Barton Stacey Church of England Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Barton Stacey Church of England Primary School The Green, Roberts Road, Barton Stacey, Winchester, Hampshire SO21 3RY

p.1

Outcome

Barton Stacey Church of England Primary School continues to be a good school.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at this school are happy and joyful. The school is described by parents and staff as the ‘Barton Stacey Family’ because of its caring nature. This means that pupils feel supported throughout their education. Pupils joining the school mid-year are welcomed and settle in quickly. Similarly, Year 6 pupils are well prepared for the move to their secondary schools.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils know who to talk to if they should have any concerns. Because adults know them so well, any help pupils need is quickly and efficiently organised. Additionally, the school has a deep awareness of any potential challenges faced by its pupils from military families. The school’s Base Club helps to bring these pupils together and ensures that they have access to the support they need.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are helped to be independent and self-aware through the school’s focus on building character and social skills. Pupils are proud of the way that they treat each other. They understand the school’s Christian values of love, hope, trust and forgiveness. This is demonstrated in their day-to-day behaviour. The school is calm and pupils are able to enjoy both playing and learning together.

p.1

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

The school has a distinctive curriculum that helps pupils develop a real enjoyment of learning. Pupils are interested and engaged by their lessons. They are enthusiastic about exploring new ideas and concepts. In many subjects, the knowledge which pupils need has an exact sequence. As a result, pupils learn and remember more over time. For example, in reading and mathematics, pupils build their knowledge steadily starting as soon as they start at the school. In early years, children practise using numbers frequently and build a secure foundation for their future learning. Similarly, children’s use of vocabulary, writing and sounds is developed through a daily focused creative session. 2 May 2024

p.1

2

Children eagerly participate in this, strengthening their ability to communicate their ideas and views and to work with their friends.

p.2

2

However, in some subjects, the school has not yet precisely set out what pupils need to know, and when they need to know it. This results in some lesson activities which are not ambitious enough in building the depth of knowledge that pupils need. Additionally, opportunities for pupils to develop and practise their writing are sometimes missed. This means that pupils’ confidence and writing ability are not as well developed as the school intends. Leaders recognise this and are providing training to staff to make the necessary improvements. Staff are positive about this support, including how their workload and well-being are considered.

p.2

2

Reading is a priority across the school and pupils love to read. They keenly discuss their school library books and welcome each other’s recommendations. Carefully chosen texts are linked to lesson topics. This adds depth to pupils’ understanding. Precise use of the school’s chosen phonics programme means that new readers learn quickly. Pupils find their phonics sessions enjoyable. Staff make sure pupils see that they are getting better at reading. This leads to pupils feeling successful and confident. Leaders regularly check that pupils at all stages of reading are improving. Where pupils need extra help, they receive carefully targeted support. Because staff know pupils very well, they are able to make sure that interventions provide exactly what pupils need.

p.2

2

The school’s support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is strong. Regular checking makes sure that support and interventions to meet pupils’ needs are working as intended. Pupils, including those with SEND, are taught to recognise their emotions, and are given strategies to help manage their behaviour. As a result, pupils with SEND feel included and achieve well.

p.2

2

The school has high expectations of pupils’ attendance. This has led to attendance steadily improving. Should families find supporting their children to attend regularly difficult, leaders are diligent in helping to find a solution. Parents are highly positive about the school and its place in the community. They appreciate the attentive pastoral care and how their children are helped to learn and develop.

p.2

2

Pupils take part in a wide range of clubs and extra activities. Sporting events and visits help to enrich pupils’ experiences. This includes the much-anticipated Year 6 residential. Leaders make sure that all pupils, including disadvantaged pupils, have the chance to be involved. Pupils from every year group perform and present in assemblies, shows and local church activities. As a result, pupils are confident, friendly and excited to come to school.

p.2

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.2

3

 In some foundation subjects, the sequencing of component knowledge is not clearly identified. This can lead to some variance in how teachers implement the planned curriculum and how well pupils build a deep knowledge of a subject. The school should ensure that curriculum planning identifies and effectively sequences this important knowledge within units of work.  Some tasks that pupils complete do not always help them learn effectively the school’s ambitious curriculum. This includes regular opportunities to write across the curriculum. This hinders how much pupils are learning and the development of their writing skills. The school should further focus its training and support to ensure all staff have the skills and expertise to help pupils achieve well in every subject.

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 second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in January 2015.

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.3

How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

p.3

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

p.3

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). 2 May 2024

p.3

School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

p.4

School details

Date of previous inspection 20 November 2018, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

p.4

Information about this school

 The school is part of The Dever Valley Federation, comprising two primary schools.  The governing body is shared between both schools in the federation.  Some other leadership functions, such as the Special Educational Needs Coordinator, School Business Manager and subject leadership are shared between both schools in the federation.  The school is part of the Diocese of Winchester. The last Section 48 inspection took place in March 2020.  The school currently uses two unregistered alternative education providers.

p.4

Information about this inspection

Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision.

p.4

Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection of the school since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school. 2 May 2024

p.4

5

 The inspectors held meetings with the headteacher, special educational needs and disabilities coordinator, curriculum leaders and other staff.  The inspectors met with the Chair of Governors and other members of the governing body and a representative of the local authority.  The inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and geography. For each deep dive, the inspectors met with subject leaders, looked at curriculum plans, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to pupils about their learning, and looked at samples of pupils’ work. The inspectors listened to a sample of pupils read.  The inspectors examined a range of documentation provided by the school, including leaders’ self-evaluation and improvement plans.  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

p.5

5

the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  The inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted’s online survey for parents, Ofsted Parent View. They also took into consideration the responses to the confidential staff and pupil surveys.

p.5

Inspection team

Ed Mather, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector James Broadbridge His Majesty’s Inspector 2 May 2024

p.5

6

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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

p.6

6

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.6

6

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.6

6

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.6

6

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.6