Burnham Copse Primary School

Burnham Copse Primary School New Church Road, Tadley, Hampshire RG26 4HN

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Overall effectiveness Good

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

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Overall effectiveness Good

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

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Overall effectiveness Good

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

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Overall effectiveness Good

Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Requires improvement

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This is a good school

 Actions taken by school leaders and governors to improve teaching and raise pupils’ achievement have been largely successful. The quality of teaching is good and pupils make good progress in reading and writing.  Children in the early years get off to a good start and are well prepared for Year 1. They learn to read quickly because the teaching of letters and sounds (phonics) is effective.  Teaching is good across the school. Teachers have responded well to advice and support from local authority advisers. They plan work that helps pupils to progress well.  Disadvantaged pupils are provided with good academic and pastoral support to achieve as well as their classmates. Any remaining gaps are rapidly closing owing to the help they receive.  Pupils are happy and they enjoy school. Their behaviour is good in class and when they move around the school. They feel safe in school, knowing that adults take their concerns seriously.

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This is a good school

 The school provides good care for those pupils and families whose circumstances may make them more vulnerable. They work in close cooperation with external agencies to ensure that these pupils get the help they need.  The restructured leadership team has clear roles and accountabilities and as such provide a clear direction to the work of the school. School leaders are highly motivated and have ambitious plans for further development.  Governors acted on recommendations from an external review. They have reorganised the way in which they work and now provide a good level of support and challenge to school leaders.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Progress is slower in mathematics than it is in other subjects. Pupils do not always carry out mental calculations and this slows the speed at which they work.  The most-able pupils do not achieve as well as they should, particularly in mathematics. Often, they are provided with work that is too easy.  Targets for school improvement lack focus and are difficult for leaders and governors to monitor and evaluate. There is no plan in place to show how the school is to develop in the longer term.  Parents are not always provided with information about events and changes in school promptly.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Raise pupils’ achievement, particularly in mathematics, by: providing the most-able pupils with harder work and moving them on more rapidly when they demonstrate that they understand what they are learning making better use of time by ensuring that pupils do not have to repeat what they can already do, and providing more opportunities for pupils to carry out calculations mentally.  Improve leadership and management by: ensuring that actions for improvement in the school improvement plan are sharp and focused to enable leaders and governors to check on their progress more effectively establishing a strategic plan for school improvement that allows leaders and governors to implement projects that will take place over a longer term improving communication with parents so that they are better informed about what is happening in school.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

 School leaders have high expectations for staff and pupils. They have created a climate in which staff and pupils are constantly learning and are not afraid to take risks to try out new ideas. Consequently, there is a culture in which children and adults are part of a strong learning community.  The leadership team is ambitious. Since the previous inspection, they have managed a substantial building project to provide additional accommodation for staff and pupils as the school expands to become a one and a half form entry primary school. During this time, they have worked in close cooperation with advisers from the local authority to address issues for improvement since the previous inspection.  Currently staff work in teams to develop aspects of the curriculum and this allows leaders to develop leadership skills among all staff. This ensures that gaps can quickly be filled should a key member of staff

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

leave the school.  School leaders have an accurate understanding of what needs to be improved further. However, some actions for improvement are too broad and lack precision. This means that it is difficult for leaders and governors to gauge how effective these actions have been.  School leaders check teaching regularly through formally visiting classrooms as well as informally ‘dropping in’ to lessons to see how well pupils are learning. They provide clear guidance to help teachers to improve their skills. Where necessary, leaders provide coaching and mentoring to help teachers to overcome specific areas of weakness. Consequently, previously weaker teaching has been addressed.  Teachers are set challenging targets to improve their work through robust systems to manage their performance. Additional pay awards are closely linked to their performance and checks are kept on the support needed to help them to achieve their targets.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

 The school has developed appropriate methods to assess and record pupils’ achievements against the new National Curriculum. School leaders, alongside teachers, regularly check how well pupils are doing and ensure that any who may be falling behind receive extra help.  The curriculum is well planned to provide opportunities for pupils to use their literacy and numeracy skills when learning other subjects. Subjects are taught under an overall theme so that pupils gain a deeper understanding of how subjects link together. The basic curriculum is enhanced by various additional activities that add to pupils’ interest and enjoyment. Music and art are taught well, and this makes a good contribution to promoting pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.  Pupils learn about culture and diversity and so are well prepared for life in modern Britain. School assemblies and its general ethos contribute well to pupils’ understanding of cultural diversity. For

