Burnley High School

Overview

Burnley High School is described as a place where pupils feel "valued and looked after," with "exemplary" behaviour and a culture of safety. While overall attainment in national tests is below average, the report highlights that pupils make "clear gains" from low starting points and are "well prepared" for their next stages.

Strengths

• Attendance and behaviour are rated at a "Strong standard," with pupils displaying "unwavering respect" and "notable maturity."
• Pupils with special educational needs and disadvantaged pupils benefit from an "extremely high level of care and support."
• Leaders have secured "stable staffing" and an "ambitious" curriculum, leading to more secure learning than in the past.
• There are "warm relationships" between staff and pupils, fostering a sense of belonging and safety.
• Disadvantaged pupils achieve broadly in line with national averages at key stage 4, closing the gap effectively.

Areas to improve

• Leaders should improve systems for monitoring the impact of additional support in literacy and numeracy to address learning barriers more effectively.
• Staff should use information about gaps in pupils’ knowledge more accurately to correct misconceptions quickly.
• Leaders should use tracking data more effectively to widen participation in enrichment opportunities for vulnerable pupils.
• Leaders should ensure older pupils build sufficient depth of understanding in the personal, social, health and economic education curriculum.

Safeguarding

The safeguarding standards are met, with an "open culture" where concerns are "actively identified, acted upon and managed," ensuring pupils are made safer and feel safe.