Burhill Primary School

Burhill Community Infant School New Berry Lane, Hersham, Walton on Thames, Surrey, KT12 4HQ.

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Overall effectiveness

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

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.  Children in the Nursery and Reception get off to a good start and make good progress.  Good progress continues in Years 1 and 2.  Attainment by the end of Year 2 has been consistently above average in reading, writing and mathematics since the previous inspection.  Good teaching contributes to pupils’ good achievement and learning.  Teachers establish positive relationships with pupils and use explanations, demonstrations and questioning well to promote good learning.  An interesting range of activities contribute well to pupils’ achievement and to their personal development, including clubs, themed events and visits.  Pupils show a keen interest in their learning.  The school has a caring, positive and welcoming atmosphere.  Behaviour of pupils is good in lessons and around the school.  Pupils feel very safe and very well cared for by staff.  The headteacher effectively promotes good

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

achievement and good teaching. She is well regarded by pupils, parents and staff.  Other key leaders and governors make a good contribution to the school’s effectiveness and continued improvement.  There is a strong partnership with parents, who hold very positive views about the care and education provided.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 There is not enough outstanding teaching and occasionally teaching is less than good. At times, activities and tasks are not sufficiently well tailored to pupils’ individual needs.  In a few lessons, pupils’ learning does not move at a fast enough pace.  Not all key leaders are sufficiently involved in the checking and development of teaching.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspectors observed teaching and learning in 22 lessons. Some of these were seen jointly with the headteacher or acting deputy headteacher.  Discussions were held with the headteacher, staff, a representative from the local authority, governors and pupils.  The inspectors took account of the 88 responses to the online survey (Parent View) and correspondence from parents.  Questionnaires from 30 members of staff were analysed.  The inspectors examined school policies, information about pupils’ attainment and progress, teachers’ plans, pupils’ work and the school’s development planning.

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Inspection team

Derek Watts, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Clementina Aina Additional Inspector Fatiha Maitland Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 This is larger than the average-sized infant school.  Most of the pupils are White British. Other pupils come from a range of different ethnic backgrounds, including any other White backgrounds.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs supported through school action is average. The proportion supported through school action plus or a statement of special educational needs is also average.  A below-average proportion of the pupils are eligible for the pupil premium, which provides additional funding for pupils in local authority care, those known to be eligible for free school meals and other groups.  Pupil numbers have increased since the last inspection and the school is in the process of changing to a primary school. Building for Years 3 to 6 is underway, and most of the current Year 2 will enter into the school’s new Year 3 in September 2014.  The headteacher, who was previously the deputy headteacher, took up the post in September

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Information about this school

2013 after the retirement of a long standing headteacher.  At the time of the inspection, the whole school was involved in Science and Investigation Week.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Increase the proportion of outstanding teaching by making sure that: - teachers always set tasks which are at the right level of difficulty for individual pupils - pupils’ learning in each lesson is moved on at a quick pace.  Extend the role of all leaders in the monitoring and improvement of teaching by: - promoting professional debate about successful teaching and learning - sharing best classroom practice at Burhill and in other schools - providing effective guidance and support to further improve teaching.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils at Burhill, including those from different ethnic backgrounds, continue to achieve well.  Children enter the Nursery with knowledge, understanding and skills broadly expected for their age. In Nursery and Reception, children make good progress in the areas of learning because of good teaching and the interesting activities provided.  In a successful session in Reception, children made good progress in investigating which items float or sink in water. They also observed carefully the changes that occurred when a white powder was added to water. With help from adults, they began to record their findings.  Pupils continue to make good progress in Years 1 and 2 and, since the previous inspection, attainment by the end of Year 2 has been consistently above average in reading, writing and mathematics.  Both boys and girls achieve well and attain standards above their national counterparts. There is

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The achievement of pupils is good

little difference between boys’ and girls’ performance.  A higher than average proportion of pupils attain the higher than expected levels in reading, writing and mathematics which indicate that the most able are extended. However, in some lessons, the most able are not provided with more demanding work soon enough.  Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs make good progress and attain standards above their national counterparts. They receive effective guidance and support and tasks are well linked to their individual needs.  In the 2013 Year 2 assessments, the few pupils supported by the pupil premium attained lower standards than the others. Effective steps are being taken to narrow the gap in attainment between the two groups.  By Year 2, most pupils are clear and confident speakers. This is because teachers provide well- planned opportunities for them to discuss their learning in pairs or small groups and to present

