Burbage Junior School

Age group 7–11 Inspection date(s) 21–22 May 2012 Inspection number 379923 Burbage Junior School Inspection report

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Unique reference number 119964 Local authority Leicestershire Inspection number 379923 Inspection dates 21–22 May 2012 Lead inspector Keith Sadler

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This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Type of school Junior School category Community Age range of pupils 7–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 382 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Steve Daly Headteacher Richard Harris Date of previous school inspection 15 September 2008 School address Grove Road Burbage Hinckley LE10 2AD Telephone number 01455 630970 Fax number 01455 630979 Email address shayes@burbage-jun.leics.sch.uk achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work-based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked

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after children, safeguarding and child protection. Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the Education Act 2005, the school must provide a copy of this report free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as you give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the information in any way. To receive regular email alerts about new publications, including survey reports and school inspection reports, please visit our website and go to ‘Subscribe’.

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T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk You can use Parent View to give Ofsted your opinion on your child’s school. Ofsted will use the information parents and carers provide when deciding which schools to inspect and when.

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You can also use Parent View to find out what other parents and carers think about schools in England. You can visit www.parentview.ofsted.gov.uk , or look for the link on the main Ofsted website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Introduction

This inspection was carried out with two days’ notice. The inspectors observed teaching and learning in 25 lessons or parts of lessons taught by 13 different teachers or practitioners, totalling 12 hours of observation. The inspectors held meetings with members of the governing body, staff, parents and carers, and groups of pupils. They observed the school’s work and looked at a wide range of documentation. This included: the school’s analysis of pupils’ progress; teachers’ lesson plans; school development plan; leaders’ monitoring records; and pupils’ work. Questionnaires from 169 parents and carers, together with others from staff and pupils, were analysed and their responses taken into account.

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Information about the school

Burbage is an above average-sized junior school. The very large majority of pupils are of White British heritage. The proportion known to be eligible for free school meals is below average. The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs supported at school action plus or with statements of special educational needs is below average. The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.

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Information about the school

The school has received a number of awards – among them: Investors in People and Green Flag Eco School. Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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Key findings

 Burbage is a good school. Pupils benefit from a rich range of curricular experiences and good teaching which results in them making good progress. The school is not yet outstanding because teaching currently promotes good rather than outstanding achievement.

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Key findings

 From above-average starting points in Year 3, pupils achieve well and attain significantly above-average levels by the end of Year 6. Progress is good for all groups, and it is particularly strong for higher-ability pupils. In consequence, a high proportion of pupils gain the higher level at the end of Year 6.

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Key findings

 Teaching is good and sometimes outstanding. All the classrooms have a calm and purposeful atmosphere because relationships are good and the pupils are managed well. Teachers are particularly skilled at providing explanations and they question pupils well. Although there are some excellent examples of marking, there are inconsistencies because not all teachers make the next steps in learning clear. Occasionally, the pace of learning slows because teachers spend too long introducing lessons. Activities in the best lessons provide challenge for all groups of pupils, although occasionally work is too easy for some in mathematics.

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Key findings

 Pupils’ behaviour is good in lessons and around the school. They are motivated by their work, concentrate well, and thrive when working collaboratively. In consequence, they enjoy learning.

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Key findings

 The headteacher’s clear vision for the school is shared by the staff and the governing body. His passionate commitment inspires and motivates the staff team. He is supported well by senior leaders. Monitoring and evaluation procedures are thorough and accurate. These link to the rigorous performance management processes and focused continuing professional development to ensure constant improvement in provision and pupils’ progress. Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is well promoted, particularly by rich Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 By April 2013, lift the quality of teaching and learning from good to outstanding by ensuring:  pupils’ next steps in learning are always clearly highlighted in teachers’ marking  teachers’ planning always provides challenging activities for all groups of pupils, particularly in mathematics  that the pace of learning is accelerated by reducing the length of some introductions to lessons.

