Burman Infant School

Overview

Pupils enjoy attending this school in a "welcoming environment" where they feel valued and supported by staff. While the school is "led well" and has made progress since the previous inspection, pupils "do not achieve as well as they need to" due to gaps in their understanding. Consequently, the quality of education and early years provision are judged as requiring improvement, though behaviour and personal development are rated as good.

Strengths

• Pupils follow clear behavioural expectations well, supported by routines and characters like ‘Ruth Resilience’ that help them "approach challenges".
• The teaching of early reading is a strength, with "rising" phonics outcomes and well-matched books that promote a "love of reading".
• The school fosters strong home-school connections through "showcase" sessions and engages pupils in community projects.
• Leaders support staff well-being and workload, while governors "challenge and support the school effectively".
• Pupils develop positive mental health and personal skills through daily "calm me" time and opportunities to explore diverse cultures.

Areas to improve

• Staff must ensure activities focus sufficiently on essential knowledge so pupils can "connect new learning with previous knowledge" and avoid misconceptions.
• The school should support staff to adapt learning "consistently" for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) to help them build secure knowledge.

Safeguarding

The report states that "the arrangements for safeguarding are effective."