Barnacre Road Primary School

Inspection of Barnacre Road Primary School Barnacre Road, Longridge, Preston, Lancashire PR3 2PD

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Overall effectiveness Inadequate

The quality of education Inadequate Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Inadequate Early years provision Inadequate Previous inspection grade Good 2 and 3 February 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Some pupils at Barnacre Road Primary School receive an acceptable standard of education. This helps them to achieve well. In contrast, the gains that many other pupils make in their learning are just not good enough. In particular, pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) have been cut adrift. Leaders have not made sure that staff are able to identify or meet these pupils’ needs effectively. As a result, their achievement across the curriculum is poor. Furthermore, the curriculum in the early years is particularly ill-designed. This means that children are not ready for the demands of Year 1.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils rise to leaders’ high expectations for behaviour and conduct. Pupils behave well in lessons and play nicely with each other during social times. They show consideration and respect for their classmates. Pupils’ relationships with staff are equally positive. Leaders deal with instances of bullying effectively, although they do not record and analyse reports of weaker behaviour as well as they should. Despite these weaknesses, pupils are ultimately safe and happy at the school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils benefit from a range of clubs that develop their talents and interests. They have plenty of opportunities to develop their sense of citizenship through activities such as fundraising events. They also take on leadership roles within the school when they are older. Pupils enjoy the school’s own off-site woodland area which is used to enhance some aspects of their curriculum learning. Pupils also maintain this woodland which contributes to their sense of responsibility and community.

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better?

Leadership of the school has deteriorated since the last inspection. Leaders and governors have been lax in their upkeep of policies and procedures that help them to maintain the effectiveness of the school. Leaders at all levels do not have appropriate oversight of pupils’ learning experiences which means that they do not know how well pupils are achieving. In particular, leaders’ oversight of the education on offer to pupils with SEND is weak. Leaders have been too passive in checking on the learning and achievement of these pupils. They are not aware of, or responding to, the many deficiencies that are preventing pupils with SEND from achieving all that they should.

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better?

The local authority has had to intervene to help leaders to identify the weaknesses within the school and formulate plans to address the shortcomings. Leaders are overly reliant on further support from the local authority to make the necessary improvements. They do not have the capacity to bring about much-needed change.

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better?

Leaders have designed an overarching curriculum structure for pupils in Years 1 to 6. In some subjects, leaders have clearly identified the specific knowledge that pupils need to learn and the order in which it will be taught. In other subjects, leaders have not defined this knowledge. In any case, teachers do not consistently implement subject curriculums as they are intended. This means that pupils’ 2 and 3 February 2023

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learning experience is variable across different subjects and year groups. In turn, this means that pupils do not achieve consistently well across the curriculum and across the school. While some thought has been given to what pupils will learn, the same consideration has not been afforded to pupils with SEND. Leaders have not thought about how the curriculum should enable pupils with SEND to achieve well. In addition, they have not ensured that staff are suitably equipped to help pupils with SEND to reach the same ambitious goals as others in the school.

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Leaders have not ensured that there is an appropriate curriculum in place for children in the early years. They have not given enough consideration to what children in these year groups should learn beyond broad topic themes. Each year, the same themes are repeated across the two-year-old provision, Nursery and Reception classes, regardless of children’s different needs or starting points. Teachers in the early years are left to their own devices to determine what they should teach. As a result, children do not learn what they should to enable them to make a successful start in Year 1.

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Teachers typically carry out checks on pupils’ learning. In subjects where teachers are clear on what knowledge to teach, these checks are mostly effective in identifying and correcting pupils’ misconceptions. However, where subject leaders have not clearly defined the specific knowledge that pupils should know, teachers’ checks on pupils’ learning are less effective. They do not help teachers to know where pupils’ knowledge is insecure nor do they aid teachers in reshaping their teaching to overcome any gaps in learning.

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Leaders have introduced a new phonics programme this academic year. However, some teachers are more skilled in delivering this programme than others. Pupils read books that are not matched well enough to the sounds that they know. This means that pupils do not build their phonic knowledge as securely as they should. This hinders pupils from becoming fluent and confident readers.

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Leaders do not have a sharp focus on supporting pupils who need extra help to learn to read. Leaders do not ensure that reading support sessions take place regularly nor do they review the impact of these sessions. Staff who deliver these sessions do not have the expertise that they need to help pupils overcome gaps in their phonics knowledge. As a result, pupils do not catch up quickly enough.

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Pupils maintain high standards of behaviour throughout the school day. Teachers deal with any minor disruptions to learning quickly and kindly. Fall-outs between pupils are rare. Although incidents of poorer behaviour are generally dealt with well, leaders do not keep sufficient records of these events and do not report on these accurately to governors. This limits leaders from identifying potential bullying issues or patterns in behaviour that might emerge.

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Leaders ensure that pupils’ personal development is catered for well. Pupils benefit from trips that enrich the curriculum. They develop a strong understanding of British values through what they learn in school. Pupils develop a secure knowledge of physical and mental well-being. They are tolerant of others and can talk confidently 2 and 3 February 2023

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about how their learning helps them to appreciate the differences of others. They are well-prepared for life in modern Britain.

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Most staff feel supported by leaders. They believe that leaders help them to manage their workloads. A small number of staff do not share this view.

