Barton Clough Primary School

Inspection of Barton Clough Primary School Audley Avenue, Stretford, Manchester M32 9TG

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Overall effectiveness Good

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

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Overall effectiveness Good

The headteacher of this school is Jonathan Foster-Carr. This school is part of Bright Futures Educational 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), John Stephens CBE, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Daniel Rubin. 9 and 10 April 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Everyone is warmly welcomed to this school. Pupils learn to celebrate each other’s differences. They told inspectors that everyone is included and that they are supported to be the best that they can be. Pupils are happy. They make friends easily and treat each other with kindness and respect.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well during lessons and at social times. They benefit from the support of caring staff, who know them well. Pupils spoke about how they are supported to be ‘brave, positive and determined’. When they succeed at this, pupils are presented with much-coveted ‘learner’ and ‘citizen’ awards during weekly assemblies.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations of what pupils should achieve. This includes pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils work hard to meet these aspirations. They typically achieve well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are excited to contribute to school life. They enjoy acting as role models and taking on responsibilities, such as sports leaders and prefects. The school encourages pupils to try out new things. For instance, pupils take part in a range of sports activities and after-school clubs, such as chess and art. They look forward to residentials, where they can challenge themselves. This helps them to develop their self-confidence.

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better?

Since the previous inspection, the school has worked effectively with the trust and the local governing body to overhaul the quality of education that pupils receive. Together, they have taken effective steps to ensure that pupils benefit from a suitably ambitious curriculum. This includes for those pupils who attend the specially resourced provision for pupils with SEND (specially resourced provision).

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better?

Published data does not reflect the quality of education provided by the school. In 2023, attainment at the end of Year 2 was significantly below the national average. In addition, the proportion of Year 6 pupils meeting the expected standard in reading was significantly below average. The school has identified the reasons for this outcome. It has taken effective steps to overcome instability in staffing and to address weaknesses in the previous curriculum. As a result, current pupils learn the curriculum well.

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better?

In most subjects, the school has ensured that the important knowledge to be taught is carefully ordered from the start of the early years to the end of Year 6. This helps pupils to know and remember more of the curriculum, as new learning builds on their prior knowledge. However, in some subjects where improvements to curriculum design are more recent, pupils’ knowledge is less secure. Pupils have had fewer opportunities to strengthen their learning in these subjects. 9 and 10 April 2024

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Staff explain new concepts to pupils clearly. During lessons, teachers check pupils’ understanding and address any misconceptions successfully. However, in one or two subjects, the school’s approaches in checking pupils’ learning do not allow teachers to identify with sufficient precision whether pupils are making secure connections between past and future learning. In these subjects, some pupils struggle to remember important knowledge.

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Reading is at the heart of the curriculum. There are enticing book areas across the school. Pupils read books from a range of different authors. Older pupils confidently discuss the books that they have read. They are proud of their roles as reading buddies.

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Staff, including those working in the specially resourced provision, are well trained to deliver the school’s phonics programme. They ensure that the books that pupils read from match the sounds that they already know. Teachers are alert to pupils who struggle to keep up with their peers. They provide swift intervention to support pupils in becoming fluent and accurate readers.

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Staff identify pupils’ additional needs quickly and accurately. They successfully adapt the delivery of the curriculum for pupils with SEND. The school works with external agencies to make sure that pupils who need specialist support receive it.

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Pupils benefit from clear and consistent routines. This supports their behaviour successfully. Pupils engage well in their learning. They concentrate on learning activities and listen attentively to staff.

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The school prioritises pupils’ attendance. It works closely with individual families to identify reasons for the low attendance rates of some pupils. It takes swift and effective action to provide support for these pupils and their families. As a result, pupils’ rates of attendance are improving.

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Pupils develop aspirations for their future careers and lives. They understand the importance of striving for goals in the short and long term. Staff support pupils to develop strategies to support their mental and physical health. Pupils learn how to manage their feelings and about the importance of healthy relationships.

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The school is mindful of staff’s well-being and ensures that staff’s workload is reduced wherever possible. This helps staff to fulfil their roles well and to feel valued. They are proud to work at the school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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 In some subjects, curriculums are not well embedded. Pupils have had less time to develop and connect their learning, which means that their knowledge and skills are not as secure as they should be. The school should ensure that pupils build and further strengthen their knowledge in these subjects.  In a few subjects, the strategies for checking how well pupils are learning are not focused on the most important knowledge and concepts that staff teach. Some pupils have gaps in their understanding and do not retain important knowledge over time. The school should further refine its assessment methods so that teachers check more thoroughly that pupils learn all that they should.

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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 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). 9 and 10 April 2024

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School details

Website bartonclough.bright-futures.co.uk

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 15 and 16 June 2022, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of Bright Futures Educational Trust.  The school provides specially resourced provision for up to 20 pupils with SEND. It supports pupils with speech, language and communication difficulties. Twenty pupils currently attend from the Reception Year to Year 6.  The school runs a breakfast club for pupils.  The school does not make use of alternative provision for pupils.

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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 point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision. 9 and 10 April 2024

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 Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors conducted deep dives in the following subjects: early reading, mathematics and computing. For each deep dive, inspectors had discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke with teachers, spoke with some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors spoke with subject leaders and with pupils about their learning in some other subjects.  The lead inspector observed pupils from key stages 1 and 2 read to a familiar adult.  Inspectors spoke with the headteacher and other school leaders.  The lead inspector spoke with members of the board of trustees, including the CEO of the trust.  The lead inspector met with members of the local governing body, including the chair of governors. She also spoke with a representative of the local authority.

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 Inspectors talked with staff and leaders about their workload and well-being.  Inspectors met with leaders responsible for attendance, behaviour, early years, the provision for pupils with SEND and pupils’ personal development.  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 spoke with pupils about their experiences of school. They looked at a range of documents related to pupils’ welfare and education. Inspectors also observed pupils’ behaviour during lessons and around school.  Inspectors took account of the responses to Ofsted’s online surveys for staff and for pupils.  Inspectors met with parents at the start of the school day. They took account of

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the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text comments. Inspectors also spoke to some parents by telephone.

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Inspection team

Rebecca Jewitt, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Rachael Alarcon Ofsted Inspector 9 and 10 April 2024

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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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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