St Bartholomew's CofE Aided Primary School

Inspection of a good school: St Bartholomew’s CofE Aided Primary School Derby Road, Haslemere, Surrey GU27 1BP

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Inspection dates: 12 and 13 January 2022

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Outcome

St Bartholomew’s CofE Aided Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy coming to this happy and welcoming community. They buzz with curiosity. Pupils speak with joy and enthusiasm about what they learn, and are proud of their achievements. Their desire for learning flows from the ‘BARTS values’ of ‘believe, achieve, respect, trust, succeed’. Teachers expect pupils to work hard, and pupils rise to these high expectations.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well. They flourish in the strongly nurturing environment. Relationships between staff and pupils are based on mutual respect. Pupils feel safe, happy and well cared for. They said that staff do not tolerate any form of bullying or unkindness. If incidents occur, they are dealt with quickly.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils relish the wide range of interesting opportunities that are available. They enjoy clubs such as football, netball, orchestra and drama. They also look forward to trips, including to the Watercress Line and the coast. Pupils take pride in the leadership roles and responsibilities they have. These include being a house captain, librarian, playground buddy and part of the worship team.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents spoke highly about the school. One parent echoed the thoughts of many by saying, ‘St Bart’s is fantastic, it provides great academic and pastoral support. My children love it here.’

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Learning at St Bart’s is ambitious, engaging, memorable and inclusive. Leaders have thought carefully about what pupils should learn across the curriculum. This includes considering how the curriculum in early years prepares children for future learning. In most subjects, leaders precisely identify the important knowledge that pupils should learn and the order in which they should learn it. This helps teachers know exactly what pupils need to learn and remember well. However, the curriculum is not as well defined in a very small number of subjects. Leaders are taking appropriate action to address this. 12 and 13 January 2022

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Early reading is taught effectively. Leaders and teachers prioritise it from the moment children start in Reception. Highly trained staff use their expertise and appropriate resources to deliver the school’s phonics programme well. Pupils read books that enable them to practise the sounds they have learned in lessons. Teachers quickly identify pupils who need any extra support with their reading. This helps them to catch up quickly.

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Overall, useful training has ensured that all staff have strong subject knowledge. Leaders are rightly providing further training in subjects where it is most needed. Lessons are lively and engaging because teachers explain things very well. They ask questions that make pupils, including children in early years, think carefully. Teachers ensure that pupils have time to practise new ideas. Pupils value this as it helps them to remember the important content. Teachers carefully check how well pupils have understood something before moving them on to more complex learning.

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Leaders are determined that all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), will develop the detailed knowledge they need to enable them to ‘live life in all its fullness’. Caring staff ensure that the needs of pupils with SEND are identified appropriately. Staff are well trained and offer effective support that enables these pupils to learn well.

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Leaders wisely adapt the curriculum to mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on pupils’ learning. Staff provide any additional pastoral support required for vulnerable pupils swiftly. In addition, teachers identify and address any gaps in pupils’ knowledge quickly. This caring, coordinated approach gives pupils, including children in early years, every chance of future success.

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Leaders provide pupils with a rich variety of ways to learn about their role as responsible citizens. For instance, pupils regularly raise funds for national and international charities, perform at local music festivals and visit the local care home. During the COVID-19 pandemic, pupils have written messages of hope and prayers which have now been displayed in the care home. Pupils create and showcase their artwork in the community. Over time, pupils develop a deep understanding of diversity, individual liberty and mutual respect. Community is clearly important, and St Bart’s ensures that pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain.

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All staff have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour. Pupils understand what is expected of them. Pupils, including children in early years, are polite and considerate towards one another. Classrooms are peaceful environments. Pupils are engaged in their learning. They try hard and are keen to do their best. Staff are proud to work at the school, and feel motivated and valued. They appreciate the guidance and support they receive from leaders to help manage their workload and well-being. 12 and 13 January 2022

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders ensure that safeguarding is given the highest priority. All appropriate checks are completed to ensure the suitability of staff. Staff are vigilant in their care for pupils. They receive regular training. Staff fully understand what to do if they have concerns over a pupils’ safety or well-being. Leaders are tenacious in their work. They follow up any worries swiftly, and liaise closely with outside agencies to ensure that pupils get the help they need. Pupils learn how they can keep themselves safe, including when online. They are confident that staff will listen and help them if they have any worries.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Leaders are aware that in a very small number of subjects the curriculum does not sufficiently identify the essential knowledge pupils should learn and remember. It is clear from leaders’ actions that they are already taking steps to bring this about. Leaders should also continue to implement their detailed plans to further develop teachers’ pedagogical content knowledge in these subjects. This will improve pupils’ achievement even more.

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Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good. This is called a section 8 inspection of a good or outstanding school, because it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a section 5 inspection. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the section 8 inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the section 8 inspection as a section 5 inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the second section 8 inspection since we judged the school to be good in June 2013. 12 and 13 January 2022

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How can I feed back my views?

find out what other parents and carers think. We use information from Ofsted Parent View 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 are the school and you are 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. 12 and 13 January 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10211457 Type of school Primary

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Website www.stbartholomews.surrey.sch.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 21 February 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 This is a Church of England voluntary aided primary school. The last section 48 statutory inspection of Anglican and Methodist schools took place in July 2015.  The school does not currently use any alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspector met with the headteacher, senior leaders and members of staff.  The inspector met with three governors, including the chair of the governing body. The inspector also met with a representative from Surrey local authority, and had a telephone discussion with a representative from the Diocese of Guildford.  The inspector carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and computing. For each deep dive, the inspector met with subject leaders, looked at curriculum plans, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils 12 and 13 January 2022

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about their learning and looked at a sample of pupils’ work. The inspector also heard a selection of pupils read.  To inspect safeguarding, the inspector checked the single central record of recruitment checks and talked to leaders responsible for safeguarding. The inspector also talked to a range of staff and pupils informally.  The inspector considered the responses to the confidential staff survey, and spoke to a range of staff about their views on the school.  The inspector took account of the responses to Ofsted’s Parent View questionnaire and the additional free-text responses, and talked to some parents informally at the start of the second day.  The inspector met with a range of pupils to discuss their views about the school, and talked to pupils informally during social times and in lessons. The inspector also considered the responses to Ofsted’s online pupil survey.  The inspector reviewed a range of documents, including the school’s self-evaluation

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and school development plan, and information about the school’s curriculum.

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Inspection team

Louise Walker, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector 12 and 13 January 2022

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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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