjoy coming to school.

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Short inspection of Barlby Community Primary School

Your relentless pursuit for developing the school further and providing the best for the pupils has meant that areas for improvement, which were recommended in your last inspection report, have been tackled with rigour. Significant work has been carried out to closely track the progress pupils make and increase the challenge for all abilities. The introduction of regular meetings to moderate pupils’ work ensures that pupils are assessed accurately. Any pupils with gaps in their learning are quickly identified and supported. A new curriculum has been implemented and this ensures no repetition of subject matter and a clear progression of skills. The mathematics scheme has been updated and class ‘guided reading’ across the school ensures that pupils are developing effective comprehension skills. A reading support programme has been introduced in the early years and key stage 1 to support reading and writing. Performance management targets for staff are appropriately

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Short inspection of Barlby Community Primary School

challenging and governors and leaders work closely together to monitor teaching.

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Short inspection of Barlby Community Primary School

Pupils are achieving well throughout the school. In the early years, children get off to a wonderful start. Outcomes in the early years have improved year on year in recent years. Most children are ready for learning in Year 1. A well-above-average proportion of pupils achieve the expected standard in the Year 1 phonics screening check. In 2017, standards by end of Year 2 increased considerably. A much higher than average proportion of pupils reached the expected standards in reading, writing and mathematics. Leaders are now working to increase the proportion of pupils who reach the higher standards by the end of Year 2 and, although this is starting to pay off, this is still an area for further improvement.

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Short inspection of Barlby Community Primary School

In key stage 2, pupils’ achievement in mathematics is particularly good and standards by the end of Year 6 are very high. However, in recent years, achievement in reading and writing in key stage 2 has not been as good. Leaders have taken action to boost pupils’ achievement in key stage 2 in these subjects. Although pupils are now making better progress, you know that there is further work needed to increase the level of challenge, especially for the most able pupils, so that a greater proportion of pupils reach the higher standards in these subjects.

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Short inspection of Barlby Community Primary School

You and your senior leaders have established policies and practice that are highly effective and fit for purpose. Safeguarding records are appropriately detailed and of high quality and all checks for the recruitment of staff are in place. You have prioritised child protection training for teachers and governors and staff meetings and governor meetings always feature safeguarding as an agenda item. All staff have recently completed the ‘safeguarding online’ training and a working party of staff and governors are working towards the 360-degree quality mark which recognises effective internet safety procedures.

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Short inspection of Barlby Community Primary School

Pupils at risk or subject to child protection plans are well supported. One parent was keen to describe the excellent support that she had been afforded and described how teachers and assistants had provided an ‘environment of stability, comfort and safety’ for her child. These views were reflected in Ofsted’s online parent questionnaire where almost all those who responded felt that their child was safe at school. Pupils’ attendance is monitored assiduously by you and your office staff, with the result that the attendance rates of pupils for the past three years have been either above or in line with national averages. Pupils were keen to explain to me the rewards that good attendance brings.

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Short inspection of Barlby Community Primary School

Pupils said that they feel safe at school. They described behaviour as good and explained that incidents of bullying were rare and quickly dealt with by teachers. Pupils talked confidently about internet safety and were able to give me clear instructions about staying safe online. They also described the work of the ‘digital leaders’ who provide advice about e-safety to their peers. Pupils are well aware of the dangers that exist outside of the school. In one class, two pupils had been appointed as ‘junior road safety officers’ and, as part of an assembly, had explained to other pupils how to stay safe near roads.