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

example, pupils were shown a short video clip of the life of a Bangladeshi girl in preparation for their fundraising activities for Sports Relief. They reflected sensitively on the differences between their own lives and those of others in the developing world.  The school actively promotes fairness and equality of opportunity. Key staff have been identified as pupil premium ‘champions’ and as such check the academic, emotional and personal development of disadvantaged pupils. They ensure that the additional funding is used effectively to provide help and support to enable these pupils to become confident young learners.  Pupils enjoy a wide range of physical activities that keep them fit and healthy. Leaders have invested a substantial amount of sports premium funding to employ a trained sports coach. He works alongside teachers to develop their skills and confidence in teaching a variety of games and sports. As a result,

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

more pupils enjoy taking part in inter-schools games and competitions including football tournaments, cricket competitions and swimming.  Most parents say the school has improved noticeably since the previous inspection and that teachers are more friendly and approachable. Although most parents believe the school is well led and managed, a common complaint is poor communication about events and changes to timetables, some of which are made with very little notice.  The governance of the school Governors responded to the review they undertook by improving the way in which they work. They now have a better understanding of the school’s strengths and what needs to be improved further. They have reorganised the way in which they work and now provide a high level of challenge to school leaders. They have overseen a significant building project and managed a change to the structure of the school as the school increases in size. They have ambitious plans for further

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

developments that will take place over the longer term. However, they do not have a written plan to show how this is to be achieved. This means that they are unable to set milestones by which these plans can be checked, or plan the resources needed to meet their ambitions. Governors make regular visits to school to check for themselves how well the school runs on a day-to- day basis. They visit classrooms and talk to teachers and pupils to gauge their views. They know the actions school leaders have taken to improve teaching and that there is a planned programme to manage the performance of staff. Governors ensure that teachers provide evidence to demonstrate their success before a pay award is given. Governors make sure that the school’s finances are managed well and that the school provides good value for money. They check that the pupil premium funding and sports funding are used effectively, and hold school leaders fully to account for the school’s performance.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

The governing body fully understands its statutory responsibilities. Governors ensure that all safeguarding and health and safety arrangements are fit for purpose and fully compliant with the most recent legislation.  The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. The school takes good care of its pupils. Concerns about pupils’ safety and well-being are followed up rigorously. Staff are trained in safeguarding procedures and report any concerns promptly. Pupils feel safe in school and the large majority of parents agreed that their children are happy and safe at school.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

 Teachers enjoy good working relationships with their pupils and this has established a positive climate for learning. Pupils understand teachers’ expectations for their work and behaviour, and this gives them confidence to ‘have a go’ and take risks with their learning.  Pupils readily share their ideas and help each other and so, particularly at Key Stage 2, pupils develop resilience and perseverance in tackling tricky problems. At Key Stage 1, pupils rely more on adults for help and sometimes have to wait for too long when they are stuck, which slows their progress.  Teachers know pupils well and they usually plan work that is at the right level of difficulty for most pupils. They ask questions that call for pupils to reason and explain their ideas, and this helps them to deepen their understanding. However, teachers do not always demand enough of their most-able pupils, particularly in mathematics. Consequently, these pupils do not make fast enough progress.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

 Teachers provide rich experiences for pupils that stimulate their imaginations and inspire them to work hard. Topics such as ‘Crime and punishment’ and ‘Blast off!’ motivate boys and encourage them to write. Consequently, boys now achieve equally as well as girls in reading and writing.  Teachers provide opportunities for pupils to practise writing when learning other subjects. For example, in a Year 1/2 class, where pupils were learning about castles, they extended short commands by adding conjunctions. One boy wrote, ‘Bring me my dinner but don’t burn it!’ They thoroughly enjoyed this activity and made good progress in using imperative verbs and choosing effective conjunctions to join together two phrases.  During lessons, teachers check on pupils and offer support and guidance to help them to improve their work. They mark pupils’ books regularly and provide time for pupils to correct and improve their work;

