Burnt Oak Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy at school and enjoy their learning. Leaders ensure everyone is included.

The school is a caring community. As one pupil said, 'We welcome pupils from other backgrounds and cultures and with different needs and we can learn a lot from each other'. Staff expect pupils to concentrate and try their best.

Pupils work hard to meet these expectations and they learn well.

Pupils' well-being is a priority for everyone in the school. Pastoral care is strong.

As a result, pupils feel safe in school and well supported by staff. Right from the start of early years, staff have high and consistent expectations for children's behaviour. Pupils behav...e well throughout the school.

Staff provide effective support for pupils who need help to manage their behaviour and emotions. Pupils trust adults to listen to them if they have any concerns or worries, including about bullying. They know staff will act quickly to sort out any problems.

Pupils enjoy the range of clubs, trips and visitors to school. They appreciate the special events and themed weeks that motivate and inspire. Pupils say these are fun, interesting and provide memorable learning experiences.

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

Leaders are ambitious for all pupils. Since the previous inspection, they have been determined to raise expectations and standards. They ensure that the school's ethos 'enjoy, achieve, succeed' underpins all aspects of their work.

As a result, pupils' achievement has improved.

Pupils are well supported so they can learn the same curriculum as others and experience success. Children often join Nursery or Reception with weak language skills.

Also, some pupils join other year groups with limited knowledge of English. Leaders and staff focus intently on improving pupils' communication. They develop and enrich pupils' vocabulary from the early years through to Year 6.

Leaders ensure that any additional learning needs pupils have, including special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), are identified early.

Senior leaders have ensured that the curriculum is broad and balanced. In some subjects, including English and mathematics, knowledge and skills are clearly sequenced so that teachers know precisely what to teach and when.

This means that pupils build on what they have been taught before to help them learn new information. However, in some subjects the essential knowledge and skills that leaders want pupils to learn are not as well defined. Subject leaders are refining the curriculum to make sure that it is sequenced and implemented effectively.

Reading is taught well and is a clear priority for the school. Staff motivate pupils to read for pleasure. From the start of early years, children enjoy rhymes, stories and songs.

Pupils are encouraged to read widely and frequently. High quality, challenging texts are selected for class reading which exposes pupils to texts they might not read themselves. These are often linked to the topic being studied.

In Year 6, for example, pupils were engrossed in The London Eye Mystery, which was linked to their topic of crime and punishment. As one pupil said, 'Teachers really get you into reading'. Pupils develop as confident and fluent readers.

From the start of Reception, and if appropriate from the end of Nursery, staff follow the school's current phonics programme. Plans have been made to introduce a new programme from September. Staff check progress carefully and any struggling readers are given support to help them keep up.

Pupils learn phonics well to help them read unfamiliar words. The books they read are well matched to the sounds they have learned.

Leaders are uncompromising in their work to provide opportunities for pupils to broaden their experiences and raise their aspirations.

They work diligently to foster pupils' confidence, resilience and independence, to stand them in good stead for later life. Pupils enjoy the responsibilities they are given and take them seriously. For example, peer mediators and school council members know that they can make a real difference in school.

Staff work well together as a strong supportive team. They know that their workload and well-being is considered by leaders. Parents appreciate the nurturing and inclusive ethos in the school.

Governors support the school well. They challenge leaders and hold them to account for the school's performance. The governing body is very clear about its role and fulfils its statutory responsibilities.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Staff know pupils well and quickly identify any signs that a child may be at risk of harm. Staff are trained in all aspects of safeguarding so they know the signs they need to be aware of.

Staff know the procedures to follow if they have any concerns. Any necessary action is taken swiftly, including work with external agencies, if appropriate. The required checks are carried out on adults who work in the school.

Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe in a range of situations in and out of school, including when online.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Curriculum planning does not always provide teachers with a clear, explicit overview of the most useful content to be taught for pupils to acquire the intended knowledge and skills. In some foundation subjects, the essential knowledge that pupils need to learn has not been identified precisely enough.

Subject leaders should use their expertise and skills to enhance their oversight of the curriculum. They need to ensure that a clear progression in knowledge and skills in their subjects is embedded. This will ensure that teachers have even greater clarity about the sequence of teaching and enable pupils to know, remember and do more to further improve outcomes.