Burnley High School

Burnley High School

Address: Byron Street, Burnley, Lancashire, BB12 6NX Unique reference number (URN): 141028

p.1

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.

p.1

How we evaluate safeguarding

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

p.1

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.

p.1

Attendance and behaviour Strong standard

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who are disadvantaged, benefit from an extremely high level of care and support. Their attendance is higher than national averages and is consistently improving. The attendance of all pupils is close to national averages and has improved notably over time. This is because leaders consistently promote effective attendance strategies. They have rigorous transition processes that help them to identify barriers to pupils’ attendance early and provide tailored support quickly.

p.2

Attendance and behaviour Strong standard

Leaders fulfil their mantra of ‘making this place an irresistible place to be’. This shows in pupils’ conduct and their pride in the school. Pupils are dedicated and conduct themselves extremely well in lessons and at social times. Their behaviour is consistently impressive. Leaders promote a highly positive culture that elevates pupils’ attitudes to learning. This is often achieved through established routines that help to maintain a calm and purposeful atmosphere. Pupils meet the clear expectations staff set for behaviour with notable maturity. They show unwavering respect for others and are consistently courteous and polite. Older pupils act as exemplary role models for their younger peers. Leaders respond swiftly and effectively to any incidents of bullying. Pupils who find managing their behaviour more difficult benefit from carefully planned provision that helps them to follow routines and fully

p.2

Achievement Expected standard

Even though many pupils begin with very limited prior knowledge, staff remove barriers effectively. As a result, these pupils progress well through the curriculum and show clear gains in their learning. Overall attainment in national tests is not in line with national averages. However, this does not accurately reflect the progress that pupils make from very low starting points. Furthermore, current pupils are generally being well prepared for their next stages in education, employment or training. Additionally, a high proportion of disadvantaged pupils achieve broadly in line with national averages at key stage 4. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and the high proportion of pupils who are known to social care also make steady progress from their individual starting points.

p.2

Achievement Expected standard

Leaders have secured more stable staffing and improved the curriculum. As a result, pupils across year groups benefit from effective teaching and build on their learning more securely than they did in the past. Pupils generally develop secure knowledge in fundamental skills such as reading and mathematics. This enables them to access the curriculum with increasing confidence. Leaders have enhanced the support for handwriting development and this work is beginning to improve pupils’ written accuracy.

p.2

Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders take decisive action to improve curriculum and teaching. Recent refinements have ensured that the curriculum is ambitious and clear about the knowledge that pupils should learn. Leaders offer specific and evidence-informed training opportunities so that staff are equipped to deliver subject content well. Generally, staff implement this training effectively. Consequently, the curriculum is typically taught well. Pupils who are disadvantaged receive targeted support which helps them to better access the full curriculum.

p.3

Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Staff set high expectations, particularly for pupils with very low starting points. They generally identify gaps in learning well. Where practice is effective, staff use information about pupils’ learning to shape activities and to address gaps in pupils' knowledge or misconceptions. At times, when this does not happen as consistently, some pupils’ learning does not build as securely over time.

p.3

Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders place growing emphasis on pupils’ core literacy and numeracy knowledge. Recent improvements to the school's reading programme help most pupils who struggle with reading to address key gaps. Numeracy sessions strengthen pupils’ basic skills with increasing consistency. Work to develop handwriting is also progressing well. However, the systems to check the impact of these additional support strategies are not as precise as they could be. At times, this limits how swiftly pupils overcome barriers to learning.

p.3

Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders identify pupils’ needs quickly and accurately. They draw on a wide range of information to understand the barriers that pupils face in their learning and wellbeing. Consequently, staff understand pupils’ needs well. Leaders ensure that barriers faced by disadvantaged pupils are targeted effectively. Pupil premium funding is used carefully to enhance the academic and personal support that these pupils receive. For instance, pupils benefit from targeted literacy sessions and wider experiences that enrich their learning beyond the curriculum. These actions have been particularly effective in improving pupils’ attendance and behaviour.

p.3

Inclusion Expected standard

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities are generally supported well. Leaders use clear support plans and specialist input to ensure that any changes to pupils’ needs are reviewed and addressed. Leaders provide training so that teachers know how best to meet these needs. This gives staff the skills that they need to adapt lessons so that pupils can follow the curriculum well. Pupils who are known, or previously known, to social care receive coordinated support from the school’s safeguarding team and external professionals. This enhances pupils’ experiences in school.

p.3

Inclusion Expected standard

Some pupils facing additional barriers, including those with social and emotional needs, benefit from mentoring and school counselling. Some of these pupils also access alternative provision which leaders use carefully to ensure that each placement is purposeful and effective.

