Bartley Church of England Junior School

Inspection of a good school: Bartley Church of England Junior School Winsor Road, Bartley, Southampton, Hampshire SO40 2HR

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Inspection dates: 15 and 16 November 2023

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Outcome

Bartley Church of England Junior School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils offer a warm greeting to everyone at this inclusive and aspirational junior school. Parents and staff value the ‘family feel’ and appreciate how leaders welcome pupils at the gate every morning with a smile. Pupils feel safe and identify trusted adults they can talk to.

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What is it like to attend this school?

There are high expectations for all, and pupils rise to meet them with pride. Pupils thrive in a positive learning environment. Playtimes are joyful and highly active with pupils enjoying basketball, skipping, football, table tennis and the running track.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pastoral care is highly prioritised. Staff are trained to understand trauma, anxiety and mental health. This expertise helps pupils to be ready to learn. Some disadvantaged pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), benefit from therapeutic activities such as the nurturing well-being club at lunchtime. Behaviour in class and around school is excellent.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leadership roles inspire pupils to make a positive difference. Eco ambassadors, sports leaders and school councillors strive to listen to their peers and drive improvements. The club offer is rich with diversity. Pupils love attending after-school chess, coding, French, netball and athletics. Everyone has the opportunity to represent the school in a busy schedule of sports competitions and inclusive festivals.

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

All pupils experience a broad and engaging curriculum. English and mathematics are planned with precise skills and knowledge, and reading is at the heart of the school. Staff teach phonics using secure knowledge and expertise. They routinely check what pupils know to ensure they are on track. Nobody is left behind. If pupils need extra help, one-to- one sessions give targeted support to help pupils read books that exactly match their needs. Pupils love reading. By the end of Year 6, they read with both fluency and confidence. Pupils with SEND receive effective help. Leaders work with every teacher to 15 and 16 November 2023

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discuss pupils’ learning. Staff accurately identify and meet needs by knowing pupils well and by checking their skills and knowledge closely. The school works well with parents and seeks specialist support to find the best help available. As a result, pupils achieve well in reading, writing and mathematics.

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Other subjects are planned with equally high ambition and rigour. The school strives to broaden pupils’ knowledge of the world. For example, in art and design, pupils’ learning takes them around the globe as they learn techniques inspired by Japan, India and a range of European artists. Teachers help pupils to remember more by including frequent revision activities across the curriculum. However, the checks of pupils’ understanding are not fully secure across all areas. In wider subjects, teachers do not precisely identify gaps in pupils’ knowledge.

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Behaviour is excellent. Relationships are warm, positive and supportive. Pupils feel highly valued. This inspires them to try their best and make positive choices. Bespoke support helps all pupils, including those who are disadvantaged, with their emotions to ensure they access the full curriculum alongside their peers.

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Leaders prioritise pupils’ personal development. Impressive pastoral care helps pupils to transition happily into Year 3. Assembly and lesson activities prepare pupils well for modern Britain. Everyone upholds the school values. Pupils oppose prejudice and promote equality. They learn to ‘politely disagree’. Different faiths and cultures feature highly in reading and curriculum opportunities. Pupils develop confidence and resilience through inspirational trips such as the residential activity visits. Pupils love visits from the police community support officer.

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Staff morale is buoyant. Everyone is proud to work at this school. Teachers constantly improve their practice with regular training opportunities. Several subject leaders support other schools to share their expertise. Leaders lead by example, modelling an inclusive and aspirational approach for all. One parent reflected the views of many when saying, ‘Staff go out of their way to know all the pupils in the school and to nurture their educational and personal development.’ Governors are diligent, committed and effective. They hold the school to account and provide strong support to bolster the effectiveness of this joyful school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In subjects other than mathematics and English, assessment is not yet fully developed. This means that staff do not consistently identify and address gaps in pupils' knowledge. The school should support staff to accurately check pupils' understanding and use this information to inform their teaching across the curriculum. 15 and 16 November 2023

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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 June 2014.

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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' 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). 15 and 16 November 2023

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 22 March 2018

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Information about this school

 The school is a Church of England school in the Diocese of Winchester. The school was rated good in its most recent section 48 inspection in May 2023.  The school currently uses no alternative provision.  The school offers before- and after-school clubs, led by an outside provider.

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Information about this inspection

Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school's education provision.  This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspector met with the headteacher, deputy headteacher, special educational needs and/or disabilities co-ordinator, school business manager, subject leaders, teachers (including early career teachers) and governors, including the chair of governors.  The inspector met with a representative from the local authority and spoke by telephone with a representative from the diocese. 15 and 16 November 2023

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 The inspector carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and art and design. For each deep dive, the inspector held discussions 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.  The inspector listened to a range of pupils read. The inspector observed catch up interventions to learn how staff provide extra support to pupils.  The inspector gathered evidence to explore the impact of pupils’ behaviour, the school’s wider curriculum offer and how leaders support staff with their workload.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspector: 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.

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 The inspector considered the responses to the staff survey and spoke to a range of staff about their views of the school.  The inspector took account of the responses to Ofsted Parent View questionnaire and the free-text responses.  The inspector spoke with a range of pupils to learn their views about the school.

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Inspection team

Scott Reece, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector 15 and 16 November 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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