Burton Agnes Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 13 January 2026

Pupils enjoy coming to this small, rural school. They feel that they belong to a large family. The positive relationships that pupils have with their teachers help them to feel safe and cared for. When pupils have concerns or worries, they share these openly and confidently with their teachers. All staff care deeply for the wellbeing of their pupils. At the start of the school day, staff greet pupils with a smile to ensure that the day starts positively. Burton Agnes is an inclusive school, where all pupils are welcomed and valued. The school ensures that the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities are prioritised. Teachers have high expectations of what all pupils can achieve. However, in some subjects, teachers do not use assessments sharply enough to understand what pupils already know and to decide on what to teach. As a result, pupils are sometimes overwhelmed with the amount of new information presented to them. This leads to gaps in their knowledge. Typically, pupils’ behaviour is calm and settled. Bullying is rare but when it happens teachers deal with it. Pupils have positive attitudes to their learning and take pride in their work. Pupils’ work shows that they are beginning to achieve well. However, by the time pupils leave the school, the attainment of pupils in some areas is generally not as high as other pupils nationally. Pupils are keen to learn about the world beyond Burton Agnes. Annual multi-faith events help to broaden pupils’ appreciation of different faiths. Educational visits in the locality and beyond ensure that pupils appreciate the wider world. Visits to the pantomime and the end of year picnic unite the school community. Older pupils speak eagerly of their recent visit to a museum and of their excitement about the upcoming residential trip. Pupils enjoy their many leadership roles, such as being house captains or school councillors. They recognise the important contributions they make to the life of the school.

What the school should improve

• Leaders should ensure that all teachers use assessment information effectively to inform teaching so that pupils are appropriately challenged in their work and not overwhelmed with the quantity of new learning that staff introduce. • Leaders should ensure that in Year 6 pupils attain well at both the expected standard and higher standard in reading, writing and mathematics.

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