Burtonwood Community Primary SchoolOfsted inspection, 29 Nov 2005

Inspection Report Burtonwood Community Primary School

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111178 Unique Reference Number Warrington LEA 278613 Inspection number 28 November 2005 to 29 November 2005 Inspection dates Mrs Frances Gander CfBT Lead Inspector Reporting inspector

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This inspection was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Green Lane School address Primary Type of school Burtonwood Community School category Warrington, Cheshire WA5 4AQ 5 to 11 Age range of pupils

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01925 224 072 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01925 229 979 Fax number 192 Number on roll Mr J Joyce Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs A Hudson Headteacher 11 March 2002 Date of previous inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 278613 28 November 2005 - 5 to 11 29 November 2005 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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This document may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that the information quoted is reproduced without adaptation and the source and date of publication are stated.

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Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the Education Act 2005, the school must provide a copy of this report free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied.

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Introduction

The inspection was carried out by two additional inspectors.

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Description of the school

This is a small primary school in the village of Burtonwood close to the town of Warrington. Pupils mainly come from the village and many have parents and grandparents who have been educated at the school. Although the number of pupils who take free school meals is low, pupils do not come from financially advantaged households. The number of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities (LDD) is average but the number with statements of special educational need is higher. The school is emerging from a troubled past. It was placed in special measures in 2002. A new head and deputy were appointed in 2003. Its pupils come from an advantaged area and a below average number is eligible for a free school meal.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Burtonwood Community Primary School, 28 November 2005 to 29 November 2005

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Grade: 2

This is a good school. It has made rapid progress over the last two years. A key strength and reasons for this, lie in the outstanding leadership and management provided by the headteacher. She has brought the school from a very low level in a short time. The management were cautious when grading their self-evaluation, mainly because of past history and did not take into consideration the rate and amount of improvement that had taken place in every aspect of the school's provision. Inspection judgements are therefore higher than the school's in almost all areas. The effect of these improvements is now being realised in the rising standards, in pupils' achievements and their enjoyment in coming to school. There is room to improve the standards in writing, and for more pupils to reach the higher levels, but the school's actions have not been in place long enough to demonstrate their effectiveness. Due to focussed training and

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Grade: 2

professional development the quality of teaching has improved significantly. The curriculum has become innovative and the wealth of experiences to support learning are exciting for children. The pupils are provided with excellent opportunities to develop personal and social skills. The improvements since the last HMI visit have been impressive and show that the school has a very good capacity to improve further. It provides good value for money.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Raise standards in writing. • Provide higher attaining pupils with extension work to complete when they have finished the main activity.

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Grade: 2

Pupils' achievement is good and is the result of improved teaching and the wide range of experiences they encounter. To improve standards the school has acted quickly on the findings of the previous reports by placing a strong emphasis on literacy and numeracy, assessment, and the tracking of progress. This information is analysed and shows where pupils need more support, such as in writing and in the number of pupils reaching the higher levels in end of Year 2 and Year 6 tests. Due to this overall standards in English, mathematics and science have improved year-on-year. Highly effective teaching in Reception creates a vibrant, attractive learning environment. Children achieve well in all areas of learning and by the end of the year, almost all children will achieve all their Early Learning Goals. The strong emphasis on using information and communication technology (ICT) to support learning can be

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Grade: 2

seen in the confidence and skills of children who demonstrate skills well beyond those expected for their age. By Year 2, overall standards are average, but detailed assessments show that all pupils, in relation to their prior attainment, are making good progress, particularly in reading. 2 Inspection Report: Burtonwood Community Primary School, 28 November 2005 to 29 November 2005 Although improved, the overall performance in writing is not as high as in reading and mathematics. This is a continuing focus for the school. Standards by Year 6 in English, mathematics and science are average. Once again the standards in writing are not as good as those in reading. There are good opportunities for pupils to develop their writing skills in all subjects and continuing training for staff. Achievement in ICT is very good as it is used effectively by pupils and teachers in all subjects. Pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities (LDD) make good progress. Effective teaching,

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Grade: 2

the development of positive attitudes and behaviour and the school's knowledge of pupils' individual progress ensure that identified pupils make good progress. Many achieve the standards expected for pupils of similar ages.