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Inspection findings

 My first line of enquiry for this inspection related to finding out how well pupils in key stage 2 are doing in reading and writing. In 2016, published information indicated that pupils in Year 6 did not make good progress in reading from their previous starting points. In 2017, standards at the end of Year 6 improved, and considerably so, in reading. In writing, although an above-average proportion of pupils reached the expected standard, fewer pupils reached the higher standard compared to the national average. Closer monitoring of how well pupils are doing is now taking place and school information shows that pupils presently in key stage 2 are making much better progress from their starting points in these subjects. However, leaders are continuing to focus on further improving provision for reading and writing especially, so that most able pupils are challenged to reach the higher standards. Library provision, for example, is currently being

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Inspection findings

upgraded with quality texts. Pupils are being encouraged to read more at home. In writing, homework tasks provide challenge outside of the classroom. Exercise books and portfolios of pupils’ writing show that pupils are now making stronger progress. Although opportunities for pupils to practise their writing skills across the curriculum subjects have been increased, there is scope to improve this even further.  Another key line of enquiry focused on how well the most able pupils in key stage 1 achieve in reading. This is because, in the last two years, the proportion reaching the higher standards in this subject has been below average. The key stage 1 leader is aware of this issue and has introduced a number of strategies to improve achievement. New fiction and non-fiction class texts have been purchased and already these are broadening reading skills. An increased emphasis on developing pupils’ comprehension skills, and in particular questions

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Inspection findings

involving inference, has also been a focus. School assessment information and inspection evidence indicate that the proportion of Year 2 pupils reaching the higher standard in reading is set to increase in 2018. Even so, the school’s work to strengthen the culture of reading needs to continue across the school.  Provision for children in Nursery and Reception is highly effective. Both indoor and outside areas provide lively and stimulating opportunities for learning. Over the past three years, the proportion of children achieving a good level of development has increased and is much higher than average. Although boys achieve well, there was a gap between boys’ and girls’ attainment in 2017. The early years leader was able to explain that, in this year group, a high proportion of boys had special educational needs (SEN) and/or disabilities or language and communication issues. With individual support, these children have made good

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Inspection findings

progress. The early years leader was keen to describe strategies that had been introduced to promote the achievement of boys, one being the ‘dough disco’ which supports boys in the development of fine and gross motor skills. During my visit, children were working on a topic about minibeasts and this was linked to a visit from a beekeeper. There was a high level of enthusiasm. Children were keen to describe to me what they were doing. Many had clearly developed strong social and communication skills.  The school engages well with parents. An open-door policy enables parents to ‘drop in’ after school on any evening should they have any concerns. Many were keen to tell me how approachable teachers are and gave examples of support afforded to their children. You have highlighted the open-door policy on every newsletter. Documentation shows that the school deals promptly and effectively with any complaints and the governors with whom I met confirmed this. Parent

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Inspection findings

consultation evenings are held each term and teachers provide detailed progress reports. Social events, such as ‘mums’ and dads’ lunches’ and ‘picnic lunches’, are well attended.

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Next steps for the school

Leaders and those responsible for governance should ensure that:

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Next steps for the school

 there is a greater level of challenge for the most able pupils, so that the proportion of pupils reaching the higher standards in reading and writing increases  the school’s work to strengthen the culture of reading continues  pupils are provided with more opportunities to develop their writing skills and apply them consistently and effectively across a range of subjects.

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Next steps for the school

I am copying this letter to the chair of the governing body, the regional schools commissioner and the director of children’s services for North Yorkshire. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

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Information about the inspection

During this one-day inspection, I looked specifically at safeguarding, early years provision and pupils’ achievement in reading and writing in key stages 1 and 2.

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Information about the inspection

During the inspection, I held meetings with you, senior leaders, your school business manager, the early years leader, key stage 1 leader, the subject leader for English and members of the governing body. I also had a meeting with your school adviser. I evaluated documentation, including the school’s self-evaluation summary, the school’s improvement plan, assessment data, behaviour records and visit notes from the school adviser. I spoke with a number of parents at the beginning of the day and considered 36 responses from Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View. I met with two groups of pupils from a range of year groups. The first group discussed safeguarding and behaviour with me. The second group talked about reading and I listened to them all read. You and I visited most key stage 2 and some key stage 1 classes together and observed teaching and learning in writing and mathematics. We also visited a phonics session for early years children who

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Information about the inspection

have SEN and/or disabilities. At the end of the morning, we spent time in the early years unit to view areas of provision. During the afternoon, I carried out a scrutiny of pupils’ written work and topic work from most year groups. I also reviewed responses to Ofsted’s online surveys of pupil and staff views.

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