Barwic Parade Community Primary School, Selby
Barwic Parade
Selby
North Yorkshire
YO88DJ

Phone:01757 705591
Headteacher: Mrs Pat Jarvis

Visit school website 

278 pupils, Mixed

ofsted.gov.uk

© Crown copyright 2009

Introduction

This inspection was carried out by three additional inspectors. The inspectors visited 12 lessons and spent 80% of inspection time looking at learning across the school. The inspectors held meetings with governors, staff and four groups of older and younger pupils, including school council members. They observed the school's work and looked at a range of documentation, including paperwork and policies relating to safeguarding, pupils' work in English and mathematics, younger children's learning journals (detailed records of children's progress and development), the school improvement plan and 38 completed questionnaires from parents and carers.

The inspection team reviewed many aspects of the school's work. It looked in detail at the following:

• how well different groups of pupils make progress, especially in Key Stage 1, in reading and writing
• the opportunities that pupils have to use and apply their skills across the curriculum and the impact this has on their progress
• how well children in the Early Years Foundation Stage make progress and the opportunities they have to lead their own learning
• how effectively the school cares for, supports and guides pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who are vulnerable, and the impact this has on their progress and on improving attendance across the school.

Information about the school

This school is slightly larger than average. Almost all pupils are White British with a tiny proportion from Eastern European countries. No pupil is currently at an early stage of learning English as an additional language. A much higher proportion of pupils than usual joins or leaves the school at times other than the usual. The take-up of free school meals is also well above average. A third of pupils have special educational needs and/or disabilities. This is well above average as is the proportion of vulnerable pupils who face significant barriers to learning. The Early Years Foundation Stage Unit consists of a Nursery and Reception class. Some Reception children are taught in a mixed Reception/Year 1 class but share the Early Years Foundation Stage Unit outdoor provision. The on-site Children's Centre was not inspected nor was the 'Enhanced Mainstream School' provision which has just started operating from the school site.

The school holds the Healthy Schools and School Active awards as well as Financial Management in Schools award.

Main findings

The school fully meets its aim to 'nurture respectful individuals who show consideration and tolerance for the values and opinions of others.' Pupils' behaviour and their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development are outstanding because of these qualities. The school gives pupils outstanding care, support and guidance. This is why pupils have an excellent understanding of how to keep safe and why they behave so responsibly. Attendance is now broadly average, an improvement since the last inspection. Pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who are vulnerable, make outstanding progress. This is because they are given very specific support to help them learn effectively. The school gives pupils a good education and helps the majority to overcome significant barriers to their learning.

Pupils make good progress, reaching average standards in English, mathematics and science by the end of Year 6 from their well below average starting points when they enter the Nursery. They make the best progress in Key Stage 2 where teaching is often outstanding. Progress is slower in Key Stage 1 because pupils learn too formally too soon for their stage of development. They have relatively few opportunities to learn actively and through discovery. This is why standards are persistently below average at the end of Year 2. Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage make good progress, especially when they lead their own learning. Across the school, pupils do not read as well as they write because the curriculum does not give them sufficient opportunities to practise reading. Pupils are well taught overall and teachers make sure that pupils know what to do to improve their work. However, pupils are not fully involved in checking their learning. They rely on the teacher to point out mistakes.

The school has made good improvement since the last inspection and now has significant areas of outstanding practice. This illustrates well the ambition and drive of the senior leadership team. Through rigorous self-evaluation the school is aware of its strengths and areas for development and plans carefully to address these issues. It has good capacity to continue to improve.

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Raise standards in Key Stage 1 by:

• giving pupils a wider range and variety of learning experiences, particularly those in which they are active, which involve role play, or which require them to be enquiring.

• Raise standards in reading across the school by developing a more interesting and creative curriculum so that pupils have ample opportunities to use and apply their reading and comprehension skills in many different contexts.

