Burghclere Primary School

Inspection of Burghclere Primary School Church Lane, Newbury, Berkshire RG20 9HT

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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 24 and 25 June 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at Burghclere Primary School benefit from an ambitious curriculum, which is designed for all to succeed. The school ensures that the curriculum is adapted to meet the needs of those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). This means that pupils achieve well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school values of ‘respect, determination, collaboration, responsibility and curiosity’ are part of school life. Pupils strive for them and staff model them. Pupils feel they are listened to by staff. They know where they can go for support. This makes them feel safe. Pupils are proud of their achievements in an out of the classroom. Pupils behave well in lessons, where they know and follow the school’s ‘golden rules’.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Trips to local places of interest to learn about Vikings, pollution and the environment bring pupils’ learning to life. A wide range of visitors to the school, including a scientist talking about submarines, build on pupils’ learning in class. Sport is an integral part of the school, where pupils are encouraged to take part, for example they have the opportunity to compete against other schools. The school council enables pupils to contribute to whole school changes, such as the ‘chill area’ in the playground as well as raising money for local and international charities.

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

The curriculum sets out clearly the knowledge that pupils need to learn in order to build their knowledge over time. The school has identified how the curriculum should be taught. Teachers have strong subject knowledge. In most subjects, they design activities that support pupils to secure new knowledge. Teachers check pupils’ knowledge carefully so as to identify and address any misconceptions that pupils may have. The school has recently changed the curriculum in a few subjects, where this is embedded pupils are able to deepen their understanding. However, this is not always the case. This means that in some subjects, pupils do not apply their knowledge which allows them to deepen their understanding.

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

Reading is a priority in the school. Children begin to read at the start of the Reception Year and build their understanding of key sounds using the curriculum. All staff receive high-quality phonics training. This is then used to deliver lessons and ensure pupils learn to read. The books pupils read are matched to the sounds they know. Where pupils need extra support, additional teaching enables them to catch up. Pupils are able to read at age-appropriate levels. Pupils across the school develop a love of reading. Older pupils were particularly proud of the books they had written and then read to younger pupils.

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

Pupils with SEND have their needs identified accurately by the school. Teachers adapt learning to support pupils to access the whole curriculum. The school provides pupils with personalised support, which helps them to build their knowledge. The school works with parents and carers and pupils with SEND to set targets and review progress on a regular basis. 24 and 25 June 2025

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The school behaviour system is understood by the whole school community. Consistent application of the school behaviour policy ensures that pupils behave well in lessons. Where some pupils struggle to follow the rules, the school has individual plans in place to support them to achieve well. School systems support pupils to attend well. The school knows its families well and works with them to overcome the barriers to school attendance.

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The early years is a welcoming environment, which engages children with their learning. The conversations between staff and children help children to develop their understanding of the world and extend their vocabulary. The children are well prepared for the next stage, they are sociable and communicate in a respectful way with each other.

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The school’s provision for pupils’ personal development is of high quality. Pupils know how to keep themselves healthy, including their mental health. The play leaders, music maestros and junior road safety officers all support other pupils in the school to build their knowledge of the world around them. Older pupils build links with schools around the world and complete projects alongside them. This means they are able to work with different people using teamwork to achieve shared goals. The school supports pupils to learn about a wide range of religions and to understand more about different cultures. This means that they understand and respect difference.

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Staff morale is high. The school supports staff effectively with their workload and ensures that their well-being is considered. An ambitious professional development plan linked to school improvement is effective at improving teaching. Governors know the school well, they ensure that they challenge the school to improve.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a few subjects, the activity choices do not provide the opportunity to apply the knowledge pupils have learned. This means that some pupils do not secure a deeper understanding. The school should continue to embed the strategies across the curriculum, which will enable pupils to deepen their understanding in these subjects.

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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. 24 and 25 June 2025

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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 special educational needs and/or disabilities (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). 24 and 25 June 2025

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 13 and 14 December 2022, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school does not use any alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. During a graded inspection, we grade the school for each of our key judgements (quality of education; behaviour and attitudes; personal development; and leadership and management) and for any relevant provision judgement (early years and/or sixth form provision). Schools receiving a graded inspection from September 2024 will not be given an overall effectiveness grade.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision.  Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors spoke to senior leaders, representatives of the governing body, including the chair, and a representative of the local authority. 24 and 25 June 2025

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 Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and science. For each deep dive, inspectors held a discussion 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.  The lead inspector also sampled work from other areas of the curriculum.  The lead inspector listened to a range of pupils from different year groups reading to a familiar adult.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the 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.  Inspectors met with the special educational needs coordinator, spoke to pupils with SEND and reviewed plans to support these pupils. They visited lessons to see how

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pupils with SEND are supported.  Inspectors visited the early years provision to check safeguarding arrangements and discuss the learning with children and leaders.  Inspectors observed behaviour at the start of the day, at lunchtimes and in lessons.  Inspectors considered the response to Ofsted’s pupils and staff surveys. They also considered responses from parents to Ofsted Parent View.

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Inspection team

Paul Grundy, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

James Everett Ofsted Inspector 24 and 25 June 2025

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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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