Burton-upon-Stather Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Burton-upon-Stather Primary School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy learning at this school. They eagerly talk about the things they enjoy doing at school.

Pupils attend school regularly. They are engaged, and most behave well in their lessons. Pupils are proud to represent their school in leadership roles, such as anti-bullying ambassadors, the sports committee and head gardeners.

Pupils are kind to one another. Bullying is rare. Pupils feel confident that if they have a problem, staff will support them well.

There is a range of clubs, which pupils enjoy attending after school. This includes the globetrotters club... and ultimate frisbee club.

Overall, the school is ambitious for its pupils.

Staff encourage pupils to work hard in their lessons. Leaders of individual subjects are knowledgeable. Pupils experience a wide range of important subject concepts in lessons.

However, for some pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), the curriculum is less successful. As a result, their progress is not rapid enough in all lessons.

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

The school has created a broad and ambitious curriculum.

This is underpinned by the school vision of 'where every child can shine'. However, this vision is not realised for all pupils. The school ensures that there are clearly identified targets for pupils with SEND, including those with an education, health and care plan.

However, in some reading and mathematics lessons, staff do not make sure that learning activities are matched accurately to pupils' individual needs. This slows the progress these pupils make.

Reading is a priority.

Staff have benefited from extensive training. They confidently teach pupils to read. Pupils are taught phonics using a carefully sequenced programme.

This begins as soon as children start in Reception. Pupils read books that help to strengthen their knowledge of the sounds they are learning. Staff identify any pupils who need further help with reading quickly and provide support for them to catch up.

Leaders have carefully chosen the books and stories they use to teach pupils how to read. This gives pupils exposure to a wide variety of texts and develops their love of reading.

The school has redeveloped the mathematics curriculum across the school.

Children in Reception have a daily mathematics lesson. Staff then integrate this learning into the learning environment to help them apply and embed their knowledge. Across the school, pupils revisit prior learning at the start of every lesson to aid their fluency.

This helps pupils to remember important mathematical concepts. Staff provide regular opportunities for pupils to use their knowledge to solve mathematical problems.

The school has developed a personal development curriculum that helps pupils to become well-rounded, knowledgeable citizens.

Pupils learn about different types of relationships and how to keep themselves healthy and safe, including around water. They learn about different beliefs and religions. The school teaches pupils to value difference and understand the importance of treating others equally.

Pupils demonstrate a good understanding of the fundamental British values, such as democracy, rule of law and tolerance.

Most pupils have positive attitudes to their learning. However, the expectations leaders have for how pupils present their work are not always met.

Pupils generally behave well in lessons. The school provides additional support for those pupils who need extra help and guidance with their behaviour. Staff help these pupils to make the right choices, including at social times.

At these times, the behaviour of some pupils does not consistently meet the school's high expectations of how pupils should play with one another.

Staff are proud to work at the school. Leaders are very mindful of their professional development and personal well-being.

Parents and carers are supportive of the school.Governors provide strong support and challenge for leaders. Leaders, including governors, have an accurate view of the school's strengths.

They are clear about the areas to focus on to make it even better.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The school does not ensure that pupils with SEND have the resources they need to access all areas of the curriculum.

This means that some pupils with SEND do not make sufficient progress over time. The school should support all staff to design learning activities that meet the individual needs of pupils in all subjects. ? In some lessons, and at social times, some pupils do not demonstrate positive behaviour and attitudes to learning.

Staff do not apply the school's high expectations for pupils' behaviour consistently in all classes. The school should ensure that all staff are clear on the agreed expectations for behaviour and presentation of work and that the expected standards are applied consistently well.

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 December 2013.

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