p.3

Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders have an informed view of the school’s community which guides their decisions and the school's priorities. Recent changes in leadership have brought stability and capacity. Leaders and the trust have developed a well-designed curriculum and supported staff to improve the standard of teaching. These actions are in the best interests of pupils, particularly those who are disadvantaged or are known to social care. Typically, leaders evaluate the impact of their actions well and use these evaluations to refine their strategies. Trustees and the local governing body receive information that enables them to offer appropriate support and challenge. The trust is expanding its leadership to ensure that there is greater capacity to secure further improvements across school.

p.4

Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders keep staff workload and wellbeing under close review. They take action where needed so that staff feel well supported. Professional learning opportunities are purposeful and aligned with whole ‑ school priorities. This helps staff to develop their practice and contribute to ongoing improvement.

p.4

Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders engage positively with parents and carers, external professionals and the wider community. This helps to forge positive connections to improve pupils’ experiences. They work closely with other schools in the trust and with local agencies to ensure that pupils with additional needs receive timely and well ‑ coordinated support. This joined ‑ up approach helps pupils to access the right help at the right time.

p.4

Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

The programme to promote pupils’ personal development is increasingly well structured. Pupils, particularly those in key stage 3, benefit from dedicated personal, social, health and economic education (PSHE) lessons. This helps them to develop a reasonably detailed understanding of safety in relationships, including online and offline risks to their wellbeing. Pupils also develop a sound appreciation of the fundamental British values and diversity of beliefs in the wider community. Leaders are refining the curriculum so that older pupils deepen their understanding of PSHE. However, this work is not fully embedded. As a result, pupils’ grasp of more complex content is still developing.

p.4

Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

The school supplements this taught curriculum with a variety of extra ‑ curricular opportunities. For instance, pupils widen their interests through clubs including sporting, fashion factory and games. Some pupils also relish opportunities to take part in The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award scheme. These opportunities help pupils to develop resilience and independence. Pupils value structured leadership opportunities through the student leadership team. Pupils describe these roles as helping them to grow in confidence and responsibility.

p.4

Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Leaders track pupils’ participation in wider activities closely. This helps to improve access to trips and visits. Leaders are committed to increasing participation rates so that more pupils benefit from these opportunities. However, tracking information is not used sharply enough to ensure that pupils, including those who are disadvantaged, take full advantage of the wider offer. This means that targeted support is not refined as well as it could be to ensure that participation is consistently high. Pupils know who to speak to if they are worried and trust staff to listen to them. Warm relationships between staff and pupils help pupils to feel safe. Leaders have improved the careers programme so that pupils are better prepared for their transition into future education, employment and/or training. Pupils benefit from subject ‑ specific careers links and guidance from specialist advisers. This helps them to understand their options and make

p.4

Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

informed choices about their next steps.

p.5

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

Burnley High School maintains a deep and enduring commitment to serve its local community well. The school’s mantra 'make it better to be better' reflects the care given to ensure that each pupil feels valued and looked after. Pupils enjoy warm and respectful relationships with staff and their peers. They trust staff to respond quickly and effectively when concerns arise, including any issues related to bullying. This shapes a culture where pupils feel consistently safe and welcomed.

p.5

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

Pupils display positive attitudes to their learning. They value the support that teachers give to help them to understand new subject content. Staff work closely with pupils, particularly for the high proportion of pupils who are disadvantaged and those who face barriers to learning. This ensures that these pupils receive the support that they need to access the curriculum successfully. Many pupils make steady progress from their starting points.

p.5

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

Pupils' behaviour is exemplary. Attendance rates have improved notably as pupils increasingly understand the importance of regular attendance for their learning. Pupils benefit from a wide range of experiences that extend their learning beyond the academic curriculum. For example, pupils enjoy performing in the annual school production, cheering on their friends in talent shows and having fun on international ski trips. These opportunities promote the development of pupils’ confidence and teamwork skills. Pupils understand the importance of respecting others and have a sharp awareness of their responsibilities in the wider community. They relish opportunities to contribute, such as visiting nursing homes and raising money for local hospices. These experiences help pupils feel valued and reinforce their sense of belonging.

p.5

Next steps

Leaders should improve the systems for monitoring the impact of additional support given to pupils, particularly in developing literacy and numeracy skills, so that barriers to learning are addressed more effectively. Leaders should ensure that staff use information about gaps in pupils’ knowledge more accurately so that misconceptions are corrected more quickly. Leaders should use enrichment activity tracking data more effectively to widen participation in enrichment opportunities so that the most vulnerable pupils benefit fully from the school's offer.

p.5

Team inspectors:

Dympna Woods, Ofsted Inspector Andy Cunningham, His Majesty's Inspector Emma Gregory, Ofsted Inspector

p.6

Facts and figures used on inspection

Leaders should ensure that older pupils consistently build sufficient depth of understanding of the personal, social, health and economic education curriculum.

