Barlby High School

Inspection of Barlby High School York Road, Barlby, Selby, North Yorkshire YO8 5JP

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Requires improvement Personal development Requires improvement Leadership and management Requires improvement Previous inspection grade Inadequate 25 and 26 April 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Since the previous inspection, new leaders have improved the school in many areas. Pupils’ learning experience has improved significantly. However, there is more to do to ensure all pupils receive a good quality of education and that pupils’ behaviour meets leaders’ high expectations.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils who attend Barlby High School understand that others may be different from themselves. The curriculum includes important messages about respect for the beliefs, cultures and sexual orientation of others. Pupils experience bullying much less frequently than in the past. Discriminatory behaviour and inappropriate language have reduced significantly over time.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have taken action to reduce the number of negative behaviour incidents. Pupils’ learning is interrupted less often than it was previously. A new policy for managing behaviour is in place. However, the way in which staff apply the policy is inconsistent. At times, lessons are still impacted by low-level disruption.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Many pupils recognise the improvements that have taken place at the school. Inspectors spoke to pupils who now feel safe around the site. Most pupils said that if they raise a concern, it is dealt with well by staff. Opportunities for pupils to contribute to the school community are growing. Pupils are part of a ‘house’ system and take part in competitions. They can also become ‘reading buddies’ for younger pupils or participate in the school production.

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better?

Leaders have a secure understanding of the actions that are still required to improve the school further. Serious concerns about pupils’ behaviour and safety have been addressed successfully. Staff from the multi-academy trust and external advisers have worked closely with leaders to improve curriculum design. However, it is too early to see the full impact of this curriculum on pupils’ learning over time.

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better?

The academic outcomes and attendance of certain groups of pupils, notably those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and disadvantaged pupils, are significantly weaker than those of their peers. Leaders are aware of these attainment and attendance gaps, and plans are in place to reduce them.

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better?

Leaders continue to develop the curriculum on offer at the school to help meet the needs of all pupils. However, the specific knowledge leaders want pupils to learn at each stage of the curriculum is not identified clearly in all subjects. This leads to a lack of focus on the most important elements of the curriculum. Some pupils do not learn the intended curriculum as well as they might.

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better?

Some staff assess pupils’ understanding well by using carefully crafted questions or resources. However, there is more to do to ensure assessment is effective in all lessons and enables staff to identify gaps in pupils’ knowledge swiftly. 25 and 26 April 2023

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Leaders monitor the quality of pupils’ learning effectively and they support staff to improve their work in the classroom when necessary. Specific training aimed at improving pupils’ learning experience is in place. However, the way staff support pupils to do well in lessons remains inconsistent.

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Plans and strategies to support pupils with SEND contain specific targets that are well understood by staff. Suitable adjustments are made in most lessons to support pupils with specific needs, for example dyslexia.

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Reading is an ongoing priority for leaders. Pupils who are at an early stage of learning to read get the additional help they need. This enables them to read with confidence. Leaders have planned a number of opportunities for pupils to read more widely in lessons. However, many pupils do not read for pleasure outside of lessons.

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The school’s personal development curriculum, taught through personal, social and health education and tutor times, is new. Leaders have identified the most important messages that pupils should understand within this curriculum. These include knowledge of the protected characteristics and healthy relationships. Pupils’ understanding of these is strong. However, their knowledge of other faiths, cultures and British values is much less secure.

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Careers education is a strength for older pupils at the school. Year 11 pupils receive careers guidance, take part in mock job interviews and visit local colleges. These opportunities contribute to pupils having clear ambitions for their future. However, younger pupils do not benefit as strongly from this information as their older peers.

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Staff feel well supported. They are proud to work at the school. Governors work with leaders to bring about school improvement. They regularly review their skills and knowledge to ensure they can hold leaders to account effectively for the performance of the school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders, governors and staff have a strong, shared understanding of risks that pupils may face both inside and outside of school. Staff are confident to report any concerns they may have about a pupil’s well-being. Leaders act upon these concerns and seek help from other professionals if required. Pupils and their families get the support they need quickly.

