Burntstump Seely CofE Primary Academy

Burntstump Seely C of E Primary Academy Burntstump Hill, Arnold, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire NG5 8PQ

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Overall effectiveness Good Effectiveness of leadership and management Good Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good Outcomes for pupils Good Early years provision Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 The headteacher is an effective leader. With the support of the Southwell and Nottingham Multi- Academy Trust, she has successfully addressed most of the weaknesses in teaching which held pupils back in the past.  Professional development, provided through the trust, has improved the quality of teaching. As a result, pupils’ progress and attainment are improving strongly, particularly in reading.  Parents value the school’s ethos. It is a key reason why many parents choose Burntstump Seely for their children.  Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is promoted well both through the curriculum and through the example set by adults.  Children in early years make good progress. In 2018, an above-average proportion of children attained a good level of development by the end of the Reception Year. However, unsettled staffing this year initially weakened the progress of some children in reading and writing.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Pupils in key stages 1 and 2 are also making good progress. However, progress is weaker in writing than in reading and mathematics. Errors in their spelling, punctuation and grammar detract from the overall quality of their written work.  Lessons are well planned. Teachers have increasingly high expectations of what pupils can achieve. However, the legacy of weaker teaching in the past has slowed down the progress of the most able pupils, particularly in writing.  The curriculum ensures that pupils successfully develop knowledge, skills and interest in a broad range of subjects as they move through the school.  Subject leaders are effective in improving the quality of teaching, particularly in reading and mathematics. Those who are new to their leadership role share a determination to ensure that all pupils achieve their best.  Governors have a good understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the school. They

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

visit the school frequently to check for themselves how well pupils are learning.  Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are well supported. Pupils’ emotional well-being is cared for particularly effectively by the school’s support team.  Pupils feel safe at school. Attendance, however, is below the national average.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Raise attainment in writing in key stages 1 and 2 by improving the pupils’ handwriting, spelling, punctuation and grammar skills.  Provide a high level of challenge for the most able pupils to increase the proportion of pupils who are working above the expected standards for their age, particularly in writing.  Increase the proportions of pupils meeting and exceeding the early learning goals in reading and writing by the end of the Reception Year.  Reduce the levels of absence and persistent absence so that they are at least in line with the national averages.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

 The headteacher joined the school in September 2016, when it was at a very low ebb. The school had recently joined the Southwell and Nottingham Multi-Academy Trust.  Since that time, the headteacher, strongly supported by the trust, has brought about substantial improvements to all aspects of the school. There has been a relentless drive to improve the school. The appointment of an assistant headteacher at the beginning of this academic year has accelerated the rate of improvement. In many ways, the effectiveness of the school has been transformed, but leaders know that there is no room for complacency.  Trust officers and governors provide the right level of challenge and support to leaders. They know the school well because their quality assurance activities ensure that they receive accurate information on the school’s performance.  Checks carried out on the quality of teaching are systematic and effective. Leaders and

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

officers of the trust work closely with staff to evaluate where teaching can be improved. Feedback to staff is precise and helpful. It is backed up by additional support. As a result, the quality of teaching is improving.  Subject leaders check carefully on the quality of teaching and learning in reading, writing and mathematics. They provide effective training for staff to improve their subject knowledge and their ability to teach these key subjects well.  The special educational needs coordinator works closely with a specialist teaching assistant. Together, they are able to support teachers in identifying and addressing the needs of pupils with SEND. Staff who deliver additional support are well trained and confident in their role. Support for pupils with SEND is strong and funding provided for this group is used effectively.  Staff morale is high. They are proud to be part of the school’s team and recognise the

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

significant improvements that have occurred since it opened. Staff are overwhelmingly positive about the way that leaders consider their well-being when making decisions about teaching and assessment policies.  Parents who spoke to inspectors, and those who completed Ofsted’s online survey, Parent View, have very positive views of the school.  The curriculum is carefully structured to ensure that pupils gain subject-specific knowledge and skills as they move through the school. In addition, the curriculum is enriched by carefully selected theme days, such as Poetry Day, Planetarium Day and Technology Day. Music is a particular strength of the school. The school choir has an outstanding reputation locally.  Leaders have ensured that the school’s values support strong spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. British values are highlighted throughout the curriculum, in assemblies and through educational visits. Pupils are tolerant and respectful of one

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

another’s differences. They have a good awareness of the diversity of faiths and cultures in the United Kingdom and the wider world.  Leaders make good use of the primary school physical education (PE) and sport premium. The use of a sports coaches has increased the confidence and skills of pupils and staff.  Parents are very positive about the school. Of those who responded to the online questionnaire, the overwhelming majority would recommend the school to another parent. There have been some concerns about parking around the school and access to the school site. The trust has plans in place to deal with this matter.

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Governance of the school

 The trust and the governing body are determined that the improvements at the school will be sustained and extended.  The trust has provided very effective guidance and strategic direction to support the headteacher and her staff. Leaders and teachers have benefited from the wide range of expertise and experience provided through the trust.  Officers of the trust provide the local governing body with high-quality reports on the strengths and weaknesses of the school’s performance. Governors regularly visit the school to deepen their understanding of the school’s work.  Minutes of the meetings of the governing body and the accountability panel show that governance is well organised. Governors manage their business effectively. They ask probing questions and ensure that agreed actions from previous meetings have been addressed.  Officers of the trust check regularly that the school leaders meet their statutory duties.