• Involve pupils more fully in assessing their own learning so that they are involved in identifying what they need to do to improve their work.

Pupils listen intently in lessons and work very hard. They are extremely polite. Older pupils explain how 'the school helps us to talk to people and to say their name at the start or end of a sentence because it is good manners.' Pupils care about others and want to help. For example, they swiftly organised fund-raising for Haiti. Their writing about the earthquake shows their heartfelt empathy with the wider community.

Pupils achieve well because they have a thirst for learning. In Key Stage 2, they make the best progress in mathematics and writing. More-able pupils flourish and average achievers write accurately and with expressive vocabulary. Their high standard of presentation clearly shows the pride that pupils take in their written work. In mathematics, pupils use their knowledge well to help them solve complex problems. Pupils' reading skills are less strong because they are unused to reading widely and asking and answering questions about what they have read. Pupils make broadly satisfactory progress in Key Stage 1. However, in this key stage, more-able pupils are not always challenged enough because they do not work independently at suitable tasks, and less-able pupils' progress slows when they do not learn actively.

Throughout the school, pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who are vulnerable, make outstanding gains in their learning because they are given lots of help which is exactly suited to their needs. This is why the quality of their learning and the progress they make are outstanding. Of the pupils who enter the school at times other than the usual, those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who are vulnerable make outstanding progress and the average and more-able newcomers make good progress.

The active school council is a key part of the school and pupils' contributions are highly valued. Pupils strive to earn 'It's cool to be trusted' badges as emblems of their social responsibility. There is no bullying or racism and pupils feel safe because they are confident that adults will help them. Older pupils strive to win certificates for 100% attendance, reflecting their enjoyment of and commitment to school. Younger pupils' absences are usually illness-related. Very few pupils are persistent absentees. Pupils' wider skills, including their excellent social skills, equip them well for their future lives.

These are the grades for pupils' outcomes

¹ The grades for attainment and attendance are: 1 is high; 2 is above average; 3 is broadly average; and 4 is low

How effective is the provision?

Pupils say 'the teachers make the lessons fun so you take more in.' This is a strength, as is the way in which teachers check pupils' learning at each stage of the lesson. The best lessons encourage pupils to talk and to work together so that they can discuss problems, work out solutions and come up with questions to which they want to know the answers. In less effective lessons, pupils have fewer opportunities to work things out for themselves or to learn actively. Teaching assistants play a major role in the teaching team and are used extremely effectively in all classes to support pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. Pupils are not confident in identifying where they might improve their work because they do not currently have the necessary skills nor are they given enough guidance, to enable them to assess their own learning.

The school has made some moves towards developing a creative curriculum but has yet to implement it fully. As a result, teachers tend to teach independent subjects and this, especially at Key Stage 1, does not make for a stimulating curriculum, despite the interesting educational visits, extra-curricular clubs and visitors to school. The exceptions are Philosophy in Education and French lessons that are taught in Key Stage 2. These two subjects broaden Key Stage 2 pupils' educational experience, enabling them to ask searching questions and to hold conversations in French.

Pupils are individually known and feel totally safe and secure. As a result of excellent care, pupils develop confidence and self-esteem. Highly effective systems ensure pupils settle quickly and happily into school and make a smooth transition to their next school. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities are exceptionally well supported. Vulnerable pupils are monitored very carefully and great thought is given to ensuring their needs are extremely well met.

These are the grades for the quality of provision

How effective are leadership and management?

