St Barnabas was last inspected during 8-9th October 2023. We are extremely proud that the Inspection Report recognises that our school is a Good school.

The report recognises many positive strengths of the school:

• Pupils enjoy learning at St Barnabas CofE First and Middle School and behave well in lessons.
• Pupils feel happy and safe and know that there is always someone to talk to; adults forge good relationships with pupils.
• Staff know the pupils well and provide high-quality pastoral care.
• Pupils are well-prepared for the next stage in their education.
• The school has planned an ambitious curriculum, in which learning builds on what pupils already know.
• Teachers are skilled at adapting work for pupils, including for those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).
• Pupils quickly become fluent and enthusiastic readers.  
• At social times, they play happily together. 

What we can do to improve further:

• At the very early stages, children’s learning is sometimes not broken down into precise steps. The school should make sure that, from the very beginning, the curriculum identifies accurately each step in children’s intended learning.
• In some subjects, where changes to the curriculum have been made, teachers are not always clear about what knowledge to assess. Teachers are not able, therefore, to judge how far pupils have understood the things that they have been taught. The school should set out clearly the intended outcomes against which teachers can assess what pupils have learned and address any misconceptions that may remain.

Our most recent OFSTED report