Burhill Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Burhill Primary School New Berry Lane, Hersham, Surrey KT12 4HQ

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Inspection dates: 24 and 25 January 2023

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Outcome

Burhill Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils work hard at this large, well-organised school. Leaders have ensured that everyone knows what is expected both in lessons and in terms of behaviour. Pupils respond well to this. The school runs smoothly. It is a settled and purposeful place where pupils feel safe and supported.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils generally behave well. Some parents expressed concerns around poor behaviour and bullying. However, pupils are confident that on the rare occasions bullying does occur, it is dealt with by staff quickly and effectively. Leaders’ records support this.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy. They get along well. Playtime is a hive of activity, with games supported by staff, who join in with the fun. Any pupil who is left out is quickly spotted and included so that pupils learn to play together well. Pupil ‘befrienders’ suggest and organise games.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are offered a wide range of opportunities to take on additional responsibilities such as mentors and sports captains. Lunch mentors provide support for younger pupils. Being responsible starts in early years with children taking on roles such as a fruit bowl monitor in Nursery. Pupils also enjoy additional opportunities such as learning about and looking after the school chickens or singing a local community centre at Christmas.

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

Leaders have developed a well-sequenced and ambitious curriculum for the pupils of Burhill. They have considered and linked the knowledge that pupils need across the curriculum carefully, right from the start of Nursery. Pupils are prepared well for the next stages of their education as they move through the school and then on to secondary school.

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

Early language development is a priority. Staff in the early years are trained well to identify when children need additional support or whether they may have special 24 and 25 January 2023

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educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Support for pupils with SEND is considered carefully and reviewed regularly. Pupils with SEND enjoy a broad and balanced curriculum.

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Leaders have prioritised reading. They recognise this rightly as a gateway to success across the curriculum. Pupils benefit from reading suitably challenging and wide-ranging texts. They enjoy reading and engage well with the stories that teachers read to them. Pupils listen carefully and are keen to share their ideas and comments. Children in nursery enjoy learning rhymes and poems. Pupils value the well-stocked, carefully curated library.

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Children learn phonics right from the start of Reception using a well-considered programme. Staff who deliver the phonics programme have been well trained and are experts in early reading. Pupils who start to fall behind are identified quickly. They are supported well to catch up with their peers.

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In 2022, pupils at the end of key stage 2 did not achieve well in mathematics. In response to this, leaders have reviewed and strengthened the mathematics curriculum. They have ensured that any gaps in pupils’ knowledge that occurred as a result of the disruption caused by COVID-19 have been identified and addressed. Pupils have a secure knowledge of mathematical information such as using the times tables. This helps them solve increasingly complex problems as they move through the school.

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The curriculum in other subjects is planned in detail, but leaders have only introduced this recently. Staff find the detailed steps in curriculum planning helpful. However, they sometimes lack the subject knowledge they need to deliver the curriculum effectively. When staff are less confident, teaching sometimes lacks clarity or does not focus enough on pupils applying and deepening their knowledge.

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Pupils generally behave well in class. They listen to their teachers and follow instructions. Pupils are excited by their learning. They offer up ideas and are keen to answer questions. Leaders have considered how to use trips and experiences to help broaden pupils’ learning thoughtfully. For example, all of Year 2 visit ‘Tate Britain’ each year so they can experience and explore an art gallery.

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Pupils’ wider development has been considered well. The curriculum offers pupils a wide range of opportunities to learn about themselves and others, including about a range of faiths and cultures. Pupils have the opportunity to feed back about their learning through the curriculum committee of the pupil parliament. For example, they have helped to select the class reading texts through this committee.

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Governors share leaders’ ambition to provide the best possible outcomes for all pupils. Governors are well informed and knowledgeable. They provide good support for school leaders but also hold them to account for the quality of education in school. Staff feel well supported by leaders. They are positive about the training they receive and the consideration of their workload. 24 and 25 January 2023

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff are trained well to spot any signs that pupils may not be safe. They know how to report concerns and are confident that these are dealt with swiftly. Safeguarding records are well organised and thorough. Leaders respond appropriately to allegations and reports. They take the right actions and provide the help pupils need to stay safe.

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Safeguarding

There is a sharp focus on digital safety. The curriculum is adapted in response to any issues that are identified. Leaders make sure that parents and pupils have up-to-date information about online risks.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Sometimes, in the foundation subjects, teachers do not have the subject knowledge they need to deliver the new curriculum plans in the way that subject leaders intend. This means that pupils do not achieve as well across the wider curriculum as they do in English and mathematics. Leaders should continue to offer support and training to staff as they implement the reviewed foundation curriculum.

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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 an ungraded inspection and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in June 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. 24 and 25 January 2023

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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. 24 and 25 January 2023

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School details

Inspection number 10241753 Type of school Primary

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 21 and 22 June 2017, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The current headteacher joined the school in September 2019.  The school expanded and developed into a primary school with the addition of key stage 2 pupils in Year 3 in September 2014. It became a fully fledged primary school, with pupils through to Year 6, in September 2017.  The school is part of the Voice Education Trust.  The school does not currently use 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 inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken that into account in the evaluation of the school.  During the inspection, the lead inspector met regularly with school leaders. The lead inspector also met with representatives from the board of governors.  The inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics, and art and design. For each deep dive, the inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to pupils about their 24 and 25 January 2023

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learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. The lead inspector listened to pupils read.  Safeguarding records were reviewed, including the single central record and appointment procedures. The inspectors spoke to staff about safeguarding and spoke to pupils about the support they have in understanding how to keep safe.  The inspectors reviewed responses to Ofsted’s parent, pupil and staff surveys, and received two emails from a parent.  The inspectors talked to staff to gather their views about the school, including their workload and well-being. The inspector met with several groups of pupils, as well as speaking to pupils during lessons, at playtime and during a tour of the school.

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Inspection team

Deborah Gordon, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Simon Francis Ofsted Inspector 24 and 25 January 2023

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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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