St Barnabas CofE Primary School

Inspection of a good school: St Barnabas CofE Primary School Green Lane, Worcester, Worcestershire WR3 8NZ

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Outcome

St Barnabas CofE Primary School continues to be a good school. There is enough evidence of improved performance to suggest that the school could be judged outstanding if we were to carry out a graded (section 5) inspection now. The school's next inspection will be a graded inspection.

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What is it like to attend this school?

St Barnabas Church of England Primary School is a very special place. The school motto of ‘inspire, nurture, achieve’ is modelled by all pupils and adults. Leaders and teachers reinforce the importance of education. They say, ‘there is no wasted time’ and this is demonstrated by the fact that from the beginning to the end of the day pupils enjoy positive relationships and rich learning experiences.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders and teachers have extremely high expectations of what pupils can achieve. Pupils work hard to meet these expectations. Pupils enjoy learning and are keen to do well. Respect underpins all relationships in the school. Pupils behave very well in lessons and in social time. Teachers work hard to make sure that all pupils have a voice and, as a result, pupils know that their opinions are listened to.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders model and promote ‘courageous leadership’. They teach pupils to try to make a difference to the life of others. Pupils take this endeavour seriously. Older pupils organised and held a toy sale to raise money for the Ukraine appeal. Pupils have organised events to raise money for guide dogs and to support charity appeals, such as those for people affected by the earthquake in Syria and Turkey. Pupils were awarded a ‘kindness in education’ award after writing to the Prime Minister about child refugees.

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

Leaders have reviewed and adapted the curriculum they offer. They have thought carefully about what pupils need to know from early years, and to prepare them for their next steps. Teachers work together to create ‘learning sequences’ from carefully planned and ordered curriculum materials. Teachers know the important knowledge that they want children to learn and then carefully craft this to meet the needs of the pupils in their 25 and 26 April 2023

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classes. In one or two subject areas, the curriculum is not planned as well as leaders would like. These curriculums are being developed.

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Teachers and leaders know their pupils. They know the support that pupils need to achieve well. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are identified quickly and receive well-focused adult support. As a result, pupils with SEND learn and remember the important knowledge they need to make good progress.

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Children get off to a strong start in early years. The curriculum is carefully considered and designed to meet the children’s needs. Teachers prioritise communication skills in early years and children are taught ambitious vocabulary and use this well. Children apply concentration to their work. They are enthusiastic in their learning and, as a result, they do well. Pupils keep this love of learning throughout their time in school. Pupils are curious, engaged, and keen to do well. Their behaviour in lessons is exemplary.

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Early reading is expertly taught by very well-trained staff. As a result, most children quickly learn to read fluently. Pupils who need additional help to learn to read well are identified quickly and receive the support that they need. Leaders are relentless in ensuring that all children will be keen readers. This focus on reading permeates the school. Leaders have carefully selected the class books that pupils read. Pupils enjoy reading and speak highly of the many author visits they have.

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Pupils benefit from an exceptional personal development curriculum. Leaders meticulously plan the trips, visits and events they offer to make sure that all pupils can experience meaningful activities beyond the classroom. Pupils in all year groups go on visits to support their learning. For example, pupils have recently visited a local wildlife park, a themed Viking event and a space centre. Recent trips to Bath to learn about the Romans, to a space camp and on a geography field trip also included residential opportunities to support pupils’ growing independence. Pupils have many leadership opportunities. In Year 5, pupils are ‘eco-leaders’. They grow food on the school allotment, improve the school environment and lead environmental initiatives. Older pupils value the opportunities they have to support the school community as worship leaders, house captains, buddies, tech leaders, librarians and school councillors.

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Christian values are at the heart of this school. Pupils speak confidently about their responsibility to be good citizens. They say that the values they learn about, such as perseverance, compassion, and justice, help to prepare them for adulthood.

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Leaders think carefully about the changes that they make to how the school is run. New policies and processes are developed with staff. As a result, these are consistently well implemented. This means that all pupils benefit from high-quality learning experiences.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff are welltrained and understand the risks that their pupils may face. They are vigilant and pass on any concerns they may have. Leaders act quickly on concerns. They work 25 and 26 April 2023

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closely with external agencies to make sure that pupils receive the help that they need. Pupils learn about how to keep themselves safe in school, outside of school and online through the well-considered personal, social and health education (PSHE) curriculum. Pupils know that staff listen to, and act on, any concerns they may share.

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Leaders make sure that all adults who work in the school are recruited safely. They take any safeguarding concerns raised, no matter how small, seriously.

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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.

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Background

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in September 2012

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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.

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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. 25 and 26 April 2023

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Website https://st-barnabas-primary.worcs.sch.uk/

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School details

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

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Information about this school

 The school is a Church of England primary school. The last section 48 inspection of the school was September 2010.  The school does not use any alternative provision.  The school also runs a registered pre-school provision, Green Lane Pre-School, which is inspected separately by Ofsted.  The school runs a breakfast club and after-school club each day for pupils who attend the school.

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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 it into account in their evaluation of the school.  During the inspection, the inspector held discussions with the headteacher and other senior and middle leaders. 25 and 26 April 2023

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 The inspector held discussions with teachers and representatives of governors.  The inspector carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and science. For each deep dive, the inspector discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked samples of pupils’ work.  The inspector met with members of staff individually and in groups and spoke to pupils at various points during the inspection.  The inspector took account of responses to staff and pupils surveys, as well as Ofsted Parent View  The inspector looked at records relating to behaviour, bullying, attendance, and safeguarding.  The inspector reviewed safeguarding arrangements by checking the school’s approach to staff recruitment, scrutinising policy documents and meeting with the designated safeguarding lead.

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Inspection team

Claire Price, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector 25 and 26 April 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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