Burwell Village College (Primary)

Inspection of Burwell Village College (Primary) The Causeway, Burwell, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire CB25 0DU

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Requires improvement 12 and 13 March 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud to attend this happy school. The school makes everyone feel welcome. Caring staff build strong, positive and supportive relationships with pupils, including children in the early years. This helps pupils to feel safe and secure in school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is ambitious for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils’ behaviour is a strength of the school. They are respectful, considerate and polite. Lessons are rarely disrupted, and pupils maintain their positive behaviour during playtimes and lunchtimes.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils have many enrichment opportunities. Trips to places of interest, including the Fitzwilliam Museum, help pupils engage with their learning and bring the curriculum to life. Pupils appreciate the opportunity to take on leadership roles, such as being a house captain or play leader. They are keen to attend the clubs on offer, such as sewing, yoga and mindfulness.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are developing their understanding of difference and inclusion through the carefully selected texts they meet in the ‘Burwell Bookshelf’. They build their confidence and leadership skills through ‘culture capital’ projects. For example, pupils create a business in the ‘fiver challenge’ and donate profits to local charities. Pupils are well prepared for their future lives.

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better?

Since the previous inspection, the school has successfully improved the quality of education. Pupils, including those with SEND, now benefit from a well-designed and carefully considered curriculum in all areas. The curriculum is relevant and interesting. Plans set out the most important knowledge that pupils need to learn. However, the way the school arranges the teaching of some subjects sometimes makes it harder for pupils to build their new knowledge on what they already know. Teachers do not always have a clear view of what pupils already know, and activities do not always precisely match pupils’ needs. On occasions, in these subjects, pupils do not consistently build their knowledge based on what they already know.

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better?

Teachers deliver the curriculum effectively through carefully chosen activities. They use a range of checks to find out how well pupils are learning. Pupils who start to fall behind are identified quickly and given the support they need to catch up.

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better?

Children make a positive start when they join in Reception. Children are curious learners who have positive attitudes. Activities inspire children’s learning and enable them to develop their independence. They build confidence and curiosity, which prepares them well for key stage 1.

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better?

The school has made reading a priority. Pupils benefit from reading and being read to regularly in school. Teachers skilfully choose texts that broaden pupils’ knowledge 12 and 13 March 2024

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and understanding across the curriculum. Pupils are inspired to try new authors, new genres or to read a series of books. Parents appreciate the opportunity to join their child in the ‘busy bees café’.

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Children are immersed in language and books as soon as they join the school. Staff deliver the school’s phonics programme well. They regularly check pupils’ understanding. This means that they can quickly identify pupils who have gaps in their knowledge and support these pupils with targeted practice. There are a small number of pupils who do not always read books that are closely matched to their reading ability. This hinders the development of their reading fluency.

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Pupils’ additional needs are identified quickly. These pupils benefit from appropriate adaptations, where needed, to enable them to access and learn the curriculum. The school has ensured that staff have the training they need to support these pupils. As a result, pupils with SEND achieve similarly to other pupils in school.

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Disruption to pupils’ learning is rare and pupils remain focused in lessons. The school has taken steps to prioritise attendance. It works closely with families to address any barriers and celebrate positive attendance.

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The school actively promotes pupils’ personal development. Pupils learn about diversity and value what makes us unique. One pupil explained, ‘we are taught to respect other people’s differences.’ Pupils are knowledgeable about fundamental British values, such as democracy, and can link this to learning in other areas. They learn how to be safe and healthy, including online.

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Governors understand the school’s priorities and the context of its local community. They provide rigorous challenge and support to the school when required. Governors ensure that they are well informed about the quality of education that the school provides for pupils.

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Staff enjoy working at the school. Staff’s workload and well-being are a priority. Staff are highly motivated and feel valued. They value the opportunities the school provides to develop their subject knowledge and teaching expertise. They are well supported to put this into practice.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some subjects, teachers do not routinely have a secure enough oversight of what pupils have learned before, and subsequently, they do not routinely have a secure enough oversight of what pupils need to learn next. Although pupils make progress in these subjects, they are not as confident when applying what they 12 and 13 March 2024

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know to new learning. The school should continue to review how the curriculum is arranged, to ensure that pupils can apply what they know to future learning.  A small number of pupils in key stage 1 and 2 are not routinely given books that help them to build reading fluency effectively. This means they spend too much time breaking down individual words, which limits their flow and confidence when reading books. The school must ensure that all pupils read books that support accurate and fluent word reading, using the knowledge of phonics sounds with which they are secure.

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How can I feed back my views?

or to 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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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

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Further information

In the report, ‘disadvantaged pupils’ is used to mean pupils with SEND; pupils who meet the definition of children in need of help and protection ; pupils receiving statutory local authority support from a social worker; and pupils who otherwise meet the criteria used for deciding the school’s pupil premium funding (this includes pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years, looked after children (children in local authority care) and/or children who left care through adoption or another formal route). 12 and 13 March 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 24 and 25 November 2021, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this school

 The school does not use the services of any alternative providers.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this inspection

Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors met with the headteacher, other senior leaders, subject leaders, the SEND coordinator, governors and a representative of the local authority.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, inspectors: reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first. 12 and 13 March 2024

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 Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, design and technology, history and geography. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors also considered pupils’ work in religious education and modern foreign languages.  Inspectors heard pupils from key stage 1 and key stage 2 read to a member of staff.  Inspectors reviewed a range of documents, including the school’s self-evaluation and improvement plan.  To gather the views of pupils, inspectors spoke to groups of pupils, including in lessons and during breaktimes.  Inspectors spoke with parents and considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text comments.  To gather the views of staff, inspectors spoke to several staff and took account of

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Inspection team

Simon Eardley, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Paul Fykin Ofsted Inspector 12 and 13 March 2024

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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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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