Burton Road Primary School

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T 0300 123 4234 www.gov.uk/ofsted

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Mr Matthew Harris Headteacher Burton Road Primary School Burton Road Barnsley South Yorkshire S71 2AA

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Short inspection of Burton Road Primary School

Following my visit to the school on 25 April 2018, I write on behalf of Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills to report the inspection findings. The visit was the first short inspection carried out since the school was judged to be good in October 2013.

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Short inspection of Burton Road Primary School

The leadership team has maintained the good quality of education in the school since the last inspection.

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Short inspection of Burton Road Primary School

Through your strong leadership, the school has continued to improve since the last inspection, and the previous areas for improvement have been addressed quickly and successfully. You are ably supported by a leadership team that is equally passionate about ensuring that all pupils achieve well and make the best progress possible. You have created a positive learning culture that is evident in all classrooms, where pupils want to learn.

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Short inspection of Burton Road Primary School

The school is a vibrant, happy place where pupils display great enthusiasm for learning. Pupils behave exceptionally well and are keen to share their achievements. They show a great pride for the school, their uniform and their learning. They are smart and recognise how important their uniform is to them. This is especially apparent with the ‘Golden Tie’ award, which the pupils said is a ‘really big deal’.

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Short inspection of Burton Road Primary School

Pupils said that they love learning through the interesting topics and can talk with passion about trips and visitors that are used to inspire them. Pupils in Years 5 and 6 spoke enthusiastically about their residential to France, when they ‘went on a ferry, bought things in a French market and ate snails and frogs legs. It was amazing as we tried new things.’

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Short inspection of Burton Road Primary School

Since the last inspection, senior leaders have taken effective action to ensure that pupils who have special educational needs (SEN) and/or disabilities make better progress and are closing the attainment gap between them and their peers. Challenging activities are planned, with appropriate levels of support. Resources are planned effectively so that pupils can access learning more independently.

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Short inspection of Burton Road Primary School

Additional adults are well trained in supporting all groups of pupils both academically and pastorally. In lessons, they skilfully use questioning to develop pupils’ understanding, while maintaining pupils’ independence. Teaching assistants have a strong understanding about gaps in pupils’ learning and effectively support the teacher to ensure that any misconceptions are addressed.

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Short inspection of Burton Road Primary School

The school not only ensures that pupils do well academically; it also offers a rich and vibrant curriculum that gives pupils memorable experiences and enables them to excel in music, drama, the arts and sport. Sport is a high priority in the school, and the vast majority of pupils take part in competitive activities against other schools.

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Short inspection of Burton Road Primary School

Another area of improvement from the previous inspection involved increasing the skills of middle leaders so they are fully involved in developing good practice in teaching across the school. Middle leaders are now a real strength of the school. They are very astute and have a secure understanding of the strengths and areas for improvement in their subjects. They are passionate about their own subjects but have a vision about how their subject fits in with whole-school improvement. Middle leaders use monitoring and evaluation very effectively to improve the quality of teaching.

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Short inspection of Burton Road Primary School

Teaching, over time, is strong. Teachers know their pupils very well and ensure that the work set is matched to the pupils’ varying learning needs and interests. As a result, pupils are highly motivated and want to learn. They remain engaged in their learning for long periods of time and show resilience and determination to succeed.

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Short inspection of Burton Road Primary School

You have rightly identified that an important next step for school improvement is to increase the level of challenge in mathematics further so that more pupils achieve a higher standard by the end of key stage 2. You acknowledge that pupils’ confidence and resilience to tackle more complex, unfamiliar problems need developing. Although pupils attain well in this subject and most make good progress, too few pupils excel and reach greater depth by the end of key stage 1 and the higher standard by the end of key stage 2.

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Short inspection of Burton Road Primary School

The early years leads the way in ensuring that children’s learning gets off to a good start. Effective support from adults ensures that children develop the necessary learning skills so they progress well. In order to strengthen provision in the early years further, you have identified appropriate actions, such as improving the outside area so that it fully supports all the areas of learning, with a specific focus on developing children’s skills in writing.

