Burton Church of England Primary School

Burton Church of England Primary School Campbell Road, Burton, Christchurch, BH23 7JY

p.1

Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Satisfactory 3 This inspection: Requires improvement 3 Achievement of pupils Requires improvement 3 Quality of teaching Requires improvement 3 Behaviour and safety of pupils Good 2 Leadership and management Good 2

p.1

This is a school that requires improvement. It is not good because

 The achievement of pupils requires further improvement to iron out the inconsistent levels of progress in some years and some subjects.  Teaching requires improvement. There are gaps in how teachers use on-going assessment and subject knowledge to allow them to adopt a flexible approach in lessons so that appropriately challenging work is presented to pupils of different abilities.  Pupils’ learning is not maximised because not all teachers, during lessons and in their marking, make sufficiently clear to pupils the next, small, achievable steps in their learning.  Some teachers do not have high expectations of what pupils know, understand and can do.  Pupils, especially the high attainers, do not have enough opportunities to write at length and this restricts their progress.

p.1

The school has the following strengths

 This is a fast-improving school. The skilled headteacher, ably assisted by his deputy, has moved very effectively to empower other leaders to develop better teaching and to increase the rate of pupils’ progress.  There are very skilled and knowledgeable leaders in positions around the school who are taking effective action to improve pupils’ achievement in their areas of responsibility.  Their action planning is outstanding and sharply focused on pupils’ progress.  The behaviour and safety of pupils are good. They show respect for adults and their peers. They say they feel safe and that lessons are not interrupted by incidents.  The quality of teaching and consequently the progress of pupils are improving. There is particularly strong progress in the Early Years Foundation Stage and for older pupils. Outstanding teaching was observed.  Pupils get off to a good start in the Reception classes. They progress well.

p.1

Information about this inspection

 The inspectors observed learning and teaching in 15 lessons. Two lessons were joint observations with the headteacher. This included visits to linking sounds and letters (phonics) and guided reading sessions.  In addition, visits were made to two other lessons.  Inspectors observed the school’s work and looked at information about pupils’ progress and attainment, the school’s development plan, subject action plans, governing body documentation, and policies and procedures. Those relating to health and safety and safeguarding of pupils were also scrutinised.  Pupils from Years 2 and 3 were heard reading.  The 20 parental responses to Ofsted’s online Parent View survey, along with two letters from a parent, were also considered. The school’s most recent parent, staff and pupil surveys were also considered.  Discussions were held with senior and other leaders, teachers, five governors, pupils, parents,

p.2

Information about this inspection

carers and a representative from the local authority.

p.2

Inspection team

Michael Pye, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Ken Byrne Additional Inspector Sarah Jones Additional Inspector

p.2

Information about this school

 The school is an above average-sized primary school.  Pupils come from a predominantly White British background.  The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for the pupil premium, which provides additional funding for pupils on free school meals, looked after children and pupils from service families, is below average.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs supported through school action is average. A similar average proportion of pupils are supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs. The main needs of these pupils relate to moderate learning difficulties.  In 2013, the school met the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.  The school has had a period of considerable staff turnover in recent times.

p.3

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve attainment and progress by ensuring that all teachers:  use their subject knowledge and on-going assessment in lessons to establish where and when they should adapt their teaching to ensure that pupils are appropriately challenged  make clear to pupils in lessons and in marking (especially in mathematics) the next small but achievable steps for improvement  have the highest expectations of what pupils know, understand and can do  provide pupils, especially the more able, with sufficient opportunities to write at length and for different purposes.

p.3

The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 In 2013, at the end of Years 2 and 6, attainment was average. For Year 6 pupils, reading and writing were the weaker subjects. Achievement was well below expected levels.  Pupils’ learning is limited in some of the topic work because the way work is presented does not challenge pupils to think hard and to use their literacy skills sufficiently.  Attainment in reading is average. Pupils have good, regular opportunities during guided reading lessons to read in school. Not all low-attaining pupils heard reading had sufficient opportunities beyond the classroom to reinforce their reading skills.  Nevertheless, the majority demonstrate a good ability to understand what they are reading, recognise the most common words, and use their knowledge of linking sounds and letters to blend sounds to read words correctly.  Currently there is evidence of fast improvement, especially for the youngest children and older

