Barford Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Barford Primary School Barford Road, Ladywood, Birmingham, West Midlands B16 0EF

p.1

Inspection dates: 21 and 22 September 2022

p.1

Outcome

There has been no change to this school’s overall judgement of good as a result of this ungraded (section 8) inspection. However, the evidence gathered suggests that the inspection grade might not be as high if a graded (section 5) inspection were carried out now. The next inspection will therefore be a graded inspection.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Barford Primary is a happy school. One comment by a parent expressed the views of many others: ‘My son is always excited and always wants to come to school.’ Staff care about the pupils. This starts in the morning when they welcome pupils into school with a smile.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Staff set high expectations for pupils’ behaviour. As a result, behaviour around the school is positive. The school is calm and orderly. Pupils say that if children are unkind to them, or are silly, staff will sort it out quickly. This means that pupils are not worried about bullying. They feel safe in school.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders are ambitious for what pupils can achieve. They expect them to try their best. Pupils live up to these expectations. Staff also teach pupils how to become responsible, active citizens, for example by raising money for charity or by taking on roles and responsibilities. These roles include being a member of the school council or the safeguarding squad. Pupils speak with pride about these roles.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders make sure that pupils study a range of subjects. However, in some subjects, teachers lack sufficient subject knowledge. This means that sometimes the advice they give to pupils to improve their learning is not precise enough. This limits pupils’ progress across the curriculum.

p.1

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

Leaders have made changes to how subjects are planned and delivered. As a result, in some subjects, curriculums build on what pupils already know as they move through the school. Leaders realised that some subjects had to take priority. Therefore, they focused 21 and 22 September 2022

p.1

2

on English, including reading, and mathematics first. This is starting to make a difference, particularly in improving pupils’ spelling, punctuation and grammar.

p.2

2

Over the last year, leaders have started to improve other subjects. However, subject leaders are at different stages of their training and development. This affects how well they have developed their subject areas. Consequently, there is variability in teachers’ subject knowledge across subjects. This affects how well some teachers deliver the curriculum. At times, in these subjects, pupils’ learning does not always build on what they have learned previously. They therefore do not achieve as well as they should.

p.2

2

Staff use a variety of ways to check pupils’ learning to identify any gaps. However, staff do not routinely make the best use of these checks to help pupils to remember more of the curriculum.

p.2

2

Leaders have prioritised reading. An effective reading curriculum is in place. This starts in Nursery. Staff have had the appropriate training. In most instances, staff make sure that the books pupils read match the sounds that they know. All classes have a reading area. Pupils have a daily shared reading time. Leaders check how well pupils are doing with their reading. They put appropriate support in place if needed. Consequently, pupils develop reading with confidence and fluency from an early age.

p.2

2

Children in Nursery get off to a good start. Positive relationships between children, and between children and staff, develop quickly. These positive relationships are established in all years. As a result, pupils treat each other with respect. In Reception, staff plan activities to help pupils develop their vocabulary well.

p.2

2

Leaders check if children in the early years and pupils in the rest of the school need extra support. Leaders ensure that pupils who need extra support receive it. When needed, staff seek specialist advice from external agencies. This includes the speech and language therapist, who gives advice about how to meet pupils’ additional needs. As a result, pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities achieve well.

p.2

2

Staff apply the school’s behaviour policy well. Pupils value the rewards staff give them for their hard work in lessons. As a result, pupils’ behaviour in lessons is good. Pupils engage well in their learning and there is little disruption.

p.2

2

Pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain. For example, they celebrate Chinese New Year and the festival of Eid. Parents speak positively about the range of activities and experiences available for their children. These include residential trips, sailing and learning how to grow vegetables.

p.2

2

Staff value the support leaders give them. Leaders consider their well-being. Staff say that recent changes have increased their workload. However, they acknowledge that these changes are necessary to further improve the quality of education across the school. Staff morale is high.

p.2

2

Governors are committed to ensuring the school continues to improve and that pupils achieve well. They provide leaders with an appropriate balance of support and challenge. 21 and 22 September 2022

p.2

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

Safeguarding

Staff know the pupils well and take their welfare seriously. Staff are confident that leaders will deal with their concerns effectively. Leaders make sure that staff have regular training and updates. This helps staff to identify any pupils who might be at risk from harm. The school has good links with external agencies. This means pupils and families get the support they need at the right time. Parents value this.

p.3

Safeguarding

Pupils are taught how to keep themselves safe through assemblies and in lessons. This includes e-safety.

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Some subject leaders have not benefited from support and training to give them the leadership skills and knowledge they need to develop their subjects effectively. Others are new to the role and lack experience. This impacts on how well the curriculum is implemented in some subjects. Leaders should continue to support subject leaders, to ensure that they have the appropriate skills and knowledge to successfully monitor, develop and evaluate the effectiveness of their subject areas.  Teachers do not use assessment well across all subjects. Although teachers make regular checks on pupils’ learning, this information is not used consistently well to help pupils to remember more. Leaders should ensure that the approach to assessment is used consistently well across the school.

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 an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

p.3

Background

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in November 2012. 21 and 22 September 2022

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.4

How can I feed back my views?

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

p.4

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. 21 and 22 September 2022

p.4

School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

p.5

School details

Date of previous inspection 5 July 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

p.5

Information about this school

 Since the last inspection, a new headteacher has been appointed, in September 2021.  The school is part of the Ladywood consortium of maintained schools.  Leaders do not use alternative provision.  Leaders run a before- and after-school club.

p.5

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 this into account in her evaluation of the school.  The inspector met with the headteacher, other leaders, the chair of governors, the school improvement partner, staff and pupils. The inspector also spoke on the telephone to a representative of the local authority.  The inspector carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics and art. For each deep dive, the inspector discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample 21 and 22 September 2022

p.5

6

of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  The inspector also looked at pupils’ work in other subjects.  The inspector talked to pupils and staff at unstructured times during the day.  The inspector talked to parents at the school gate.  The inspector evaluated a range of school documents and looked at information on the school’s website.  The inspector checked the single central record and met with the school’s safeguarding leader.  The inspector considered responses to Ofsted Parent View, and the free-text responses received during the inspection.

p.6

Inspection team

Lesley Yates, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 21 and 22 September 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