Burbage Junior School

119964 Unique Reference Number Leicestershire LEA 280699 Inspection number 11 October 2005 to 12 October 2005 Inspection dates Rajinder Harrison RISP Reporting inspector

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

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Grove Road School address Primary Type of school Burbage Community School category Hinckley, Leicestershire LE10 2AD 7 to 11 Age range of pupils

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01455 630970 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01455 630979 Fax number 398 Number on roll Mr Peter Worton Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Mr Richard Harris Headteacher 20 March 2000 Date of previous inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 280699 11 October 2005 - 7 to 11 12 October 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 three Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

Burbage Junior is a large primary school located in a large village on the outskirts of Leicestershire. The pupils’ attainment on entry is slightly above average. The percentage of pupils eligible for free school meals is low. A below average proportion of pupils have either learning difficulties or disabilities. The vast majority of pupils are of White British origin but there is a small number from other ethnic backgrounds. The pupils’ attendance is well above that expected nationally and the movement of pupils in to and out of the school is low.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Burbage Junior School, 11 October 2005 to 12 October 2005

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Grade: 2

This is a good school with some outstanding features. The teaching is good and the pupils enjoy learning. By the time they leave the school at the end of Year 6, the pupils reach standards that are above average. Their progress overall is good. Lower attaining pupils make excellent progress. Expectations of the more able pupils are not always high enough although they all make at least satisfactory progress. The pupils’ personal development is outstanding. This results from the school’s very caring approach, the excellent opportunities the pupils have to take on responsibilities and the rich range of activities in which they participate. The school is led and managed well. The school’s self-evaluation measures are good, enabling both staff and governors to have an accurate picture of standards and quality. Improvement since the last inspection has been good. Standards have been maintained and all the key issues highlighted then have been addressed. Parents are extremely

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Grade: 2

happy with the school. Their views are taken into account regularly and they are kept fully informed of developments. The school’s capacity to improve and raise standards further is good. It provides good value for money.

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What the school should do to improve further

•ensure that the more able pupils are challenged fully in all lessons

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Grade: 2

On joining the school in Year 3, pupils’ attainment is just above average in reading, writing and mathematics. At the end of Year 6, standards are consistently above average in English, mathematics and science, with science a strength. The vast majority of pupils achieve well. The school did not meet all its targets in English and mathematics in 2005, but these targets were particularly challenging. Good teaching results in the pupils making good progress. The teachers generally pay careful attention to meeting the needs of all groups of pupils. Lower attaining pupils, including those with learning difficulties and disabilities, make exceptionally good progress because support for them is very effectively targeted. The more able pupils make satisfactory progress. The pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education.

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Grade: 1

Pupils’ personal development is outstanding. Their keenness to come to school is reflected in their very good attendance. Behaviour is excellent and pupils are polite and considerate towards each other and towards adults. Pupils say they enjoy being at school because there is so much to take part in and everyone is friendly and helpful. They show maturity beyond their years in the way they respond to the many excellent opportunities they have to influence what happens in school and to take responsibilities. 2 Inspection Report: Burbage Junior School, 11 October 2005 to 12 October 2005 The ‘Eco’ representatives, for example, have been elected by classmates to find out how the school’s environment can be improved, as well as raising the school community’s awareness of recycling. Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is mainly excellent. Occasionally, opportunities are missed to help pupils

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Grade: 1

understand more about other cultures. Pupils’ well-being is promoted very effectively. They know what to do if they are faced with problems in their daily life at school and are confident that adults will listen to them and help. Pupils’ understand very clearly the importance of developing a healthy lifestyle. They participate enthusiastically in sporting events and ‘fruit snacks only’ days. Pupils make a positive contribution to the community. They feel responsible for the area around the village and report any vandalism or graffiti. They take dropping litter very seriously and are keen to do something about it. The local community looks forward to the local drama and music productions in which pupils take part. Pupils develop skills and personal qualities that prepare them very well for future economic well-being. Good basic skills in literacy, numeracy and ICT are developing further each day and opportunities for pupils to

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Grade: 1

become enterprising, take the initiative and make their own decisions arise from class and school councils. They run and produce the school magazine, proving they are adaptable and can cope well with change.

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Grade: 2

Teaching is good with some outstanding features in all year groups. For example, music throughout the school is of high quality and all pupils participate enthusiastically. The skill of a specialist teacher has made French a popular activity since it was introduced at Year 3. Pupils respond well and take delight in trying out new words and using them in other situations. Relationships between adults and pupils are excellent and lead to a strong sense of mutual respect. There is high quality teaching for pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities, based on very precise assessments of individual needs and activities that are carefully tailored to match these needs. Learning is fun and the pupils’ progress is reviewed meticulously. There is not always the same rigour in the use of assessment information to provide the more able pupils with work that challenges them fully. Expectations of these pupils are sometimes not

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Grade: 2

high enough because teaching is not clear about pupils’ capabilities. Teaching assistants know what to do to help pupils and they work well as part of the teaching team. The very good relationships that exist between the school and parents lend further support to pupils’ learning. For example, the homework diaries are used well to provide effective communication between home and school.

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Grade: 2

The curriculum is good and covers everything that it should. It is very well adapted to meet the specific needs of pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities, resulting 3 Inspection Report: Burbage Junior School, 11 October 2005 to 12 October 2005 in these pupils making very rapid progress. For example, teachers produce individualised resources, which maintain pupils’ interest and reinforce their targets in a motivational way. This, together with supporting adults who ensure pupils complete their work makes for faster progress. Opportunities are sometimes missed to ensure plans are suitably modified to challenge the more able pupils so they also make this same rapid progress. All pupils have access to an outstanding range of exciting activities that broaden their experiences, particularly in the arts and in sport, and French for those in Year 3. Pupils are very appreciative of all this excellent provision and the take up is

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Grade: 2

very high. Planning for pupils to learn about health and safety is very effective. Pupils contribute to the school’s wider community by raising funds for charity and taking part in performances in dance and drama productions, musical events and extensive sporting competitions.

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Grade: 2

Pastoral support and guidance are good and are praised by parents and carers, who take a very active role in supporting the school’s work. All adults in the school have a genuine concern for the pupils’ welfare and provide outstanding care. The pupils feel that they are safe and well looked after because they ‘know they can talk to their teachers’, who take careful note of their personal development. The systems to ensure the pupils’ health and safety are very robust. Child protection procedures are fully in place. Academic guidance is generally good. Guidance for pupils with learning difficulties or disabilities is exemplary, and carefully designed targets for each pupil help them make excellent progress. The guidance for the more able pupils is not as effective because teachers are not as sure about the targets these pupils should be aiming for to make even greater gains.

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Grade: 2

Leadership and management are good. The headteacher is instrumental in driving the school forward and parents and others associated with the school recognise he is a key figure in shaping the school’s work. Excellent relationships throughout the school ensure there is good teamwork. Coordinators and governors work hard at monitoring and evaluating the school’s performance and identifying areas for further improvement. For example, efforts to improve the quality of pupils’ writing are beginning to have positive impact on pupils’ current work. Improved information and communication technology (ICT) resources to support teaching and learning are proving successful in raising the quality of teaching. Through its effective self-evaluation, the school knows that it needs to use assessment information more effectively to raise standards even further. The school is well placed to continue to improve. Governors provide good support and are increasingly involved in the school’s day-to-day

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Grade: 2

work. In partnership with the headteacher, they have made important decisions that 4 Inspection Report: Burbage Junior School, 11 October 2005 to 12 October 2005 include recruiting specialist teachers to enrich the curriculum and enhance the pupils’ experiences. Teaching resources are deployed efficiently and the budget surplus is earmarked to further improve the accommodation. The school has an accurate picture of its strengths and the areas requiring improvement. Parents appreciate that prompt action is taken when issues arise. Other professional bodies involved with the school recognise the high standing it has in the area. 5 Inspection Report: Burbage Junior School, 11 October 2005 to 12 October 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: Burbage Junior School, 11 October 2005 to 12 October 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 1 How well does the school work in partnership with others to promote learners' well-being? NA NA The quality and standards in foundation stage NA 2 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 2 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 1 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 1 The behaviour of learners NA 1 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 2 How effectively leaders and managers at all levels set clear direction leading to improvement and promote high quality of care and education NA 2 How effectively performance is monitored, evaluated and improved to meet challenging targets, through quality assurance and self-review NA 2 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

You may remember we came to visit your school to see how good it is and how well you are doing. Thank you for being so friendly and telling us many interesting things. We thought you might like to know what we found out about your school. What we liked about your school: you are really lucky to be at such a good school where the teachers work hard to make your lessons interesting and fun we know you are really well looked after and that you can go to your teachers if you need to ask for help or tell them anything your playgrounds and fields are great and you have so many exciting events and activities to take part in you are involved in making decisions about your school you are doing a lot to look after the environment for others to enjoy in the future we are really pleased that you think about people in the world who do not have all the things you have – and that you raise money for charity you play together really well and look after each other so kindly – that is brilliant

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

your behaviour is excellent – you are so sensible and polite. To make the school even better, we have asked the staff and governors to: make sure that you always have work that really makes you think so that you learn even more. Thank you again for showing us your school and good luck in everything you do.

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