Barnwood Church of England Primary School

Barnwood Church of England Primary School Inspection report

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115714 Unique Reference Number Gloucestershire Local Authority 290311 Inspection number 20 °21 March 2007 Inspection dates Alison Grainger Reporting inspector

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

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Primary Type of school Voluntary aided School category 4 °11 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 224 School

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The governing body Appropriate authority Rosy Clifford Chair Anne Davies Headteacher 19 November 2001 Date of previous school inspection Colin Road School address Barnwood Gloucester GL4 3JP

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01452 617135 Telephone number 01452 617135 Fax number

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4 °11 Age group 20 °21 March 2007 Inspection dates 290311 Inspection number .

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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 two Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

Situated on the northern edge of Gloucester City, the school draws its pupils not only from the immediate area but also from further afield. Most pupils are of White British heritage. Very few pupils from minority ethnic families are at an early stage of learning English. The percentage of pupils with learning difficulties or other disabilities is below average. The proportion known to be eligible for free school meals is also below average. Taking the intake as a whole, children's attainment is slightly above the level expected when they start in the Reception Year. The school has several awards for aspects of its work. The most recent awards recognise the school's promotion of healthy lifestyles and physical fitness.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 3 of 11 Inspection Report: Barnwood Church of England Primary School, 20 °21 March 2007

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Grade: 3

This is a satisfactory school. Good features are found in all aspects of the school's work and some areas are significant strengths. Pupils' personal development and well-being are good. Almost all pupils behave well, have good attitudes and form positive relationships. By the time they reach Year 6, pupils are particularly mature and responsible. As one parent rightly pointed out, Year 6 pupils are 'a credit to the school'. Care, guidance and support for pupils are good. Strong pastoral care, underpinned by the school's Christian ethos, contributes much to pupils' development as well-rounded and sensible young people. A small minority of parents have expressed concerns about some aspects of behaviour and the school is dealing with this appropriately. Standards are above average and achievement is satisfactory. Children get off to a strong start in the Reception Year because the provision for them is good. They settle well, which is much

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Grade: 3

appreciated by parents, and reach standards that are securely above the level expected for their age. Pupils' progress is satisfactory as they move up from the start of Year 1 to the end of Year 6. It accelerates in some areas in Years 5 and 6 where there are strengths in teaching. The main reason why pupils achieve satisfactorily is that teaching is satisfactory. There are some good features to teaching but it is not always matched closely enough to the needs of all pupils. Whilst many strengths are evident in the care and support for pupils, the quality of guidance to help pupils improve their academic performance is too variable. There are examples of good marking and of targets for pupils being used well, but this is not consistent across the school. The satisfactory curriculum is enriched well by activities additional to daily lessons. Pupils' experiences are broadened through a good range of clubs, visits and visitors. These additional

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Grade: 3

opportunities add much to pupils' enjoyment of school and contribute well to their personal development. Leadership and management are satisfactory. The headteacher provides a good and clear educational direction for the school and cares a lot about each individual pupil. Satisfactory self-evaluation has resulted in the school correctly identifying the main areas in which improvement is needed. Work has already started on these areas. The school recognises, however, that its analysis and evaluation of the effectiveness of what it provides, particularly teaching, need to be even sharper. It knows that this is vital if it is to improve satisfactory provision to a level that is good in all respects. With its secure knowledge of what needs to be done next, the school is poised to move forward.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Ensure that teaching is always closely matched to the needs of all pupils. • Improve marking and the use of pupils' targets to ensure that all pupils are given clear guidance about how to improve their performance. • Sharpen the analysis and evaluation of how provision affects the outcomes for pupils in terms of the progress they make. 4 of 11 Inspection Report: Barnwood Church of England Primary School, 20 °21 March 2007

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Grade: 3

Standards are above average and pupils' achievement is satisfactory. Children make good progress in the Reception Year. By the time they transfer to Year 1, almost all have reached the goals expected for their age and a good proportion have exceeded these goals. Many are already working within the start of the National Curriculum. Standards remain above average as pupils move up from the start of Year 1 to the end of Year 6. The school's results in national tests and assessments are still as high as at the last inspection. In relation to pupils' attainment on entry to Year 1, these results represent satisfactory progress. Progress is relatively stronger in Year 6 than in other years, with particularly good gains made in writing. In Year 5, progress is good in mathematics. Pupils with learning difficulties or other disabilities progress at much the same rate as the other pupils in their classes.

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Grade: 2

The vast majority of pupils enjoy school, as the above-average attendance rate shows. They make a good contribution to the school and wider community. Older pupils conscientiously undertake responsibilities, for example, in looking after younger ones and overseeing play activities. The well-organised School Council contributes well to improvement of the school facilities, for example, in increasing resources for physical activities at break times. Pupils' understanding of the needs of others is reflected, for instance, in their fund raising for charities. Pupils have a good understanding of the importance of healthy eating and physical exercise. They know how to stay safe, for example, when using equipment in science or tools in design and technology. They also have good awareness of how to keep safe outside school such as when cycling. Pupils' spiritual, moral and social development is good. Cultural development is satisfactory,

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Grade: 2

with understanding of modern multi-ethnic society being a relatively less secure aspect. Pupils' good personal attributes, together with their skills in literacy and numeracy, prepare them well for their future lives.

