Great Harwood St Bartholomew's Parish Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School

Inspection of Great Harwood St Bartholomew’s Parish Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School Ash Street, Great Harwood, Blackburn, Lancashire, BB6 7QA

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Requires improvement Early years provision Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good Voluntary Aided Primary School 4–5 December 2019

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy their time at St Bartholomew’s. They describe the school as ‘one big happy family’. Everyone cares for and respects each other. Leaders have created a nurturing environment based on Christian values like friendship and forgiveness. Adults model these values to pupils. As a result, pupils feel confident and safe. Pupils say that ‘everyone in school cares that you do well’.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Teachers have high expectations for pupils in reading, writing and maths. Pupils achieve well in these subjects because their learning builds on what they already know. This is not the case in other subjects, such as history and geography. This prevents pupils from knowing and remembering more in subjects other than English and mathematics.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The vast majority of pupils behave well. In the classroom they listen to the teacher and work hard. During playtimes we saw pupils of all ages play happily alongside each other. Older pupils provide friendship and support to younger pupils. Pupils like the new school behaviour code. This reminds pupils how to behave. Pupils told us that bullying was rare. They said that if it happens, they know who to tell and that it soon stops.

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better?

The new headteacher has quickly established the strengths and weaknesses of the school. She is aware that the quality of the curriculum in subjects other than English and mathematics is not fully developed. She also knows that there is more to do to raise teachers’ expectations of what pupils can achieve across the whole curriculum. As a result, the headteacher is in the process of leading staff through a review of the curriculum. She has developed detailed plans setting out how the curriculum will improve. The current curriculum is effective in some subjects such as mathematics, English and physical education (PE). However, this is not the case in several other subjects. As a result, pupils have gaps in their learning. For example, pupils were using an atlas to search for Jamaica but did not know where the United Kingdom was located.

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better?

In mathematics, the curriculum is well planned and ordered logically. Teachers know what to teach and when to teach it. They have had good support from the curriculum leader. Pupils regularly revisit number operations like addition and multiplication. Their learning builds on what they already know. They are confident in using their knowledge of number to solve problems. Pupils achieve well in mathematics. In 2019, most Year 6 pupils achieved the expected standard in mathematics at the end of key stage 2.

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better?

In 2019 there was a significant decline in the number of pupils who met the expected standard in the Year 1 phonics screening check. Leaders did not ensure that teachers were following the phonics programme in all year groups. Some reading books are not well matched to pupils’ phonic knowledge. As a result, pupils’ Voluntary Aided Primary School 4–5 December 2019

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early reading is not as strong as it should be. Despite this shortcoming, pupils do catch up in Year 2. Most children read fluently by the time they join Year 3.

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In key stage 2 pupils read books together and share their understanding of the stories. For example, Year 3 pupils were reading ‘The Creakers’. They talked enthusiastically about the story and predicted what might happen next. Pupils across the school share a love of reading.

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The new headteacher has reviewed the way that the school identifies and supports pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). In a matter of weeks, the person responsible for pupils with SEND has put plans in place to improve the support that these pupils receive. Adults provide effective support in the classroom so that pupils with SEND can now access the same curriculum as everyone else. The parents and carers of pupils with SEND recognise this recent improvement.

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Teachers in the early years have planned a well-ordered curriculum. They regularly check what children know and remember. Teachers have created stimulating learning areas for children to explore the world around them. Children count, add and subtract their numbers. They follow routines, listen carefully and behave well.

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Pupils benefit from a well-planned PE curriculum. They know how important exercise and sport are to their physical well-being. Leaders broaden the curriculum with a wide range of sports clubs like curling and boccia. Pupils take part in many competitions.

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Pupils’ personal development is promoted well. They have a good understanding of British values. They take part in an annual trip to Parliament. They elect their school council. Pupils respect the differences between each other’s faith. Pupils debate current affairs. The eco-group is currently looking at ways to reduce the use of plastic in school.

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Governors have managed a period of instability in school leadership well. They are supportive of the new headteacher and the rigour she brings to the work of the school. However, they have not made sure that the curriculum is well planned in many subjects.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders make appropriate checks on adults appointed to work in the school. They ensure that regular safeguarding updates are provided to all staff. Adults are vigilant about pupils’ safety. They are quick to act on any concerns. Records of support are well organised and secure.

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Safeguarding

Pupils know how to keep themselves safe, including when online. Pupils have recently been reminded about ‘stranger danger’ and understand why this is important. Voluntary Aided Primary School 4–5 December 2019

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The curriculum is not coherently planned in several subjects. This means that, in most of the subjects beyond English and mathematics, pupils do not always know and remember what they should. The curriculum is under review. Leaders should ensure that they implement the renewed curriculum plans, provide appropriate training to staff to heighten their expectations and check that what is being taught matches the intended outcome. Subject leaders should be supported to develop coherent plans which sequence pupils’ learning over time. This will help to ensure that pupils gain the knowledge and skills they require to support their future learning.  The phonics curriculum is not systematically delivered across year groups. This means that children in the early years and pupils in Year 1 do not develop their phonics knowledge as well as they should. Leaders should ensure that the phonics curriculum is followed consistently so that pupils develop their early

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

reading skills more securely.  Pupils with SEND have not always had their needs correctly identified and met. This means that these pupils have not received the support that they need to learn as well as they should. Leaders should ensure that recent changes to the provision for pupils with SEND become embedded. This will enable pupils with SEND to consistently access the same curriculum as others so that they are able to know more and remember more.

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How can I feed back my views?

or to find out what other parents and carers think. We use Ofsted Parent View information when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection.

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How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

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How can I feed back my views?

If you’re not happy with the inspection or the report, you can complain to Ofsted .

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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

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Further information

In the report, ‘disadvantaged pupils’ refers to those pupils who attract government pupil premium funding: pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years and pupils in care or who left care through adoption or another formal route. Voluntary Aided Primary School 4–5 December 2019

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 16–17 April 2015

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Information about this school

 A new headteacher was appointed in September 2019.  A new chair of governors was elected in November 2018.  The school is a Church of England voluntary aided school. It is part of the diocese of Blackburn. It was last inspected under section 48 of the Education Act 2005 in March 2015.

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Information about this inspection

We carried out this inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this inspection

 We met with the headteacher and other senior leaders.  We also met with three representatives of the governing body and a representative of the local authority.  We considered reading, mathematics, science and geography as part of the inspection. We interviewed curriculum leaders, looked at curriculum plans, visited lessons and talked to teachers and support staff about their work. We observed pupils reading, looked at pupils’ work in books and talked to them about their Voluntary Aided Primary School 4–5 December 2019

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learning.  We talked to groups of children to seek their views about what it is like to attend the school.  We spoke to several parents on the second morning of the inspection. The views of 34 parents who responded to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View, were taken into account.

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Inspection team

Garry White, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Cole Andrew Ofsted Inspector Voluntary Aided Primary School 4–5 December 2019

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regulates and inspects to 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, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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