Fawbert and Barnard's Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Fawbert and Barnard’s Primary School London Road, Old Harlow, Essex CM17 0DA

p.1

Outcome

Fawbert and Barnard’s Primary School continues to be a good school.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy being part of what they call the ‘F and B family’. Pupils are active members of the school community. They talk enthusiastically about the school’s values and what they mean to them.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are kind and respectful, and enjoy taking on responsibilities. For example, older pupils support the children in the Reception class to settle into school well. Pupils encourage each other to be the best they can be. This is both socially and academically.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well in lessons and throughout the school. They are keen to do well and listen attentively to staff. They take pride in their work. Pupils enjoy the curriculum and are excited to explain what they have learned. This includes children in the early years. Pupils access a varied and well-thought-out curriculum.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils access a wide range of clubs and events, in the local community and further afield. The school’s well-developed programme of trips and visits, including visiting local galleries and museums, helps pupils to understand different cultures, religions, and lifestyles.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils say that staff care about them. Bullying is rare but if it does happen pupils know who to talk to. Pupils feel safe and understand how to keep themselves safe.

p.1

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

Leaders at Fawbert and Barnard’s Primary have carefully considered the needs of pupils to create a well-thought-out curriculum. Pupils access a balanced and broad range of subjects. Curriculum plans, including in the early years, consider the order in which topics need to be taught and the structure and resources required in each lesson. Pupils feel that the structure of lessons helps them remember and learn more.

p.1

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

Staff have received high-quality training and have appropriate subject knowledge to teach most subjects. Staff consistently check that pupils understand what is being taught. They 1 and 2 February 2022

p.1

2

use a range of strategies to ensure that pupils understand what they need to do to improve. This includes helping pupils to use new vocabulary accurately. As a result, the curriculum is delivered effectively.

p.2

2

The teaching of reading is a strength of the school, including in the early years. Pupils are given the knowledge to sound out and read new words. This is due to skilled adults using a consistent approach to reading and understanding new words. Books are well matched to the sounds pupils are learning. The few pupils who fall behind are supported to catch up quickly. Pupils show a love of reading throughout the school. Pupils of all ages talked articulately and keenly to the inspector about how they use the book corners to enjoy the books they ‘love’ reading.

p.2

2

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) achieve well. Skilled adults offer support to the pupils who need it. When required, teachers ensure that the curriculum is broken down into smaller steps so that some pupils can access it more effectively. Vulnerable pupils, including those from disadvantaged backgrounds, are supported to progress well in the same high-quality curriculum as their peers.

p.2

2

While most of the curriculum is well considered and developed, some subjects are in the earlier stages of planning. For example, in design and technology (DT) and geography the specific order in which the topics need to be taught is not as clear in the curriculum plans for these subjects. Teachers are not as confident to deliver the intended curriculum in these few areas.

p.2

2

Pupils are well behaved. They know the system of rewards and warnings well. Pupils learn about how to behave in class and assemblies. They are also taught how to talk about any issues and make friends as needed. This includes in the early years, where children settle and make friends quickly.

p.2

2

Leaders have designed a range of first-hand opportunities for pupils to explore diversity, different faiths, cultures and sporting experiences. Pupils develop positive attitudes due to the adults being excellent role models in school. Pupils are given chances to show they are trustworthy and resilient.

p.2

2

The local governing body has clearly defined roles that enable it to correctly identify and monitor the school’s improvement priorities. The strong relationships between the schools in the trust enable staff to share best practice and support one another. Leaders are also good at supporting staff’s well-being.

p.2

2

In discussion with the headteacher, the inspector agreed that the continued development of foundation subjects such as DT and geography may usefully serve as a focus for the next inspection.

p.2

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 1 and 2 February 2022

p.2

3

Leaders have a tenacious approach to keeping pupils safe. Any concerns are recorded and reported to the correct people. Leaders are quick to follow up and get families the support they need. Information is shared in a timely manner.

p.3

3

Pupils understand how to keep themselves safe outside of school and when using the internet. The curriculum is designed to provide up-to-date knowledge about online safety. Additionally, time is built in to address any current contextual concerns as they arise.

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Planning and staff training in a few areas of the curriculum are not as well developed as in the other foundation subjects. Pupils are not accessing the same high-quality curriculum in these subjects. Leaders need to ensure they have plans that identify the sequencing and detail that needs to be taught to pupils. Leaders must ensure staff have the skills and knowledge to deliver these subjects to an equally high standard as they do the rest of the curriculum.

p.3

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.

p.3

Background

This is the first section 8 inspection since we judged the predecessor school, Fawbert and Barnard’s Primary school, to be good in July 2013.

p.3

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.

p.3

How can I feed back my views?

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

p.3

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 . 1 and 2 February 2022

p.3

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

p.4

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. 1 and 2 February 2022

p.4

School details

Inspection number 10212029 Type of school Primary

p.5

School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

p.5

Information about this school

 The school has been through significant senior and middle leader staff changes since joining the Templefields Multi-Academy Trust in 2017.  The school does not use any alternative provision.  Fawbert and Barnard’s Primary Academy converted to become an academy school in September 2017. When its predecessor school, Fawbert and Barnard’s Primary School, was last inspected by Ofsted it was judged to be good overall.

p.5

Information about this inspection

This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with school leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation.  The inspector met with the headteacher, the deputy headteacher, the special educational needs and/or disabilities coordinator and the chief executive officer for the trust. The inspector also met with the vice-chair of the trust, who is also the chair of governors, and two other members of the governing board.  The inspector carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and art and design. For each deep dive, the inspector discussed the curriculum with subject 1 and 2 February 2022

p.5

6

leaders, looked at curriculum plans, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at a sample of pupils’ work.  The inspector also spoke to leaders and looked at pupils’ work in history, computing, physical education and DT.  The inspector spoke to parents when pupils were being picked up from school. The inspector spoke to pupils in the playground and in the lunch hall.  To inspect safeguarding, the inspector checked the school’s single central record, considered the safeguarding policy, and spoke to staff and pupils. The inspector looked at case files and discussed a range of safeguarding records with the designated safeguarding lead.  The inspector considered 68 responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Ofsted Parent View, and 36 free-text responses submitted during the inspection. The inspector reviewed 30 responses to the online staff survey and 171 responses to the online pupil survey.

p.6

Inspection team

Isabel Davis, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector 1 and 2 February 2022

p.6

7

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.

p.7

7

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.7

7

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

7

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

7

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7