Burrough Green CofE Primary Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy coming to school. They feel safe and happy.

Pupils follow the school values of aspiration, resilience and kindness (ARK). They care about each other and the world around them. They learn to be resilient.

When they find learning difficult, they don't give up.

Pupils enjoy learning across a broad range of subjects. However, pupils do not achieve well enough in some subjects.

Pupils do not gain the knowledge they need to be able to make connections and build upon their previous learning. This means that pupils sometimes struggle to remember what they have been taught.

In lessons, pupils behave well and listen carefully to each othe...r.

Pupils play well together at breaktimes. Older pupils demonstrate their caring attitudes, looking after the younger children. Pupils know what bullying is.

They say it does not happen often. Pupils are confident to talk to adults if they have worries.

Pupils enjoy taking part in clubs such as 'knit and natter' and gardening.

Pupils take seriously the extra responsibilities that leaders give them, such as being a school councillor or house captain. They say that this has given them confidence, helping run events in school and raising money for charities.

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

Leaders have developed an ambitious and well-sequenced curriculum from Reception to Year 6.

They have carefully sequenced the knowledge that pupils should learn. In some subjects, teachers do not plan lessons that build on what pupils have learned before. This makes it difficult for pupils to make links to previous learning.

Pupils do not always know what subject they are learning about, which they find confusing. As a result, pupils find it difficult to remember what they have been taught. Pupils do not develop the detailed knowledge required to deepen their understanding of the subjects that they study.

Leaders identify the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) accurately. Leaders recognise that there is work to do to ensure that parents of pupils with SEND are fully involved with this. In subjects where planning and teaching are stronger, these pupils learn well.

In some subjects, such as mathematics, teachers check carefully what pupils can do and understand. This helps staff to plan learning so that it meets the needs of all the pupils in the class. However, this is not the case for all subjects.

As a result, not all the learning is tailored to meet the needs of all and some pupils do not take an active part in their lessons.

Leaders are clear that they want all children to enjoy reading. Pupils enjoy being read to each day.

Older pupils talk confidently about the books they are reading and enjoy. Leaders have recently introduced a new programme to teach phonics and early reading. Staff have received appropriate training to teach the programme.

This is helping younger children, especially those in early years, to learn new sounds quickly and blend to read simple words in school. Pupils are less confident in using phonics in their writing and spelling. The books that pupils read do not always match the sounds that children are learning.

Pupils are not able to read these books fluently. This limits the opportunities they have to practise and apply their phonic knowledge to develop their confidence and fluency in reading. Leaders should review the books that are sent home and ensure there are more opportunities for pupils to apply phonics when writing independently.

Pupils are kind and caring towards each other. In the early years, children are encouraged to ask politely for things and to help each other. Some parents and pupils feel that learning has been affected by poor behaviour from a few pupils in the past.

Leaders have put in place an effective behaviour strategy; as a result, pupils are now able to get on with their work without being distracted.

Leaders provide a wide range of opportunities for pupils' personal development, through assemblies, the curriculum and trips. Pupils in Year 6 talk with interest about democracy having built on their learning in school during a visit to the Houses of Parliament.

The leadership of the school has undergone recent significant change. Leaders, including governors, have a clear plan of what needs to be done to improve the school. Governors are committed to their role and carry out regular checks on the work of the school.

Leaders are working closely with the local authority to ensure that there is sustained improvement.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders have provided staff with safeguarding training so that they can identify when a pupil is at risk.

When they have a concern, this is quickly passed on to leaders. They use external services when needed to get the right support for pupils and their families. Leaders make sure that when new staff are appointed that all the required checks are completed.

This ensures that all new staff are suitable to work with children.

Pupils learn about how to keep themselves safe, in school and the wider community, including online.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some subjects, leaders have not set out clearly the subject-specific knowledge and understanding that pupils should gain as they progress through the curriculum.

As a result, pupils find it difficult to recall the key knowledge and skills they have been taught and make links to prior learning. Leaders should ensure that teachers plan lessons that enable pupils to make connections in their learning and secure important knowledge so that pupils achieve well in all subjects. ? Leaders have not ensured that teachers use assessment well to adapt the curriculum to meet the needs of all pupils.

As a result, some pupils, including those with SEND, do not achieve as well as they should in some subjects. Leaders should ensure that teachers use assessment effectively in all lessons to check pupils' understanding and adapt the curriculum so that all pupils are successful across the full range of subjects that they study. ? Some pupils have reading books that are not well matched to the phonics they have learned.

As a result, pupils are not securing their phonic knowledge and developing their confidence and fluency in reading as well as they should. This also makes it difficult for pupils to apply their phonic knowledge when they are writing independently. Leaders should ensure that pupils read books which are closely matched to the sounds they are learning so that they quickly become confident in their reading and their writing.

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