Burnt Oak Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Improve teaching, learning and assessment so that pupils make good progress, by:
  • eradicating inconsistencies in the quality of teaching, learning and assessment
  • setting high expectations for pupils’ outcomes
  • ensuring that learning is sufficiently challenging for all pupils
  • ensuring that pupils are given regular opportunities to use and apply their reading, writing and mathematics skills across the curriculum
  • ensuring that pupils’ work is consistently neat and is consistently well presented.
• Improve leadership and management by ensuring leaders and governors:
  • set high expectations for pupils’ achievement
  • ensure that leaders’ monitoring is accurate
  • develop robust, targeted plans to secure improvements.
• Improve the behaviour of pupils, by:
  • ensuring that pupils develop consistently positive attitudes to their learning
  • ensuring that pupils work with concentration and strive to achieve their best.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management

Requires improvement

• Leaders do not have an accurate understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses. Although leaders have routinely undertaken checks on the quality of teaching, learning and assessment, they have been too generous in their evaluation of the school’s effectiveness.
• Leaders have not set high-enough expectations for staff and pupils. As a result, they have not held teachers to account for pupils’ outcomes with sufficient rigour and the quality of teaching, learning and assessment is too variable.
• Leaders have accurately identified some weaknesses in the school’s performance and have taken some steps to tackle these. Leaders’ plans for improvement, however, are not clear and precise enough to secure the improvements needed.
• Middle leaders have taken some actions to improve standards in reading, writing and mathematics across the school, implementing strategies to enhance pupils’ learning and progress. They have not, however, monitored effectively enough the impact of their actions on outcomes for pupils.
• The special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) knows individual pupils very well and makes effective use of assessment to ensure that appropriate support is in place. This promotes and develops pupils’ social and emotional health and well-being. He has not, however, established an accurate evaluation of the progress of pupils who have special educational needs (SEN) and/or disabilities across the curriculum, to ensure that they are making enough progress.
• Leaders have recently introduced a new curriculum that is designed to excite pupils’ interests and promote their learning in a wide range of subjects. These changes, however, have not been embedded in practice. As a result, standards across the curriculum are not high enough and the progress that pupils make is sometimes limited.
• Leaders have ensured that the physical education (PE) and sport premium is being spent effectively. As a result, the provision for PE is strong and pupils’ participation in sports has increased.
• Leaders have developed a wide range of opportunities to promote pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development and to develop their understanding of fundamental British values. Pupils are given opportunities to take on responsibilities in school and to celebrate one another’s differences. They learn about the beliefs of the main world religions and are given opportunities to reflect on their own beliefs. For example, when learning about the life of Mother Teresa one pupil said that her life teaches us ‘to be kind to one another’.
• Most parents are very positive about the school and say that their children feel safe and happy coming to school. One parent said that their child ‘loves’ school and that they ‘run in when they arrive’. Many parents and carers value the support and care the school provides for their children. They feel that any concerns that they have are dealt with quickly and appropriately by school leaders.

Governance of the school

• Although governors undertake regular visits to the school to check on the impact of leaders’ work, they have not established an accurate enough understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses. As a result, governors’ views on the school’s performance are too positive.
• While governors routinely ask leaders questions to clarify the information that they are given, they do not ask enough challenging questions to hold leaders to account. As a result, the quality of teaching and learning, and pupils’ outcomes across the school, are not improving quickly enough.
• Governors have not monitored the spending of pupil premium funding robustly enough. Consequently, governors have not ensured that this additional funding is being used effectively to meet the needs of disadvantaged pupils.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Leaders have created a very strong culture of safeguarding in the school. They work conscientiously and with tenacity to ensure that pupils’ welfare needs remain a priority at all times. They provide a wide variety of strategies to support vulnerable pupils and their families. As a result, pupils are kept safe and are well supported.
• Leaders ensure that all adults working in school have thorough induction and training in the school’s policies and procedures for safeguarding. As a result, all adults have a very good understanding of their responsibilities, are vigilant and know what to do if they have a concern.
• Leaders have established robust policies and procedures for the recruitment of new staff to ensure that pupils are kept safe.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

