Barton Clough Primary School upgraded to Ofsted ‘Good’

Barton Clough Primary School has been judged ‘Good’ in all areas following an Ofsted inspection in April.

“Pupils are happy. They make friends easily and treat each other with kindness and respect,” said the report.

Inspectors commented: “Since the previous inspection, the school has worked effectively with the Trust and the local governing body to overhaul the quality of education that pupils receive. Together, they have taken effective steps to ensure that pupils benefit from a suitably ambitious curriculum.”

Barton Clough not only provides a comprehensive curriculum but also engaging and unique educational experiences including through its dedicated onsite Forest School. Led by a qualified Forest School teacher, the program enables pupils to interact directly with nature and experience learning outside of the traditional classroom setting, a unique feature that sets the school apart from others. Pupils benefit from an unwavering commitment to individual development which includes access to a number of extra-curricular activities such as parkour, chess, cycling and swimming. Barton Clough also runs two Small Specialist Classes (SSC’s), providing high-quality education for pupils with additional needs, fully integrated into the daily life of the mainstream school.

Other comments from inspectors include:

• Everyone is warmly welcomed to this school.
• Pupils develop aspirations for their future careers and lives. They understand the importance of striving for goals in the short and long term.
• Staff explain new concepts to pupils clearly. During lessons, teachers check pupils’ understanding and address any misconceptions successfully.
• Pupils behave well during lessons and at social times. They benefit from the support of caring staff, who know them well.

Head of School, Mr Foster-Carr, who joined Barton Clough at the start of 2023, said: “The improvement in our Ofsted rating is testament to the dedication and hard work of the whole school team who work tirelessly to ensure that every child reaches their potential in our proud, inclusive, diverse community. This would not be possible without the active engagement and involvement of pupils, parents/carers, our governing board and the Trust. It was particularly pleasing to learn that inspectors noted how pupils spoke of our school values as we actively encourage them all to be brave, positive and determined. Barton Clough is on a journey to improve pupil outcomes and we have seen positive results in school for some time, so for these to be recognised externally is pleasing for the whole school community.”

Bright Futures Educational Trust CEO, Dr John Stephens, added: “It’s great to see the brilliant progress that the school has made. It’s particularly pleasing to see how proud the children are to attend this wonderful school at the heart of the community. They have so many exciting opportunities to learn thanks to the relentless efforts of the entire staff team.”