Burtonwood Community Primary School

Inspection of an outstanding school: Burtonwood Community Primary School Green Lane, Burtonwood, Warrington, Cheshire WA5 4AQ

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Inspection dates: 9 and 10 February 2022

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Outcome

There has been no change to this school’s overall judgement of outstanding 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?

Pupils who attend Burtonwood Primary are very proud of their school. They arrive each day happy to see their friends. At playtimes, pupils take part in a range of games and activities that they manage themselves. Older pupils said that, from time to time, they fall out or argue. However, they said that staff will help support them to resolve disagreements with their friends.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils said that staff deal with incidents of bullying or any poor behaviour well and ensure that such events do not happen again. This helps pupils to feel safe in school. Pupils appreciate that adults in school will listen to their worries and help them to sort out any problems.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders and staff have high expectations for pupils’ behaviour. Pupils try their best to live up to the school motto and aspire to be excellent in all that they do. For example, through their sporting endeavours, pupils learn to be gracious in defeat. So that pupils can live up to leaders’ high expectations for their achievement, leaders have designed an ambitious curriculum. That said, leaders have not ensured that pupils’ learning in key stage 1 builds logically on what children learn in the early years.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Throughout their time in school, pupils develop a deep appreciation of different cultures. For instance, they have enjoyed learning about Africa, Australia and Japan. Pupils have explored different beliefs through exciting and creative art and design projects. They speak with confidence about their understanding of different faiths. Pupils understand that, regardless of faith or belief, they must treat everyone with dignity and respect. 9 and 10 February 2022

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

Leaders have ensured that pupils study an interesting curriculum that is as ambitious as the national curriculum. Leaders have carefully chosen the content that they want pupils to learn. In doing so, they have organised curriculums to help pupils make links with what they already know. When designing learning, this helps teachers to consider carefully what pupils have learned previously. That said, in some subjects, pupils’ new learning in key stage 1 does not build on the skills and knowledge that children acquire in the early years. Subject leaders have not considered fully what children know and can do when they move from the Reception class into Year 1.

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

Subject leaders receive regular training. This helps them to lead their subject areas with confidence. Teachers benefit from the support that they receive from leaders. In each subject, teachers use a range of assessment strategies well. This helps them to identify pupils’ misconceptions and provide additional support for pupils.

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

Governors provide an appropriate level of challenge to school leaders. Members of the governing body hold leaders to account for the quality of education for pupils. Pupils who leave Burtonwood Primary at the end of Year 6 achieve well and are ready for the next stage of their education.

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

Pupils, including disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, get the help they need from staff to access the curriculum and achieve well. This is because leaders identify their needs at the earliest opportunity and provide appropriate support.

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

The promotion of reading is a high priority for leaders. They have recently introduced a new phonics and early reading scheme. The books that pupils take home to read ensure that they can practise the sounds learned in class. Teachers introduce pupils to new sounds in a logical order. Those pupils who fall behind receive support from staff swiftly to enable them to catch up. That said, some staff are still refining their approach to teaching phonics in the way that leaders intend. This means that, from time to time, some pupils are hindered in developing confidence and fluency in their reading.

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

Pupils behave well in lessons. They listen to each other and show respect for their peers. Pupils can get on with their learning without distraction.

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

Pupils, including children in the early years, enjoy a variety of experiences outside of their classrooms. Many take part in a wide range of musical activities and after-school clubs. Others rise to the challenge of representing the school in various sporting events. Pupils learn about the benefits of maintaining an active and healthy lifestyle. Older pupils are very excited about their upcoming residential trip.

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

Staff enjoy working at the school. They explained that they benefit from suitable training to do their jobs well. They appreciate the steps that leaders have taken to reduce their workload and look after their well-being. 9 and 10 February 2022

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In discussion with the headteacher, the inspector agreed that geography, design and technology, science and early reading 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

There is a strong and established culture of safeguarding at Burtonwood Primary School. Staff receive regular training to keep their safeguarding knowledge up to date. They know how to raise and respond to safeguarding concerns.

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Safeguarding

Leaders follow up on any concerns in a timely manner. They work in close partnership with a range of expert services to provide appropriate support for vulnerable pupils and their families.

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Safeguarding

Trustees and members of the local governing body maintain strong oversight of safeguarding procedures in the school.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Occasionally, some staff do not follow leaders’ agreed approach to delivering the recently introduced phonics curriculum. This means that pupils do not benefit from a consistent approach to developing their early reading skills. This is slowing down pupils’ ability to become confident and fluent readers. Leaders should ensure that all staff follow the school’s agreed approach to the delivery of phonics to support pupils to catch up swiftly and develop their reading fluency further.  In some subjects, leaders have not ensured that curriculums in key stage 1 build on what children have learned in the early years. This hinders some pupils from making connections with prior learning and developing their understanding of concepts. Leaders should ensure that curriculums in key stage 1 build on the skills and knowledge that children acquire in the early years. This will help pupils to better deepen their knowledge and understanding of these subjects over time.

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Background

When we have judged a school to be outstanding, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains outstanding. 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. 9 and 10 February 2022

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This is the first section 8 inspection since we judged the predecessor school, Burtonwood Community Primary School, to be outstanding in March 2017.

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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. 9 and 10 February 2022

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 Burtonwood Community Primary School converted to become an academy school in January 2018. When its predecessor school, Burtonwood Community Primary School, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be outstanding overall.  A new headteacher and deputy headteacher have been appointed since the previous inspection of the predecessor school.  The school does not make use of any 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. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and has taken that into account in his evaluation of the school.  During this inspection, the inspector met with the headteacher and members of the senior leadership team.  The inspector met with the chair of the board of trustees, the multi-academy trust’s chief executive officer and the director of school improvement. The inspector met with three members of the local governing body, including the vice-chair of governors. 9 and 10 February 2022

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 The inspector spoke with parents and carers before school to gather their opinions of the school.  The inspector considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text comments. He considered the responses to Ofsted’s staff and pupil surveys.  The inspector viewed a range of safeguarding documentation. He checked how leaders ensure safe recruitment procedures are in place. The inspector checked records of staff’s safeguarding training. He spoke with staff to gauge their understanding of safeguarding systems in school.  The inspector spoke with a range of staff to gather their opinions about their workload and well-being.  The inspector observed pupils’ behaviour at playtimes and in lessons. He spoke with pupils to gather their views about behaviour and safeguarding in their school.  The inspector carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics and history. He met with subject leaders and teachers and visited lessons. The inspector spoke with pupils

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and looked at examples of their work. The inspector also considered curriculum planning across a wide range of other subject areas. The inspector observed pupils read to trusted adults.

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Inspection team

John Donald, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector 9 and 10 February 2022

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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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