Barnton Community Nursery and Primary School

Inspection of Barnton Community Nursery and Primary School Townfield Lane, Barnton, Northwich, Cheshire CW8 4QL

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Inspection dates: 11 and 12 October 2023

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

The quality of education Outstanding Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding Early years provision Outstanding Previous inspection grade Good

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

The headteacher of this school is Alison Lawson. This school is part of the Weaver Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), Annette Williams, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Julian Cobley. 11 and 12 October 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff have extremely high expectations of pupils at Barnton Community Nursery and Primary School. Pupils, and children in the early years, excel in every aspect of their education. All pupils embrace the school’s values of inspire, believe and achieve.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), are exceedingly well prepared for the next steps in their education. Pupils in each of the specially resourced provisions for pupils with SEND (specially resourced provisions) also thrive because of carefully designed and expertly tailored curriculums.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils take absolute pride in the work that they produce. It is of an exceedingly high standard. Pupils were delighted to talk about what they have been learning. Pupils across the school thrive in a harmonious and caring environment.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave exceptionally well. They are fully attentive in lessons. They work hard without any distraction or disruption. Pupils are confident that staff will swiftly resolve any concerns that they may have. The school is built on a strong culture of respect. Pupils are kind and caring towards one another. They feel happy and safe.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils delight in the vast array of high-quality enrichment activities that the school offers. For example, pupils are keen to attend art, trampolining and football clubs. The school carefully tailors its clubs to suit the needs and interests of all pupils, including those with SEND and those in the specially resourced provisions. The school’s excellent programme of wider personal development enables pupils to foster their talents and interests far beyond the academic curriculum.

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better?

From the early years to Year 6, the school, trustees and members of the local education committee have ensured that the curriculum flows seamlessly. The curriculum is extremely well designed and implemented fully by staff. The order in which pupils learn new knowledge and information is crystal clear. Consequently, pupils across the school develop a rich and deep body of subject knowledge over time. This includes pupils with SEND and pupils in the specially resourced provisions. Without doubt, children in the early years and pupils across the rest of the school shine. Pupils achieve exceptionally well in all subjects.

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better?

The school, trustees and members of the local education committee make full use of the latest educational research to inform teaching, learning and curriculum development. The school also delivers the highest quality ongoing training to staff. As a result, staff are exceedingly well equipped to design learning activities that enable pupils to thrive and to learn the curriculum exactly as intended. Pupils reap the rewards of staff’s excellent training and development.

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better?

Across the school, including in the early years, staff are adept at identifying misconceptions swiftly and effectively. They use assessment strategies exceedingly 11 and 12 October 2023

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well to identify where pupils may have gaps in their knowledge. Adults use this information with precision to adapt the delivery of the curriculum and to shape future learning.

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The school has cultivated a love of reading in its pupils. It has successfully prioritised reading from the early years through to Year 6. Pupils, and children in the early years, read widely and often. They were enthusiastic to share the breadth of their diverse reading experiences with inspectors. Children in the Nursery class gain a secure foundation in communication and language. This prepares them well for when they begin the phonics programme in the Reception Year. Pupils practise reading with books that closely match the sounds that they have learned. Staff check carefully that pupils can remember previously learned sounds. As a result of a carefully designed reading curriculum, the majority of pupils are confident and fluent readers by the end of Year 2.

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The school identifies the additional needs of pupils quickly and accurately. Staff successfully adapt all aspects of the delivery of the curriculum to meet the needs of pupils with SEND, including those who attend the specially resourced provisions. Pupils with SEND, where appropriate, are encouraged to be independent and to take responsibility for their own learning alongside their classmates. Staff take extreme care to ensure that all pupils with SEND can access the plentiful enrichment opportunities that the school offers to enhance their learning.

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Pupils, including children in the early years, display a real thirst for learning. As a result, they rarely have to be reminded how to behave. Their kindness to each other means that the school environment is calm and harmonious. Pupils’ rates of attendance are high. Where there are any slight dips in pupils’ attendance, the school acts quickly and effectively to ensure that pupils’ attendance improves.

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The way that this school goes about fostering pupils’ personal development is exemplary. Pupils make everyone feel welcome in their school. They have a deep- rooted knowledge of wider religions and fundamental British values. They respect people’s differences and ensure that everybody is treated equally.

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Pupils understand how to keep themselves safe online and how to keep themselves physically and mentally healthy. Annual residential trips, and a wide array of clubs and activities, broaden pupils’ horizons and nurture their talents. Pupils relish the enrichment opportunities that are woven throughout their curriculum. For example, pupils participated in the community soup-kitchen, visited a synagogue and welcomed a wide range of visitors from other faiths into school.

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Trustees understand their statutory duties thoroughly, and they fulfil their responsibilities diligently. Moreover, along with members of the local education committee, they have a firm grasp of the school’s strengths and priorities for further improvement. They routinely challenge the school and hold it fully to account.

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Staff are overwhelmingly positive about the support that they receive from leaders to manage their workload when new ideas or approaches to working are introduced. 11 and 12 October 2023

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Staff particularly appreciate the collaborative working culture that is fostered by the trust and school leaders.

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The school engages with parents and carers consistently well. For instance, it holds a phonics café for parents to learn how to reinforce phonics learning when their children are at home.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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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’ is used to mean pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND); pupils who meet the definition of children in need of help and protection ; pupils receiving statutory local authority support from a social worker; and pupils who otherwise meet the criteria used for deciding the school’s pupil premium funding (this includes pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years, looked after children (children in local authority care) and/or children who left care through adoption or another formal route). 11 and 12 October 2023

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School details

Local authority Cheshire West and Chester

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School details

Type of school Community nursery and primary

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 22 and 23 January 2020, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of the Weaver Trust.  The school has provision for two-year-old children; however, there were none on roll at the time of inspection.  The school hosts three local authority commissioned specially resourced provisions. In total, there are 32 places.  The first specially resourced provision is in the early years. It is for children with speech, language and communication needs. There are 10 places and there are currently 10 children in this provision.  There is a second specially resourced provision in key stage 1. This is also for pupils with speech, language and communication needs. There are 10 places and currently there are 10 pupils in the key stage 1 provision.  The third specially resourced provision is in key stage 2, and this is for pupils with complex learning needs. There are 12 places and currently there are 12 pupils in this provision.  The school does 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

 Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision.  Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  During the inspection, the lead inspector met with the headteacher, other senior leaders and staff. She also met with members of the local education committee (LEC), including the chair of the LEC. The lead inspector held meetings with members of the trust, including the CEO and the chair of trustees.  Inspectors reviewed a wide range of documentation, including the school’s self- evaluation document, the school improvement plan and documentation relating to pupils’ behaviour and attendance.  The lead inspector spoke with a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics, history, art and design and religious education. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions

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Information about this inspection

about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors also considered the curriculum in some other subjects.  The lead inspector listened to some pupils read to a trusted adult.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour during lessons and at breaktimes. They also spoke with pupils about their experiences of school.  Inspectors spoke with a group of parents while pupils were arriving at school.  Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free- text responses. Inspectors also considered the responses to Ofsted’s surveys for

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Inspection team

Ruth Moran, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

David Woodhouse Ofsted Inspector 11 and 12 October 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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