Setting

Diane Hawkes Headteacher Burrowmoor Primary School Burrowmoor Road March Cambridgeshire PE15 9RP

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Additional, remote monitoring inspection of Burrowmoor Primary School

Following my remote inspection with Paul Brooker, Her Majesty’s Inspector (HMI), of your school on 3 and 4 February 2021, I write on behalf of Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills to confirm the findings. Thank you for the help you gave during the inspection and for the time you made available to discuss the actions that have been taken to provide education to all pupils during the current circumstances.

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Additional, remote monitoring inspection of Burrowmoor Primary School

This monitoring inspection was conducted under section 8 (2) of the Education Act 2005 (as amended) and in accordance with Ofsted’s published procedures for visiting schools while routine inspections remain temporarily suspended. It was additional to the usual monitoring process for schools that are judged to require improvement.

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Additional, remote monitoring inspection of Burrowmoor Primary School

Following changes to government guidance and the imposition of COVID-19 (coronavirus) lockdown restrictions, this monitoring inspection was carried out remotely. As such, the range of evidence available to inspectors was narrower than would normally be the case during an on-site inspection. As a result, this letter provides a more limited level of assurance than our usual monitoring reports.

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Additional, remote monitoring inspection of Burrowmoor Primary School

The inspection took place because the school has received two successive judgements of requires improvement at its previous section 5 inspections. The school’s most recent section 5 inspection took place in October 2018.

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Additional, remote monitoring inspection of Burrowmoor Primary School

Having considered all the evidence and taking into account the impact of COVID-19 on the school, I am of the opinion that at this time:

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Leaders and those responsible for governance are taking effective action

to provide education in the current circumstances. Ofsted

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Leaders and those responsible for governance are taking effective action

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T 0300 123 1231 www.gov.uk/ofsted

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Context

 Since October 2018, two new teachers, three teaching assistants, an additional special educational needs coordinator and a school business manager have been appointed. An interim executive board (IEB) has been put in place to support the current leadership team. A new governing body is expected to be in place within 12 months.

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Context

 15% of all pupils, all in Year 4, have needed to be educated remotely for a short period during the autumn term.

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Context

 At the time of this inspection, the school was open to vulnerable pupils and the children of key workers. Approximately 15% of all pupils were being taught on site. This included approximately 40% of all pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and 70% of the school’s vulnerable pupils. 70% of all those attending were children of key workers.

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Main findings

 You and your staff have put pupils’ learning and well-being at the centre of your work. You are determined to provide education to all pupils regardless of whether they are learning remotely from home or in school. Parents are positive about the things that staff have done to help pupils keep up with their remote learning. You have identified and removed barriers preventing pupils from completing their work. Pupils are being given plenty to do, in a wide range of subjects. Pupils are completing their work well and responding to the advice their teachers give them.

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Main findings

 Since the previous inspection, you have redesigned your curriculum. You have chosen content to enthuse pupils. Pupils at home are learning the same things as those in school. However, in some subjects it is not clear how leaders have made their decisions about what pupils should learn. As a result, it is unclear how pupils will build on this learning in subsequent years.

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Main findings

 You have adapted some content so that pupils can still take part in physical education and art lessons. However, modern foreign languages and design and technology are not being taught this term. You recognise that there is more work to do to ensure that new subject content builds on pupils’ existing knowledge and skills throughout their primary education.

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Main findings

 Staff check routinely that pupils learning at home are online and doing their work. Teachers and support staff are quick to find ways to help pupils and their families so that individuals who are falling behind catch up.

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Main findings

 Your changes to the reading curriculum are helping the youngest pupils to become more fluent early readers. All staff are trained in how to deliver phonics effectively. Pupils in the early years and key stage 1 receive daily phonics lessons at home and in school. Teachers routinely check the sounds that pupils know and provide focused support to help those who need to catch up. Leaders are providing key stage 2 pupils who struggle to read fluently with the help they need. Teachers choose books that help support pupils’ learning in other subjects and that encourage discussion.

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Main findings

 You have made sure that pupils without appropriate electronic devices have been offered them. Where necessary, you have provided paper-based resources for pupils to use at home. Staff have been able to encourage many vulnerable pupils to attend school.

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Main findings

 Staff are making sure that all pupils with SEND are continuing their education at home or in school. All pupils with SEND have been invited into school. Where families have not taken up this offer, teachers tailor work to meet pupils’ individual needs. You are providing those working from home with additional equipment, where necessary, so that they can complete their work.

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Main findings

 The school draws on specialist expertise from the trust to support school leaders. This has helped subject leaders to develop their skills and knowledge. Leaders now have a clear vision and are taking focused actions to realise it. The trust has provided support and challenge to the school, particularly around the current education provision. You value the support you have received with curriculum development from the trust’s primary adviser.

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Evidence

This inspection was conducted remotely. We held meetings with the headteacher, assistant headteachers, subject and phase leaders, the school family and inclusion worker, the safeguarding leader, leaders of SEND, two groups of pupils across key stages 1 and 2 and six members of staff. We also spoke with representatives of the multi-academy trust, the chair of governors, the chair of the IEB and the trust’s chief executive officer to discuss leaders’ actions to provide education to all pupils during a national lockdown.

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Evidence

We carried out work scrutinies and observed a range of recorded live lessons. We considered 42 responses to Ofsted’s staff survey, and 40 responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View, including 37 comments. I am copying this letter to the chair of the governing body and the chief executive officer of the Active Learning Trust, the regional schools commissioner and the director of children’s services for Cambridgeshire. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

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