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Achievement of pupils

Inspection findings confirm the views of the overwhelming majority of parents and carers who said that their children make good progress. All groups of pupils, including boys and girls and those known to be eligible for free school meals, achieve well from their above-average starting points. In consequence, by the end of Year 6 attainment in reading, writing and mathematics is significantly above average. Higher-attaining pupils make particularly strong progress because teachers provide good levels of challenge for them in most classes. In 2011, for example, a majority of pupils gained the higher level in English and in mathematics, with almost two thirds at that standard. A majority of the current Year 5 pupils have already reached the standard expected nationally at the end of Year 6 in both English and mathematics. Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs learn well in lessons because work is tailored to meet their needs and they receive good-

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Achievement of pupils

quality support in order to help to meet their learning targets. Their progress is particularly strong when they are withdrawn for either one-to-one or small-group teaching because the teachers and assistants are skilled.

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Achievement of pupils

During the inspection, pupils achieved well in almost all lessons. In most lessons, teachers provide many opportunities for pupils to discuss their ideas and share what they have learned. This was evident in a successful Year 6 lesson where the writing task was linked well to the history theme of Britain in the Second World War. The pupils worked closely and effectively together when reviewing a government leaflet concerning evacuation. They built successfully on each other’s ideas.

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Achievement of pupils

Pupils’ progress in reading is good. Year 3 pupils who read to inspectors said that they enjoyed reading and they demonstrated well-developed skills to tackle unfamiliar words. By the time that they reach Year 6, pupils enjoy reading longer novels. Year 6 pupils were skilled in analysing the different approaches to characterisation taken by the authors of Carrie’s War and The Silver Sword. Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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Quality of teaching

Inspection findings that the quality of teaching is good are confirmed by almost all parents and carers. Teachers manage pupils well and the pupils say that they enjoy the many opportunities provided for small-group and paired work. This strategy supports the pupils’ moral and social development well. This was particularly the case in a successful Year 5 lesson when pupils took it in turn to be scribe, reporter and leader in their groups of three when they were preparing a TV script.

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Quality of teaching

Teachers provide interesting activities that capture the pupils’ interest and inspire them to concentrate well. As one Year 6 pupil said, ‘Our teachers help us to improve and they don’t give up on us when we don’t understand.’ Staff are particularly adept at providing well-founded explanations even when dealing with tricky concepts. For example, in a Year 4 mathematics lesson the teacher’s relaxed manner, linked to her strong subject knowledge, aided learning as she explained a new method of multiplication. Pupils were highly productive as they enjoyed working through the challenging tasks. However, even in good lessons, teachers occasionally spend too long introducing lessons and this slows the pace of learning.

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Quality of teaching

Throughout lessons, teachers clearly demonstrate how tasks should be completed and they reinforce their high expectations to ensure that pupils produce good-quality work. Since the last inspection, the school has acted successfully to improve the setting of targets. Pupils are now clear about their targets in both English and mathematics, although the next steps in learning are not always made clear when teachers mark their work. In the best lessons, teachers make very good use of assessment information both to plan work and also, through well-targeted questioning, to adjust challenge during the lesson. This excellent practice is not a feature in all lessons. Occasionally, teachers do not plan work, particularly in mathematics, that is sufficiently challenging for all groups of pupils.

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Quality of teaching

Teachers deploy teaching assistants to support all groups of pupils successfully, including disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs, by checking pupils’ understanding of instructions and tasks. Support is particularly good for disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs. For example, in a Year 4 mathematics lesson, lower ability pupils made good progress because they were supported well by a teaching assistant who asked challenging questions to extend their learning.

