Burnley Brunshaw Primary School

About Burnley Brunshaw Primary School

Burnley Brunshaw Primary School was rated Good in its most recent Ofsted inspection in 2022, a significant improvement from its previous Requires Improvement rating in 2019. The school earned Good marks across every category inspected, including quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management. When it comes to academic outcomes, the most telling metric is the proportion of pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, which stands at 40%. That is well below the Lancashire local authority average of 60%, placing the school 23rd out of 28 primary schools in the Burnley area and in the bottom 50% nationally. In reading, 62% of pupils met the expected standard, with an average score of 101, while in writing the same proportion achieved the expected level. Maths was weaker, with only 45% reaching the expected standard and an average score of 99.

The school's performance at the higher standard is notably low. No pupils achieved the higher standard in reading, writing and maths combined, and in individual subjects the figures were 10% for reading, 8% for maths, and 0% for writing. This suggests the school is focused on helping pupils reach a baseline rather than stretching the most able. The school has a high proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals at 40.9%, which is significantly above the national average and may partly explain the lower attainment figures. In its 2022 inspection, Ofsted noted that behaviour and attitudes were Good, and early years provision was also rated Good. The school has capacity for 420 pupils and currently has 401 on roll, so it is running close to full. It is oversubscribed for the 2025/26 academic year, with 92 applications for 47 places and 42 first-preference offers made.

The school offers a range of facilities including an ICT suite, sports hall, playing fields, library and a chapel. Sports on offer include netball, tennis, athletics and swimming, and there are clubs such as chess, choir, coding, book club and art club. The school has a strong SEND provision, supporting pupils with moderate learning difficulties, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech, language and communication needs, autistic spectrum disorder, and other difficulties. This makes it a potentially good fit for families whose children need additional support in a mainstream setting. The nearest outstanding-rated primary school is Burnley Stoneyholme Community Primary School, 2.5 km away, so families prioritising a top Ofsted grade may want to consider that option. For those living close to Brunshaw, the school offers a stable, improving environment with a broad extracurricular programme, though academic results suggest it is still working to raise attainment across the board.

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