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Safeguarding

The school curriculum helps pupils to understand the risks they may encounter in person or online. Pupils are confident to speak to an adult if they, or someone they know, may be at risk of harm. Parents are regularly informed of potential risks that pupils may face. 25 and 26 April 2023

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The planning and implementation of the curriculum is not of a consistently high quality. The important knowledge and potential misconceptions that pupils may develop are not well identified in some subjects. Pupils’ learning varies across the school. This means that pupils do not learn the curriculum as well as they might, or have misconceptions about important aspects of their learning. Leaders should ensure that all subjects have a precise curriculum in place that identifies important knowledge and potential misconceptions. Leaders must ensure that all staff receive ongoing training that helps them teach this curriculum effectively to all pupils.  Some groups of pupils, notably those with SEND and disadvantaged pupils, do not attend school regularly enough. Rates of persistent absence among this group of pupils are also higher. Absence from school is negatively impacting upon the outcomes of these pupils and their engagement in the wider curriculum on offer

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

at the school. Leaders must strengthen their efforts to secure improved attendance among these pupils.  The behaviour policy at the school is not implemented consistently by all staff. As a result, disruption to lessons continues to impact negatively on some pupils’ learning. At times, poor behaviour goes unchallenged and/or sanctions are used inconsistently. This leads to pupils being unclear about staff expectations of them. Leaders must ensure that all staff have ongoing training to understand how to use the behaviour policy effectively. Leaders should closely monitor the ongoing impact of this upon pupils’ behaviour and attitudes.  The personal development curriculum is not embedded across the school. Pupils do not have a strong understanding of other faiths, cultures or British values. This limits how well they are prepared for life in modern Britain. Leaders should ensure that staff receive appropriate training linked to the personal development

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

curriculum. Leaders must continue to monitor the teaching of this curriculum and how well it is understood by all pupils.

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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. 25 and 26 April 2023

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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. 25 and 26 April 2023

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School details

Inspection number 10261883 Type of school Secondary Comprehensive

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School details

Date of previous inspection 30 November and 1 December 2022, under section 8 of the Education Act

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Information about this school

 Since the previous inspection, the principal and other senior leaders are new to post. The principal joined the school in January 2022.  The school joined the Hope Sentamu Learning trust in 2017.  The school makes use of one provider of alternative education. This provider is registered with the Department for Education.  Careers guidance in the school meets the requirements of the Baker Clause, which means pupils in Years 8 to 11 receive information about the full range of education and training options available to them. This includes opportunities for a range of providers to speak to pupils about technical education qualifications and apprenticeships. 25 and 26 April 2023

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this inspection under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We deemed the inspection a graded (section 5) inspection under the same Act.

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Information about this inspection

In accordance with section 13(4) of the Education Act 2005, His Majesty's Chief Inspector is of the opinion that the school no longer requires special measures.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the fourth routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with school leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation.  Inspectors met with the principal, senior leaders and representatives of the trust. Inspectors spoke to teaching and non-teaching staff, in addition to representatives of the local governing body and trustees. The lead inspector met with the chief executive officer.  To evaluate the quality of education, deep dives were carried out in English, history, mathematics and physical education. Inspectors spoke with curriculum leaders, visited lessons, looked at books and spoke to both pupils and staff.  Inspectors met with leaders responsible for careers education at the school.  Inspectors spoke with pupils about their experience in lessons, enrichment opportunities and what it is like to attend the school.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors examined the schools’ behaviour records, spoke to pupils who had been suspended from school and spoke with providers of alternative education.  Inspectors met with the special educational needs coordinator. They looked at a range of documentation, including education, health and care plans and individual learning plans. Inspectors also checked how pupils with SEND are supported in lessons. One inspector visited the nurture classroom within the school.  Inspectors checked the school’s safeguarding policies and procedures, including checks made on all adults who come on to the school site. Inspectors spoke with pupils and staff to ensure their understanding of safeguarding procedures. An inspector met with the designated safeguarding lead to check on their work to keep pupils safe in school.  Inspectors considered responses to Ofsted’s parent, pupil and staff surveys, including free-text responses.

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Inspection team

John Linkins, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Thomas Wraith His Majesty's Inspector 25 and 26 April 2023

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