Barrow Hall Orchard Church of England Primary School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 25 February 2025

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 'HOPS 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 the school should improve

• 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.

Read the full Ofsted report (opens in a new tab)