Bursar Primary Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Bursar Primary Academy continues to be a good school.

The headteacher of this school is Kate Morgan. This school is part of the Humber Education Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school.

The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Rachel Wilkes, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Graeme Brook.

What is it like to attend this school?

There is a real sense of caring for one another at Bursar Primary Academy. Older pupils relish the opportunity to look after their younger friends.

Younger pupils look up to their older friends as role models. Pupils are very accepting of each other. Those who have re...cently joined the school say that they have been made to feel very welcome.

Pupils often use the phrase, 'We treat others as we would want to be treated.'

Pupils enjoy warm, positive relationships with adults. They are confident to share any worries that they may have and know that adults will sort these out.

As a result, pupils feel safe, and they are safe. This adds to the kind and respectful community at the school.

Leaders have high expectations of what pupils can achieve academically.

These expectations are equally high for pupils' behaviour. Pupils understand the system in place to encourage positive behaviours. They feel that this is fair.

Pupils value the end-of-term rewards and treats that they earn. Staff teach pupils how to manage their own feelings and behaviours. Lessons are calm and purposeful.

Pupils respond quickly to teachers' instructions. Pupils play well together at social times.

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

The school recognises the importance of promoting a love of reading.

From the beginning of their time in early years, children enjoy being read to by adults. Pupils talk enthusiastically about the stories that they hear. They explain why learning to read is so important.

Pupils have ample opportunities to read throughout the school day. They can choose from a wide range of texts. Staff receive ongoing training to ensure that they deliver the school's chosen phonics programme and phonics teaching approach well.

The new headteacher has strengthened the leadership team. Supported by the trust, leaders' decisive actions have ensured a positive impact on the further development of the curriculum. Staff have worked together to redevelop the content.

Across a range of subjects, the crucial knowledge that leaders want pupils to learn is carefully broken down into smaller steps. Pupils have the opportunity to revisit learning regularly. This helps them to remember more over time.

Leaders have considered the important vocabulary that they want pupils to learn. Teachers introduce and demonstrate this well. In most foundation curriculum subjects, leaders have made deliberate choices in the subject content and the knowledge that they want pupils to learn.

For example, in art, leaders have identified the artists that pupils will study and the art techniques that pupils will learn. However, the delivery of the planned curriculum is not as consistent as it could be in some subject areas. The school's system for leaders to monitor all curriculum subjects is not fully established.

Teachers, with the support of the special educational needs coordinator, have made effective adaptations to learning opportunities in the classroom. This enables pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities to learn alongside their peers. The school works successfully with other professionals to provide extra support when needed.

Children in the early years have settled into school life well. They follow clear routines and access a welcoming learning environment independently. Parents of children in the early years are highly complimentary about the support that their children receive.

The school has developed the curriculum for Reception to prepare children well for learning in Year 1. However, the intended learning for children in Nursery is less clear. The school has not carefully ordered and set out the knowledge that it wants children to learn, step by step, by the time they leave Nursery.

Pupils enjoy attending a wide range of clubs on offer. In addition, they take on pupil leadership roles and responsibilities within school. Pupils recognise the importance of having a pupil voice through the school council.

They are positive about the changes that they have made.

Through the wider curriculum, there is a focus on developing the knowledge that pupils need to keep themselves safe. Pupils talk about how to keep themselves safe on the roads, at the beach and when online.

Pupils also learn about a range of world faiths, such as Christianity, Hinduism and Islam. The curriculum helps them to develop an understanding of equality and diversity. Pupils are adamant that no one would experience discrimination at their school.

The trust board has clear oversight of the strengths and areas to develop within the school. The trust board and local governors have procedures in place to ensure that the school's actions are appropriately challenged and supported. Staff are proud to work at Bursar Primary Academy.

They value, and benefit from, the support and professional development available through leaders at the school and those within the academy trust.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The monitoring of the planned curriculum is currently not fully established across all curriculum subjects.

Delivery of the planned curriculum is not as effective or consistent as it could be in all subject areas. The school should ensure that leaders monitor the delivery of the curriculum across all curriculum subjects to ensure that it is as consistent as leaders have planned. ? In early years, the intended knowledge that the school wants children to learn by the time they leave Nursery is not clearly identified.

Leaders and staff do not specifically identify what children should learn, and by when, or how to prepare them for the Reception class. The school should clearly identify the exact knowledge that it wants children to learn as part of the Nursery curriculum and ensure that it prepares children well for Reception.

Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good.

This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act.

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in June 2014.