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Grade: 3

Teaching is good in the Reception Year. There are high expectations of the standards each child is capable of attaining and activities are planned well to meet their needs. Even so, there are moments when the pace of learning slows, such as when children sit for a long time without being actively enough involved. There are good features to teaching across Years 1 to 6. Positive relationships between adults and pupils promote a climate supportive of learning. Teachers explain the purpose of lessons clearly so that pupils know what they are aiming to achieve. When lessons are most effective, for example, in English in Year 6 and in mathematics in Year 5, activities are well matched to pupils' needs and capture their interest. 5 of 11 Inspection Report: Barnwood Church of England Primary School, 20 °21 March 2007 The main reason why teaching is satisfactory overall in Years 1 to 6, rather than good, is that

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Grade: 3

it is not always well enough matched to pupils' differing needs. The result is that the most capable pupils are not consistently challenged and activities for those with learning difficulties are not always at the right level.

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Grade: 3

Children in the Reception Year experience a good balance of adult-directed activities and those that they select for themselves from a range provided. Although the classroom is rather cramped, good use is made of the adjoining practical area and nearby courtyard to provide stimulating activities. In Years 1 to 6, the learning opportunities in English, mathematics, science, and information and communication technology enable pupils to achieve satisfactorily. Some good opportunities are provided for writing in subjects such as history. Enrichment of the curriculum through visits and visitors is good. A wide range of clubs, including sporting activities, allows pupils to work and play together outside daily lessons.

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Grade: 2

Each pupil is valued as an individual. Arrangements for settling children into the Reception Year are good. One parent, reflecting the views of several others, observed that 'the starting-school process was easier than we could have ever imagined'. The school is sensitive to the needs of pupils with specific needs, for example, going the extra mile to support those at an early stage of learning English or with a physical disability. Much is done to help pupils to stay fit and healthy, reflecting the awards the school had gained for its work in this area. Academic guidance is satisfactory. There are examples of good guidance. A positive development in Year 6 is the way in which pupils evaluate each other's writing. Marking in some classes gives praise but does not provide much guidance for improvement. In Year 2, too much work is unmarked, resulting in missed opportunities to move pupils' learning on. In general, teachers

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Grade: 2

do not make enough reference to pupils' targets as a means of supporting progress.

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Grade: 3

All staff are clear about what the school needs to do next to become more effective. The headteacher provides good and clear leadership and is determined to ensure that all pupils have a good education and do well. The deputy gives good support for the headteacher in moving the school forward. The special educational needs co-ordinator leads her area well and is clearly focused on helping teachers to match teaching to the needs of pupils with learning difficulties. The school recognises that, to move on more quickly, its monitoring and evaluation of provision, particularly teaching, needs to become more rigorous. It knows that senior staff and subject co-ordinators should look not only at occasional lessons but also intensively analyse and evaluate the impact of ongoing provision on pupils' long-term progress. 6 of 11 Inspection Report: Barnwood Church of England Primary School, 20 °21 March 2007 The governing body is well organised, supportive and committed. Governors have some good

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Grade: 3

systems for finding out about the school at first hand. They play an important part in the development of the premises. They are not, however, routinely asking challenging questions that help the school to improve its provision. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: Barnwood Church of England Primary School, 20 °21 March 2007 .

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Grade: 3

in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 8 of 11 Inspection Report: Barnwood Church of England Primary School, 20 °21 March 2007

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Inspection judgements

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

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Overall effectiveness

How effective, efficient and inclusive is the provision of education, integrated care and any extended services in meeting the needs of learners? How well does the school work in partnership with others to promote learners' well-being? 2 The quality and standards in the Foundation Stage 3 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation 3 The capacity to make any necessary improvements Yes Effective steps have been taken to promote improvement since the last inspection

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Achievement and standards

3 How well do learners achieve? 2 The standards 1 reached by learners How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners 3 How well learners with learning difficulties and disabilities make progress

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learners?

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

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and interests of learners?

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

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and interests of learners?

Grade 1 - Exceptionally and consistently high; Grade 2 - Generally above average with none significantly below average; Grade 3 - Broadly average to below average; Grade 4 - Exceptionally low. 9 of 11 Inspection Report: Barnwood Church of England Primary School, 20 °21 March 2007

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and supporting all learners?

How effectively leaders and managers at all levels set clear direction leading to improvement and promote high quality of care and education How effectively performance is monitored, evaluated and improved to meet challenging targets How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination tackled so that all learners achieve as well as they can How effectively and efficiently resources, including staff, are deployed to achieve value for money The extent to which governors and other supervisory boards discharge their responsibilities Yes Do procedures for safeguarding learners meet current government requirements? No Does this school require special measures? No Does this school require a notice to improve? 10 of 11 Inspection Report: Barnwood Church of England Primary School, 20 °21 March 2007

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Thank you for helping us when we visited your school. We enjoyed meeting you and finding out about your school. We found that your school provides you with a satisfactory education and that it does some things really well. You are a credit to your school. You develop into sensible and thoughtful young people. Almost all of you behave well. You contribute well to your school and to the wider community. You know a lot about how to keep healthy and stay safe. The adults care a good deal about each of you. You told us that you are sure that you have an adult to whom you can turn if you have any worries. The youngest children get off to a good start in the Reception Year. They are helped to settle in well and make good progress. In Years 1 to 6 you make satisfactory progress overall. This is because the teaching and curriculum are satisfactory. Your standards are above average as you move up through the school. You start with good standards for your age and maintain them.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

The adults in school want to make sure that you do even better. Your headteacher and other adults know what they need to do next to make the school good in all respects. There are three things that we have asked them to give the most attention to. These are to: • Ensure that teaching and activities are always at just the right level for each of you. • Make sure that you are all given clear guidance about what you need to do to improve your work. • Look more carefully at how what the school does contributes to your progress. Thank you once again for your help. 11 of 11 Inspection Report: Barnwood Church of England Primary School, 20 °21 March 2007

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