Burscough Bridge St John’s Church of England Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Burscough Bridge St John's Church of England Primary School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Children in the early years make a confident start to school life. They are inquisitive and active learners who enjoy exploring in the outdoor wooded area. Children quickly become secure in their environment and themselves.

Older pupils build on these positive beginnings. They feel safe and happy in school. They know who to turn to for support if they have any worries.

Staff listen to pupils and help them to overcome difficulties. Leaders deal swiftly and well with any rare incidents of bullying.

Pupils know how leaders and staff expect... them to behave.

Children in the early years listen attentively to adults' instructions. Older pupils follow the school rules respectfully. This makes the school a calm and orderly place to learn and play.

Leaders are aspirational for all pupils, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils work hard in lessons. They enjoy their learning and are keen to share their knowledge with others, including visitors.

Pupils achieve well.

Pupils care about others. They eagerly take on positions of responsibility.

Pupils who act as 'huff and puff' monitors help younger pupils to have energetic and fun playtimes. Pupils play an active part in supporting each other to keep physically and mentally healthy.

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

Leaders have designed a relevant and ambitious curriculum steeped in the rich heritage of the local area.

In most subjects, curriculums are well established. Leaders have ensured that staff have the expertise and guidance that they need to deliver these curriculums well. Teachers introduce, check and revisit the knowledge that pupils need to know and remember skilfully.

Pupils, including pupils with SEND, spoke with knowledge and enthusiasm about their learning across a broad range of subjects. Pupils' achievement in subjects such as English, mathematics and science prepares them well for the demands of the key stage 3 curriculum.

In a small number of subjects, pupils' knowledge has not built as well over time.

Leaders have carefully considered why pupils have gaps in their learning. They have begun to refine their curriculums in response. These changes are more recent and not fully embedded.

Leaders have not built staff's expertise in delivering newly revised curriculums consistently well. That said, pupils have begun to remember essential knowledge in these subjects better than they did. However, some pupils' recall of their previous learning remains superficial.

Leaders make reading a top priority. They ensure that staff are trained well to teach pupils to read. Staff systematically build pupils' knowledge of letters and the sounds that they make.

They make sure that pupils practise their reading using books that are closely matched to their reading knowledge. This helps pupils to build fluency and confidence. Pupils who find reading difficult receive extra support to help them to keep up.

For example, they read to adults at home and in school regularly. Pupils' strong reading habits continue as they move through the school. By Year 2, pupils apply their reading knowledge accurately to comprehend appropriately demanding texts.

They are well prepared for the reading challenges of key stage 2.

Staff provide positive reading role models. They inspire a love of reading in pupils by skilfully drawing them into well-chosen books.

Staff in the early years deepen children's keen interest in story by exploring far-away settings. They enrich children's vocabulary by introducing ambitious words such as inukshuk. This prepares children well to develop their knowledge of subjects such as geography in key stages 1 and 2.

Leaders ensure that staff, including in the early years, know how to identify pupils' additional needs. Teachers successfully adapt their delivery of the curriculum to support pupils with SEND. These pupils fully access the curriculum alongside their classmates.

Pupils are attentive in lessons. They are well motivated to achieve the wide range of rewards on offer such as the highly prized green slips. Pupils' positive attitudes allow them and others to get on with their learning without distraction.

Leaders and staff place a strong focus on pupils' wider development. Pupils understand what it means to have healthy relationships, both online and in person. They are highly respectful when talking about sensitive issues such as disability.

Staff actively promote pupils' physical and emotional health and well-being. Pupils are well prepared for their future lives.

Governors are proud to serve the school community.

They bring a wide range of skills and expertise and high levels of commitment to their role. Staff feel valued by leaders. They appreciate that leaders do all that they can to make their workloads manageable.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders make sure that staff know how to keep pupils safe. Staff are vigilant.

They pass on any worries that they may have about a pupil's welfare quickly. Leaders follow these concerns up thoroughly. They work effectively with external agencies when needed.

Staff also know how to identify pupils who may need help with their mental or emotional health. Leaders put effective pastoral support in place quickly.

Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe online.

They are taught to consider risks carefully. These include potential risks in the local area, including those associated with roads, canals and railways.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Leaders have only recently clarified what they want pupils to learn in a small number of subjects.

Pupils have gaps in their knowledge in these subjects. Leaders should ensure that staff have the expertise to deliver newly revised curriculums consistently well and that these curriculums are implemented fully.

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 first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in June 2017.