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Grade: 1

The attention the school pays to the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils is outstanding and has a significant affect on pupils' attitudes. A very caring ethos has been successfully developed where pupils are encouraged to reflect on events and on the lives and feelings of others. For example, during assemblies there are opportunities for them to think of how others feel in traumatic situations and how they can help. For example, a recent response by pupils raised exactly ¯101 from a cake sale for the Pakistan earthquake appeal. Particular attention has been paid to social and cultural development. All classes have a very extensive range of visits connected with their curriculum where they learn to work in teams, with adults and alongside older pupils. There are many opportunities for pupils to learn about and experience the life and beliefs of other cultures. Evidence of all this decorates the

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Grade: 1

school and is very well recorded in excellent 'Year Books'. Attitudes and behaviour are good, and in some classes and situations, such as lunchtime, the behaviour of pupils of all ages is extremely good. The pupils show a regard for safety. There is a general awareness of healthy eating and the need for exercise, with many opting for healthy choices at lunchtime. Through their numeracy and fund raising they are contributing to the community and economic well-being. Attendance is much improved. For the current term it is good and reflects the enjoyment that pupils derive from being in school. This is a busy school that echoes with children's chatter and excitement.

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Grade: 2

There has been a tremendous emphasis placed on staff development. This has had a great affect on improving the quality of teaching and learning. Teaching is good overall and there are examples of outstanding teaching. Detailed assessments are carried out which feed into the planning cycle so that previous learning is successfully built upon. 3 Inspection Report: Burtonwood Community Primary School, 28 November 2005 to 29 November 2005 The strengths are in the teachers' knowledge of subjects they teach, their ability to plan links between subjects and to use ICT for teaching. All teachers use interactive whiteboards very proficiently. Highly effective teaching in Reception constantly challenges children. There is skilled questioning and very good teamwork between the teacher and the support staff. Across the school teachers make the lessons fun and they are taught at a fast pace. Pupils are excited about their tasks and have no time

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Grade: 2

to become bored. As identified in the monitoring, there is sometimes not enough work set for higher attaining pupils so they can carry on learning when they have finished the main activity, and on occasions, there are missed opportunities to extend pupils' learning outside the main objective of the lesson.

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Grade: 1

The curriculum is outstanding. It is not just broad and balanced and meeting the needs of all learners, but includes a wealth of exciting and meaningful experiences. It includes sex education and drugs awareness and through numeracy and personal social health and citizenship education (PSHCE) promotes pupils' economic well-being. These occur both in and out of school and support learning in all subjects. A philosophy has developed where pupils are not just taught the content of the lesson, but are nurtured to become interested in the subject, such as by being an artist or a scientist. All statutory requirements are met, including those for the Foundation Stage. The strong emphasis on promoting numeracy and literacy skills, along with the amount of resourcing and development in ICT, is helping to raise the standards. There are very good links with local organisations, with pupils taking part in community activities,

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Grade: 1

such as the brass band accompanying the Christmas Carols.

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Grade: 2

The school is well ordered and routines are consistent. Pupils trust staff and know who to turn to if they need help. There is excellent support for them when they are upset. Effective child protection and health and safety procedures are in place. Bullying and racism are not tolerated and any occurrence is immediately dealt with. The pupils work in a safe and attractive environment which helps them to focus on learning. Their work adorns the walls and is very well displayed. A close association has emerged with a local secondary school through joint initiatives. Pupils are therefore well supported when they move on. The monitoring of pupils' progress is detailed especially in the core subjects. The school is reviewing procedures in other subjects to make them more effective. Parents are extremely positive about the school.

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Grade: 1

Leadership and management are outstanding. The headteacher who has led and brought the school out of special measures is dynamic and has proved to be an 4 Inspection Report: Burtonwood Community Primary School, 28 November 2005 to 29 November 2005 inspirational leader. The very clear vision and the relationships that have been developed have ensured a unified and co-ordinated approach to tackling change and challenge. There has been good support from the governors in achieving this vision. As a result, the school has improved dramatically and there has been a consistent rate of improvement on a broad front. The headteacher is highly regarded by everyone associated with the school. Systems for checking what the school does well and needs to do to be even better are outstanding. Highly effective use has been made of available resources to improve learning, teaching and accommodation. These are having a very positive affect on

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Grade: 1

pupil's achievement and behaviour. Given the rate of change this school has a high capacity for further improvement and staff are committed to success. One parent stated how three years ago they had serious reservations about sending their child to a school 'in special measures', but stated that: '..I have been delighted with the progress that she has made and with the standard of teaching she has received. The school is a friendly community school in which parents are encouraged to participate...' 5 Inspection Report: Burtonwood Community Primary School, 28 November 2005 to 29 November 2005 .

