Burradon Community Primary School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 2 June 2026

Pupils at this school feel part of a close-knit, caring community where staff know and value every individual. The school’s values of care and respect are evident in daily routines and relationships. Staff greet pupils warmly each morning and take time to check on their wellbeing. This creates a safe and welcoming environment. Parents and carers appreciate the levels of care shown not only to their children but also to themselves. Pupils take pride in contributing to school life through initiatives such as the eco club who reduce the amount of food waste. Most pupils attend regularly and many have high attendance which reflects how much pupils value their time in school. Behaviour is calm and respectful. Bullying is rare. When it occurs is dealt with swiftly and effectively. Pupils feel safe because staff respond quickly and effectively to any concerns. Staff help pupils to manage their emotions. This ensures that those facing trauma or disadvantage receive support to be ready for learning. Pupils enjoy the rich opportunities to explore the wider world. They build resilience through residential visit activities such as caving and kayaking. There is an extensive range of support for mental health, including strategies to prepare pupils well for life in modern Britain. Leaders acknowledge that published outcomes at the end of key stage 2 must improve because some pupils are not as prepared as they could be for secondary school. Leaders are addressing this by implementing changes to the curriculum and teaching approaches to English and mathematics. Pupils enjoy learning. Those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities learn successfully alongside their peers. In the early years, children engage in activities that prepare them well for Year 1. Published outcomes for phonics and the multiplication check ensure that pupils gain secure knowledge in early reading and number facts.

What the school should improve

• Leaders need to continue their work to embed recent curriculum improvements to ensure pupils gain the knowledge and skills they need so that all pupils are ready for the next stage of their education.
• Leaders should ensure that teaching consistently identifies errors and misconceptions and provides feedback to support pupils to swiftly close gaps in knowledge, particularly in grammar, spelling and handwriting.
• Leaders, including governors, should build on recent improvements by checking the impact of their work so that improvements are sustained and continue to improve pupils’ outcomes.

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