Burnside Primary School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 14 February 2023

Friendly, happy pupils typify Burnside Primary. Pupils show respect for their friends and their teachers. Relationships are warm and trusting. Good manners and courtesy are commonplace. Teachers expect great things from pupils. Pupils expect great things from themselves and each other. They strive to succeed. Pupils' behaviour is good. They aim to achieve the 'golden ticket' as reward for their hard work and good behaviour. Pupils trust their teachers to sort out behaviour issues, including bullying. They know that if they speak out about any injustice or unfairness in school, adults will take them seriously. Pupils learn that even a small change can make a difference. Pupils appreciate the range of enrichment activities and resources. These include the first- aid hut, the reading cabin, the wildlife area and outdoor learning hut. Pupils are caring and outward looking. They choose three charities to support each year. There is a strong focus on developing pupils' good mental health and emotional well-being. For example, pupils can use the 'wellness room' to chat to the mental health leader if needed. They enjoy making pledges, which are displayed on the 'promise tree'. They learn how to recognise, and communicate, their emotions.

What the school should improve

• In some foundation subjects, leaders have not clearly identified the essential knowledge that pupils need to know and remember. The main ideas that link substantive knowledge together in these subjects lack clarity. This means that pupils find it tricky to make connections in their learning and teachers cannot accurately assess what pupils know. Leaders should ensure that teachers identify the exact knowledge that they want pupils to learn and that teachers use this to teach pupils and assess their learning.

Read the full Ofsted report (opens in a new tab)