Burtonwood Community Primary School

Burtonwood Community Primary School Green Lane, Burtonwood, Warrington, Cheshire WA5 4AQ

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding Effectiveness of leadership and management Outstanding Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding Personal development, behaviour and welfare Outstanding Outcomes for pupils Outstanding Early years provision Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Leaders, including governors, are absolutely committed to providing the best education possible for all pupils.  The headteacher and deputy headteacher provide exceptional leadership and have created a highly effective self-improving school.  Leaders achieve their ambition to provide pupils with a rich and varied curriculum that supports pupils to leave school as well-rounded individuals, as well as ensuring that they attain as highly as they can.  Subject leaders in English, mathematics and science make a significant impact on improving outcomes in their subjects.  Staff are extremely positive about the support provided by leaders and the personalised professional development that they receive.  Teaching is highly effective throughout school. Sometimes the deployment of teaching assistants does not fully maximise pupils’ learning.  Pupils achieve very well in a range of subjects. In 2016 the overall outcomes for pupils by the

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

end of Year 6 were higher than national averages in reading, writing and mathematics.  The teaching of phonics is of a very high quality. Pupils’ attainment at the end of Year 1 is above the national average.  Pupils’ behaviour is exemplary. They clearly show consideration and respect to each other. Strong relationships exist between adults and pupils. A very strong culture of mutual respect and thoughtfulness is evident in all areas of school life.  Pupils’ well-being is central to all aspects of school life. This is because staff share information and take swift action if any concern is raised.  Pupils have extensive opportunities to develop their spiritual, moral, social and cultural understanding and are exceptionally well prepared for their next stage of education.  Parents are overwhelmingly supportive of the school. Typically, parents describe the school as ‘excellent’ or ‘wonderful’, and the leaders

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

and teachers as ‘supportive’ and ‘approachable’.  In early years well over half the children join the Reception class with skills typically below those expected for children of their age, especially in literacy. From their starting points children make good progress.  Senior leaders acknowledge that the leadership of early years needs strengthening, in order to ensure that an increasing number of children attain a good level of development by the end of Reception Year.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Strengthen the leadership of early years in order that outcomes for pupils by the end of Reception are even better.  Ensure that teachers more effectively deploy teaching assistants to extend the learning of some pupils.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Outstanding

 The headteacher’s exceptional leadership has created a highly effective school with a strong culture of self-improvement. The headteacher quietly, confidently and convincingly has shaped a school community in which pupils and staff excel, and that parents greatly value.  Senior leaders have a detailed and accurate understanding of the school’s effectiveness and use this knowledge relentlessly to make the school even better. Rigorous systems are in place to collate information about all aspects of school.  Regular meetings to discuss pupils’ progress are used to identify successfully pupils who are not on track to meet their targets. The rigorous tracking systems are evidence of senior leaders’ priority to make sure that all pupils’ needs are met extremely well. Pupils do not fall behind, due to the rapid implementation of tailored interventions.  Excellent use is made of performance management systems to enhance the already

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Outstanding

highly effective classroom practice. The targets set are personalised to each teacher and to their experience. For example, the priorities for recently qualified teachers are to improve teaching and learning in their classrooms. More experienced teachers are expected to achieve targets that will support them to extend their roles as subject leaders and meet the standards required for teachers on the upper pay spines.  Middle and subject leaders are very knowledgeable, well-trained and supported. They clearly focus on what they can do next to further improve outcomes for pupils.  The senior leaders’ commitment to develop teachers and leaders has led to a highly motivated staff team. Teachers at all levels speak with knowledge, passion and enthusiasm for their work. They reflect accurately on their practice and what they could do to become even more effective. Staff at all levels have an unwavering

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Outstanding

commitment and willingness to improve their teaching so as to provide the pupils with a consistently excellent education.  School leaders place great emphasis on developing the whole child and on ‘promoting a love of learning’. In order to achieve this ambition they provide pupils with an exciting range of enrichment activities and opportunities. For example, pupils can attend up to three residential trips during their time in key stage 2.  Pupils benefit from a stimulating and creative curriculum. Senior leaders make certain that pupils achieve as highly as they can in all subjects by ensuring that teachers’ subject knowledge is of the highest quality. This includes employing external subject specialist teachers. For example, a teacher of French teaches all year groups from Reception to Year 6. Art, physical education and music are taught very effectively by specialist teachers.  Pupils love coming to school and are highly motivated by the activities in which they

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Outstanding

engage. They speak very positively about the curriculum and the after-school clubs, which include fencing, gymnastics and art.  The development of pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural understanding is successfully woven into all aspects of school life. Pupils readily show respect, consideration and empathy for others because the adults in school share and model the same values.  Additional funding for pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is used very effectively and has a positive impact on pupils’ learning. Consequently, these pupils make very good progress from their respective starting points.  Pupil premium funding is used highly effectively to ensure that there is no difference in attainment and progress between disadvantaged and other pupils. The governors and headteacher allocate the funding very effectively. Targeted teaching for groups and individuals ensures that any misconceptions are tackled swiftly. Additional support for

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Outstanding

reading and mathematics in key stage 1 helps disadvantaged pupils to secure the foundations for future learning. Funding for activities such as residential visits, day trips, before- and after-school clubs and musical tuition means that more disadvantaged pupils are taking part in these pursuits.

