Burnley Springfield Community Primary School

Inspection of Burnley Springfield Community Primary School Oxford Road, Burnley, Lancashire BB11 3HP

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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 Good 15 and 16 July 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud to attend this school. They are safe and happy. Relationships between pupils and staff are warm and caring. Pupils know they always have an adult who they can speak to. Staff know pupils and their families well. The school offers support that is valued and makes sure that everyone feels included, ensuring a strong sense of community.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations for what pupils can achieve, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils enjoy learning, work hard and take pride in their achievements. Most pupils achieve well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils typically behave well. Children in early years quickly learn the routines and expectations for positive behaviour. They learn to manage their feelings and to use kind words to each other. Older pupils are polite and respectful. The school provides a calm and nurturing environment, where all pupils can thrive.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils appreciate the well-considered opportunities that broaden their understanding of the world. They take part in clubs such as cookery and sports that widen their experiences. Learning is enriched through visits to museums and places of worship. Pupils understand the role that they play in their school and community. They are committed to being active citizens.

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

The school has designed an ambitious and interesting curriculum with key knowledge identified for pupils to learn over time. In some subjects, this includes local knowledge to engage pupils further in their learning. A number of pupils join the school at different times during the year, especially in upper key stage 2. These pupils have not benefited from the school’s strong curriculum over time. This sometimes limits their attainment in national tests and assessments. For example, pupils did not attain as highly as others nationally in the English grammar, punctuation and spelling test in 2024. Nonetheless, pupils typically achieve well in most subjects from their varied starting points.

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

Staff use their strong subject knowledge to present learning clearly. They choose appropriate activities to enable pupils to secure new learning. Staff revisit important knowledge and make regular checks on what pupils remember. However, in a few subjects, some activities do not support pupils to make connections with their earlier learning. This limits their ability to understand key concepts in these subjects.

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

The school places a sharp focus on teaching pupils to read. This starts as soon as children enter the Reception Year. Pupils practise their skills by reading from books matching the sounds that they know. If pupils struggle to keep up, the school quickly identifies and provides the support needed to help them to catch up. Most pupils develop fluency and a love of reading. 15 and 16 July 2025

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Pupils typically draw upon their strong reading knowledge in order to write well. However, the teaching of specific writing knowledge does not receive the same attention. For example, in the early years, children do not gain a secure enough grasp of accurate letter formation. At times, common errors in pupils’ writing across the curriculum are not addressed. This does not help pupils to write as accurately and fluently as they should.

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The school identifies the needs of pupils with SEND quickly. It engages well with external agencies to provide targeted support for the most vulnerable pupils. The school has provided effective training to staff to make adaptions to curriculum delivery for pupils with SEND. Staff support these pupils to access the same opportunities as their peers.

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Children in the early years enter school happily. The enjoy positive interactions with staff, which builds their confidence in communication and language. Pupils across other year groups also demonstrate positive attitudes to learning. Outside, they cooperate and play together harmoniously. The school checks pupils’ attendance carefully. Staff work closely with families to address any barriers to attendance. An increasing number of pupils attend school regularly and on time.

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Pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain. They develop secure knowledge of fundamental British values through a well-considered wider curriculum offer. For example, they understand concepts such as the rule of law and why we have rules in place. Pupils learn how to keep themselves and others safe. They learn about online safety and understand healthy relationships. Pupils confidently explain how they manage their own mental health using the strategies that staff have shared with them.

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Leaders at all levels, including governors, have an effective understanding of what is working well at the school and what are the next steps for its continual improvement. Staff enjoy working at the school and feel well supported. Parents and carers are positive about the care and education that their children receive.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The school keeps pupils safe. However, at times, the school does not record some of the actions that they have taken in response to concerns with sufficient clarity. This makes it difficult for the school, including governors, to maintain an oversight of its effectiveness in keeping pupils safe.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The school’s records about incidents relating to safeguarding sometimes lack sufficient information. This means that there is a risk of the school missing vital information that is needed to keep pupils safe. The school should ensure that safeguarding records 15 and 16 July 2025

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clearly and consistently demonstrate the appropriate action taken in response to any safeguarding concerns.  In a few subjects, pupils do not have the opportunity to connect what they are learning with what they already know. This limits their ability to deepen their understanding. The school should ensure that the delivery of the curriculum enables pupils to strengthen their knowledge over time so that they achieve consistently well across different subjects.  On occasions, pupils of all ages do not write as accurately as they should. At times, common mistakes, such as incorrect letter formation, are not addressed. When this happens, it makes their work difficult to read. The school should ensure that its expectations for pupils’ writing knowledge are followed consistently from the early years to Year 6.

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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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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). 15 and 16 July 2025

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 1 and 2 May 2024, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school does not currently use any alternative provision.  The school has before-school provision on site.

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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.  The inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the provider and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the provider. 15 and 16 July 2025

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 The inspectors visited a sample of lessons, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  The lead inspector listened to some pupils read to a familiar adult.  The inspectors spoke with the headteacher, other school leaders and members of staff.  The lead inspector met with representatives of the governing body, including the chair of governors. She also spoke with representatives of the local authority.  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 also checked staff training records and scrutinised record keeping.  The inspectors reviewed a range of documents, including records of governing body meetings, the school’s evaluation of its strengths and areas for improvement.

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 Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: English, including early reading, mathematics and history. They spoke with the leaders of these areas of the curriculum. Inspectors also visited lessons, looked at examples of pupils’ work, held discussions with teachers and talked with pupils.  Inspectors also considered the curriculum in some other subjects. They spoke with pupils about their learning in these subjects and reviewed a sample of pupils’ work.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and when they moved around the school. Inspectors reviewed leaders’ records of pupils’ behaviour and attendance.  The inspectors met with the leaders who are responsible for attendance, behaviour and pupils’ personal development.  The inspectors spoke with groups of pupils about their experiences at school and observed their behaviour at playtime and lunchtime.  The inspectors took into account the responses to Ofsted’s online survey for pupils.

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 The inspectors spoke with staff. They also considered the views of staff shared through Ofsted’s online survey.  The inspectors took account of the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free- text comments. They also met with some parents at the start of the school day.

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Inspection team

Emily Morris, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Lisa Whittaker Ofsted Inspector 15 and 16 July 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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