Burscough Village Primary School

Burscough Village Primary School Colburne Close, Burscough, Ormskirk, L40 4LB

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Good 2 This inspection: Outstanding 1 Achievement of pupils Outstanding 1 Quality of teaching Outstanding 1 Behaviour and safety of pupils Outstanding 1 Leadership and management Outstanding 1

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is an outstanding school.  Pupils’ achievement is outstanding. They start school with skill levels typical for their age and make excellent progress in each year group. Pupils reach high standards by the end of Year 6.  Disabled pupils or those who have special educational needs and those entitled to the pupil premium make the same excellent progress as everyone else.  Much of the teaching is outstanding and is never less than consistently good. Teachers and other adults have high expectations of all learners. They consistently challenge pupils’ thinking and provide activities that promote their ability to reason and solve problems exceptionally well.  Teachers mark pupils’ work in detail but do not always allow pupils enough time in lessons to read this good advice.  A vibrant and interesting curriculum captures pupils’ imagination.  Pupils’ behaviour is exemplary. They are polite and welcoming to visitors. They take

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

good care of each other and show great respect for the adults in the school.  Under the headteacher’s inspirational leadership, the school has moved from good to outstanding since its last inspection. The headteacher is ably supported by the deputy headteacher and by highly committed staff who work together as a very effective team.  Parents say that their children feel safe and are happy in school because they are very well cared for and are well taught.  Thorough and regular checks ensure high quality teaching. Pupils’ achievement is assessed and tracked very carefully across the year.  The governing body provides excellent support and challenge to school leaders. Governors ensure that the quality of teaching and pupils’ achievement continue to improve. They check that money is spent wisely and that pupils entitled to the additional pupil-premium funding are well provided for.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors visited 16 lessons and made a number of short visits to classrooms to observe teaching and learning.  They made visits to the before-and-after-school club and met with the leader.  Inspectors listened to pupils read and observed the teaching of early reading skills in the school. The inspectors also looked at examples of pupils’ work.  A meeting was held with two groups of pupils and inspectors spoke to pupils about their work.  Inspectors met a group of parents and spoke to parents informally at the start of school. They also met with the Chair, and three members, of the Governing Body and members of staff. An inspector spoke to a representative of the local authority by telephone.  In the course of the inspection, inspectors took account of 39 responses to the online questionnaire (Parent View), two letters from parents, the school’s analysis of its own questionnaires completed by parents and pupils, and 18 staff questionnaires.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed the school’s work and looked at a number of documents, including records relating to safeguarding, a summary of the school’s self-evaluation, long-term plans and the school’s analysis of current data.

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Inspection team

Lyn Pender, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Sheila O'Keeffe Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 The number of pupils on roll has continued to rise since the last inspection. The school is now of a similar size to most other primary schools.  Governors provide a before-and-after-school club for pupils. They also run a summer holiday club for a few weeks each year.  Most pupils are of White British heritage. Very few pupils are at an early stage of speaking English as an additional language.  A smaller-than-average proportion of pupils is supported through school action. The proportion of pupils supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is also smaller than average.  The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for the pupil-premium funding is broadly similar to the national average. The number of pupils known to be eligible to claim free school meals has risen since the time of the previous inspection and is now similar to the national average.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations

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Information about this school

for pupils’ attainment and progress.  A new deputy headteacher took up post in January 2013.  The headteacher is a local leader of education and provides support for other schools in the local authority.  The school holds the Eco School Award, the silver Primary Science Quality Mark and has an award for Leading Parent Partnerships.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Ensure there is enough time in lessons for pupils to respond to the advice provided for them by teachers when they mark the work in their books.

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 Most children join the school with skills and abilities that are typical for their age. With excellent teaching in the bright and well-organised Nursery and Reception classes, they make brisk progress and enter Year 1 with skill levels above the national average.  As they move up through the school, pupils continue to make rapid progress in reading, writing and mathematics. This means that, by the end of Year 6, virtually all pupils make the progress expected of them in English and mathematics and many do much better than this.  By the end of Key Stages 1 and 2, pupils consistently reach above average levels of attainment in English and mathematics.  The small number of disabled pupils or those who have special educational needs make excellent progress from their starting points because of the high quality teaching and support they receive.  Effective use of the pupil-premium grant enables pupils eligible for this funding, including those

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

known to be eligible for free school meals, to flourish. They achieve at least as well as their peers in the school and, by the end of Year 6, many of these pupils attain better than similar pupils nationally.  Pupils’ develop early reading skills extremely well through the help of the expert teaching of letters and the sounds they make. Reading has a high profile in the school. Pupils read regularly and have developed very positive attitudes to reading. They use these skills very effectively when finding out information about the various topics they study throughout the year. For example, when using their research skills in a Year 5 lesson, pupils showed a mature understanding of how to interpret and evaluate the accuracy of the information found on the internet.  Attainment in reading at the end of Year 2 and Year 6 is above average.  Pupils develop their reasoning and thinking skills well as they move up through the school. Pupils

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

of all ages enjoy the opportunities provided for them to reflect on their learning and to work collaboratively on the challenges set by their teachers.  Parents’ comments to inspectors and responses to Parent View indicate that they are very pleased with their children’s achievement in school.