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Governance of the school

 Governance of the school is strong. Governors have worked with the National Governance Association to ensure that the governing body has all the necessary skills to carry out their duties as effectively as possible.  Governors are well informed about the school and have an excellent understanding of their role in supporting and challenging the headteacher and senior leaders, while not becoming overly involved in the management of the school. They have a thorough understanding of the strengths of the school and the areas in which the school could be even better.  Governors make strategic decisions and identify well-considered priorities in order that the school continues to improve. They are ambitious for the school and its pupils.  Governors are strongly committed to improving the lives of pupils. They ensure that additional funding, such as the pupil premium and sports premium, add significantly to

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Governance of the school

the learning and broader experiences of pupils.

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Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.  School leaders are vigilant about all aspects of safeguarding and are committed to pupils’ welfare. All staff have completed training in social, emotional and mental health and have been very quick to respond when concerns are identified.  All staff are trained to identify any safeguarding matters and they know exactly what to do if they have any concerns. Staff benefit from an ongoing programme of training for staff that ensures that they have current knowledge and understanding of matters such as the ‘Prevent’ duty and female genital mutilation.  Policies and procedures are all up to date and reviewed annually. Governors take care to ensure that the suitability of adults to work with children is thoroughly checked.  Secure internet filtering systems are in place and are used effectively to monitor any potential misuse by pupils or staff.  School leaders work closely with other agencies to ensure that pupils who may be at

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Safeguarding

risk receive the right support. Records relating to individual pupils are properly maintained.  E-safety is taught and regularly revisited. Senior leaders promote the safe use of the internet, within and out of school. Recently, the headteacher responded quickly and firmly to an e-safety issue that had occurred outside school. Pupils and parents were included in discussions, and resolutions and direct actions taken. For example, key stage 2 pupils attended an assembly and specific drama workshops, taught by external specialist providers. There have been no further incidents.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding

 Teaching is highly effective in all classes. Teachers have high aspirations and expectations of themselves and of pupils. Pupils want to achieve as highly as possible.  Teachers have a deep knowledge and understanding of the subjects and are skilled at planning lessons that build on pupils’ prior learning. Teachers routinely check pupils’ understanding and respond swiftly if a child has not understood a concept. For example, in a Year 2 mathematics lesson, pupils who had made errors were immediately supported to work out the correct answer.  Developing pupils’ writing has been a focus for school improvement. Writing is exceptionally well taught across the curriculum. Pupils write for a range of purposes in a range of subjects, and the presentation and quality of their work is excellent. Leaders and teachers carry out regular checks on pupils’ written work and check teachers’ assessments with colleagues in other schools. As a result teachers’

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding

assessment of pupils’ progress and attainment is accurate.  The teaching of reading and phonics is very strong throughout school. Children make rapid progress in reading that builds upon highly effective phonics teaching in Reception. Children in Reception were able to use technical vocabulary when explaining to an inspector how they knew how to read a word. For example, one child explained that ‘ar’ was a digraph, and another child said she knew her ‘phonemes’.  Pupils love to learn and love the challenge of their lessons. Teachers actively encourage thinking and reasoning. For example, during a Year 1 mathematics lesson pupils were doing simple equations using numbers to 10. The teacher asked pupils, ‘What are my possibilities?’ Pupils were happy to have a try and not afraid to make mistakes.  Teachers set challenging homework that pupils complete to a very high standard. In practical, topic or project-related homework, pupils produce high-quality writing to

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding

support their creative tasks. For example, pupils in Year 5 showed different aspects of their learning in their insightful writing that accompanied stunning replicas of the Titanic that they produced.  Parents are very happy about the amount of information they receive about their children’s progress and well-being. They feel that the online system that leaders have introduced has further improved communication between home and school. Parents value the fact that staff ‘go the extra mile’ to support pupils, and that pupils’ academic and non-academic achievements are equally celebrated.  All teachers reliably apply the school’s marking policy to provide regular and precise feedback to pupils. Pupils use the feedback to accurately correct their work. Where appropriate, teachers encourage pupils to review and improve their work themselves.  Leaders publish all the required information on the school’s website, including