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Quality of teaching

Reading is taught well. Recent changes to the teaching of group reading are having a positive impact on progress. The school has a comprehensive and well-founded programme for the teaching of letters and sounds for pupils who enter the school with below-average attainment. Because reading skills are taught systematically, these pupils’ progress is accelerated well. The teaching programme is complemented successfully with special school events, such as world book day and also the special Roald Dahl day in September. This occasion was particularly successful as all the pupils and staff dressed as a Dahl character and also incoming pupils from Year 2 Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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Quality of teaching

enjoyed the task of re-designing a Dahl book cover as a project that spanned both the infant and junior school.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

Pupils behave well in lessons and around the school. Staff have a consistent approach to managing pupils’ behaviour and the pupils behave well because they enjoy learning and invariably respond well in class. Pupils say that there is very little bullying in the school and they have a good understanding of the different forms of bullying. Furthermore, they are confident that if they do have a problem the adults will help to resolve it. There have been no exclusions since the last inspection and a review of school documentation reveals few significant incidents of poor behaviour, indicating that behaviour is typically good over time. Racist incidents are even less common, and pupils show mutual respect for each other at all times. The good personal and social development curriculum ensures that pupils are well aware of how to stay safe and make appropriate use of the internet. Parents and carers confirm these findings and they are almost unanimous in saying that their children

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

enjoy school, behaviour is good and their children are safe.

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Leadership and management

Parents and carers are right to be overwhelmingly positive in recognising the commitment and passion of the headteacher and staff to pupils’ achievement and personal development. His leadership is pivotal to the school’s continuing success. There is a common and shared commitment to improvement that is based on the clear vision of the headteacher for the future of the school. Staff morale is high and teamwork strong because all the staff know that their views are sought and are listened to. Since the previous inspection, there has been a restructuring of senior leadership and the current, effective team provides clear educational direction. Senior leaders are supported well by subject managers who make a good contribution to the school’s checking of provision and progress. These thorough and accurate self-evaluation procedures give rise to a well-founded improvement plan. The use of data to track pupil’s progress has improved significantly since the

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Leadership and management

previous inspection and has aided the additional rigour and accountability brought to the performance management process. This good practice has also led to effective identification of the development needs of teachers, which are successfully addressed with training and support. Pupils’ good achievement and behaviour have been sustained well and supported by equally good teaching. These successes demonstrate that the school has capacity for further improvement.

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Leadership and management

The curriculum is effective and provides well for the pupils’ learning and personal development. A thorough review has led to a more creative approach being taken. Topic themes are amended and developed to respond to pupils’ own questions and interests. In addition, staff plan well to ensure that there are strong links between subjects. For example, pupils wrote a poem with a desert theme as part of an Egyptian topic; others used features of biographical writing when studying Queen Victoria. Pupils also prepared diaries of a day in the life of Florence Nightingale. Many Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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Leadership and management

parents and carers wrote fulsome comments about the exceptionally wide range of extra-curricular opportunities that are provided for pupils, particularly in sport and the arts. The pupils themselves say how much they enjoy these activities and take- up is very high. These aspects support the pupils’ spiritual and cultural development well and the effective personal and social curriculum successfully promotes pupils’ moral and social development.

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Leadership and management

The governing body is effective and it supports, and sensitively challenges, the school well. Members ensure that all regulatory requirements for safeguarding pupils and vetting staff are in place. The school is successful in ensuring equal opportunities for all pupils, particularly for those with specific needs or whose circumstances make them vulnerable. Discrimination of any kind is not tolerated.

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding These features are highly effective. An outstanding school provides exceptionally well for all its pupils’ needs. Grade 2 Good These are very positive features of a school. A school that is good is serving its pupils well. Grade 3 Satisfactory These features are of reasonable quality. A satisfactory school is providing adequately for its pupils. Grade 4 Inadequate These features are not of an acceptable standard. An inadequate school needs to make significant improvement in order to meet the needs of its pupils. Ofsted inspectors will make further visits until it improves.