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Short inspection of Burton Road Primary School

The leadership team has ensured that all safeguarding arrangements are fit for purpose. Leaders and governors are diligent in all matters relating to safeguarding and take their responsibilities very seriously. They make sure that all recruitment checks on the suitability of staff are carried out and they keep up to date with safeguarding regulations. All staff have received training, for example on the ‘Prevent’ duty, so that they know how to recognise and report causes for concern. Records show that leaders take prompt and effective action to ensure that pupils receive the support they need.

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Short inspection of Burton Road Primary School

Pupils understand British values. They know the school rules and can discuss them with confidence. Pupils feel safe and said that they can talk to any adult if they are worried. One child said, when talking about different types of families: ‘You never get bullied if you’re different; you’d get comforted more often. Your friends’ families are our families as well.’

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Inspection findings

 At the start of my visit, we agreed a number of key lines of enquiry for the inspection. First, I looked at the progress of pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities. These pupils are supported effectively. Adult support is well targeted so that pupils make good progress in lessons, while also promoting their independence. The special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) has a clear understanding of individual pupils’ needs. She tracks their progress carefully and holds teachers to account when progress is not as rapid as it could be. Programmes of support are carefully planned and tailored according to individual pupils’ needs. Leaders and teachers monitor the impact of the support rigorously. These pupils achieve well.  I also looked at the achievement of disadvantaged pupils. This is because, in recent years, outcomes for disadvantaged pupils, although mainly good, have been variable. Inspection evidence confirms that disadvantaged pupils currently in the

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Inspection findings

school are supported effectively. As a result, they achieve as well as their peers in reading, writing and mathematics, and many do better than this. Disadvantaged pupils who have additional needs are also supported effectively through targeted programmes of support.  I also wanted to review the quality of provision for children in the early years. Although the proportion of children achieving a good level of development by the end of the Reception Year has generally been on a rising trend in recent years, the proportion doing so has remained below average. However, from starting points that, for most children, are below those typical for their age, this represents good progress. Progress in mathematics is especially good. Children are continually immersed in activities that develop their numeracy skills. Children’s progress in writing is not as strong as this, however. The school has correctly identified this and

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Inspection findings

has already enhanced opportunities for writing throughout the different areas of learning. While indoor activities now promote the development of children’s independent writing more effectively, opportunities to do so when children learn outside are still missed.  Finally, I looked at what leaders are doing to ensure that all pupils attend school regularly. Although, overall, attendance is average, some pupils, especially disadvantaged pupils, are absent too often. Systems to monitor pupils’ attendance and punctuality are effective and, as a result, fewer pupils are now regularly absent. The proportion of disadvantaged pupils that are regularly absent compared to the proportion of disadvantaged pupils nationally, for example, has gone from above average in 2016 to below average in 2017. Even so, a few pupils are still absent too often. You, leaders and governors are aware of these pupils and are working closely with families to ensure that their children are in school more

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Next steps for the school

Leaders and those responsible for governance should ensure that:

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Next steps for the school

 pupils are given more opportunities to tackle and solve challenging and complex problems in mathematics so that a greater proportion of pupils reach greater depth by the end of Year 2 and the higher standard by the end of Year 6  they develop the early years outdoor environment so that it provides good opportunities to develop children’s skills, especially in writing.

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Next steps for the school

I am copying this letter to the chair of the governing body, the regional schools commissioner and the director of children’s services for Barnsley. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

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Information about the inspection

During the inspection, I held meetings with you, middle leaders, the early years leader and the SENCo. I also met with three members of the governing body and spoke with a representative from the local authority. I evaluated documentation, including the school’s self-evaluation, the school development plan, information about pupils’ progress, minutes of governing body meetings, behaviour and attendance records, and information about safeguarding. I considered the 105 responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View. I met with a group of pupils from a range of year groups and I listened to some pupils read. You and I visited every classroom together to observe teaching and learning and scrutinise pupils’ work in their books.

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