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding

curriculum information guides; consequently, parents are fully informed about how their children are taught.  In most situations, teaching assistants work skilfully with pupils. As a result, they have a positive impact on pupils’ outcomes. In parts of some lessons, teaching assistants are not expected to work directly with pupils. In these situations their impact on pupils’ learning is not maximised.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is outstanding. Pupils’ well-being is central to the work of the school and is woven into all aspects of school life. The value placed on the personal development and well-being of the pupils defines the school.  Leaders ensure that pupils are given a range of responsibilities within school. For example, Year 6 pupils ‘take over’ the leadership of the school for a day. Pupils have to apply and be interviewed for the available posts. Pupils have also developed work- related skills by taking part in the Tatton Garden Festival competition, designing, planting and creating a garden. Pupils are exceptionally well prepared for the next stage of their education.  As senior leaders are aware that the pupils attending the school are predominantly from white British backgrounds, they have ensured that the curriculum includes regular opportunities for pupils to learn about other faiths and cultures. For example,

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Personal development and welfare

during Black History Week, pupils in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 learned about the life and achievements of famous Black individuals. Pupils in Years 3 to 6 focused on discrimination.  Year 3 pupils learn first hand about different cultures and diversity through regular links with pupils from a highly multicultural inner-city primary school in Manchester. Pupils from the Manchester primary school attend joint lessons with pupils from Burtonwood. For example, lessons are taught in ‘Willow Wood’, Burtonwood’s outdoor and environmental teaching and learning area. Pupils from Burtonwood attend a variety of lessons in the partner school. In this way pupils are taught to respect and value everybody.  Pupils are taught how to stay safe when using the internet. They know the e-safety rules and what to do if they have any concerns. Pupils who spoke to an inspector made direct reference to the content of the e-safety posters displayed in each room.

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Personal development and welfare

 Parents value highly the wealth of experiences and opportunities offered to pupils. Parents typically say that the school develops the ‘whole child’, and that their children benefit greatly from the emphasis on ‘personal goals’ and ‘personal growth’.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is outstanding.  Pupils’ conduct in and out of lessons is exemplary. Pupils are respectful, thoughtful and well mannered. The behaviour in the dining hall is excellent. Pupils are sociable, confident and helpful.  Incidents of unacceptable behaviour are rare. Pupils say that their lessons are not disrupted by pupils’ poor behaviour but they believe that if there was a problem the teachers would quickly sort it out.  Pupils love coming to school and this is reflected in their positive attitudes to learning. Pupils participate well in lessons and are very keen to answer questions. They are proud of their work and achievements.  Parents know that their children are safe, and are confident that any concerns about behaviour are dealt with quickly.  Attendance of all pupils is excellent. There are very few instances of persistent absence. If pupils appear to be missing school, senior leaders have systems in place to

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Behaviour

support the pupils and their families. These systems effectively improve the individual’s attendance.

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Outcomes for pupils Outstanding

 Pupils make substantial and sustained progress from their starting points. The progress of pupils is above the national average. By the end of key stage 2, any gaps between the achievement of different groups close.  The outcomes for pupils in 2016 were notable. The number of pupils in Year 6 reaching the expected standards in reading, writing and mathematics combined was above the national average. The percentage of pupils attaining at a higher level was also above the national figure. The school has correctly identified that more work needs to be done to ensure that girls attain as well as boys in mathematics. In the current school year, leaders’ actions are resulting in an improvement in girls’ progress in this subject.  At the end of key stage 1 in 2016, the percentage of pupils reaching expected standards was above the national average. The number of pupils working at greater depth was also above national average in mathematics and writing.

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Outcomes for pupils Outstanding

 There is a strong focus on teaching subjects other than English, and mathematics. The emphasis on other subjects has not resulted in lower pupil attainment. Standards and outcomes for pupils in English or mathematics have continued to rise year on year since 2013. The progress that pupils make in other subjects is evident in the quality of work displayed in school and in pupils’ workbooks. In both key stages 1 and 2, the proportion of pupils achieving the expected standards in science was in line with or above the national average.  The systematic approach to tracking pupils’ progress means that school leaders are able to quickly allocate additional support to ensure that pupils do not fall behind. The ethos of the school is that if a concern is identified, teachers must take immediate action to ensure that the pupils understand new information, and can quickly move on.  The school tracks closely the progress of those pupils who have special educational

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Outcomes for pupils Outstanding

needs and/or disabilities. As a result of timely interventions and excellent relationships with external agencies, this group of pupils makes progress in line with others. Pupils make very good progress from their starting points.  Disadvantaged pupils receive highly effective and strategically planned support. Any pupil who is falling behind receives additional targeted intervention to ensure that they catch up as quickly as possible. Outcomes for disadvantaged pupils are strong in all subjects and they achieve as well as other pupils. In 2016, the progress of disadvantaged pupils in key stage 2, including the most able, was equal to or above national averages. The proportion of pupils, including disadvantaged pupils, reaching the expected standard in phonics in Year 1 was above the national average.

