St Barnabas and St Paul's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School

Inspection Report St Barnabas and St Paul's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School

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119499 Unique Reference Number Blackburn with Darwen LEA 280574 Inspection number 7 March 2006 to 8 March 2006 Inspection dates Mr Geoffrey Yates Reporting inspector

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This inspection was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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off Oakenhurst Road School address Primary Type of school Blackburn Voluntary aided School category Lancashire BB2 1SN 4 to 11 Age range of pupils 01254 698413 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01254 581445 Fax number 264 Number on roll Mrs Janet Prowse Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs Elaine Smith Headteacher 1 July 2000 Date of previous inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 280574 7 March 2006 - 4 to 11 8 March 2006 Inspection Report: St Barnabas and St Paul's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, 7 March 2006 to 8 March 2006

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This document may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that the information quoted is reproduced without adaptation and the source and date of publication are stated.

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Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the Education Act 2005, the school must provide a copy of this report free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied.

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Introduction

The inspection was carried out by three additional inspectors.

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Description of the school

St Barnabas and St Paul’s Church of England Primary School is an average-sized primary school situated in the town centre of Blackburn. The children’s skills on entry to the school are very low for their age and the proportions with learning difficulties and/or disabilities, and with statements of special educational needs, are all above average. The majority of the children are of Asian heritage. Thirteen different languages are spoken in school, with Punjabi the most commonly spoken community language. Many pupils are at an early stage of learning English. The school has a very high level of social deprivation. Most children live in rented accommodation and the proportion entitled to a free school meal is well above average.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: St Barnabas and St Paul's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, 7 March 2006 to 8 March

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Grade: 3

The school’s effectiveness is satisfactory and it gives satisfactory value for money. The school works well with other schools and with the local authority. Parents and pupils are content with what the school offers. Teaching is generally satisfactory, although inconsistent, and the teachers do not always make clear to the children what they are to learn in lessons. Overall, the children make satisfactory progress throughout the school. The provision in the Foundation Stage is satisfactory. From a low starting point, the children make satisfactory progress, although they do not reach the national standards expected for their age by the end of Reception. Standards are well below average in Year 2 and should be higher in English and mathematics. Standards are below average in Year 6 but are starting to rise. The school cares well for the children. Although the children’s progress is monitored well, some teachers do not make enough use of the information in their lesson planning

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Grade: 3

and do not mark the children’s work effectively. Children’s personal development is generally good; they behave well, enjoy school and are keen to learn, although their attendance, despite the school’s best efforts is unsatisfactory. Provision for children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is satisfactory. The large number of children who speak English as an additional language also receive satisfactory support and make satisfactory progress. Leadership and management are satisfactory although the work of the subject leaders lacks effectiveness. The school’s own evaluation of its effectiveness as good is inaccurate and too generous. However, the headteacher and deputy headteacher have put measures in place to boost standards, especially in the performance of boys, and there are positive indications that these are working. Rising standards at Key Stage 2 show that the school has the capacity to make the further improvements necessary.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Raise standards of English and mathematics, particularly in Key Stage 1. • Improve the consistency of teaching, making sure that the children clearly understand what they are to learn, marking the children’s work more effectively, and making better use of assessment to plan lessons. • Enable the subject leaders to work with their colleagues to evaluate lessons and help them to improve their work.

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Grade: 3

Achievement is satisfactory overall. From their low starting points, the children make satisfactory progress in the Foundation Stage. However, very few children reach nationally expected goals for their age by the time they enter Year 1. Although the 2 Inspection Report: St Barnabas and St Paul's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, 7 March 2006 to 8 March children continue to make satisfactory progress in Key Stage 1, standards are well below average by the end of Year 2. The children make slightly faster progress throughout Key Stage 2 and standards are rising although they are still below average by the end of Year 6. The school sets demanding targets for Year 6 pupils, which are generally met. The school’s monitoring of the children’s work in English and mathematics each term shows that strategies to raise standards are beginning to have a positive effect, particularly in Key Stage 2. However, standards achieved in English

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Grade: 3

and mathematics, particularly in Key Stage 1, should be higher. The above average number of children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities make satisfactory progress. The children at an early stage of learning English, who comprise a third of the pupils, also make satisfactory overall progress.

