Barlows Primary School

Inspection of Barlows Primary School Barlows Lane, Fazakerley, Liverpool, Merseyside L9 9EH

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The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Good 3 and 4 December 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

This is a warm and caring school. Pupils support each other. They are committed to the school’s central values, such as kindness and teamwork. Pupils behave well. They are polite and well mannered and move around the school in an orderly way. This results in a calm and purposeful atmosphere for learning. Pupils feel happy and safe in school. They are aware of who they can talk to if they have a concern.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high aspirations for its pupils. Pupils strive to meet these expectations. They have positive attitudes to learning and they are keen to do well. They learn to ‘dream and achieve’ and to believe that they can do whatever they set their minds to. They achieve well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are provided with a wide range of opportunities beyond the academic curriculum that help them to develop their interests and talents. For example, pupils sing in the choir and take part in cooking, language and sporting clubs. Pupils are enthused about the opportunities that they receive in and out of the classroom.

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

The school has established a well-structured curriculum, which is ambitious for pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Teachers have strong subject knowledge. This helps them to deliver the curriculum effectively. Their careful choice of learning activities enables pupils to become more knowledgeable, resilient and confident learners as they move through each year group. However, pupils’ secure progress through the curriculum is not reflected in the provisional 2024 published data. Pupils’ attainment in reading, writing and mathematics was significantly below the national average. This was due to weaknesses in the curriculum in the past. The school has taken effective action to remedy this situation. This means that current pupils are achieving well.

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

The school has identified the important knowledge that it wants pupils to learn. Teachers make sure that lessons build on what pupils already know and can do. As a result, pupils, including those with SEND, develop their understanding so that they are well prepared for the next steps in their learning. However, in some subjects, the school has not finalised its approach to how it checks pupils’ learning. As a result, teachers are not as alert to gaps in pupils’ knowledge in these subjects.

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

Pupils with SEND are identified quickly and supported well. Those pupils with more complex needs benefit from thoughtful and personalised support.

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

The school priorities reading. Pupils have access to a wealth of reading resources and opportunities to read. As a result, they are enthusiastic about reading. Children are immersed in the rich use of language from their time in the Nursery Year. This allows them to confidently start their phonics programme from the beginning of the Reception Year. Teachers’ checks ensure that they identify any pupils struggling to keep up. The 3 and 4 December 2024

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school provides effective support for these pupils, so they are able to catch up. As a result, pupils develop into accurate and fluent readers.

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Pupils’ behaviour in class and around the school is respectful. The school’s new rewards system motivates pupils to do their best. Pupils’ attendance is a high priority for the school. As a result of the school’s effective work, pupils’ attendance is improving and rates of persistent absence are declining.

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The school provides a wealth of opportunities for pupils’ wider development. These have been carefully designed to ensure equal access for all pupils. Pupils have the opportunity to understand differing cultures and beliefs through trips and visitors to the school. These experiences enrich their lives and allow them to develop a sense of life in modern Britain. Many pupils undertake responsibilities in the school. They recognise the value of these roles and the meaningful contribution that they make to the school.

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Staff benefit from the training and support that they receive. Governors know the school well. They are knowledgeable and have an accurate understanding of the quality of education that pupils receive. This enables them to provide effective support and challenge to improve the school further.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a few subjects, the school’s approaches to checking how well pupils are learning are not fully developed. This means that gaps in pupils’ learning are not routinely identified or addressed. The school should refine its assessment practice and ensure that teaching takes account of, and builds on, what pupils already know and can do.

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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. 3 and 4 December 2024

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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). 3 and 4 December 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 25 and 26 September 2019, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school does not currently use any alternative provision.  A new headteacher has been appointed since the previous inspection.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. During a graded inspection, we grade the school for each of our key judgements (quality of education; behaviour and attitudes; personal development; and leadership and management) and for any relevant provision judgement (early years and/or sixth form provision). Schools receiving a graded inspection from September 2024 will not be given an overall effectiveness grade.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision. 3 and 4 December 2024

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 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID 19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors reviewed the single central record; took account of 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 carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, history, physical education and computing. For each deep dive, inspectors met with subject leaders, discussed 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 observed pupils read to a familiar adult.

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 The lead inspector met with members of the governing body, including the chair of governors.  The lead inspector met with a representative of the representative of the local authority.  Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text comments. They also considered the responses to Ofsted’s online surveys for staff and pupils.

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Inspection team

Iain Sim, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Nicky Parkinson Ofsted Inspector 3 and 4 December 2024

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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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