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The achievement of pupils is good

their findings.  Pupils show enthusiasm for reading and make good progress in this important area. Appropriate attention is given to the teaching of phonics (the letters and the sounds they make). Parents make a valuable contribution to the development of pupils’ reading. A number effectively support reading activities.  The school has successfully developed pupils’ writing skills. Pupils acquire and apply writing skills well in English lessons and in their topic work. In the Year 2 classes, pupils made good progress in instructional writing as they carefully explained how to make a model volcano erupt from the kit they had explored. They used time connectives such as ‘firstly’, ‘next’ and ‘after that’. Their punctuation and spelling are developing well.  Most pupils make good progress in mathematics. They acquire a range of mathematics methods and operations. They apply these skills competently in solving problems. In Year 1, pupils knew the

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The achievement of pupils is good

importance of time in our lives and solved a range of problems.  Pupils’ investigative and problem-solving skills are developing well through science, design and technology and themed events. Pupils in Year 2 made good progress in designing and constructing a tall and stable tower using spaghetti and jelly babies. They worked well in small groups to complete and evaluate their work.  Pupils are developing healthy lifestyles and physical fitness through the school’s physical education programme and the wide range of additional sporting activities provided. For example, during the inspection over 30 pupils practised and developed their football skills at an after-school club run by specialist outside coaches.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Over time, good teaching has successfully promoted good progress for pupils and above average attainment by the end of Year 2. However, there is not enough outstanding teaching and some is less than good.  Teachers establish good relationships with pupils and a positive classroom atmosphere for learning. Pupils are cooperative, relate very well to others and reflect on their learning.  In the Nursery and Reception, children are provided with interesting indoor and outdoor activities. There is a good balance of adult-led activities and those chosen by the children. Good opportunities are provided for children to explore, be creative and learn on their own.  Teachers ensure that the purpose of the lesson is clearly shared with the pupils. As a result, the pupils know what they are expected to learn. Pupils respond well to teachers’ clear explanations and instructions.  Teachers provide good opportunities for discussion and use questioning well to promote learning

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The quality of teaching is good

and check pupils’ understanding. Reading skills are taught through a well-structured programme. The teaching of writing skills is effective. Teachers use visual stimuli, demonstrate writing skills and draw on pupils’ experiences to promote good writing.  In most lessons, teachers use information about pupils’ attainment well to plan their teaching and to match tasks to pupils’ different abilities and needs. As a result, pupils are challenged effectively and make good gains in acquiring knowledge and in deepening their understanding.  In a few lessons, tasks are not sufficiently well linked to pupils’ specific needs and their rate of progress is hindered. In particular, the most able are not sufficiently extended.  There are times when teachers do not move pupils’ learning on quickly enough. This can happen when introductions to lessons are too long and pupils are not able to participate fully in their

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The quality of teaching is good

learning. In a few instances, pupils spent too long sitting on the carpet listening to the teacher rather than being swiftly moved on to the main task.  Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs are mostly taught well and supported well. Teaching assistants are well deployed in lessons and make a valuable contribution to pupils’ learning. The school has successfully encouraged a number of parents who also provide good support for learning in the classroom.  Pupils know how well they are doing and how to improve their work because of the effective feedback provided by teachers. Oral feedback helps to move pupils’ learning on. The clear system of marking acknowledges good work and provides clear guidance for improvement.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The results of Parent View indicate that parents believe that their children are happy at school and that they feel safe and are well looked after. Parents also indicate that the school successfully promotes good behaviour. These positive views reflect the findings of the inspection.  Children in the Nursery settle quickly into the school because of the good induction arrangements and positive relationships that adults form with children. They feel safe and relate well to others. Children in the Nursery and Reception thoroughly enjoy the learning activities provided. They behave well. In their learning they share, take turns and work well together.  Pupils in Years 1 and 2, show a keen interest in their learning. They are able to work individually, in pairs or small groups, as required. Pupils informed the inspectors, ‘I like maths and writing.’ ‘I am learning to tell the time.’ ‘Science experiments have been great.’

