St Bartholomew's Church of England Primary School

Inspection of a good school: St Bartholomew’s Church of England Primary School Willowcroft, Quorn, Loughborough, Leicestershire LE12 8HQ

p.1

Outcome

St Bartholomew’s Church of England Primary School continues to be a good school.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

St Bartholomew’s Church of England Primary is a warm and welcoming school. Despite its larger-than-average size, the school has a family feel and has strong links with the local community.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy and engaged and feel well cared for. Leaders are aspirational for pupils and have high expectations. The curriculum is ambitious for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). As a result, pupils access engaging lessons and achieve well.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy their lessons. They are positive about their learning and are eager to do well. They are proud of their school. They are well mannered and demonstrate a respectful confidence. One pupil stated, ‘I would give the school 10/10. I gain confidence every year and all of the teachers make my learning fun.’

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils understand the school’s ‘CARES’ code. The principles of the code are lived out by everyone in the school. Pupils actively support each other in lessons and play happily with one another during outdoor playtimes.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils have access to a wide range of trips and experiences which enhance their learning. Pupils value after-school clubs and the range of opportunities they have to take on additional responsibility.

p.1

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

Children get off to a strong start. The Reception Year learning environment is well resourced. Children explore the different areas of the provision and learn through play. The outdoor area provides children with opportunities to take risks and develop their 4 and 5 May 2023

p.1

2

gross motor skills. Relationships between staff and children are strong. Staff have created a nurturing environment that prepares children well for their next stage of education.

p.2

2

Leaders have prioritised reading. They are passionate about all pupils being confident and fluent readers. A positive reading culture is promoted in all classroom environments. Daily ‘reading for pleasure’ takes place across the school. Leaders have increased the quality of books pupils read. Pupils access a range of diverse books which expose them to different cultures and faiths. In guided reading sessions, pupils develop their comprehension skills and vocabulary.

p.2

2

The phonics programme is well sequenced, and children access this straight away in the Reception Year. Sessions are fast-paced and engaging. Teachers ensure that pupils ‘keep up’. Pupils who find reading more difficult get extra help to ensure they ‘catch up’. Reading books are well matched to the sounds pupils have been learning.

p.2

2

Teachers plan and deliver mathematics lessons that develop pupils’ fluency and problem- solving and reasoning skills. Pupils use a range of resources and practical equipment to support their grasp of new concepts. Teachers plan regular opportunities for pupils to recap prior learning. This helps pupils to know and remember more.

p.2

2

Leaders have created an ambitious wider curriculum for all pupils. This is well sequenced from the Reception Year through to Year 6. Pupils’ knowledge and skills build progressively from the foundations established in the Reception Year. Leaders have ensured that most lesson plans include the knowledge and skills covered previously and what will be coming next. Pupils can talk about their learning and reflect upon how their current learning builds upon their prior learning. Leaders have processes in place to check what pupils know and remember. For example, in physical education (PE) lessons, teachers and pupils use video evidence to evaluate the performance of gymnastic sequences. However, in some foundation subjects, teachers do not yet have systems in place to identify where there may be gaps in pupils’ knowledge and skills.

p.2

2

Pupils with SEND are well supported. Teachers adapt lesson plans to meet the needs of these pupils. Leaders work collaboratively with a range of external agencies to secure specialist support for individual pupils’ needs.

p.2

2

Personal, social and health education and relationships and sex education lessons prepare pupils well for life in modern Britain. Pupils have a secure understanding of fundamental British values and can relate them to their everyday lives. They understand the importance of respecting and valuing difference. They have a secure, age- appropriate understanding of different types of families and relationships.

p.2

2

Pupils understand how important being active is to their health. They have a range of opportunities to represent their school in competitive sports. This includes pupils with disabilities who recently took part in a wheelchair sports tournament. Sports ambassadors take pride in their role of actively promoting exercise during lunchtimes. Pupils understand why it is important to eat a healthy and balanced diet. 4 and 5 May 2023

p.2

3

The school is well led and managed. Staff are overwhelmingly positive about the support they receive from leaders. They feel well looked after and valued. Leaders are accessible and staff workload and well-being are carefully considered.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

Safeguarding

There is a strong safeguarding culture at the school. Staff attend annual safeguarding and child protection training. They also access refresher training and receive termly safeguarding updates. Leaders proactively engage with external agencies to support pupils and families.

p.3

Safeguarding

Staff know how to report concerns. Leaders act on these concerns in a timely manner. Safeguarding records are accurate. Governors fulfil their statutory duties with regard to safeguarding.

p.3

Safeguarding

Pupils feel safe and know how to keep themselves safe, including when online. One pupil shared, ‘We can talk to any adult about anything and they will always comfort us.’

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Leaders have not yet ensured that there are consistent systems in place for checking what pupils know and can do in all foundation subjects. As a result, in these subjects, teachers do not regularly adapt plans to address gaps in knowledge or skill acquisition effectively. Leaders need to establish clear processes for the assessment of the wider curriculum to ensure that any knowledge gaps are identified and addressed to enable pupils to know and remember more in all foundation subjects.

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 first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in December 2017. 4 and 5 May 2023

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. 4 and 5 May 2023

p.4

School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

p.5

School details

Chair of governing body Charlotte Calland

p.5

School details

Website www.st-bartholomews.leics.sch.uk

p.5

School details

Date of previous inspection 6 and 7 December 2017, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

p.5

Information about this school

 The school does not make use of any alternative provision.

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 that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspector met with the headteacher and the special educational needs coordinator.  The inspector carried out deep dives in reading, mathematics and PE. For each deep dive, the inspector discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited lessons, spoke with teachers and pupils and looked at samples of pupils’ work. The inspector also looked at curriculum documentation for art and design and design technology.  The inspector listened to a sample of children in the Reception Year and key stages 1 and 2 read to a familiar adult.  The inspector met with the designated safeguarding leads to discuss the actions taken to keep pupils safe. They also spoke with pupils and staff about safeguarding and

p.5

6

reviewed a range of documents, including the school’s single central record.  The inspector spoke with parents at the start of the school day. They considered the responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Ofsted Parent View, and considered the results of the staff and pupil questionnaires.  The inspector met with representatives from the local governing body and the local authority.

p.6

Inspection team

Luella Manssen, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 4 and 5 May 2023

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