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Grade: 2

Children’s personal development, including their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, is good overall. Children have a clear understanding of right and wrong. Their behaviour in both lessons and in the playground is good, with few exceptions. The children are friendly and relationships are good; they are not afraid to initiate a conversation with visitors. Children enjoy lessons and are keen to learn and most settle quickly to their work and sustain concentration. Because the school looks after the children well, they feel safe, work, and play happily together. Despite the school’s best efforts, attendance is inadequate, because many families take children on extended visits abroad. Children know how to stay safe and understand the benefits of healthy lifestyles because these are promoted well by their teachers. They contribute to the community by taking on responsibilities, such as school council representatives, or

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Grade: 2

'peer mediators' trained to resolve problems between children at playtimes. Children play their part in making the school a harmonious multicultural and multi-faith community. For example, they willingly share their own beliefs with others and join in festivals, such as Christmas, Eid and Diwali. Children in the Foundation Stage quickly learn school routines so that they feel safe and confident. The children make satisfactory progress with basic skills, such as literacy, and learn to work as a team. These skills are adequate to support children in their next stage of education and, eventually, in the world of work.

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Grade: 3

Teaching and learning are satisfactory overall. However, the quality of teaching is inconsistent. It is at its best in single class age groups in Years 2 and 6. The strengths of the teaching in many lessons are the effective questioning of individual children, which keeps them on their toes, and the children’s awareness of their own progress towards their targets. The school’s new strategies to improve the Year 2 children’s learning and skills are beginning to show positive effects in the children’s progress, 3 Inspection Report: St Barnabas and St Paul's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, 7 March 2006 to 8 March especially boys. The setting of children by ability for English and mathematics is helping children in Key Stage 2 to make more rapid progress. Resources are deployed efficiently; for example, good use is made of information and communication technology (ICT) equipment, including interactive whiteboards to help children learn by enlivening

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Grade: 3

lessons. In general, however, the teachers do not make effective enough use of assessment information to plan lessons. Also, some teachers’ marking of the children’s work does not always show them how to improve their work. Some lessons are not planned imaginatively enough to engage all of the children. Another important weakness is that some teachers do not always make clear to the children what they are to learn. The teaching of pupils with learning difficulties is satisfactory. Bilingual support staff help to ensure that the children at an early stage of learning English make satisfactory progress.

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Grade: 2

The curriculum is good and is well adapted to meet the needs of all the children. There is a strong and necessary emphasis on the development of literacy and numeracy skills but other subjects also receive enough teaching time. Initiatives aimed at boosting standards are starting to work. The programme for children’s health and personal development is good. Planned visits out of school and visitors help to make work relevant and interesting. There is a good range of lunchtime and after-school clubs which the children enjoy. Year 6 children said that they found a recent residential trip an enjoyable experience because they could work in teams and make their own decisions. Resources are deployed and used well. Provision in the Foundation Stage is satisfactory but there is no outside area specifically for the youngest children in which to learn and play. The school plans to develop the outside area.

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Grade: 2

Care, guidance and support are good. The school has good procedures for child protection and to deal with bullying and racial harassment. Looked-after children receive good support. The school monitors children’s personal development well. Good procedures for assessing and monitoring children’s academic progress are in place. Although this is a growing strength of the school, some teachers do not all make effective use of the information gathered in their lesson planning. The school council gives children the opportunity to say how they would like the school to improve. For example, the council asked for a healthy eating tuck shop for older children, which they run themselves. 4 Inspection Report: St Barnabas and St Paul's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, 7 March 2006 to 8 March

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Grade: 3

Leadership and management are satisfactory. The governance of the school is also satisfactory. In particular, the governors ensure that statutory requirements are met. They are well led and supportive of the senior management. Parents are very supportive of the school and they and their children are consulted regularly. The school's recent self-evaluation of its effectiveness, although thorough, was too generous. This was in part because the school’s evaluation used different criteria from those of the inspectors. The headteacher monitors the quality of teaching and is clear about what is working well and what needs to be improved. In this, she is well supported by the deputy headteacher. The school’s plans for improvement focus accurately on the school’s weaknesses and are achievable. However, the subject leaders are not fulfilling their responsibility for standards because they do not have enough time to

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Grade: 3

work with their class-teacher colleagues to raise them. The school’s record of recent improvement is satisfactory. The headteacher’s strategies to raise standards are working, particularly in Key Stage 2, and this success shows that the school has the capacity to make the necessary further improvements. 5 Inspection Report: St Barnabas and St Paul's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, 7 March 2006 to 8 March .