p.6

About this inspection

This school is part of the Education Partnership Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Mark Cocker, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Ian Brown.

p.6

About this inspection

Inspectors carried out this full inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

p.6

About this inspection

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

p.6

About this inspection

Inspectors spoke with the headteacher, school and trust leaders, school governors, trustees, virtual school head and representatives from the local authority and alternative providers, during the inspection.

p.6

About this inspection

The inspection team scrutinised information and documents that the school provided. Inspectors visited a range of lessons, looked at pupils work and spoke to pupils. Inspectors also held discussions with staff and considered the responses to Ofsted's surveys for parents and staff. There were no responses to the pupils’ survey.

p.6

About this inspection

The school meets the requirements of the provider access legislation, which requires schools to provide pupils in Years 8 to 13 with information and engagement about approved technical education qualifications and apprenticeships.

p.6

About this inspection

The inspectors confirmed the following information about the school:

p.6

About this inspection

The school currently makes use of 2 registered alternative provisions.

p.6

About this inspection

There has been a change in senior leadership and governance since the last inspection.

p.6

About this inspection

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

p.6

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.

p.7

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.

p.7

What does this mean?

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

p.7

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.

p.8

What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with reported special educational support needs at the school.

p.8

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.

p.8

What does this mean?

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

p.8

English and maths GCSE

Percentage of pupils who achieved grade 5 or above in English and maths GCSE.

p.8

national average

2023/24 (final) 38.2% 45.9% Close to average

p.9

Attainment 8

A measure of pupils' point scores across 8 subjects including maths (double weighted), English (double weighted if both language and literature are taken), 3 EBacc measures and 3 GCSE or technical measures.

p.9

national average

2023/24 (final) 42.1 45.9 Close to average

p.9

Progress 8

How much progress pupils made between the end of primary school (key stage 2) and the end of secondary school (key stage 4), compared to pupils across England who got similar results at the end of key stage 2.

p.9

national average

2023/24 (final) -0.16 -0.03 Close to average

p.9

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.

p.9

Disadvantaged pupils' English and maths GCSE grade 5 or above

Percentage of disadvantaged pupils achieving grade 5 or above in English and maths GCSE.

p.9

national average

2024/25 (final) 20.0% 25.8% Close to average

p.10

national average

2023/24 (final) 25.0% 25.8% Close to average

p.10

national average

2022/23 (final) 27.3% 25.2% Close to average

p.10

Disadvantaged pupils' Attainment 8

A measure of disadvantaged pupils' point scores across 8 subjects including maths (double weighted), English (double weighted if both language and literature are taken), 3 EBacc measures and 3 GCSE or technical measures.

p.10

national average

2023/24 (final) 37.1 34.6 Close to average

p.10

national average

2022/23 (final) 36.3 35.0 Close to average

p.10

Disadvantaged pupils' Progress 8

How much progress disadvantaged pupils made between the end of primary school (key stage 2) and the end of secondary school (key stage 4), compared to pupils across England who got similar results at the end of key stage 2.

p.10

national average

2023/24 (final) -0.42 -0.57 Close to average

p.10

national average

2022/23 (final) -0.78 -0.57 Close to average

p.10

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.

p.10

Disadvantaged pupils' English and maths GCSE grade 5 or above

Percentage of disadvantaged pupils who achieved grade 5 or above in English and maths GCSE.

p.11

Disadvantaged pupils' Attainment 8

A measure of disadvantaged pupils' point scores across 8 subjects including maths (double weighted), English (double weighted if both language and literature are taken), 3 EBacc measures and 3 GCSE or technical measures.

p.11

Disadvantaged pupils' Progress 8

How much progress disadvantaged pupils made between the end of primary school (key stage 2) and the end of secondary school (key stage 4), compared to pupils across England who got similar results at the end of key stage 2.

p.11

Destinations after 16

Percentage of pupils staying in education or employment for at least 2 terms after the end of secondary school (key stage 4).

p.12

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.

p.12

national average

2024/25 (3 term) 8.0% 8.4% Close to average

p.12

national average

2023/24 (3 term) 10.2% 8.9% Close to average

p.12

national average

2022/23 (3 term) 9.1% 9.0% Close to average

p.12

Persistent absence

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

p.12

national average

2024/25 (3 term) 23.6% 23.4% Close to average

p.12

national average

2022/23 (3 term) 28.1% 26.5% Close to average

p.12

Exceptional

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

p.13

Strong standard

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

p.13

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.

p.13

Needs attention

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

p.13

Urgent improvement

The school needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care.

p.13

Urgent improvement

services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects and regulates services that care for children and young people.

p.13

Urgent improvement

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.13

Urgent improvement

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.13

Urgent improvement

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.13

Urgent improvement

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.13