Canon Burrows CofE Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy school and are happy to attend.

This is clearly reflected in their high rates of attendance. Pupils feel safe and supported by staff. In the early years, children demonstrate a clear enthusiasm for all aspects of their school lives.

Pupils are kind and welcoming. Their behaviour across the school is exceptional.

Pupils are keen to celebrate their achievements.

They enjoy the responsibilities that they undertake. They have a range of duties and are proud to serve the school community. Pupils are especially keen to talk about their contribution towards the school being an environmentally friendly school.

The school's curriculum ha...s been designed to build on pupils' prior knowledge, to set high expectations for pupils' learning. In the main, pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), achieve well.

Pupils' academic learning is complemented well by a wide, rich set of experiences that foster their talents and interests.

Pupils take part in various clubs, many of which they have suggested. These range from a small-scale construction club to sports and cookery clubs.

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

The school has revised the curriculum to provide a more structured approach to developing pupils' learning.

In many subjects, the school has supported staff well so that they consistently help pupils to build their understanding over time. Often, pupils' learning is reinforced so that they can recall the knowledge that they have been taught. As a result, pupils generally achieve well in subjects across the curriculum.

Some subjects are not as well developed as others. In these subjects, and including in the early years, pupils cannot recall some aspects of their prior learning as well as they otherwise could. This is because staff do not make some key knowledge clear enough for pupils to remember.

The school has not ensured that the checks on pupils' knowledge in these subjects help to identify where key learning has been forgotten.

The school has effective arrangements to identify children with SEND from the time that they set foot in the early years. Identification of pupils' additional needs continues as they move through key stages 1 and 2.

The support that children and pupils receive is effective. The school makes sure that pupils with SEND access the same curriculum as their peers.

The school has put in place imaginative strategies to promote a love of reading.

In the Reception Year, children learn the sounds that letters represent before going on to read simple books. Staff use assessment strategies effectively to spot where children need more help and to match reading books to children's phonic knowledge. This continues in key stage 1.

There are a range of strategies that help pupils keep up with the phonics programme. As a result, pupils become increasingly confident and fluent readers as they get older.

Children in the early years, and pupils in other year groups, have excellent attitudes to learning.

Typically, they are engrossed in their work, and there is no disruption to lessons. They play together well at breaktimes. They feel safe from the harmful effects of bullying.

The school's exceptional provision for pupils' personal development ensures that all pupils gain a strong understanding of equalities and of fundamental British values. Staff promote an understanding of difference. All pupils feel included because they respect one another's opinions and beliefs.

Pupils have a strong awareness of other faiths and cultures. They also understand what makes a healthy relationship and they know why people make different lifestyle choices. Pupils enjoy discussing current affairs, and they take part in informed debates about these issues.

The school supports staff well with their workload and well-being when making changes to provision. In addition, the school provides staff with time to carry out leadership duties. Staff appreciate the opportunities to develop their skills and to study for additional leadership qualifications.

The school works effectively with parents and carers so that they can help their children to learn at home. For example, in the early years, staff hold workshops on phonics and mathematics to help parents understand how they are taught in school.

Governors know the school well.

They hold leaders to account for the impact of their actions on pupils' achievement, to promote school improvement. They have a clear understanding of their duties.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some subjects, and including in the early years, some key learning is not made clear enough to help pupils remember it. As a result, pupils do not recall some subject-specific knowledge as well as they should. The school should ensure that it makes the intended learning clearer to help pupils remember what has been taught.

• In some subjects, the school has not refined the checks on pupils' retention of key knowledge over time. This means that gaps in pupils' knowledge are not identified well enough. The school should ensure that the checks on pupils' knowledge are more accurate when identifying aspects of learning that need to be revisited to help pupils remember more.