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Governance of the school

For example, there are regular audits of safeguarding practice to ensure that high standards are maintained in this crucial area.

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Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.  Ensuring that children are safe is the number one priority for governors, leaders and staff. Leaders know the school community well and this enables them to ensure that families gain the support they need.  The safeguarding team maintains the required confidential records and, when appropriate, works closely with relevant external agencies. Leaders follow up concerns with these agencies as necessary.  Leaders ensure that appropriate checks are carried out on all adults appointed to work at the school.  Pupils spoken to said that they feel safe in school and know that the staff will listen to them and act in their best interests. Pupils learn how to keep safe, both when online and when they are out and about in the community. Visits to the school by organisations such as the NSPCC are valued by pupils and parents.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

 The quality of teaching, learning and assessment has been transformed since the school opened. In 2016, just 8% of pupils attained the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of Year 6. In the next two years, this proportion increased fivefold.  The rate of improvement has accelerated this year. Teaching is increasingly effective across the school. This is because of clear direction from leaders, a strong focus on professional development and revised approaches to the teaching of reading, writing and mathematics.  Staff now teach with greater confidence and understanding. They have benefited from visits to other trust schools where they have observed and met with a range of leaders and teachers. They now have stronger subject knowledge and a better understanding of the standards their pupils should be reaching.  Classrooms have a positive atmosphere for learning. Teachers plan and deliver

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

interesting lessons that motivate pupils. These are helping pupils make stronger progress than in the past. However, there are occasions where expectations of what pupils can achieve, especially the most able, are still not high enough.  Teachers are successfully improving pupils’ reading skills and increasing their enthusiasm for reading. Reading lessons focus on teaching pupils to read with understanding and to appreciate how writers create their effects. Pupils are reading more regularly and with greater insight. They look forward to sessions each day when they have time for personal reading and to the times when their teacher reads high- quality fiction to them.  A whole-school priority to raise standards in writing is having a similarly positive impact. Teachers model writing effectively, showing pupils how choices made about vocabulary, syntax and layout help writers express their ideas and gain the reader’s

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

attention. Pupils’ written work, including their poetry, shows that they increasingly understand the power of words to express emotions.  Although the quality of pupils’ writing is improving, teaching has not ensured that all pupils have fluent and legible handwriting. The effectiveness of their written work is also diminished by errors in sentence structure, spelling and grammar. These limit the proportion of pupils who are working at and above age-related expectations.  Training has helped staff to improve their mathematics teaching. Teaching now focuses on deepening pupils’ understanding of mathematical concepts. In all of the mathematics lessons observed, questions asked and tasks set forced pupils to think hard. This enabled teachers to see just how well pupils had grasped what had been taught and, where necessary, deal promptly with misconceptions.  Teachers manage pupils’ behaviour effectively. Pupils are well behaved and attentive in

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

class. Although adults have high expectations for pupils’ behaviour, they do not all have high expectations for the way in which pupils present their work. In some books, work is untidy.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.  Pupils respond well to the school’s values of ‘Confidence, Hope, Understanding, Respect, Community, Honesty’ (CHURCH). As a result, Burntstump Seely is a happy place in which to learn and pupils develop a range of positive personal attributes.  There is a high emphasis on caring for one another throughout the school. The size of the school means that pupils’ personalities are well known and understood, both by adults and each other. Vulnerable pupils receive additional high-quality care that supports their emotional well-being and boosts their confidence and self-esteem.  The curriculum ensures that pupils know how to keep themselves safe. It includes expert guidance on online safety, life skills and healthy lifestyles. Through the school council and roles such as ‘Peacemakers’ and ‘Reading Buddies’ pupils have good

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Personal development and welfare

opportunities to take on positions of responsibility and to help others.  Pupils feel safe in school. They say that adults listen to them and take their concerns seriously. Pupils are confident that there is a trusted adult that they can speak to if they are upset or if they add a note to their classroom ‘worry box’. Pupils are confident that any issues will be dealt with promptly.  Pupils’ attitudes to learning are good. However, not all pupils take sufficient care over the presentation of their work.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good.  When the school opened in 2016, behaviour was poor. During the first year, ill- discipline disrupted learning and rates of exclusions were high for a primary school. Leaders and teachers have very successfully addressed this issue.  In class and around the school, pupils behave sensibly. They are polite, respectful and kind to others. Pupils show good concentration in lessons. They listen carefully to their teachers. They work conscientiously both when set individual tasks and when working with others.  Pupils are very welcoming to visitors. They talk with enthusiasm about their love for their school community and the things that they have enjoyed learning.  The rates of absence and persistent absence are above the national averages for primary schools. Leaders have had some success this year in securing better attendance, but there remains work to be done to ensure that all families understand

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Behaviour

the negative impact missing school has on their children’s learning and development.