p.4

The achievement of pupils requires improvement

pupils. Current pupils in Year 6 are on track to meet the national average in mathematics and attain at above average levels in writing and reading.  A similar picture of improvement is seen when current progress rates are examined. There are examples of good and some outstanding progress in the school, especially for older pupils and the youngest children.  Children enter the Early Years Foundation Stage with below the expected levels in aspects of writing, reading and calculation. They make good progress.  Elsewhere the improvements in the quality of teaching and raised accountability are helping to ensure that progress rates are improving; currently, for most pupils they are at expected levels.  Where the quality of teaching dips, so the rate of pupils’ progress slows. There is evidence in pupils’ books and in the data that this is happening less often. However, because of the inconsistencies, achievement still requires further improvement.

p.4

The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 The progress and attainment of high attainers were below average for Year 6 pupils in 2013. In the current years, particularly in Years 5 and 6, there is evidence of their good progress.  A further improvement is that there are now greater numbers being entered for the higher level tests in English and mathematics.  Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs make similar progress to their peers. They benefit well from some good interventions and support from learning support assistants.  As a result of the whole-school focus on the pupils entitled to the pupil premium, there are areas where they are doing better than their peers, for example in writing in Years 5 and 6 and reading in Year 2. The gap is closing in other areas of the school.  The gender difference regarding attainment and progress is no longer significant, which is another improvement. In writing, boys are progressing in line with the girls, and similarly in

p.4

The achievement of pupils requires improvement

mathematics.  Most parents completing the online survey believe their child is making good progress.  The introduction of a programme designed to support and challenge low attaining pupils is also having a positive effect on improving their progress, especially in Year 2.

p.4

The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Areas of learning and teaching require improvement. In a minority of classes, the teachers do not have high enough expectations of pupils’ ability and consequently plan work that insufficiently challenges pupils.  On occasions, on-going assessment coupled with subject knowledge require improvement so that teachers can be more flexible in their approach if pupils are to be further challenged.  Not all teachers are adept in lessons and marking (especially in mathematics) at making clear to pupils the next small but achievable steps required for them to make progress in their learning.  Nevertheless, the improving progress rates of pupils reflect the better quality teaching. This results from the checking of teaching and good quality of guidance given by senior and other leaders. Two outstanding lessons were seen. Over two thirds of the remaining observations were good.  The pupils are increasingly becoming aware of what good learning looks like. For example, some

p.4

The quality of teaching requires improvement

good opportunities exist for pupils to evaluate their own and others’ writing. This was seen in an English lesson for older pupils, where they were writing a story map based on a Greek myth. At the end of the lesson, pupils evaluated what they had written, with one boy saying, ‘I need to put more connectives into my work.’  Similarly, teachers’ clear explanations about what they expect help pupils to evaluate their work accurately and know what they have to do to improve. The school recognises there is more work to do in this area.  In an outstanding lesson for older pupils, the teacher’s references to ‘quality’ and ‘challenge’ left pupils clearly knowing the high demands of the work. Such language was also very well used by the learning support assistant working with a group outside the classroom.  Teachers are benefiting from sharing good practice. The positive coaching done by the specialist physical education worker is improving teaching.

p.5

The quality of teaching requires improvement

 This was seen in a lesson for pupils in the middle of the school, where the teacher used vocabulary such as ‘travelling’ and ‘inverted balance’. The pupils were challenged by good opportunities for evaluating others’ performances in physical education and by using a wide range of equipment.  In Reception, children studying Chinese customs spoke to each other purposefully and were challenged well to use adjectives about looks and feelings, so taking their learning forward.  Such work also provides for pupils’ good cultural and spiritual development.

p.5

The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Behaviour, overall, in lessons and around the school is good. During the inspection, heavy rain meant indoor breaks. Commendably, the pupils were well behaved and the older pupils acted maturely and took responsibility for ensuring younger pupils were kept busy.  Adults adopt a good, consistent approach to behaviour management. The recent review of the behaviour policy provides some good opportunities for rewarding pupils who behave well.  The use of such strategies as ‘Golden Time’ is contributing to improving behaviour, with fewer incidents now being recorded compared to previous years.  Observations show that during the inspection, very little disruption to lessons was observed; pupils now concentrate on their learning.  Pupils feel safe. The very large number of parents completing the online survey agreed.  The pupils understand what bullying means and talk of ‘issues over time’. They also know about

p.5

The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

aspects such as cyber-bullying and the dangers associated with the misuse of mobile phones.  School leaders have put in place secure systems to ensure the safety of pupils.  The site is secure. Good policies and procedures are shared with parents and recording, for example, of fire assessments and drills, aspects of child protection and safeguarding, and risk assessments are in place.  Where the quality of teaching dips and pupils are insufficiently challenged or where they find the work too hard, then pupils’ attention wanes and restlessness occurs.  As a consequence of school actions, attendance is improving and is currently average.

