Burton Church of England Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Burton Church of England Primary School Campbell Road, Burton, Christchurch, Dorset BH23 7JY

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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?

Pupils enjoy school. Everyone is included. Pupils say that learning is fun and there are lots of activities on offer that interest them. Most pupils work hard in lessons. They get along with each other at social times. On the rare occasion bullying happens, pupils say that staff sort it out.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils study a broad range of subjects. However, the curriculum pupils receive is not sufficiently ambitious. It misses out essential steps in some subjects. As a result, pupils have gaps in their knowledge across the curriculum. Leaders are taking the right action to put this right, but it is early days.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Right from the start, the sharp focus on developing the ‘whole child’ and prioritising pupils’ emotional development and well-being ensures that pupils settle to school life quickly. Over time, pupils develop the essential skills they need to work as a team and to lead. They relish taking on the additional responsibilities, for example as spirituality champions and well-being ambassadors.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils value the many memorable experiences that broaden their horizons, such as residential visits and going to London. There are a range of extra-curricular clubs. Pupils delight in taking part in a wide range of sporting activities and they are rightly proud of their achievements in local competitions.

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

Leaders are working systematically to address identified weaknesses step-by-step. Over a sustained period, leaders have successfully raised staff’s expectations of pupils’ behaviour and conduct. As a result, most pupils demonstrate positive attitudes and behave well. 26 and 27 April 2022

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There has been a sharp decline in poor behaviour. Any interruptions to learning are lessening markedly.

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Leaders are only part-way through their work to improve the whole-school curriculum. In Reception, children build up their independence and resilience well. Children gain the wider curriculum knowledge they need for their onward learning. However, there are some weaknesses in the subject curriculums in key stage 1 and 2. There is not sufficient clarity about the key building blocks of knowledge that pupils need to know and when they need to know them in some subjects. Leaders do not have sufficient oversight of this. They do not pick up when sequences of work do not demand enough of pupils over time. Sometimes, the curriculum staff deliver misses out important information. Pupils do not gain the depth of knowledge they need across the curriculum.

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Leaders are tackling previously identified weaknesses in mathematics head on. A new ambitious curriculum is now in place. However, some pupils have gaps in their knowledge because the previous curriculum did not serve pupils well enough. Leaders are prioritising a curriculum to help pupils to catch up in their mathematical understanding, but there are still inconsistencies in the delivery of the curriculum. Leaders are ironing these out, but it is taking time.

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Leaders, including governors, have ensured that teaching pupils to read is at the forefront of everyone’s work. In Reception, Years 1, 2 and 3 there is a consistent approach to teaching phonics so that pupils can read and spell accurately. Leaders assess pupils’ understanding precisely. Pupils who struggle to read get the help and support they need straight away. Pupils read books that match the sounds they already know. This helps to increase pupils’ fluency and confidence.

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Leaders’ programme of work to better identify pupils’ needs with SEND is paying off. For example, leaders identify pupils’ additional needs accurately and more quickly. Effective training is developing staff’s subject knowledge systematically. Leaders and staff provide caring support. However, some targets that teachers set for these pupils are not always sufficiently precise.

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Strong pastoral support is a key feature of the school. The new whole-school values are embedding well. This is forming a firm foundation on which to build pupils’ resilience and tolerance. Parents and carers value the thoughtful approach staff take in supporting pupils’ social and emotional needs.

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Governors work with leaders transparently. They do not shy away from making necessary strategic decisions. However, they have not ensured that there is a suitably robust school improvement plan in place. This makes it more difficult for governors to hold leaders to account stringently for the quality of education that pupils receive.

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Current leaders have strengthened the links with the community. Parents and carers recognise the improvements. Staff value the support leaders provide, including the sharp focus on looking after their well-being. 26 and 27 April 2022

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In discussion with the headteacher, the inspector agreed that ensuring leaders are implementing an ambitious curriculum in all subjects consistently well, 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

Leaders are persistent in keeping staff up to date with safeguarding guidance. Staff are vigilant and apply their training well. Staff identify and report concerns promptly when pupils may be at risk. Leaders follow up any concerns swiftly and keep detailed records of any actions they take. The pastoral team provides effective support for families who need early help.

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Safeguarding

The curriculum supports pupils to understand healthy relationships and keep safe online.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Leaders’ work to revamp the curriculum is at an early stage. Pupils have gaps in knowledge across the curriculum and need to catch up. Leaders need to ensure that staff address pupils’ gaps in knowledge across the curriculum so that pupils catch up swiftly and learn well.  The curriculum is not suitably ambitious in every subject. Some sequences of work are not demanding enough over time or miss out important knowledge. This slows pupils’ learning. Leaders need to ensure that all staff understand the knowledge that pupils need to know and remember so that they implement ambitious subject content consistently well across the curriculum.  Leaders do not have enough oversight of the implementation of the curriculum. There is inconsistency between subjects and phases in how well pupils learn the curriculum. Leaders do not identify weaknesses in the curriculum pupils receive swiftly enough. Governors must hold leaders to account stringently for the quality of education that

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

pupils receive so that pupils are well prepared for their next stage of their education.

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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. 26 and 27 April 2022

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This is the first section 8 inspection since we judged the school to be good in February 2016.

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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. 26 and 27 April 2022

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School details

Local authority Bournemouth, Christchurch & Poole

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School details

Inspection number 10199643 Type of school Primary

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 24 and 25 February 2016, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 There have been considerable staff changes, including to leadership since the previous inspection.  The school does not use any alternative providers.

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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 the school leaders and has taken that into account in the evaluation.  The inspector met with the headteacher, senior leaders and other staff members, and the members of the local governing body. She also met with a representative of the local authority and held a telephone conversation with a representative of Winchester Diocese.  The inspector carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, geography and physical education. For each deep dive, the inspector discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke 26 and 27 April 2022

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to pupils about their learning and looked at samples of work. An inspector listened to pupils read.  The inspector also spoke to leaders and staff about the school’s approach to pastoral support and personal, social and health education.  The inspector considered how well the school protects pupils and keeps them safe.  An inspector considered responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Parent View, along with the additional free-text comments. She also considered responses to the pupils’ and staff’s surveys.

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Inspection team

Julie Carrington, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector 26 and 27 April 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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