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Outcomes for pupils Good

 Since the school opened, two groups of pupils have left the school at the end of Year 6. The attainment of these pupils in reading, writing and mathematics was well below average.  Improvements in the quality of teaching have led to a strong improvement in pupils’ rates of progress. Across the school pupils are now gaining the knowledge and skills expected for their ages. The pupils currently in Year 6 are well prepared for the next stage of their education.  The legacy of weaker teaching in the past means that the most able pupils are not always reaching the higher standards that they are capable of. This is particularly the case in writing.  Pupils enjoy reading. They have a range of strategies to read unfamiliar words and they are confident making inferences and predicting what may happen next when reading fiction. Younger pupils read fluently and with obvious enthusiasm.  Pupils make good progress in mathematics. They have a good knowledge of number

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Outcomes for pupils Good

bonds and multiplication facts and so are confident when working on mental arithmetic problems. The new approach to teaching mathematics is strengthening pupils’ ability to apply their reasoning skills when solving problems.  Pupils’ progress is weaker in writing than in reading and mathematics. The actions taken to improve writing skills are having a positive impact. Pupils’ written work shows their increasing understanding of how to gain and sustain a reader’s attention. However, too often their handwriting lacks fluency and the quality of work is marred by weak spelling, punctuation and grammar.  Pupils with SEND make good progress. Class teachers ensure that pupils with SEND encounter the same curriculum as their peers, and that it is adapted to take into account their specific needs. Additional support is carefully planned and its impact regularly checked.  Disadvantaged pupils make good progress in reading, writing and mathematics. The

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Outcomes for pupils Good

school successfully ensures that disadvantaged pupils achieve just as well as other pupils.  Teaching effectively builds up pupils’ knowledge, skills and interest in subjects across the curriculum. Pupils talk with enthusiasm about their work in subjects such as science, history and religious education. The skills pupils show in their art and design and in music highlight the good quality of learning in these areas of the curriculum.

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Early years provision Good

 Early years provision is currently being led by the headteacher and a temporary early years specialist. A new leader for the early years will take up the post at the start of the next school year. The interim arrangements have successfully sustained and developed the quality of education in the early years.  Children get off to a good start in the Foundation 1 and 2 class. In 2018, the proportion of children reaching a good level of development was above the national average. Current attainment across all learning areas shows good progress, but standards in reading and writing are not as high as other areas.  The staff work well as a team. They keep a close check on how well children are gaining new skills and use this information to plan learning activities that meet the needs of individuals. Additional funding is targeted effectively to support children with SEND, for example to provide one-to-one support when required.

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Early years provision Good

 Children show resilience and perseverance when working and playing independently. Typically, adults are skilled at intervening and asking questions that develop children’s learning. However, there are some occasions when adults do not intervene as frequently as they could. This slows the pace of learning.  Both indoors and outdoors, children have plenty of opportunities to choose their activity. This helps to develop their independence and imagination. They enjoy learning together, for example when drawing outlines of their bodies on the playground or making ‘telescopes’ to help their search for ‘pirate treasure’.  Children’s personal and social development is particularly strong. They understand and follow the classroom routines, tidying up carefully after a mid-morning snack. They cooperate successfully when role playing in ‘the garden centre shop’ or solving the problem of how to get water flowing from a water tray through a tube to ‘clean the

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Early years provision Good

step’.  Staff establish strong relationships with parents before children start school. Children meet the Nursery staff and join in with activities during the term before they start school. Information sessions for parents are well attended. Parents know how to help their children at home. Parents who spoke to inspectors commented positively about how happy their children are at school and how approachable and reassuring the staff are if they have any concerns.  Safeguarding procedures are effective and welfare requirements are met fully.

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School details

Local authority Nottinghamshire County Council

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School details

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

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School details

Website www.burntstumpchurch.notts.sch.uk

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School details

Email address office45@burntstumpchurch .n smat.org.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 Burntstump Seely C of E Primary opened in September 2016. The headteacher was appointed prior to the school opening.  The school is much smaller than the average-sized primary school.  The school is sponsored by the Southwell and Nottingham Multi-Academy Trust. The trust delegates some of its responsibilities to the local governing body through its scheme of delegation.  The majority of pupils at the school are White British.  The proportion of pupils who are disadvantaged is below the national average for primary schools.  The proportion of pupils with SEND is close to the national average for primary schools.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector, together with the headteacher, observed learning in all classes. Throughout the inspection, the inspector worked alongside the headteacher and the assistant head of school.  The inspector met with the leaders of English, mathematics and early years. He also met with the special educational needs coordinator.  The inspector looked at a range of workbooks, including topic work.  The inspector met with the chief executive officer of the trust and with four members of the governing body.  The inspector spoke with parents at the beginning of the school day and considered the 19 responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View. He also took account of 11 responses to the staff survey.  The inspector looked at a range of documents, including the school’s improvement plans. He examined information on pupils’ current progress and scrutinised the school’s safeguarding procedures.  The inspector listened to pupils read and spoke to groups of pupils about school life.

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Information about this inspection

He observed pupils in lessons and around the school.

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Inspection team

Anthony O’Malley, lead inspector 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

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 .

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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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