p.5

The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher and deputy have effectively shared a vision for improvement based around an uncompromising drive for improving pupils’ outcomes and the quality of teaching.  Senior leaders model professional standards extremely well; their teaching skills and development and action plans demonstrate the best practice for other leaders.  The checking of the school’s work is very secure. A good range of strategies has been introduced which ensures that leaders, at all levels, establish a secure evidence base, leading to accurate evaluation and relevant improvement planning.  There is a palpable capacity to improve; evidence lies in the skills of leaders at all levels but also improvements in teaching, pupils’ progress, and attendance. Furthermore, incidents of poor behaviour are dropping and leadership and management skills have been effectively developed.  Skilled leaders across the school are thereby driving improvement. In literacy, more accurate

p.6

The leadership and management are good

assessment and opportunities for pupils to discuss what they are writing have been successfully introduced. In numeracy, the focus has been on ensuring the quality and success of interventions for pupils.  The inclusion manager has successfully raised classroom teachers’ responsibility for the progress of disabled pupils or those who have special educational needs.  Performance management is being used well to improve the school and is particularly effective in developing teaching skills and accelerating pupils’ progress.  The process involves formal lesson observations, more informal drop-in visits, work scrutiny, pupil interviews and a reference to long-term progress data. This enables leaders to accurately evaluate the quality of provision and outcomes in the classroom.  Teachers clearly know that pay and promotion are dependent on classroom performance. Their accountability has been further raised by the use of regular meetings about pupils’ progress.

p.6

The leadership and management are good

 Staff training is well linked to performance management targets and school development needs.  The school is preparing well for the new curriculum changes.  The current curriculum promotes well the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils. Pupils learn about sport in Africa, India and America and spiritual aspects when they study the lives of Indian people living near the River Ganges.  Pupils’ social and cultural development progresses well through residential and other trips, for example to London.  Other improvements include the impact of the additional sports funding in establishing more clubs, more competitive sporting occasions and more pupils participating in sport.  Parent partnerships are good; the headteacher conducts ‘coffee and cake’ sessions, whilst the numeracy and Early Year Foundation Stage leaders have led workshops for parents.  Partnerships with external agencies benefit pupils. Links with local schools are benefiting pupils

p.6

The leadership and management are good

in areas such as sport and mathematics. The local authority has given light support, mainly in the area of professional conversations with senior leaders.  The governance of the school:  Governors use a good range of strategies to check on the work of the school. The introduction of the link governor is having a good impact on building governors’ knowledge of the school.  The evidence bank they build through their visits, reports, school documentation and data reading helps ensure that they play an increasingly strategic role in school development.  Governors challenge the school over a range of items, including progress rates.  They are aware of where the best teaching is in the school and where it needs to improve.  Governors know the groups of pupils entitled to the pupil premium. Whilst generally aware, they have a limited knowledge about the progress rates of these particular pupils and consequently are not completely clear about the impact of the expenditure.

p.6

The leadership and management are good

 They pay very appropriate attention to aspects such as health and safety, safeguarding, child protection and safe recruitment.  Challenging performance management targets help drive whole-school improvement well.

p.6

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

p.7

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.

p.7

School details

Unique reference number 113789 Local authority Dorset Inspection number 430612

p.8

School details

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

p.8

School details

Type of school Primary School category Voluntary controlled Age range of pupils 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 300 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Marc Perry Headteacher Dean Buckland Date of previous school inspection 2–3 May 2012 Telephone number 01202 482588 Fax number 01202 475704 Email address office@burtonpri.dorset.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 .

p.8

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.

p.9

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

p.9

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

p.9

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’.

p.9

School details

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

p.9