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Early years provision Good

 The early years leader has great enthusiasm for her role and has a good overview of the provision, including a good understanding of the setting’s strengths and areas for development. She is well supported by the headteacher.  The early years environment, both indoors and outdoors, is exciting and very well resourced. Stimulating activities relating to a recent farm visit had been well planned both inside and out, and pupils were very much enjoying taking part. For example, a webcam had been set up in a bird’s nesting box and pupils were excited as they watched the bird arrive. Pupils made lots of comments and asked many questions. The teaching assistant expertly used interesting language to involve pupils.  Children are safe, well supervised and cared for in a secure environment.  Behaviour in the early years is excellent. Pupils are highly focused on self-directed activities. Some pupils find it more difficult to focus on adult-led activities, especially

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Early years provision Good

when learning outdoors. Inspectors observed no gender bias in the activities that boys and girls chose to do.  The teacher’s assessments of children are accurate. Detailed observations are carried out in all areas of learning. Next steps are set for each child and their learning is recorded in an online learning journey. This is shared with parents.  The number of children achieving a good level of development in 2016 was close to the national average. According to current school progress data, both boys and girls are making good progress in relation to their starting points, and more children than last year are on track to reach a good level of development in 2017. As a result, most children are well prepared for their transition into Year 1.  Children have a very good grasp of early mathematics, reading and writing. Inspectors observed children counting accurately and using their phonic skills to read and write

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Early years provision Good

words.  The teacher and teaching assistant ask questions personalised to children’s learning. As a result, children are able to show their understanding. Staff then use children’s responses and ask more questions to extend children’s thinking. Occasionally, staff ask questions that lack clarity and some children do not fully understand what they are expected to do. This restricts some children’s learning.  The teaching of phonics is of a high standard. All children make good progress from their starting points and the most able pupils make rapid progress. For example, children in Reception were able to use the words ‘digraph’ and ‘phoneme’ accurately to explain how they knew how to read a word.  Children make rapid progress in writing from their starting points. The most able children can write short sentences with accurate spelling and punctuation. When children join Reception a sample of each child’s writing is kept as a baseline and

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Early years provision Good

displayed. The display is then added to so that staff and children can easily look back to see how their skills have developed. This provides strong evidence of the progress made by children and the quality of their writing.  Inspectors observed some excellent practice to promote writing. For example, children dressed in animal hats completed an obstacle race while other children recorded which animals won. During this activity, children readily cooperated and communicated with each other, and played together extremely well.

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School details

This inspection was carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. The inspection was also deemed a section 5 inspection under the same Act.

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Email address burtonwood_primary_head@warrington.gov.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 19–20 April 2012

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Information about this school

 The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website.  Burtonwood Community Primary School is a smaller than average-sized school.  The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds is well below the national average and less than 1% of pupils. English is the first language of all pupils.  The school meets the government’s floor standards, which are the minimum expectation for pupils’ attainment and progress by the end of key stage 2.  The proportion of pupils who are disadvantaged is below the national average.  The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is below average, as is the proportion of pupils who have an education, health and care plan.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspection team observed lessons in all classes except for Year 3, who were on a residential visit at the time of the inspection.  Inspectors scrutinised books to evaluate the progress and current achievement of pupils.  Inspectors listened to pupils read in Reception and in Years 1, 2 and 6 and talked to them about their reading.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in and around school, on the playgrounds and in the dining hall. Inspectors also scrutinised information and logs of attendance, behaviour, bullying and exclusions.  Inspectors spoke to five parents briefly before school and held a meeting with five parents. Inspectors also took account of the 36 responses from Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View and text responses from parents.  Outcomes from 16 staff and 136 pupil questionnaires were considered.  Discussions were held with pupils informally, and in a planned meeting of 10 pupils

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Information about this inspection

from Years 2 to 6.  Inspectors completed a ‘learning walk’ of all areas of school jointly with the head teacher.  Inspectors held meetings with governors, a representative from the local authority and school staff, including senior and middle leaders.  Policies and procedures for safeguarding pupils were examined, including mandatory checks regarding the recruitment of staff.  Inspectors reviewed and discussed with the headteacher school documentation relating to the management of teachers’ performance and the monitoring of teaching, and minutes of the governing body meetings.  Inspectors examined the school improvement plan and self-evaluation document.  Inspectors examined and discussed with the headteacher information on pupils’ attainment and progress.

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Inspection team

Elizabeth Loftus, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Sheila O’Keeffe 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

In the report, ‘disadvantaged pupils’ refers to those pupils who attract government pupil premium funding: pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years and pupils in care or who left care through adoption or another formal route. www.gov.uk/pupil-premium-information-for-schools-and- alternative-provision-settings .

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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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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

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