Burnley Brunshaw Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Burnley Brunshaw Primary School is a caring and welcoming place to learn. Warm relationships are at the heart of this school. Pupils are happy in lessons and when playing with their friends in the playground.

Pupils said that they feel safe. They explained that staff care about them. Pupils value the wide range of pastoral support that adults offer them.

They trust adults to help them when they are worried.

Leaders and staff are ambitious for every pupil, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils are keen to learn.

They said that their teachers make learning fun. In the main, pupils, and children in the early y...ears, achieve well.

Staff have high expectations of pupils' behaviour.

Pupils, and children in the early years, behave well in lessons and around the school. They are polite and courteous to each other and to adults.

Pupils know how to spot the different kinds of bullying.

They said that although there are occasional incidents of bullying, staff deal with any issues quickly and effectively.

Many pupils contribute to school life by taking on additional leadership responsibilities. For example, they relish becoming school councillors or ambassadors for areas such as music, play and the environment.

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

Since the last inspection, Burnley Brunshaw Primary School has been through a time of decline, upheaval and change. However, the school has been turned around rapidly. The current leadership team has had a strong impact on improving the school swiftly and effectively.

For example, most pupils now achieve well. They are well prepared for life in modern Britain.

The curriculum in the early years is suitably designed and delivered.

Leaders have thought carefully about what children must know and be able to do. In the main, children in the early years learn and develop well.

Leaders have also ensured that the curriculum is well designed in almost every subject in key stages 1 and 2.

They have thought carefully about what they want pupils to learn and in which order. The key knowledge that staff must teach to pupils is clearly set out in most subject curriculums. However, the curriculum is not finalised in one or two subjects.

In these remaining subjects, leaders have not decided exactly what pupils must learn and by when. Occasionally, this hinders how well some pupils achieve.Pupils, and children in the early years, engage fully in the activities that teachers prepare.

Teachers explain new ideas clearly. They are knowledgeable about the subjects that they teach. Teachers help pupils to revisit and to recap important learning.

They use a range of appropriate strategies to ensure that most pupils make secure connections between new and previously learned concepts and ideas.

In most cases, teachers use assessment information well to establish what pupils know and can do. However, in one or two instances, teachers do not use all the assessment information that they have to inform the next steps that pupils should take in their learning.

This prevents some pupils from achieving all that they could.

Reading is important in this school. There is an increasingly rich and varied supply of appropriate books.

Each classroom has a cosy place for pupils to relax and read quality texts.

As soon as they start in the Reception class, children successfully learn letters and sounds through carefully planned activities. Adults in the early years, and in key stage 1, use their specialist knowledge of the teaching of early reading appropriately.

This helps pupils to become increasingly confident readers by the time they leave key stage 1. Pupils who find reading more difficult are well supported by adults. This builds their confidence and quickly increases their fluency in reading.

Experienced staff have overhauled the quality of education for pupils with SEND. Leaders are now able to identify the additional needs of pupils with SEND more effectively. These pupils are given the timely support that they need to access the same ambitious curriculum as their classmates.

Overall, pupils with SEND are learning well.

Pupils have positive attitudes to their learning. They are friendly and eager to talk about school life.

Most pupils attend school regularly.

Leaders successfully prioritise pupils' wider personal development with a well-designed curriculum. Staff provide pupils with rich opportunities to live out the school's values, such as by celebrating difference.

Well-received external visits and trips bring the curriculum to life for pupils.

Most parents recognise and appreciate the positive changes that the leadership team has made. Parents summed up how many feel when they told inspectors, 'What a massive turnaround.'



Governors hold leaders fully to account for their work to improve the curriculum.Most staff feel well supported with their workload and are proud to work at the school.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders, staff and governors are well trained and knowledgeable about keeping pupils safe. The procedures in place to identify and report concerns are well understood by all staff.

Leaders are strong advocates for all pupils, including vulnerable pupils and their families.

Where staff identify potential safeguarding concerns, leaders provide timely support. Leaders engage well with external agencies, when needed.

Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe, including how to manage risks when online.

For example, pupils can clearly describe how to stay safe when they are using the internet. Pupils know what to do if they have a concern about any aspect of their safety and well-being.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In a few subjects in key stages 1 and 2, leaders have not given sufficient thought to the essential knowledge that pupils must learn and in what order.

Some pupils do not achieve as highly as they could in these subjects. Leaders should finalise their curriculum thinking so that teachers know exactly what knowledge pupils must learn and when this should be taught. ? Occasionally, teachers do not use the assessment information that they gather as effectively as they could to address gaps in pupils' knowledge.

This hampers some pupils from achieving as highly as they could. Leaders should ensure that teachers are appropriately using all available assessment information. This is so that all pupils get the most out of their learning across the whole curriculum.