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

consequently, most pupils make good progress.  Teachers know their subjects well and explain clearly to pupils what they are expected to learn. They use resources and equipment effectively to help pupils to complete their work. Just occasionally they slow pupils’ progress in mathematics because they insist that pupils use practical apparatus to solve calculations when mental methods would be more efficient.  Additional adults in classrooms provide focused support for pupils who have special educational needs or disability and, as a result, these pupils progress as well as their classmates. Teaching assistants liaise with teachers by providing feedback on how well the supported pupils are doing.  All teachers are fully aware of the disadvantaged pupils in their classes and they ensure that these pupils receive the right level of support.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good. Staff provide a stimulating environment both inside the new school buildings and ouside. Displays of pupils’ work are bright and attractive, and promote pupils’ self-esteem and pride in their work.  Pupils feel safe in school. They know about different forms of bullying, including that related to modern technology, but say such incidents are rare and if they were to occur, would be dealt with quickly by staff. Pupils trust staff and say that adults are kind and take good care of them.  Pupils are polite, friendly and helpful. They get on well together and respond well to the school’s aim to encourage trust, respect, confidence and a desire to learn. Pupils say that they are treated equally and fairly and that discrimination on any grounds is not tolerated.  The school is a safe and nurturing environment. Staff know pupils and their families very well and go out

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Personal development and welfare

of their way to seek the right support should the need arise. All staff fully understand the procedures for keeping pupils safe.  The Starlings Care Club provides pupils with a calm and friendly start and end to the school day. Pupils have a light snack (breakfast in the morning) followed by activities and games inside and outside. Staff are vigilant and provide good-quality care for pupils.  Parents are welcomed into school at the start of each day and this gives them the chance to speak to teachers and to see what their children are learning. Parents value this and this is reflected in the comment made by one parent who wrote, ‘I enjoy the freedom to spend time with my son in class looking at his tasks before the day starts.’

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good. Pupils say they like their teachers because they make learning fun. Most pupils enjoy coming to school and they attend regularly. Attendance figures show that attendance is at the national average. School records show few incidents related to poor behaviour.  Pupils understand expectations for their behaviour because all staff implement the school’s behaviour policy consistently. Just occasionally, a few teachers allow the noise level to rise and this disrupts learning for other pupils.  Pupils behave well in class and when moving around the school. Breaktimes are happy and well supervised. Pupils move around the building safely and sensibly, showing respect for each other and for adults.  Parents who spoke to inspectors and who responded to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View, agreed that their children are happy and safe in school and that behaviour is good. Staff and governors

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Outcomes for pupils are good

 Pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education. School leaders have tackled previous underachievement effectively and pupils currently in school make good progress in reading and writing.  Pupils make satisfactory progress in mathematics although work in their books shows that the progress they make in this subject is beginning to accelerate. This is because the subject leader has provided training for staff to improve their subject knowledge and their planning.  Pupils who have special educational needs or disability make good progress due to extra help provided by skilled teaching assistants in class. Teaching assistants and sometimes teachers work alongside these pupils and break learning down into manageable steps so that pupils can complete their work successfully.  The most-able pupils do not always make as much progress as they should, particularly in mathematics. This is because they are not moved on to harder work at an early stage, and also because they repeat

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Outcomes for pupils are good

work that they can already do.  The school has been particularly successful in meeting the needs of disadvantaged pupils and consequently they achieve well. Pupil premium ‘champions’ have kept a close eye on their academic, personal and emotional development, and have provided additional help and support to enable them to achieve well.  The school’s focus on writing has successfully raised standards. Pupils have plenty of opportunities to write across a number of subjects and this helps them to practise their skills. They write in different styles and they edit and redraft their work. They take pride in the presentation of their work and they act on advice given by teachers to improve their work.  Pupils enjoy reading and have a wide range of skills that they use to tackle unfamiliar words. Pupils in Year 2 read regularly in school and have developed fluency and confidence. They recall the main events

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Outcomes for pupils are good

in a story and comment on the characters by referring to the text.  By Year 6, pupils enjoy a wide range of literature and talk about their favourite authors and books. They use punctuation effectively to read for meaning and expression. One Year 4 pupil said she enjoys reading ‘because it settles your mind and calms you down’.  Pupils make slower progress in mathematics. This is partly because they spend too much time reinforcing what they can already do, and partly because there are too few occasions when they are required to carry out mental calculations. Some teachers do not set high enough expectations of what they expect pupils to complete in their lessons.  Pupils make good progress in other subjects, including music, physical education and art. There are some good examples of skilled art work in which pupils have created portraits of Henry VIII and some of his wives. Work in pupils’ books shows examples of good achievement in science, history and geography.

