Burnley St Peter’s Church of England Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Burnley St Peter's CofE Primary School is a happy and caring place to learn.

The school's values of love, respect, forgiveness, trust and service underpin how pupils behave towards each other and to staff. Staff forge strong relationships with pupils and know their families well. Pupils and staff have a strong sense of belonging here.

Pupils are proud of their school. They respond positively to the high expectations staff promote and typically behave and learn well. Pupils understand the school rules.

They know how they help them to stay safe. Pupils appreciate being able to talk to staff if anything worries them. If bullying should occur, it is dealt with ef...fectively.

Pupils celebrate diversity. They understand the importance of accepting others for who they are. Pupils relish the chance to take on leadership responsibilities, such as school councillors and mental health ambassadors.

Pupils said these responsibilities help them to prepare for the future.

Pupils have opportunities to go to the theatre and museums, and attend sporting competitions. They have access to a variety of clubs and activities in school.

Staff encourage pupils to care for the environment. For example, members of the 'eco warriors' take pride in helping the school to save energy and recycle their waste.

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

Leaders, governors and staff share a common purpose.

They want all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), to achieve their best. Working together, they have designed a broad curriculum that meets the needs of different pupils.

In most subjects, leaders have organised the curriculum so that pupils' learning builds on what they know already in well-ordered steps as they move through the school.

They have ensured that the subject curriculums are planned so that pupils extend their vocabulary in each subject. This helps pupils achieve well across many areas of the curriculum.

In a small number of subjects, work to ensure that teachers are clear about the knowledge that pupils should learn is still being finalised.

This means that teachers are less certain about what they should teach and check. In these subjects, pupils do not achieve as highly as they could.

Teachers have a strong knowledge of the subjects that they deliver.

They use this knowledge to deliver content to pupils with clarity. They select interesting resources to engage pupils. They check what pupils remember and use this information to understand how well pupils are learning.

For the most part, pupils can recall prior and current learning in subjects, for example in mathematics.

Leaders have placed a high priority on reading. Reading is a strong feature of the school.

Well-trained staff deliver the phonics programme consistently well. Children in the Reception class and pupils in key stage 1 use their phonics knowledge well to read unfamiliar words. Teachers make timely checks on how well pupils are developing their phonic knowledge.

Pupils who need extra support get the help that they need to become fluent readers. As a result, pupils learn to read well. There is a love of reading throughout the school.

Pupils talk passionately about their favourite authors and stories and talked excitedly about a recent visit from a children's author.

Leaders have created an inclusive and welcoming culture. They ensure that there are clear systems in place for the early identification of pupils with SEND.

They provide teachers with strategies and resources to support these pupils. In class, adults provide effective support and encouragement. This support helps pupils to confidently access the full curriculum.

Pupils are excited to learn, and concentrate well in lessons. Learning is rarely disrupted by poor behaviour. Pupils work independently and enjoy the challenges that teachers set.

Leaders provide many opportunities for pupils' wider personal development. There is a comprehensive programme of opportunities for pupils to build their knowledge of how to stay safe and look after their well-being. Leaders support pupils' mental health with professional counselling.

The mental health ambassadors receive formal training to help them support their peers in school.

Governors know the school well. They fully support and challenge leaders in their work.

Staff thoroughly enjoy working at the school. They appreciate that school leaders are mindful of their workload and well-being. Parents and carers hold the school in high regard.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders have established a strong safeguarding culture. Leaders make sure that all staff are kept up to date with the latest safeguarding training.

Leaders and staff know pupils and their families well. This helps them to identify safeguarding concerns early and intervene. They work effectively with external agencies to secure appropriate and timely support for pupils and their families.

Leaders make sure that the curriculum helps pupils to learn about how to keep themselves safe. For instance, pupils learn about what it means to be a good friend and how to keep themselves safe when online.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In a small number of subjects, leaders are still finalising the key knowledge that they want pupils to learn.

Therefore, teachers are not always clear about the most important knowledge that should be taught and checked. This leads to gaps in pupils' knowledge over time. Leaders should finalise their curriculum thinking in these subjects so that teachers are clear about what pupils should be learning and when this content should be taught.

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