• There is too much inconsistency in the quality of teaching across the school. While some teaching is effective in supporting pupils to make good progress, too much teaching still requires improvement.
• Some teachers’ expectations of what pupils can achieve are too low. Too often, teaching does not support pupils to build on what they already know. Teachers set tasks that are too easy and do not challenge pupils sufficiently. Sometimes pupils are given work that they have previously demonstrated they can already do. As a result, learning is not moved on quickly enough.
• The accuracy of teachers’ assessments across the school are variable. While some teachers make effective use of their accurate assessments to plan pupils’ learning, some assessments of pupils’ attainment are inaccurate and too generous. As a result, pupils’ misconceptions are not being addressed quickly enough to ensure that pupils make the progress of which they are capable.
• Some teachers do not routinely address the basic errors that pupils make in spelling, punctuation and grammar. As a result, pupils continue to make the same, or similar, mistakes over time, and this limits their progress.
• During lessons, some pupils lack concentration and are not focused on their learning, showing little interest in their tasks. While this does not disrupt the learning of others, at these times pupils make limited progress and do not achieve the standards of which they are capable.
• Where teaching is stronger, teachers make effective use of questioning and give clear explanations and guidance to pupils to support them in their learning. Pupils respond well to the higher expectations and greater challenge that this presents. They are positive about their learning and are committed to working hard. As a result, these pupils move on more quickly in their learning.
• Pupils are not provided with enough opportunities to use and apply their skills in English and mathematics through extended writing, problem-solving and, in particular, mathematical reasoning. As a result, pupils do not sufficiently deepen and extend their understanding.
• Teachers’ expectations of the presentation of pupils’ work are too low, and they do not do enough to encourage pupils to present their work neatly. Consequently, pupils do not take pride in their work and it is very untidy. This was an area for improvement in the last inspection report and it has not been addressed rigorously enough.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good. Leaders have ensured that the mental health of pupils is a high priority in the school. They make effective use of assessment to monitor pupils’ social and emotional well-being and offer a wide range of provision to support pupils. As a result, pupils’ personal development and welfare are promoted very well.
• Leaders have created a range of opportunities for pupils to take on roles of responsibility in the school, for example as house captains and peer mentors. Pupils take these roles very seriously and are proud of the responsibility this gives them.
• Through the curriculum, pupils are taught how to keep themselves safe in a variety of situations. As a result, pupils have developed a good understanding, for example, of how to keep themselves safe when online.
• Pupils spoken to feel safe in school and have no concerns about bullying. They are listened to and feel well supported by the adults in school if they have any worries or concerns.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils requires improvement. Pupils do not have consistently positive attitudes to their learning. During lessons, too many pupils lose focus and become disengaged from their learning. While this does not disrupt the learning of others, some pupils have not developed a desire to learn and are not committed to doing their best. Furthermore, some pupils do not take pride in the standard of their work, which is often poorly presented and untidy.
• At other times of the day, pupils conduct themselves very well around the school, for example during assembly and in the dining hall.
• At breaktimes and lunchtimes, pupils of all ages play together harmoniously. They are able to regulate their own behaviour well when playing games and during interactions with one another, requiring little support from adults.
• Leaders have established robust, consistent policies and procedures for behaviour management. As a result, adults are effective in managing challenging behaviour and they provide effective support for pupils. Consequently, the number of serious behaviour incidents is reducing.
• Leaders have taken effective action to address levels of absence across the school and, as a result, attendance is improving.

Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

• Improvements in outcomes for pupils have not been sustained since the last inspection. For the last three years, the progress that pupils have made by the end of key stage 2 has been in the bottom 10% of schools nationally for reading, and in the bottom 20% for mathematics. As a result, the proportion of pupils attaining the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics has also been significantly below the national average.
• The progress of pupils currently in the school is variable. While some pupils make good progress in reading, writing and mathematics, the progress that some pupils make is weak. As a result, some pupils do not reach the standards of which they are capable.
• The proportions of pupils achieving the expected standards in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of key stage 1 have been above the national averages for the past two years.
• As a result of the effective teaching of phonics, pupils make good progress in developing their knowledge of letters and the sounds they represent. Pupils use this knowledge well in their work to read and write unfamiliar words. Consequently, the proportion of pupils who reach the expected standard in the Year 1 phonics screening check has been increasing over the past three years. In 2017, it was above the national average.
• As a result of the school’s effective strategies to support pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities, some in this group make good progress in their learning and their social and emotional development. Progress is, however, variable and some pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities do not make as much progress as they could.
• While the attainment and progress of disadvantaged pupils are improving, some disadvantaged pupils, currently in the school, are still not making sufficient progress to be able to catch up with where they should be.
• As a result of teachers’ low expectations, insufficient progress and inconsistencies in the quality of teaching, learning and assessment, too few pupils are working at the higher standards.
• The school’s new curriculum is not yet embedded in practice. As a result, pupils are not making enough progress in their knowledge and understanding in subjects other than reading, writing and mathematics.

