Burscough Bridge Methodist School

Burscough Bridge Methodist School

Address: Orrell Lane, Burscough, Ormskirk, Lancashire, L40 0SG Unique reference number (URN): 119402

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Safeguarding standards met

The safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and have established an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, pupils are made safer and feel safe.

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How we evaluate safeguarding

When we inspect schools for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:

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How we evaluate safeguarding

Met: The school has an open and positive culture of safeguarding. All legal requirements are met. Not met: The school has not created an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not all legal requirements are met.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Inclusion is a strength of the school. Leaders ensure that staff have a detailed understanding of how to identify pupils' barriers to learning and/or their wellbeing. Staff are highly knowledgeable about pupils. They use this information to accurately identify pupils' needs, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). This starts in the early years where staff quickly identify when additional support is needed. Staff map out the support that pupils receive in precise detail. Support is very well matched to pupils’ specific needs and has a significant impact on their learning and progress. Staff regularly check and review pupils’ progress to make sure that the support they receive is effective in helping them to learn well. Their actions are effective in reducing any barriers for pupils with SEND, disadvantaged pupils and those with other barriers to their learning.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Staff have high expectations for pupils, including those who are disadvantaged. Leaders make sure that additional funding is spent effectively so pupils progress academically and grow in confidence and independence. Leaders ensure that families who need extra help, get the support they need. Families praise leaders for going ‘above and beyond’. Leaders work with external agencies to provide closely-matched specialist support. Leaders go to great lengths to make sure that pupils with additional needs are well supported and benefit from each part of the school's carefully crafted offer.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Pupils’ readiness for life beyond school is impressive. Leaders wholeheartedly make sure that pupils get what they need to be well prepared for their next stage of education. Pupils learn a personal, social, health and economic education curriculum that gives them the knowledge that they need to understand themselves and the world around them. Through this, pupils learn what it means to show respect to others who are different to them. Pupils are curious while being mindful of how their actions impact on others. They know why fundamental British values are important and how they relate to the school's values.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Pupils develop an age-appropriate understanding of healthy relationships. They know that relationships rely on trust. Pupils know how to stay safe online. They are equipped with a range of strategies to protect themselves from harm. This includes speaking to someone if something worries them. Pupils have a high level of confidence in staff to help and support them with any worries they have.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Staff make sure that pupils benefit fully from the personal development offer in place, regardless of any additional needs or barriers that they have. For example, some pupils represent the school at events to improve confidence and resilience. Leaders are highly committed to developing each pupils’ character as well as fostering their academic achievements. Pupils relish taking on roles of responsibility that give them a rich understanding of what it means to be an active community citizen.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Staff provide very effective pastoral support to pupils and their families. Pupils to benefit from the school’s wider offer and be part of the school team. Staff are highly responsive to

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Expected standard

any changing needs that families have. They use the warm and supportive relationships with families to give pupils what they need to thrive.

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Achievement Expected standard

Pupils achieve well. They typically leave the school with the knowledge that they need to achieve well in their next stage of education. Pupils who find learning more difficult, make secure progress from their starting points. Teachers balance their needs well. They are aspirational for pupils by encouraging them to try their best and learn from their mistakes. Although outcomes for the phonics screening check are below national averages, staff support pupils to learn to read well. From the early years, children make an effective start on the phonics programme and quickly learn the sounds that letters make. Pupils typically achieve well across the range of subjects they study. They engage enthusiastically with activities that are carefully thought out. However, in some subjects, some of the work that pupils produce is not of a consistently high standard.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Leaders have clear oversight of pupils’ attendance. They make regular checks to ensure that patterns of absence are identified and addressed. They put carefully considered actions in place to improve attendance where required. The impact of the support that they provide reduces the barriers that prevent pupils attending regularly. The school prioritises building and maintaining effective relationships with parents and carers. This enables them to share information about any attendance concerns at an early stage. Although leaders’ actions have a significant impact on pupils’ attendance over time, some pupils still do not attend school regularly enough.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Pupils behave well and have positive attitudes to learning. Lessons are calm and productive. Pupils understand what is expected of them because of the well-established routines. Pupils understand the school rules well. This begins in the early years, where staff balance high expectations for behaviour with support for children's emotional development. When minor issues occur, pupils are supported to reflect on their choices and the impact on others. Pupils understand bullying but say it is very rare. Pupils are kind and respectful to others. The care and consideration pupils show for others means that they have a friend to play with at social times.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders understand the quality of the curriculum and teaching across the school. They make ongoing adjustments to ensure that the curriculum is appropriately structured for mixed-age classes. This ensures that pupils access a curriculum that is well matched to their needs and enables them to achieve well. Staff make regular checks on what pupils know and remember. Pupils use the regular ‘remember remember’ questions to make sure that they revisit important knowledge. Staff use the information that they gain from these checks to help pupils to build on what they already know. Staff have secure subject knowledge and explain new learning clearly to pupils.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Staff focus on securing pupils' essential knowledge in reading, writing and mathematics that they need for further learning. Teachers break learning down into small steps to help pupils to achieve well and enjoy learning. Pupils revisit important content at regular opportunities. Pupils know and remember more over time. Teachers use detailed and precise information to design learning for pupils including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. They carefully adapt teaching to meets pupils' needs well.

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Early years Expected standard

Children get off to a positive start in the early years. Leaders manage the needs of children in the mixed-age class very well. They balance the demands of the different age ranges with a precise focus on each child’s development. Consequently, staff have high expectations for what children in the early years can achieve.

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Early years Expected standard

Staff ensure that the early years curriculum focuses on children's interests and stage of development. Staff are sensitive to individual children's needs while being ambitious for what they can achieve. Staff have a secure understanding of how young children learn. For example, staff know when to support learning and when to let children have a go for themselves. Staff provide the warmth and nurture that children need to grow in confidence. Children quickly settle into the well-established routines in the setting. They feel safe, secure and valued.

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Early years Expected standard

Staff share a common understanding about the importance of vocabulary development. They show pupils how to pronounce words correctly. This supports children's communication and language development. Staff skilfully support children to use their phonics knowledge in their early writing. Children leave the early years well prepared for the curriculum in Year 1.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders know the school well. They use their detailed knowledge of the school’s effectiveness to plan improvements that make the biggest difference to pupils’ education and care. Leaders successfully prioritise actions that promote continuous improvement. Leaders’ decision-making puts pupils' best interests first.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Governors know the school well. They ask carefully focused questions to understand how pupils are kept safe and to check the quality of education that they receive.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Staff appreciate the clear vision that leaders set out. They feel energised and understand what further improvements look like. Staff are proud to work at the school. They value the support that they receive from leaders to fulfil their roles well. Staff receive the time that they need to embed new ideas. Their voice is valued by leaders and shapes the school's ongoing development. Parents and carers typically have a positive view of the school. Parents praise leaders for the kindness and care they show towards their children. In particular, parents appreciate how each child is known as an individual. Leaders successfully balance the demands of a small school with providing staff with meaningful professional learning opportunities. They use the carefully crafted development plan to pinpoint where additional training has the most impact on pupils’ education and experiences. Leaders have built a staff team who share their vision for each pupil to feel that

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

they belong and embody the school's values.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils are proud to attend Burscough Bridge Methodist School. They enter school each morning eager to start learning and see their friends. Pupils enjoy learning. They know why it is important. Pupils benefit from an interesting curriculum that supports them to achieve well. Pupils, including those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities, receive the precise support that they need to thrive. Consequently, pupils make secure progress from their starting points and are well prepared for their next stage of learning.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils receive the care and nurture that they need to feel safe and secure. Pupils are confident that staff will help them with any concerns. Many pupils describe the school as part of their family. They have a deep sense of belonging. Pupils behave well. Those who need it, receive additional help to manage their emotions. Pupils know how deeply staff care for their education and wellbeing. Parents and carers are rightly very proud of this part of the school’s offer.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils have the opportunity to participate in experiences that develop their understanding of the world beyond the school community. Leaders use their detailed knowledge of the school’s context to make sure pupils build an accurate understanding of what it means to live in modern Britain. This develop a secure understanding of difference and equality.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils settle quickly into established routines. Staff set clear and consistent behaviour expectations. Pupils do not worry about bullying. They struggle to remember a time when it happened. Pupils try their best and encourage others to do the same. They contribute successfully to the school’s culture of expecting the best from everyone.

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Next steps

Leaders should ensure that the importance of high attendance is consistently promoted to parents, carers and pupils so that overall attendance improves. Leaders should ensure that teachers have consistently high expectations for learning so that pupils produce high-quality work across the curriculum.

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About this inspection

The chair of the board of governors' position is currently vacant.

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Facts and figures used on inspection

The data was used by the inspector(s) during the inspection. More recent data may have been published since the inspection took place.

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What does this mean?

The total number of pupils currently at this school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England.

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What does this mean?

National average: 272 Inspectors carried out this full inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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What does this mean?

Following our renewed inspection framework, all inspections are now led by His Majesty’s Inspectors (HMI) or by Ofsted Inspectors (OIs) who have previously served as HMI.

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What does this mean?

Inspectors spoke with the headteacher and other staff during the inspection. They also met with parents, carers and pupils. They met with a representative of the local authority and the diocese. They also met with members of the governing body.

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What does this mean?

The inspectors confirmed the following information about the school:

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What does this mean?

The school is registered as having a Methodist religious character. It is in the Diocese of Liverpool. Its last section 48 inspection was in March 2025.

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What does this mean?

The school currently uses no alternative provision.

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What does this mean?

The total number of pupils who can attend the school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with an education, health and care plan. This covers pupils with more support than is available through special educational needs support.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with reported special educational support needs at the school. National average: 15%

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What does this mean?

Based on the English Indices of Deprivation (2019) and the school's location, we have calculated whether the school is located in a more or less deprived area.

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What does this mean?

Whether school has Resourced Provision or SEND unit (if applicable).

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standards in a combined reading, writing and mathematics measure.

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in reading.

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing.

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics.

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average

2022/23 (final) S 73% S ‘S’ in the table above indicates the data has been suppressed, which is usually due to small cohorts. The suppression rules applied by the DfE when publishing the data have been mirrored and applied in the report card.

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Disadvantaged pupils' performance

Disadvantaged pupils are those who have been eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years and children looked after.

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mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher- assessed writing.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics.

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average

‘S’ in the table above indicates the data has been suppressed, which is usually due to small cohorts. The suppression rules applied by the DfE when publishing the data have been mirrored and applied in the report card.

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Disadvantaged pupils' performance gap

Disadvantaged pupils are those who have been eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years and children looked after. The school disadvantage gap is the difference between the performance of the school's disadvantaged pupils compared to the performance of all non-disadvantaged pupils nationally.

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mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics, including the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading and the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher- assessed writing and the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics and the disadvantaged gap.

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average

‘S’ in the table above indicates the data has been suppressed, which is usually due to small cohorts. The suppression rules applied by the DfE when publishing the data have been mirrored and applied in the report card.

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Overall absence

The percentage of all possible mornings and afternoons missed due to absence from school (for whatever reason, whether authorised or unauthorised) across all pupils.

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national average

2023/24 (3 term) 5.5% 5.5% Close to average

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national average

2022/23 (3 term) 5.4% 5.9% Close to average

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Persistent absence

The percentage of pupils missing 10% or more of their possible mornings and afternoons.

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national average

2024/25 (3 term) 11.9% 13.0% Close to average

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national average

2023/24 (3 term) 14.3% 14.6% Close to average

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national average

2022/23 (3 term) 15.8% 16.2% Close to average

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Exceptional

Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other schools can learn from it.

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Strong standard

The school reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of them.

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Expected standard

The school is fulfilling the expected standard of education and/or care. This means they are following the standard set out in statutory and non ‑ statutory legislation and the professional standards expected of them.

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Needs attention

The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements.

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Urgent improvement

The school needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care. services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects and regulates services that care for children and young people.

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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