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set out in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s

website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 6 Inspection Report: St Barnabas and St Paul's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, 7 March 2006 to 8 March

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Overall

Key to judgements: grade 1 is outstanding, grade 2 good, grade 3 satisfactory, and grade 4 inadequate

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learners?

NA 2 How well does the school work in partnership with others to promote learners' well-being? NA 3 The quality and standards in foundation stage NA 3 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation NA Yes The capacity to make any necessary improvements NA Yes Effective steps have been taken to promote improvement since the last inspection

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Achievement and standards

NA 3 How well do learners achieve? NA 3 The standards 1 reached by learners

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Achievement and standards

NA 3 How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners NA 3 How well learners with learning difficulties and disabilities make progress

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learners?

NA 2 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development NA 2 The behaviour of learners NA 4 The attendance of learners NA 2 How well learners enjoy their education NA 2 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices NA 2 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles NA 2 The extent to which learners make a positive contribution to the community NA 3 How well learners develop workplace and other skills that will contribute to their future economic well-being

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needs and interests of learners?

NA 2 How well are learners cared for, guided and supported?

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needs and interests of learners?

Grade 1 - Exceptionally and consistently high; Grade 2 - Generally above average with none significantly below average; Grade 3 - Broadly average; Grade 4 - Exceptionally low.

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and supporting all learners?

NA 3 How effectively leaders and managers at all levels set clear direction leading to improvement and promote high quality of care and education NA 3 How effectively performance is monitored, evaluated and improved to meet challenging targets, through quality assurance and self-review NA 2 How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination tackled so that all learners achieve as well as they can NA 2 How effectively and efficiently resources are deployed to achieve value for money NA 3 The extent to which governors and other supervisory boards discharge their responsibilities NA Yes The adequacy and suitability of staff to ensure that learners are protected

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The extent to which schools enable learners to be healthy

Yes Learners are encouraged and enabled to eat and drink healthily Yes Learners are encouraged and enabled to take regular exercise Yes Learners are discouraged from smoking and substance abuse Yes Learners are educated about sexual health

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The extent to which providers ensure that learners stay safe

Yes Procedures for safeguarding learners meet current government requirements Yes Risk assessment procedures and related staff training are in place Yes Action is taken to reduce anti-social behaviour, such as bullying and racism Yes Learners are taught about key risks and how to deal with them

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The extent to which learners make a positive contribution

Yes Learners are helped to develop stable, positive relationships Yes Learners, individually and collectively, participate in making decisions that affect them Yes Learners are encouraged to initiate, participate in and manage activities in school and the wider community

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The extent to which schools enable learners to achieve economic well-being

Yes There is provision to promote learners’ basic skills Yes Learners have opportunities to develop enterprise skills and work in teams NA Careers education and guidance is provided to all learners in key stage 3 and 4 and the sixth form NA Education for all learners aged 14–19 provides an understanding of employment and the economy

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Ofsted helpline 08456 404045 St Barnabas and St Paul's CofE VA Primary School off Oakenhurst Road Blackburn Lancashire BB2 1SN 8 March 2006 Dear Children Thank you for helping me during the inspection. I would like to tell you about what I found. You will not be surprised to know that I found many good things out about your school. I enjoyed being in your school, watching you learn, hearing you sing and talking to you. The list below shows some of the things I liked about your school. You work hard. You respect each other’s beliefs. The school’s council members enjoy having a say in what goes on in your school. You like your headteacher, teachers and other members of staff and the way they make learning interesting. Teachers expect you to behave well and work hard. All the adults in school work very hard to care for you. You enjoy the visits you make to different places and the clubs after school. There are a few important things for you and your teachers to do. Your teachers should:

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

help you to reach higher standards in English and mathematics make sure that you always understand what you are to learn in lessons, and that your work is marked in a way that shows you how to improve do more to improve the teaching of subjects for which they are responsible. Yours sincerely Geoffrey Yates Lead inspector

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