Burscough Bridge Methodist School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Burscough Bridge Methodist School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

This is a warm, welcoming and happy school that pupils enjoy attending. Pupils said that the school community is like a family. They explained that they like coming to school because they have lots of friends.

Pupils are confident that staff will look after them well. As a result, they feel safe in school.

Leaders have organised an ambitious curriculum for all pupils, including those pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

Pupils achieve well.

Staff have high expectations for pupils' behaviour. Pupils respond well.

The...y routinely behave well in class and when playing outside. Pupils said that bullying is rare but that adults will sort things out quickly if bullying does happen.

Pupils appreciate the opportunities that they have to hold responsibilities, such as being school councillors and librarians.

They enjoy the trips that leaders organise to support their learning, such as visiting museums to support their learning in history.

Pupils are proud of the work they do to support charities, such as a local foodbank. They also value the variety of lunchtime and after-school clubs, such as sport, puzzle and dance clubs.

Parents and carers are highly positive about the staff and the support that their children receive.

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

Leaders have organised an interesting and broad curriculum for pupils, including children in the early years. Pupils achieve well and leave the school well prepared for the next stage of their education.

Leaders, including knowledgeable governors, have an accurate view of what the school does well and those aspects that would benefit from further development.

Teachers have benefited from a range of relevant training. As a result, in most subjects, staff have strong subject knowledge.

They present information to pupils clearly and routinely revisit previous learning. Teachers carefully check on pupils' progress. In most subjects, staff have an accurate view of how well pupils are learning the intended curriculum.

Teachers use this information to identify any errors and resolve pupils' misconceptions.

Leaders have thought carefully about what they want pupils to learn and remember. In most subjects, they have thoughtfully organised the order that pupils will learn this important knowledge.

As a result, they provide pupils, including children in the early years, with learning that builds on what they already know. However, in a small number of subjects, leaders have not considered carefully enough how to order some aspects of learning. This prevents some pupils from making connections with what they have learned previously.

It hinders their progress through the curriculum in these subjects.

Leaders have prioritised the development of the early reading curriculum. They have ensured that there is a consistent and well-structured approach to teaching phonics.

From the moment that children arrive in early years, they begin to learn letters and sounds. They are supported by well-trained staff. Pupils read books that are matched well to the sounds that they are learning.

This helps them to develop their fluency and confidence in reading.

Teachers routinely check how well pupils are doing with their reading. Those pupils who struggle to read are identified quickly and provided with additional support.

This helps them to catch up. Pupils enjoy reading. They said that they enjoy the texts that their teachers choose to read with them.

These texts inspire their interests and spark their imagination. Pupils also enjoy accessing books from their school library and local village library.

Pupils with SEND are identified quickly.

Leaders ensure that appropriate support is put in place to help pupils with their learning. When necessary, leaders work closely with other agencies and parents. This enables pupils with SEND to access the same curriculum as their peers and benefit from the after-school offer.

Leaders provide a range of activities to promote pupils' personal development. Pupils regularly support a range of good causes. They know what equality and democracy mean and understand why they are so important.

Pupils value learning about other faiths and cultures.

Children settle in quickly in the early years. Across the school, pupils respond well to the positive culture that leaders and staff have created.

Pupils engage respectfully with each other around school. As a result, the school is calm and orderly. Pupils enjoy receiving house points and the weekly merit award provided for positive behaviour or academic achievements.

Members of the governing body fulfil their roles diligently. They provide an appropriate level of challenge and support for leaders. Staff feel that they are supported well by leaders.

They appreciate the care that leaders take to support their well-being and workload.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

There are strong procedures for keeping pupils safe.

Leaders ensure that all staff are appropriately trained to identify potential safeguarding concerns. As a result, adults are vigilant and know what to do if they have a concern about a pupil's well-being. When necessary, leaders work effectively with a range of agencies to support vulnerable pupils and their families.

Through the curriculum, pupils learn about how to keep themselves safe online and when using social media. Pupils learn how to stay safe when cycling on the roads. They also benefit from visits by representatives of the local police and fire services, who explain how pupils can look after themselves out of school.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In a small number of subjects, leaders have not ensured that the curriculum is sufficiently well organised. This means that pupils struggle to make connections with previous learning and build on what they already know. In these subjects, leaders should ensure that teachers are clear about the order in which knowledge should be taught, so that pupils can progress well through the curriculum.

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

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the section 8 inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the section 8 inspection as a section 5 inspection immediately.

This is the second section 8 inspection since we judged the school to be good in December 2011.

Also at this postcode