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Governors openly acknowledge that they have been remiss in carrying out their duties. They do not have the knowledge and expertise that they need to address the weaknesses within the school by themselves. Over time, governors have not gathered appropriate information to evaluate the work of school leaders objectively. They have too readily accepted what leaders have told them. They are not aware of the true extent of the weaknesses that are impacting pupils’ achievement, particularly those pupils with SEND.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Pupils feel confident that they can speak to staff about their worries. Staff know how to identify the signs that a pupil might be at risk of harm. They report their concerns swiftly. In most cases, leaders take appropriate action to manage any concerns and secure appropriate support for pupils and their families. However, at times, leaders’ record-keeping, and some of their actions to maintain effective procedures, are not as robust as they should be.

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Safeguarding

Pupils develop a secure understanding of how to keep themselves safe. They know how to maintain safe and healthy relationships with others. They also know how to stay safe when online.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Weaknesses in leadership means that there is insufficient capacity to tackle the shortcomings at the school that contribute to pupils’ poor achievement. Leaders’ oversight of many aspects of the school, including the delivery of the curriculum, is lacking. Leaders are too reliant on external support. Governors must ensure that urgent action is taken to secure sufficient leadership capacity throughout the school.  Leaders have not prioritised the needs of pupils with SEND. They have not kept an eye on the curriculum experiences for these pupils and have not provided guidance to staff on how to adapt their delivery of the curriculum where necessary. This means that pupils do not have their additional needs identified quickly enough. It also means that pupils with SEND do not receive the support that they need to succeed. Leaders must ensure that pupils have their needs identified and met. Leaders must also ensure that staff are well trained to adapt

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

the delivery of the curriculum for pupils with SEND. 2 and 3 February 2023

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 In some subjects, teachers are not clear on the specific knowledge that pupils need to learn and how best to deliver it. In these subjects, teachers do not know how to assess pupils’ learning, and pupils do not develop their knowledge securely over time. Leaders must provide sufficient curriculum guidance so that teachers know what to teach and how to check that pupils have learned it.  Some teachers are more skilled at delivering the phonics programme than others. Furthermore, teachers are not well trained to provide effective early reading catch-up support. As a result, pupils do not build their phonic knowledge as quickly or securely as they could. Leaders must ensure that teachers have the skills and expertise that they need to help pupils learn to read fluently as soon as they are capable of doing.  Leaders have not designed a suitable curriculum for children in the early years. Children repeat the same themes each year without sufficient forethought given

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to their different ages and prior experiences of the same themes. This means that pupils do not build a secure foundation of knowledge to prepare them for future learning in key stage 1. Leaders must urgently review the curriculum to ensure that pupils build a secure knowledge base for the next stage of their education.  Governors do not have the appropriate knowledge and expertise that they need to evaluate the work of leaders. This means that governors are not alert to, nor addressing, the weaknesses in the school that are impacting pupils’ ability to achieve well. Governors must ensure that they have the knowledge and expertise to carry out their duties effectively.  At times, leaders’ maintenance of records, policies and procedures related to behaviour, bullying and safeguarding are not as robust as they should be. This means that leaders and governors miss opportunities to identify patterns or issues

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in these areas of school life. Leaders should review their approach to recording and evaluating their work in these areas in order to maintain a school climate in which pupils are kept safe.  Leaders and those responsible for governance may not appoint early career teachers before the next monitoring inspection.

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How can I feed back my views?

or to 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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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school. 2 and 3 February 2023

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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. 2 and 3 February 2023

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Chair of governing body Rupert Swarbrick

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School details

Date of previous inspection 19 April 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school has provision for two-year-old children.  The early years leader position was vacant at the time of the inspection.  The governing body oversees the before- and after-school club.  Leaders do not make use of alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this inspection

In accordance with section 44(1) of the Education Act 2005, His Majesty’s Chief Inspector is of the opinion that this school requires special measures because it is failing to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education and the persons responsible for leading, managing or governing the school are not demonstrating the capacity to secure the necessary improvement in the school.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 2 and 3 February 2023

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pandemic began. Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors conducted deep dives in these subjects: early reading, physical education and mathematics. They met with subject leaders and teachers. They visited lessons, looked at examples of pupils’ and children’s work and talked with groups of pupils about their learning. The lead inspector heard pupils read to a familiar adult.  Inspectors also considered other curriculum subjects. They spoke with pupils about their learning and evaluated their work in these subjects.  The lead inspector spoke with a group of governors. The lead inspector also spoke with representatives of the local authority.  Inspectors talked to staff about their workload and well-being.  Inspectors met with the leaders who are responsible for attendance, behaviour and pupils’ personal development.

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 Inspectors spoke with pupils about safeguarding and their wider experience of school.  Inspectors looked at a range of policies and documents related to pupils’ welfare and education. They observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school.  Inspectors reviewed leaders’ policies and procedures to keep pupils safe. They discussed safeguarding arrangements with leaders and staff.  Inspectors took account of the responses to Ofsted’s online surveys for staff and pupils.  Inspectors met with parents and carers at the start of the school day and took account of the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text responses.

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Inspection team

David Spruce, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Katie Hague Ofsted Inspector 2 and 3 February 2023

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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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