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

Nursery schools 54 42 2 2 Primary schools 14 49 32 6 Secondary schools 20 39 34 7 Special schools 33 45 20 3 Pupil referral units 9 55 28 8 All schools 16 47 31 6

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

New school inspection arrangements have been introduced from 1 January 2012. This means that inspectors make judgements that were not made previously. The data in the table above are for the period 1 September to 31 December 2011 and represent judgements that were made under the school inspection arrangements that were introduced on 1 September 2009. These data are consistent with the latest published official statistics about maintained school inspection outcomes (see www.ofsted.gov.uk ). The sample of schools inspected during 2010/11 was not representative of all schools nationally, as weaker schools are inspected more frequently than good or outstanding schools. Primary schools include primary academy converters. Secondary schools include secondary academy converters, sponsor-led academies and city technology colleges. Special schools include special academy converters and non-maintained special schools.

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

Percentages are rounded and do not always add exactly to 100.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Achievement: the progress and success of a pupil in their learning and development taking account of their attainment.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Attainment: the standard of the pupils’ work shown by test and examination results and in lessons.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Attendance: the regular attendance of pupils at school and in lessons, taking into account the school’s efforts to encourage good attendance.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Behaviour: how well pupils behave in lessons, with emphasis on their attitude to learning. Pupils’ punctuality to lessons and their conduct around the school.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Capacity to improve: the proven ability of the school to continue improving based on its self-evaluation and what the school has accomplished so far and on the quality of its systems to maintain improvement.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Floor standards: the national minimum expectation of attainment and progression measures.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Leadership and management: the contribution of all the staff with responsibilities, not just the governors and headteacher, to identifying priorities, directing and motivating staff and running the school.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Learning: how well pupils acquire knowledge, develop their understanding, learn and practise skills and are developing their competence as learners.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Overall effectiveness: inspectors form a judgement on a school’s overall effectiveness based on the findings from their inspection of the school.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Progress: the rate at which pupils are learning in lessons and over longer periods of time. It is often measured by comparing the pupils’ attainment at the end of a key stage with their attainment when they started.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Safety: how safe pupils are in school, including in lessons; and their understanding of risks. Pupils’ freedom from bullying and harassment. How well the school promotes safety, for example e-learning.

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carers to share with their children. It describes Ofsted’s

main findings from the inspection of their school.

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Inspection of Burbage Junior School, Hinckley, LE10 2AD

On behalf of the inspection team, I would like to thank you for making us feel so welcome when we visited your school. We really enjoyed our time with you and watching your learning. We particularly enjoyed your beautiful two-part singing in the choir practice and also the Year 3 and 4 singing. We were pleased with your enthusiasm for your work and the progress you are making, especially in English and mathematics.

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Inspection of Burbage Junior School, Hinckley, LE10 2AD

We have judged that yours is a good school. You behave well, get on very well together and value each other. We know from talking with you and from your questionnaires that you like coming to school and enjoy your learning. This is because the teachers make the work interesting and fun so you make good progress. It is good to hear that both you and your parents and carers say that you feel safe in school.

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Inspection of Burbage Junior School, Hinckley, LE10 2AD

Although yours is a good school, we have asked your headteacher, staff and the governing body to make some changes to help it to improve further. We have asked that when teachers mark your work they make sure that your next steps in learning are made clear. We also want your teachers to make sure that they always provide you with challenging activities whether you find learning easy or hard. Finally, we have asked that your teachers don’t spend too long introducing your lessons because this gives you too little time to do the tasks they set.

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Inspection of Burbage Junior School, Hinckley, LE10 2AD

We are confident that you will want to help too. You can do this by continuing to try your best at all times and working hard to meet your targets.

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Inspection of Burbage Junior School, Hinckley, LE10 2AD

We would like to wish you all the very best in the future at Burbage Junior and also when you move on to your next school.

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Inspection of Burbage Junior School, Hinckley, LE10 2AD

Keith Sadler Lead Inspector procedures set out in the guidance 'Complaining about inspections', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234 , or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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