Bartley Green School

Inspection of Bartley Green School Adams Hill, Birmingham, West Midlands B32 3QJ

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Previous inspection grade Outstanding 7 and 8 March 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders at Bartley Green School have high aspirations for every pupil. For the most part, pupils achieve these aspirations. Leaders have developed a broad and ambitious curriculum. Pupils understand and follow the school values of aspiration, achievement, acceptance, respect, resilience and reward. Warm and respectful relationships characterise life at this school. Pupils are happy and safe. Pupils value the support staff give them.

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What is it like to attend this school?

There is a purposeful atmosphere around the school. Pupils say they can focus on their learning well. Most teachers act on any disrupted learning quickly and address the issues effectively. During social times, most pupils behave well. A small number of pupils use derogatory and inappropriate language. If incidents of poor language or behaviour do occur, leaders deal with them swiftly.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The extra-curricular programme is rich and diverse. Pupils regularly take part in a range of clubs, such as sports, music and sailing. Many pupils, including disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), attend regularly. Pupils value being able to participate in the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award scheme. Opportunities, such as the recent trips to Geneva and London for science, modern foreign languages and art, enhance the curriculum.

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better?

Leaders have developed an ambitious and well-sequenced curriculum for all pupils. Senior and curriculum leaders discuss and evaluate the curriculum. This helps them to develop and improve it. For example, to further develop modern foreign languages, leaders will introduce Spanish into Year 7 and as an option for Year 10 GCSE.

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better?

Curriculum leaders identify the key knowledge that pupils need to learn. For example, in English, Year 11 pupils use their knowledge of ‘An Inspector Calls’ to develop work on stage directions and setting. This work also broadens pupils’ knowledge of the suffragette movement and the historical period of the time. Leaders continue to ensure that all teachers give pupils sufficient opportunities to deepen their knowledge.

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better?

Leaders have introduced ‘do now activities’ at the start of lessons. These enable teachers to check what pupils know. This information identifies and addresses any gaps in pupils’ knowledge quickly. Most teachers check what pupils know and remember well. However, some teachers do not carry out these checks well enough. This means that any gaps in pupils’ knowledge persist, making it harder for them to learn new things.

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better?

Leaders quickly identify pupils with SEND and provide effective information about the additional support each pupil needs. Most teachers use this information to adapt 7 and 8 March 2023

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their teaching. However, despite this support, some disadvantaged pupils and pupils with SEND do not behave well enough. On occasion, some of these pupils move to other classes. This means that they do not have the same learning experiences as their peers.

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Leaders are establishing a range of opportunities for pupils to develop their reading. However, leaders have not prioritised the teaching of phonics for weaker readers. They are identifying pupils who need extra support and how to provide appropriate help. However, the plans do not currently have clear systems and training for staff. As a result, there is no effective support for weaker readers.

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Leaders have a well-planned programme of personal, social, health and economic education. Pupils learn about topics such as healthy relationships, democracy and online safety. This helps pupils to be well prepared for challenges they may face in the wider world. Pupils have opportunities to discuss careers, university aspirations and apprenticeships. This prepares them well for the next stages of their lives. Pupil leaders support parents’ evenings and tours of the school. They also produce hampers and cards for local charities and care homes.

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Leaders responsible for governance have a clear and precise understanding of the school and its priorities. They promote an honest and transparent relationship with leaders. They also provide effective challenges and support. This helps to ensure the school continues to improve.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Safeguarding leaders are highly experienced and well qualified. They have extensive knowledge of the issues that pupils face within the school and wider community. A safeguarding culture is embedded where all staff report all concerns. Staff receive extensive training on local or wider issues throughout the year. Weekly meetings enable early support to be put in place, where needed, for pupils and parents. Leaders make appropriate referrals to children’s services and follow these up rigorously to make sure pupils get the help they need.

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Safeguarding

Pupils know who to talk to and how they can report any concerns they have. Pupils are taught about how to keep themselves safe, including online.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Leaders have not yet implemented a rigorous and sequential approach to supporting those pupils who struggle to read. This means that some pupils do not 7 and 8 March 2023

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get the precise help and support they need to catch up with their peers. Leaders should continue with their current plans to implement an effective system to support the weakest readers.  Some teachers do not use assessment strategies well enough to check what pupils know. As a result, in some subjects, pupils have gaps in their knowledge. Leaders should ensure that all teachers use assessment strategies consistently to check on what pupils know and can do.  Some disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND do not behave well enough during lessons. Too many are moved to other classes. When this happens, this can disrupt the learning of others. Leaders must continue to raise expectations of behaviour throughout the school community to ensure that no learning is disrupted and that all pupils can self-regulate in line with these expectations.

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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.

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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. 7 and 8 March 2023

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School details

Inspection number 10266148 Type of school Secondary Comprehensive School category Academy converter

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 3 November 2020, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The headteacher was appointed in January 2015.  The academy makes use of six registered alternative providers.  The school meets the requirements of the provider access legislation, which requires schools to provide pupils in Years 7 to 13 with information and engagement about approved technical education qualifications and apprenticeships.

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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

 Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors focused on the following deep dives: English, mathematics, modern foreign languages, art and religious education. For each deep dive, inspectors 7 and 8 March 2023

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discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors also looked at other subjects to check the curriculum and how they are taught.  Inspectors reviewed a range of school documents. These include information about behaviour, attendance, the school’s curriculum and improvement planning. The school’s website was also checked.  Inspectors talked to staff and leaders about safeguarding arrangements. They examined how leaders make employment checks on staff and scrutinised further safeguarding records. They also asked how incidents reported by pupils are recorded and analysed.  Inspectors observed safeguarding and pupils’ behaviour during informal times of the day.  Inspectors held meetings with governors, the headteacher, senior leaders, subject leaders, pastoral leaders, teachers, including early careers teachers, and pupils.

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They also talked informally to pupils and staff to gather information about school life.  Inspectors considered responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View, including the free-text comments. Inspectors also considered Ofsted’s staff survey and pupil questionnaires.

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Inspection team

Stuart Clarkson, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Clare Considine Ofsted Inspector 7 and 8 March 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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