Senior leaders set ambitious academic targets which pupils usually meet. They check on teaching quality closely and give expert guidance on how to improve it further. All staff work as a team, most notably in Key Stage 2 where daily meetings ensure that every pupil gets the right level of support throughout the day. This is especially effective at helping new pupils to fit in and contribute positively to the school's happy, calm and welcoming environment. The staff team ensures equal opportunities for all and is successfully narrowing the gap between different ability groups. The school makes strenuous efforts to get parents and carers involved in the school. The 'Every Day Counts' campaign is having an impact on improving attendance, especially in Key Stage 2, with parents and carers as competitive as their children. Newsletters are very helpful and informative, and links with the Children's Centre are fruitful. Good partnerships with extended services have a positive impact on pupils' well-being. The school makes a good contribution to community cohesion with its close local links and effective promotion of global awareness. Through focusing on Asian and Chinese cultures in the curriculum and by making links with a school with a high proportion of pupils from Asian backgrounds, the school is successfully developing pupils' awareness of the multi-cultural diversity of Great Britain. Governors know the school's strengths and play a full part in development planning and self-evaluation. They have due regard to safeguarding. Safeguarding is of good quality and fully meets government requirements.

These are the grades for leadership and management

Early Years Foundation Stage

Children achieve well from well below expected starting points. They make the best progress in communication, language and literacy and in their personal, social and emotional development. This is because adults spend much of the day talking to children, questioning them and teaching them words so that they can communicate effectively. As a result, children become articulate, self-reliant young learners. They sensibly help themselves to fruit and milk, washing their hands without being prompted. The quality of teaching is good. Nursery children spend most of the time leading their own learning, but sometimes Reception children sit as a group for just a bit too long. This limits the time they spend initiating activities. Good provision, both indoors and outdoors, aids children's good learning and development. They have many interesting tasks to choose from. Staff take children's interests fully into account when they plan learning activities. Although most children have not met the expected level in all areas of learning by the start of Year 1, their personal, social and emotional development is slightly above expectation and more-able children have a good knowledge of letters and sounds. Children are extremely well cared for. Individual learning journals clearly chart children's progress and also include parents' and carers' contributions. The setting is well led and managed and children thrive as a result.

These are the grades for the Early Years Foundation Stage

Views of parents and carers

Parents and carers are pleased with the school and think their children make good progress. The inspection team agrees with their positive views.

Ofsted invited all the registered parents and carers of pupils registered at Selby, Barwic Parade Community Primary School to complete a questionnaire about their views of the school.

In the questionnaire, parents and carers were asked to record how strongly they agreed with 13 statements about the school.

The inspection team received 38 completed questionnaires by the end of the on-site inspection. In total, there are 260 pupils registered at the school.

The table above summarises the responses that parents and carers made to each statement. The percentages indicate the proportion of parents and carers giving that response out of the total number of completed questionnaires. Where one or more parents and carers chose not to answer a particular question, the percentages will not add up to 100%.

Overall effectiveness of schools inspected between September 2007 and July 2008

27 January 2010

Dear Pupils

Inspection of Selby, Barwic Parade Community Primary School, Selby, YO8 8DJ

When we inspected your school, my colleagues and I very much enjoyed meeting so many of you and hearing your views. We were all really impressed with your super behaviour and politeness. Your excellent social skills prepare you well for the future.

Your school gives you a good education. It helps you to make good progress, especially in Key Stage 2. Your handwriting and presentation are very neat and clearly show the pride you take in your work. Not only can you talk well in English but in French too! Adults in school take excellent care of you. Those of you who find learning difficult or who need extra help, make outstanding progress because your teachers are really good at helping you to catch up and to make progress at the right rate for you.

This is what I have asked your school to do next to help to make it even better.

• I would like you to have more opportunities to read so you learn to think and ask lots more questions. This will help to make your reading as good as your writing and your work in mathematics.
• I want your teachers to help some pupils in Years 1 and 2 learn in the same way as children in Nursery and Reception, so that they make faster progress. At the moment, some of them are struggling because the work is not at the right level for them and they do not have enough time to learn through finding out for themselves.
• It would help you to learn even better if you were involved in checking your own learning so you know where you have made mistakes and understand what to do to correct them.

I hope you enjoy these new challenges and that many more of you get 100% attendance certificates!

Yours sincerely,

Mrs Lesley Clark

Lead Inspector.