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils’ behaviour is good in lessons and around the school. The school’s records of incidents show that behaviour is typically good over time. Pupils’ attitudes and their behaviour can occasionally be less positive when tasks are not sufficiently demanding and engaging.  Discussions with pupils show that they have a clear understanding of bullying. They know that this is ‘people not being nice to each other’ and ‘people not being very nice’. Pupils understand that bullying is persistent and not a ‘one off’ incident. Pupils said that there was very little bullying in the school because teachers and staff sort it out.  Throughout the school, pupils are courteous, friendly and relate positively to adults and to other pupils.  Attendance levels have been less consistent. During the past three years, attendance has varied from above to below average. The school is working closely with the education welfare officer to

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher has settled quickly into the post and is well regarded by pupils, parents and staff. She is firmly focused on raising achievement by providing good teaching. The headteacher, staff and governors are enthusiastic and excited about the school’s extension into a primary school.  Leaders and managers have a clear overview of the school’s performance. Information about pupils’ achievement is used well to inform improvement planning. Since the last inspection, the school has maintained and built on pupils’ good progress and above average attainment.  Some key leaders are new to post and are developing well in their role, so they play a full part in checking performance and bringing about improvement.  The quality of teaching is accurately checked by the headteacher, acting deputy and the local authority. However, not all key leaders are sufficiently engaged in the monitoring and development

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The leadership and management are good

of teaching. The sharing of best practice at Burhill and in other schools is an underused strategy to develop teaching.  With new staff and an extension to the school’s age range, the headteacher and senior leaders are keen to further extend the professional culture of developing teaching skills through discussion and the sharing of classroom practice. Coaching and guidance are planned to help ensure that all teaching is of a high quality.  There are suitable procedures for appraising staff performance and developing their professional skills. Targets for teachers to improve their performance are well linked to pupils’ progress and to improvement priorities.  The local authority has a clear overview of the school’s performance but because of its good outcomes, support has been understandably light touch. Increased support is appropriately planned as the school extends to a primary school.  An interesting range of learning activities is planned and provided to promote good achievement

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The leadership and management are good

and to develop pupils’ personal and social skills. The good range of additional clubs and visits are much enjoyed by the pupils. Themed events, such as Science and Investigation Week, provide good opportunities for pupils to extend their knowledge and apply acquired skills. The recent sports grant is being used well to extend opportunities for pupils. The expertise of sports specialist coaches is used well to train teachers.  Pupil premium funding has been properly planned and used to accelerate the progress of eligible pupils. Additional support is being provided, including one-to-one tuition and small group teaching. This is having a positive impact on the progress of pupils being supported.  The school has a caring and positive climate where pupils can learn and thrive. There are no signs of discrimination and all pupils have access to the full range of activities provided.  Parents hold very positive views about the school. The headteacher and staff have established a

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The leadership and management are good

strong partnership with parents. The results of Parent View and the comments from correspondence indicate that parents are particularly pleased with the leadership of the school, the quality of teaching and the progress their children make. Concerns seem very few.  The governance of the school:  Members of the governing body are enthusiastic, supportive and provide appropriate challenge to school leaders. Governors bring a good range of expertise and skills to the school. The Chair is actively engaged in the life of the school and another governor has made a valuable contribution the new building project. Governors have a good understanding of pupils’ attainment and progress. They are kept well informed about the quality of teaching by the headteacher. The school’s systems for the performance of staff ensure that good practice is recognised and that effective support is provided to improve teachers’ skills where necessary. All

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The leadership and management are good

promotions and salary increases are linked to performance and responsibilities. Governors ensure that the pupil premium grant is appropriately spent and check how well the pupils supported by the grant are progressing. The governors have attended a wide range of useful courses to enhance their effectiveness. Safeguarding arrangement meet requirements.

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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 125055 Local authority Surrey Inspection number 426616

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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 Infant School category Community Age range of pupils 3–7 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 375 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Dorothy Clark Headteacher Sally Hewlett-Taylor Date of previous school inspection October 2008 Telephone number 01932225836

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School details

Fax number 01932240397 Email address head@burhill.surrey.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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