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set out in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s

website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 6 Inspection Report: Burtonwood Community Primary School, 28 November 2005 to 29 November 2005

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Overall

Key to judgements: grade 1 is outstanding, grade 2 good, grade 3 satisfactory, and grade 4 inadequate

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learners?

NA 2 How well does the school work in partnership with others to promote learners' well-being? NA 2 The quality and standards in foundation stage NA 1 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation NA Yes The capacity to make any necessary improvements NA Yes Effective steps have been taken to promote improvement since the last inspection

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Achievement and standards

NA 2 How well do learners achieve? NA 3 The standards 1 reached by learners

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Achievement and standards

NA 2 How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners NA 2 How well learners with learning difficulties and disabilities make progress

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learners?

NA 1 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development NA 2 The behaviour of learners NA 2 The attendance of learners NA 1 How well learners enjoy their education NA 1 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices NA 1 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles NA 1 The extent to which learners make a positive contribution to the community NA 1 How well learners develop workplace and other skills that will contribute to their future economic well-being

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needs and interests of learners?

NA 2 How well are learners cared for, guided and supported?

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needs and interests of learners?

Grade 1 - Exceptionally and consistently high; Grade 2 - Generally above average with none significantly below average; Grade 3 - Broadly average; Grade 4 - Exceptionally low.

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and supporting all learners?

NA 1 How effectively leaders and managers at all levels set clear direction leading to improvement and promote high quality of care and education NA 1 How effectively performance is monitored, evaluated and improved to meet challenging targets, through quality assurance and self-review NA 1 How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination tackled so that all learners achieve as well as they can NA 2 How effectively and efficiently resources are deployed to achieve value for money NA 2 The extent to which governors and other supervisory boards discharge their responsibilities NA Yes The adequacy and suitability of staff to ensure that learners are protected

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The extent to which schools enable learners to be healthy

Yes Learners are encouraged and enabled to eat and drink healthily Yes Learners are encouraged and enabled to take regular exercise Yes Learners are discouraged from smoking and substance abuse Yes Learners are educated about sexual health

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The extent to which providers ensure that learners stay safe

Yes Procedures for safeguarding learners meet current government requirements Yes Risk assessment procedures and related staff training are in place Yes Action is taken to reduce anti-social behaviour, such as bullying and racism Yes Learners are taught about key risks and how to deal with them

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The extent to which learners make a positive contribution

Yes Learners are helped to develop stable, positive relationships Yes Learners, individually and collectively, participate in making decisions that affect them Yes Learners are encouraged to initiate, participate in and manage activities in school and the wider community

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The extent to which schools enable learners to achieve economic well-being

Yes There is provision to promote learners’ basic skills Yes Learners have opportunities to develop enterprise skills and work in teams NA Careers education and guidance is provided to all learners in key stage 3 and 4 and the sixth form NA Education for all learners aged 14–19 provides an understanding of employment and the economy

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

As you know, we visited your school recently to find out how well your teachers were helping you with your learning and your personal development. Thank you for being friendly, polite, well behaved and willing to talk to us. It was very useful to know what you thought about how you are getting on. You attend a wonderful school. What really impressed us was: - how much you enjoy the lessons and activities that the teachers plan for you - how hard you try to get on well with everyone and do as you are asked - how much you want to do well and how you look after your school - the good progress you are making in your work and your attendance at school - how well your headteacher and teachers know you and ensure that you attend a safe and attractive school. We felt that to further help you in your studies, the school needed to make sure that you did better in writing. We also felt that when some of you had finished your work before others in

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

the class you should have some extra challenges to complete. I hope you carry on enjoying what you are doing and continue to help your teachers all you can.

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