Early years provision Good

• As a result of strong leadership and good teaching, the proportion of children who achieve a good level of development, by the end of early years, has improved over the last three years. In 2017, the proportion was above the national average.
• The early years leader has a clear understanding of the strengths and weaknesses in the provision and has taken action to secure improvements in the outcomes for all children, including those who are disadvantaged. She leads with passion and enthusiasm, providing strong leadership and a clear vision for further development of the setting.
• Teachers make effective use of assessment and know the children very well. They use this knowledge to plan stimulating learning opportunities that interest and challenge children. As a result, children are enthusiastic about their learning and work with perseverance and resilience while developing their key skills.
• Adults have established positive, nurturing relationships with the children that support their learning and well-being very effectively. As a result, children are safe and happy, form strong friendships and settle quickly into the provision.
• Adults engage in purposeful dialogue with children to ascertain their understanding. They ask questions that extend and deepen children’s learning and promote the rich use of language. As a result, children currently in Reception Year are making good progress from their very low starting points.
• At times, the learning of children in the Nursery Year is not planned well enough to meet the needs of all children. Consequently, some children in this year group do not make as much progress as they could.
• Rules and routines are well established and children know these well. Children work and play together very well, sharing equipment and taking turns. As a result, the early years setting is an orderly and purposeful environment.
• Leaders have established effective communication with parents and ensure that they have regular opportunities to contribute to the assessment of their children’s learning.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 131527 Medway 10046129 This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. Type of school Primary School category Age range of pupils Gender of pupils Community 3 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 470 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Headteacher Telephone number Website Email address Mr Paul Clarke Mrs Heidi Barton 01634 334344 www.burntoak.medway.sch.uk headteacher@burntoak.medway.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 17–18 March 2015

Information about this school

• Burnt Oak Primary School is larger than the average-sized primary school.
• The early years incorporates a Nursery for three- and four-year-old children, and a Reception class for four- and five-year-old children.
• The proportion of disadvantaged pupils is significantly above the national average.
• The proportion of pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities is significantly above the national average.
• The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is below the national average.
• The school provides a breakfast club and after-school club on its site.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors observed pupils learning in all year groups and classes across a range of subjects. Some sessions were observed jointly with senior leaders in the school. Inspectors looked at the quality of pupils’ work during lessons and through a focused analysis of their work in books.
• Inspectors held meetings with senior leaders, middle leaders, designated safeguarding leads, staff, governors and a representative from the local authority.
• A wide range of documentation was reviewed, including information available on the school’s website and records relating to pupils’ attainment, progress, attendance and behaviour. Information on governance, including minutes of the governing body’s meetings, was examined. The school’s self-evaluation summary, school development plan and supporting evidence were scrutinised.
• Inspectors spoke with parents and considered 16 responses to Parent View, Ofsted’s online parent survey, including 10 free-text comments.
• Inspectors took into account the views of 33 staff who completed Ofsted’s online survey.
• Inspectors took into account the views of 13 pupils who completed Ofsted’s online survey.
• Inspectors listened to pupils read and spoke with pupils in lessons and around the school. They also met formally with groups of pupils.
• Pupils’ behaviour was observed during lessons, assembly, around the school, in breakfast club, and during breaktimes and lunchtimes.
• Inspectors reviewed safeguarding records and the single central record of recruitment and background checks.

Inspection team

Leah Goulding, lead inspector Timothy Rome Teresa Davies

Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector