Burscough Lordsgate Township Church of England Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Burscough Lordsgate Township Church of England Primary School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils, including children in the early years, thrive at this school. They embrace the high ambition that the school has for their academic achievement. Pupils are well prepared for the demands of secondary school.

They know that staff care for them deeply and want them to succeed. Pupils said that staff encourage them to be themselves while pushing them to be their best.

The school has high expectations for pupils' behaviour.

Pupils are respectful and polite. They value the rewards that they receive for their positive behaviour, for ...example 'star of the week' or a mention in the golden book.

Pupils of all ages are confident and articulate.

They have a deep understanding of equality and they explained that, at this school, everyone is accepted for who they are.

Pupils were unanimous in their view that they can talk to staff about any problems that they may have. Pupils said that staff help them to manage their emotions well.

This helps pupils to feel safe. They are proud ambassadors for their school, and they happily attend each day.

Pupils appreciate the school's support for their mental health.

For instance, they described 'grounding sessions', where they are encouraged to think positively. Pupils said that they learn the importance of loving themselves, loving others and loving the world. They spoke enthusiastically about participating in yoga and meditation.

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

The school is aspirational for all pupils. To this end, staff have designed a high-quality curriculum that is firmly rooted in the school's values. Through the curriculum, the school prepares pupils well for the next stage of their education, while encouraging them to become curious and enthusiastic learners.

Pupils achieve well across a broad range of subjects.

In the main, the school has thought carefully about the knowledge and concepts that it wants pupils to learn, from the early years to Year 6. Staff are passionate that all pupils, including those with special educational needs and or/disabilities (SEND), follow the same ambitious curriculum.

To achieve this vision, the school ensures that the additional needs of pupils with SEND are carefully identified, and that staff are furnished with rich information. This enables staff to successfully adapt the delivery of the curriculum so that pupils with SEND can flourish.

Teachers feel empowered.

This is because the school has invested considerably in enhancing their subject knowledge and leadership skills. Teachers receive appropriate guidance, for example through the knowledge progression documents, about what curriculum content to teach and when this should be taught. For the most part, the curriculum is implemented well.

Teachers are adept at encouraging pupils to deepen their understanding and build on prior learning. For example, skilful questioning and fruitful discussion help pupils to make powerful connections across concepts that they are learning.

Typically, the quality of pupils' work is strong.

They spoke confidently about their current learning, using appropriate subject-specific vocabulary. Pupils are accustomed to revisiting and consolidating what they already know. Teachers use assessment strategies proficiently to identify and address pupils' misconceptions in the moment.

This is highly successful in most instances. However, in a small number of subjects, the school is refining its approaches to assessment to support pupils to embed their knowledge securely in the long term. While pupils have broad knowledge of topics learned over time, some do not demonstrate the same depth of understanding that they do of more recent learning.

A love of reading permeates the school. Children in the early years eagerly anticipate their daily phonics sessions. Staff deliver the phonics programme with considerable expertise, supporting the majority of pupils to keep up with their peers.

As a result, most pupils are well prepared to become confident and fluent readers. This ensures that they have firm foundations on which to embark on future learning.

The school ensures that pupils in key stage 2 have access to high-quality texts.

Across the school, pupils read voraciously. They understand the importance of reading and they learn new vocabulary with fervour. Pupils said that reading opens their minds and their imaginations.

They spoke enthusiastically about the diverse range of authors they have been introduced to, and the exciting discussions about books that they share in class.

Pupils recognise that the school's renewed approach to managing behaviour has had a positive impact. They value learning how to take responsibility for their own behaviour choices.

In lessons, pupils display positive attitudes towards their learning. They understand that their teachers want the best for them. This, together with teachers' passion and expertise, helps most pupils to become fully immersed in the curriculum.

Attendance is a high priority across the whole school community. Most pupils attend school regularly. The school's rigorous analysis, coupled with effective strategies, enables staff to successfully support pupils who do not attend school as often as they should.

Staff are deeply committed to ensuring that pupils benefit from a diverse range of experiences beyond the academic curriculum. For example, the 'Lordsgate passport' ensures that pupils, irrespective of their background or ability, can fully access all that the school has to offer.

Pupils spoke enthusiastically about the wide variety of opportunities available to them, such as school trips, talent shows and choir competitions.

They told the inspector that their wider experiences at school are getting them ready for future life.

Staff are proud to work at the school. They said that leaders, including those responsible for governance, fully consider their workload and well-being when making changes to the curriculum.

Staff were enthusiastic to further develop their leadership roles.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In a small number of foundation subjects, the school's current assessment systems do not enable teachers to check how deeply pupils have secured knowledge over time.

This sometimes hinders pupils from demonstrating a rich body of subject knowledge. As the school refines its approaches to assessment, it should ensure that teachers are fully equipped to support pupils to embed their knowledge fluently in the long term.

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 November 2014.

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