Barrow Hall Orchard Church of England Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

This school feels like one happy family.

Pupils, staff, parents and carers all talk about their sense of belonging. This is because the school really cares about its pupils, families and the wider community.

The pastoral support for pupils in this school is exceptional.

The school is relentless in its pursuit to remove any barriers pupils may have to their learning. Support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), and the most disadvantaged, is highly effective. Pupils do well in this school.

Pupils feel happy and safe in this school. They behave well. There is a sense of calm around the school.

The school's 'HOP...S High 5 – community, friendship, respect, resilience, aspiration' successfully guide pupils in their actions and behaviours. All pupils are proud to attend this school and of their achievements.

There are many opportunities for pupils to develop their character.

For example, prefects and mental health champions support other pupils with great maturity. These pupils talk passionately about how they should 'be their best self' and help others to do the same. These advocates make a tangible difference to the lives of others.

In doing so, they also know they help themselves.

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

Leaders are passionate about helping pupils to love reading. Children begin to learn to read as soon as they join in the Reception Year.

The school makes sure that all staff have the requisite knowledge to teach phonics. Staff regularly check if pupils fall behind. These pupils receive swift and targeted support and soon catch up.

The school places novels at the heart of learning to read beyond phonics. It has established a range of quality texts. These texts enable pupils to understand more about our diverse world.

A consistent approach to exploring books enables pupils to study meaning within texts. They gain a deeper understanding of the authors' intentions. 'Reading leaders' help younger pupils to share their enthusiasm for reading.

Pupils enjoy reading.

The school constantly reviews its work on the curriculum. In the strongest subjects, the curriculum sets out key knowledge for pupils to learn explicitly.

This enables teachers to create learning sequences. It ensures that pupils connect concepts and key knowledge. Pupils apply what they have learned and talk in depth, with understanding about it.

In a few subjects, the curriculum is less well developed. It does not identify key knowledge as precisely. In most subjects the school has adopted a system to 'retrieve, remember and review' what pupils know.

This encourages pupils to revisit what they have learned. However, in a few subjects, teachers do not use the system effectively to identify gaps in pupils' knowledge. This means they do not always adapt activities to suit individual pupils' needs.

The school's provision to support pupils with SEND is strong. Teachers swiftly identify these pupils' needs. They adapt learning so that these pupils succeed.

Pupils with SEND do well.

The school's expectations for pupils to behave well are high. Pupils respond to these expectations.

Pupils enjoy coming to school and attend regularly.

There is an excited buzz in the early years. Children are eager to learn.

Routines are well established. Children settle quickly. Teachers design activities that encourage children to remain focused and explore their learning.

Children work well together. Staff regularly check how well children are doing. Teachers adapt activities to ensure that all children participate, including those children with SEND.

However, the early years curriculum does not fully begin in the pre-school. In pre-school, the curriculum content has not been thought through carefully enough. At times, activities for children to access independently leave children's learning to chance.

The provision for pupils' personal development is exceptional. It promotes tolerance and respect. Pupils develop a deep understanding of different faiths and cultures.

The school places the highest priority on mental well-being. It recognises the need to remove obstacles to learning and works to this aim. The school ensures that pupils understand how to keep themselves safe when working online.

It also works to help parents understand the risks and benefits of social media. The range of responsibilities pupils can undertake helps develop their understanding of what it is like to be a good citizen. For example, pupils talk of their pride in helping raise money for those less fortunate than themselves: 'It helps them, but it helps us too.'



The school has a sense of unity. Staff and governors understand what is working well in school and what needs to improve. Staff respect the consideration given to their workload and well-being.

They are proud to work at this school.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Work to streamline the curriculum for a few foundation subjects is not yet complete.

There is too much content. Teachers are not always clear on the key important knowledge pupils need to know and remember. Pupils are not always clear on what they are learning.

The school should complete its work on the curriculum so that it designs effective learning sequences that build pupils' knowledge well. ? In a few foundation subjects, teachers do not use the school's approach to checking pupils' learning effectively to identify gaps in pupils' knowledge. This means they do not always adapt activities to suit individual pupils' needs.

Some pupils do not achieve as well as they could. The school should ensure that teachers have the tools needed to identify gaps in pupils' knowledge then adapt tasks to enable pupils to remember what they have learned. ? The curriculum in the early years does not fully begin in the pre-school.

The curriculum content has not been thought through carefully enough. At times, activities provided during continuous provision leave children's learning to chance. The school should ensure that the precise knowledge children need to know is identified clearly in all areas of learning from the earliest opportunity.

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