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

 Since the last inspection, leaders’ clear focus on this aspect of the school’s work has improved the quality of teaching from good to outstanding.  Typical characteristics of the excellent teaching seen during the inspection and in pupils’ books over time include:  very well-planned lessons where teaching moves along briskly and pupils’ interests are sustained throughout  knowledgeable teachers who provide activities with high levels of challenge because they have high expectations of what pupils can achieve  teachers and skilled assistants who work effectively as a team and provide the right level of support for all pupils.  Mathematics and literacy, including reading, are exceptionally well taught and ensures that pupils are very well prepared for the next stage in their education.  Talented teachers plan exciting lessons and provide memorable learning experiences which respond well to the many and changing interests of pupils. For example, pupils’ creative skills

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

and understanding of the arts are developed exceptionally well. During the inspection, Year 6 pupils produced excellent art work following a ‘visit’ to the National Gallery via the website. They identified famous works of art to inspire their own work and produced drawings of a very high quality as a result.  In lessons, teachers regularly check how well pupils are doing. They make sure that pupils are helped if they are stuck and are constantly shown how to improve their work. Marking in pupils’ books is detailed and gives clear advice about the next steps that they need to take to make their work even better. Sometimes teachers do not allow enough time at the beginning of lessons for pupils to make the best use of this advice.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Pupils take a pride in themselves and their school and make every effort to do their best. Behaviour is of a very high standard in lessons and around school. High attendance and punctuality reflect pupils’ positive commitment to school life.  The ‘Beautiful Books’ that pupils produce reflect their consistent hard work and the pride that they take in their work. These portfolios of each term’s work are highly creative and reflect pupils’ individual interests and motivations as well as showing the excellent progress they make each term. Older pupils’ ability to learn independently is well developed.  Pupils work well together in small groups. This is particularly the case when they respond to challenges or problems set by their teachers. They listen well to each other and excitedly share their thoughts and solutions. As one boy said, ‘Our teacher gives us the idea and then we make it better and better.’

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Pupils feel very safe. They know that bullying can take different forms and say that instances are extremely rare. They trust the adults to take swift action if the need arises and to take good care of them at all times. Pupils understand that they need to use modern technology, including the internet, sensibly and safely.  There are many opportunities for pupils to take on responsible roles such as play leaders and as members of the school council. Older pupils take good care of younger ones during breaks and at lunchtime.  Parents consider that their children are very well-cared for.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 The headteacher, school leaders, staff and governors all pursue excellence resolutely. A warm and welcoming ethos exists where the adults ensure that pupils are treated equally, feel safe and enjoy school. The school is valued greatly by parents. All those consulted agree the school is very well led and is managed strongly. They would recommend the school to other parents.  The headteacher and other leaders know the school extremely well from the regular and rigorous checks they carry out on its work. They closely track pupils’ progress towards their targets to make sure they stay on course. This gives leaders excellent capacity to continue improving the school. Teachers are aware that they are accountable for the progress that pupils make and understand how this is linked to salary progression.  Teachers throughout the school make learning exciting and memorable through the highly creative curriculum which brings subjects together into topics that engage pupils’ interests.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 The curriculum also contributes extremely well to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. For example, children in the Nursery were having great fun learning about the Chinese New Year in the realistic pagoda that had been created in the outdoor area.  A wide range of well-enriched after-school activities are provided and opportunities to learn Spanish and to develop sporting, artistic and musical skills are plentiful.  Transition arrangements to help pupils make a smooth move to their secondary schools are excellent. In particular, parents of pupils who have special educational needs say that the school goes to great lengths to help their children make the right choice of school at this important point in their life.  The local authority acknowledges the many strengths of this outstanding school and provides appropriate light touch support.  The governance of the school:  The knowledgeable governing body is extremely well informed about all aspects of the school

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The leadership and management are outstanding

and holds a very accurate view of its performance. Members review the school’s work rigorously and hold leaders to account very effectively. Many governors make regular visits to the school and have well-established links with subject leaders. This allows them to gain a first-hand view of the life of the school. Governors are fully aware of the link between the quality of teaching, staff performance and salary progression and this informs all decisions about staff pay. The governing body are very diligent in determining how effectively the school’s resources are used, including pupil premium funding. Governors ensure that statutory requirements for safeguarding are met, that all groups of pupils have the opportunity to succeed and that discrimination of any kind is not tolerated in the school.

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding An outstanding school is highly effective in delivering outcomes that provide exceptionally well for all its pupils’ needs. This ensures that pupils are very well equipped for the next stage of their education, training or employment. Grade 2 Good A good school is effective in delivering outcomes that provide well for all its pupils’ needs. Pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education, training or employment. Grade 3 Requires improvement A school that requires improvement is not yet a good school, but it is not inadequate. This school will receive a full inspection within 24 months from the date of this inspection. Grade 4 Inadequate A school that has serious weaknesses is inadequate overall and requires significant improvement but leadership and management are judged to be Grade 3 or better. This school will receive regular monitoring by Ofsted inspectors. A school that requires special measures is one where the school is

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Grade Judgement Description

failing to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education and the school’s leaders, managers or governors have not demonstrated that they have the capacity to secure the necessary improvement in the school. This school will receive regular monitoring by Ofsted inspectors.

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School details

Unique reference number 119328 Local authority Lancashire Inspection number 403383

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School details

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

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School details

Type of school Primary School category Community Age range of pupils 3–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 247 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Joan Spencer Headteacher Gillian Serjeant Date of previous school inspection 10 October 2007 Telephone number 01704 895403 Fax number 01704 895946 Email address head@burscough-pri.lancs.sch.uk guidance ‘raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted', 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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School details

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 and as part of the inspection.

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School details

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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School details

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 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

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School details

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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School details

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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