Burlington CofE School

Inspection of a good school: Burlington CofE School School Road, Kirkby-in-Furness, Cumbria LA17 7UH

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Outcome

There has been no change to this school’s overall judgement of good as a result of this initial (section 8) inspection. However, the evidence gathered suggests that the inspection grade might not be as high if a full inspection were carried out now. The next inspection will therefore be a full (section 5) inspection.

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What is it like to attend this school?

This is a happy, friendly school. Parents, carers, staff and pupils said that it feels like one big family. Pupils’ enjoyment of the school is reflected in their high rates of attendance.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have high expectations of how well pupils will achieve. This ambition is not fully realised in how well pupils learn. Across the curriculum, pupils enjoy the range of activities and experiences that leaders provide. However, they do not remember enough important knowledge in some subject areas.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils do not make the progress that they should when learning to read. Leaders recognise this and have taken action to improve the early reading curriculum.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well. They play and work happily together. Pupils know how to be respectful of each other. They are polite to their teachers and others. Pupils feel safe. They trust staff to deal with any incidents of bullying that may arise.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy the after-school club and the variety of activities on offer. They talked excitedly about visits to the local area and the projects that they have taken part in, such as the local history week.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents are very positive about the school. They commented on the care provided by leaders.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

The headteacher knows the school and community well. She is determined to give pupils the best possible start to their education. This includes pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). However, the curriculum plans in place for some subjects lack the detail needed to fully achieve this aim. 13 October 2021

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Children in the early years, and across the rest of the school, enjoy sharing books with adults. Pupils listen well and they are excited to learn. Teachers understand the order in which they should teach phonics. The books that pupils take home to read match the sounds that they learn in school. However, for younger pupils, teachers do not have the expertise to ensure that all pupils keep up with the school’s phonics curriculum. Leaders have not thought carefully about when children should learn new sounds. Staff sometimes miss pupils’ mistakes. Leaders ensure that pupils who fall behind benefit from a range of additional support to help them develop their reading skills. This helps older pupils read with fluency and understanding.

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In some subjects, curriculum plans show what leaders want pupils to know and be able to do. For example, in mathematics, the curriculum from the early years to Year 6 supports pupils to achieve well. Pupils gain knowledge and make strong links to what they have learned before. However, in other subjects, curriculum plans do not show the important knowledge that pupils need to gain. Leaders have not fully considered the steps in learning that pupils should make. This stops pupils from achieving as well as they should. Pupils can remember some exciting activities, such as the visitors to school to support with learning in history. However, pupils do not remember enough important knowledge from their previous learning.

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Leaders ensure that the needs of pupils with SEND are identified accurately. Adults provide strong care and support for these pupils. Teachers plan carefully for these pupils in English and mathematics so that they can learn as well as their classmates. However, pupils with SEND do not achieve as well in subjects other than mathematics and English. This is because curriculum plans in these subjects lack precise detail about what pupils should learn.

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Staff help pupils to develop the school’s values of trust, compassion, respect and perseverance. Pupils work and play well with pupils of different ages. Older pupils are very supportive of their younger peers. Staff ensure that all pupils access the after-school clubs and visits that enhance pupils’ learning and enable them to find out about the wider world.

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Children in the Nursery class concentrate on their learning and follow the routines set out for them by their teacher. They move from one activity to the next sensibly. This calm behaviour continues as pupils move through school. Pupils listen carefully to their teachers and do not get distracted. Some pupils said that a very small number of their classmates disrupt their learning. Leaders are aware of this. They have trained staff in how to support pupils to be calm and attentive when learning.

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Governors are knowledgeable about the school. However, they have not checked carefully to ensure that the curriculum in some subjects enables pupils to achieve well.

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Staff are proud to work at the school. Leaders are careful not to put too much burden on staff. They consider workload to ensure that staff have time for home as well as work. 13 October 2021

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In discussion with the headteacher, the inspectors agreed that early reading and history may usefully serve as a focus for the next inspection.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

All staff know that safeguarding is a vital part of their job. Staff talked about the fact that ‘it could happen anywhere’. Staff know what to do if they have any concerns.

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Safeguarding

Leaders know and support families well. Leaders ask other agencies for help when it is needed. They make sure that pupils and families get the help they need.

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Safeguarding

Pupils know how to keep themselves safe, including online. They are aware of the dangers of mobile technology. Pupils understand what forms a healthy relationship.

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Safeguarding

Governors check how well the safeguarding arrangements are keeping children safe. They ensure that all staff have the training they need.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The curriculum plans in some subjects do not identify the important knowledge that pupils should learn and remember. Leaders have not considered with precision the steps that pupils should make in their learning to prepare them well for future learning. This means that pupils do not achieve well in these curriculum areas. Leaders should ensure that teachers understand exactly what pupils need to learn and when, so that they are ready for their next stage of learning.  The phonics curriculum does not contain enough detail about the sounds that children should learn and when they should learn these. Some staff do not have the expertise they need to teach phonics successfully. These weaknesses mean that pupils make less progress than they should in early reading. Leaders should ensure that the curriculum sets out precisely when pupils should learn which sounds. Leaders should make sure that all staff have sufficient expertise to deliver the curriculum as intended.

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Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good. This is called a section 8 inspection of a good or outstanding school, because it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a section 5 inspection. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the section 8 inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the section 8 inspection as a section 5 inspection immediately. 13 October 2021

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This is the first section 8 inspection since we judged the school to be good in October 2015.

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How can I feed back my views?

find out what other parents and carers think. We use information from Ofsted Parent View when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection.

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How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

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How can I feed back my views?

If you are the school and you are not happy with the inspection or the report, you can complain to Ofsted .

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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

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Further information

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. 13 October 2021

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School details

Inspection number 10199555 Type of school Primary

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School details

Date of previous inspection 14 and 15 October 2015, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is a voluntary-controlled Church of England school. The most recent section 48 inspection took place in September 2019.  The school does not use alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with school leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation.  At the time of the inspection, the headteacher was absent from school due to COVID- 19. Inspectors spoke regularly to the headteacher throughout the day, as well as speaking to senior leaders on site.  Inspectors met with the headteacher remotely, and with senior leaders to discuss their evaluation of the quality of education.  Inspectors met with a representative from the local authority and members of the governing body, including the chair of governors. 13 October 2021

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 Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and history. For each deep dive, inspectors met with subject leaders, looked at curriculum plans, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors also looked at curriculum plans and spoke to leaders about some other subjects.  Inspectors met with the safeguarding lead to discuss their actions to keep pupils safe. They checked the school’s single central record to make sure all staff have had the appropriate checks to work with children. Inspectors talked to staff about the training that they have received in safeguarding.

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Inspection team

Tanya Hughes, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Julie Brown Ofsted Inspector 13 October 2021

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regulates and inspects to 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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