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Early years provision is good

 Children are warmly welcomed into a safe and stimulating environment where they behave well and feel safe. They make good progress in all aspects of their development and so are well prepared for Year 1.  Staff plan and prepare a range of activities both indoors and outside. There is a good balance between those that children select for themselves and those that are led by adults. Children make a good start in learning to read because the teaching of phonics is effective. Children have mastered sounds and fluently blend them together to make words. They read simple sentences and use basic punctuation to demarcate sentences.  Children get on well together and have settled into the routines of school. They show independence by selecting the correct tools and equipment to carry out their activities. Most show high levels of concentration when learning and playing. They are encouraged to make choices and this helps them to

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Early years provision is good

develop independence. For example, they choose for themselves when to eat their snacks and drink milk.  Adults provide judicious interventions by asking children questions that develop their knowledge and understanding, and this helps them to progress well. Just occasionally, some children spend too long without any adult interaction and they wander about with little purpose.  Teachers know children well and they plan activities that stimulate children and inspire them to learn. They observe children carefully and record their achievements in their learning journeys. Parents contribute to these and so staff build up a clear picture of what children can do. Adults are very responsive to the needs of children and often adjust their plans to accommodate children’s needs and interests.  The early years leader has a good understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of provision. She has imaginative plans for further development that will increase the opportunities for children to learn and

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Early years provision is good

play outdoors. She has valued the help and support she has received from other leaders in school. She liaises closely with other leaders, including the inclusions leader, and this has enhanced the progress for children with special educational needs or disability and those pupils eligible for pupil premium funding.

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School details

Unique reference number 131516 Local authority Hampshire Inspection number 10002385

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School details

This inspection 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 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 273 Appropriate authority the governing body Chair Penny Waterfield Headteacher Alison Armstrong Telephone number 0118 981 4498 Website www.bcp.hants.sch.uk Email address adminoffice@bcp.hants.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 11 December 2013

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Information about this school

 The school is the same size as most primary schools and pupils are taught in mixed-age classes. School leaders and governors have been overseeing a significant building project in preparation for the expansion in the size of the school.  There is provision for children in the early years in two Reception classes. Children attend full time.  Most pupils are White British and very few speak English as an additional language.  The proportion of pupils eligible for pupil premium funding is lower than usual. This is additional funding provided by the government to support those pupils who are entitled to free school meals or who are looked after by the local authority.  The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs or disability is broadly average.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards. These set the minimum expectations for pupils’ learning and progress in English and mathematics.

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Information about this school

 The school provides a breakfast club and an after-school club for pupils.  The school leadership team has been restructured since the previous inspection and several new members of staff have joined the school.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed pupils working in 17 lessons or parts of lessons, most of which were observed jointly with senior leaders. They looked at work in pupils’ books and they attended an assembly and a music concert. They observed pupils in class and as they moved around the school at breaktimes and lunchtime. Inspectors listened to pupils reading in Year 2 and Year 6.  Meetings were held with school leaders, groups of pupils and a representative from the local authority. The inspectors also met with four governors, including the Chair of the Governing Body.  Among the documents scrutinised were school improvement plans, records relating to pupils’ behaviour, attendance and safety, and minutes from governors’ meetings. Inspectors also considered information regarding pupils’ learning and progress.  The views of parents were taken into account by analysing the 37 responses to Parent View. Inspectors

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Information about this inspection

also met informally with parents during the inspection.

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Inspection team

Joy Considine, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector Frances Bartlett Ofsted Inspector Alison Ashcroft Ofsted Inspector guidance 'Raising concerns and making a complaint about Ofsted', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.gov.uk/government/publications/complaints-about-ofsted . 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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Inspection team

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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Inspection team

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.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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Inspection team

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 and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, 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. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team,

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Inspection team

The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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Inspection team

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

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Inspection team

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

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