Burrowmoor Primary Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at Burrowmoor School are not receiving a quality of education that prepares them well for the next stage of their learning. The current curriculum is not ensuring that pupils have the appropriate skills and knowledge for their age.

Pupils' attitude to learning and their behaviour are often not positive. This is because leaders' expectations are too low. This includes those of the most vulnerable pupils and pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

Bullying and name-calling are too common. Although staff usually deal with such matters, these are continuing. Pupils do not always feel safe.

Concerns raised by pupils are not followe...d up sufficiently well.

Most pupils enjoy their learning, but this is regularly interrupted by incidents of poor behaviour. The significant minority of pupils who disrupt learning defy requests and instructions.

Consequences for poor behaviour are not consistently managed or followed through.

Pupils like the clubs that are on offer, such as those for football and rugby. Pupils are excited about opportunities to have wider experiences, such as their trip to a zoo.

Some older pupils take on extra responsibilities, including joining the school council and supporting younger pupils at lunchtimes.

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

Leaders have not addressed the areas for improvement identified at the previous inspection. Overall, the curriculum is still at a very early stage of development, with some aspects still being reviewed.

In most subjects, learning for pupils is not broken down into small steps of knowledge that pupils need to learn, and nor does it build on previous learning. Consequently, pupils find it difficult to remember and apply new knowledge and skills. While leaders have identified the areas of the curriculum that need reviewing, it has not happened quickly enough to ensure that pupils achieve well.

The teaching of reading is not well thought through. Too many pupils are not able to read well by the time they reach key stage 2. Pupils who have fallen behind are not accurately identified so they can be supported to catch up.

The newly implemented phonics scheme is not aligned with the reading curriculum in early years or key stage 2. As a result, pupils do not learn to read well enough. Books are not well matched to each pupil's stage of reading.

Consequently, pupils are not able to apply what they know in order to be successful.

Children in early years are keen to learn and explore the learning environment. However, the planned learning is not ambitious enough.

Opportunities for rehearsing and embedding important knowledge are not planned in. Staff are kind and caring towards the pupils, but have not received the necessary training to provide effective learning opportunities to prepare children well for key stage 1.

Pupils with SEND are not having their needs accurately identified and met.

Pupils' targets are not specific enough for pupils to make the precise steps of progress they need in order to achieve well. Some pupils are placed in smaller groups with support staff. These pupils are not accessing the full curriculum because they can choose whether they want to complete their work or not.

Expectations of how well pupils with SEND achieve are too low. Staff working with these pupils have not been trained well enough to be able to support pupils effectively to ensure that they can be successful.

The behaviour of pupils around school is not good.

Too many pupils report incidents of discriminatory, homophobic and sexualised language being used. Leaders are aware of some of this behaviour, but do not have an accurate picture of how widespread it is. The curriculum content is not addressing these issues or enabling pupils to have an understanding of protected characteristics or respectful relationships.

Pupils enjoy the range of clubs and trips that leaders have planned. Visitors are invited in to inspire pupils. These include sporting role models, such as a successful Paralympian.

Pupils are keen to take on responsibilities, but this is not open to all pupils due to their conduct in school. Most older pupils know that they need to be positive role models. Pupils value fairness and want school rules to be more consistent.

Trust leaders have worked with leaders over an extended period and have undertaken some recent leadership changes. This is starting to have an impact, but actions taken have been too slow to address the significant weaknesses identified. Trust leaders have an overly positive view of the standards across the school.

They have not been rigorous enough in their appraisal of the curriculum, standards of behaviour or safeguarding. As a result, leaders are not providing an adequate standard of education for the pupils.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective.

Leaders are not keeping pupils physically or emotionally safe in school. Serious incidents are not always followed up with suitable, timely actions. Leaders do not have adequate systems in place to check that the agreed actions have happened or that support is having an impact.

Staff have received training and know how to record concerns. However, systems do not clearly show who takes responsibility for following up any concerns raised. Assumptions have been made that someone is dealing with an issue and consequently, concerns have not been addressed.

Pre-employment checks are in place for staff who work with pupils.

Trustees have not acted swiftly enough to address the weaknesses in the safeguarding arrangements.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Appropriate safeguarding processes are not in place.

Consequently, not all concerns are followed up appropriately. Leaders must ensure that there is a robust and rigorous system for checking that incidents are followed up and necessary referrals are made in the appropriate way. Leaders must ensure that all staff are trained so they understand their safeguarding responsibilities.

• The curriculum has not been well thought through to ensure that pupils from early years to Year 6 are ready for the next stage of their learning. As a result, pupils do not know and remember more over time. Leaders must fully review the curriculum and act on their findings to ensure it clearly sets out the expectations for each year group.

Leaders must ensure that all staff are trained to implement the curriculum as leaders intend. ? The reading curriculum is inconsistently planned and delivered. As a result, too many pupils across the school cannot read well enough.

Leaders must develop and implement a reading curriculum that builds from early years to ensure that pupils are ready for key stage 2. Leaders must then ensure that all staff working with pupils at an early stage of reading have the expertise to best support them. Leaders must monitor the new reading curriculum to check that it is having the impact leaders intend.

• A significant number of pupils with SEND are not having their needs identified or being given targets that are specific enough. Leaders must make sure that staff are trained to correctly identify pupils with SEND and then are able to carry out the review process. Leaders must then monitor the provision for pupils with SEND to ensure that pupils achieve well.

• The behaviour policy is not being applied consistently. Over time, learning is being disrupted by pupils displaying challenging, disruptive and abusive behaviours. Leaders must implement and monitor a behaviour management approach that is clear and understood by pupils and staff.

Leaders must ensure that staff have appropriate training to be able to consistently implement the approach to improve pupils' behaviour. ? The current curriculum content is not teaching pupils to understand mutual respect and tolerance. Therefore, derogatory language is being commonly used by pupils.

Leaders must revise and monitor the personal, social and health education (PSHE) curriculum to ensure that pupils are taught about and understand differences. Leaders must ensure that all staff are trained to understand that a culture allowing homophobic and sexualised behaviour is not acceptable. Improvements to the curriculum and behaviour have not been rapid enough.

Consequently, pupils are not receiving an adequate quality of education. Additional capacity in leadership must urgently be sought to bring about the necessary improvements to effect immediate change across the school.Having considered the evidence, I strongly recommend that leaders and those responsible for governance do not seek to appoint early career teachers.