Elizabeth Woodville Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Further improve the quality of teaching and learning and accelerate progress by ensuring that the most able pupils receive appropriately challenging work.
• Develop the role of middle leaders so that they have a clear understanding of the impact of their actions on pupils’ outcomes.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• Since the last inspection, the headteacher has been determined in his drive for improvement. He and senior leaders have developed their vision for the school and have successfully shared this with staff and parents.
• Leaders have developed the curriculum to provide pupils with a wider range of opportunities to enrich their learning. The curriculum builds knowledge and understanding systematically, helping pupils to make connections in their learning. Technology is used well to support learning across the curriculum and to prepare pupils for their future. Large numbers of pupils take advantage of specialist music teaching.
• Leaders have focused on developing the quality of teaching and learning through a programme of coaching and professional development for staff. Professional development is linked to the school’s improvement priorities and pupils’ progress. The headteacher carries out thorough monitoring of the quality of teaching and learning and uses information about pupils’ progress to hold teachers to account.
• Careful monitoring, and the targeted use, of additional funds for the small number of disadvantaged pupils in the school has ensured that these pupils reach at least the expected standard at the end of the early years, key stage 1 and key stage 2.
• Pupils who have special educational needs (SEN) and/or disabilities are supported well across the school. Leaders are quick to seek additional support for these pupils from external agencies when necessary.
• Leaders have been proactive in analysing the progress that pupils make, and have used this information to identify whole-school areas for development. This has led to recent improvements in standards in mathematics and English.
• Staff feel valued and are proud to be part of the school team. Staff work well together to provide pupils with stimulating and purposeful opportunities to develop their learning. Leaders have ensured that pupils’ learning is rooted in real-life experiences to make learning meaningful.
• Leaders are highly effective in providing pupils with a range of sporting activities that promote physical well-being. Specialist coaches work alongside teachers in order to develop the quality of teaching in PE. Pupils participate actively in the PE and games activities provided at lunchtimes.
• Pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain through the varied and stimulating curriculum. Pupils learn about democracy and significant events in history, such as World War II. Pupils have a good understanding of equality and diversity. They know about different types of family structures and different faiths. Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and emotional education is well developed.
• Middle leaders are well supported by the headteacher. However, some leaders do not have a secure grasp of the performance of pupils in their subject, or the impact their actions have on pupils’ progress across the school.

Governance of the school

• Governors are ambitious for the school. They are clear about the recent improvements made in mathematics and English.
• Governors are well informed about the progress of groups of pupils. They understand how funding for pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities and for disadvantaged pupils is spent.
• Monitoring visits are carried out annually to evaluate pupils’ attitudes to learning across the curriculum, including pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural education.
• The designated governor for safeguarding carries out regular checks on the school’s procedures to ensure that pupils are kept safe.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• The designated safeguarding lead (DSL) and deputy DSL have ensured that the school’s procedures for safeguarding are thorough and fit for purpose.
• Staff have a good understanding of how to pass on concerns, and are aware of the signs of abuse. Training in safeguarding pupils is regular and ensures that staff are up to date with recent guidance.
• The DSL has good links with external agencies, and is thorough in following up concerns or referrals made.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• Since the last inspection, pupils have been encouraged to be more independent in their learning. Teachers plan interesting activities with cross-curricular themes that relate to real life and, where possible, recent events, such as the final transmissions from the Cassini space probe. Teachers’ good subject knowledge develops pupils’ learning systematically and builds on pupils’ knowledge.
• Higher-level teaching assistants and teaching assistants are used well to support disadvantaged pupils and pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities. Teachers and leaders monitor carefully the support provided to ensure that it is focused and purposeful. As a result, these groups of pupils make strong progress.
• Pupils develop their English skills across the curriculum. They are encouraged to write purposeful pieces that they can relate to and empathise with. Tasks are linked to the wider curriculum. For example writing accounts of an escape from Pompeii, or writing home as an evacuee.
• Pupils challenge themselves to achieve more due to the encouragement and support that adults give them. Teachers and teaching assistants help pupils to achieve more by prompting and intervening when necessary to provide support or greater challenge. However, sometimes tasks set are not challenging enough to fully extend the learning of the most able pupils.
• Reading books are well matched to pupils’ abilities. As a result, pupils read widely and regularly. Pupils are taught how to retrieve information, and are encouraged to look carefully at texts to infer the author’s meaning. Teachers have high expectations of pupils and all pupils are expected to share and discuss texts together.
• In mathematics, teachers develop pupils’ skills systematically, building on pupils’ prior learning. Teachers focus on pupils acquiring basic skills and then applying these to problem-solving and reasoning. Pupils are expected to work through a range of increasingly difficult problems, and pupils challenge themselves to achieve more. On occasion, the level of challenge is not set carefully enough, and all pupils, regardless of ability, complete the same task. As a result, the most able pupils are not always challenged well enough to make the progress they are capable of.
• The broad curriculum ensures that pupils are provided with a range of opportunities to develop and practise their skills. Pupils’ workbooks show that English skills are developed well across the curriculum, and topic work is used well to develop grammar and handwriting. There are fewer opportunities for pupils to develop their mathematics skills. In some instances, the most able pupils are not being well challenged in the wider curriculum. As a result, pupils are not all given the same opportunities to make as much progress as they could.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Outstanding

Personal development and welfare

• The school's work to promote pupils' personal development and welfare is outstanding.
• Staff encourage pupils to become resilient learners and to be independent when tackling new learning. Pupils understand that they may not get it right first time. On ‘Frustration Fridays’, pupils are encouraged to complete learning tasks without support from adults. This is helping pupils to apply perseverance, resilience and independence, and they are excited to achieve.
• Pupils are taught how to understand their emotions and to recognise how these can impact on their behaviour. The emotional literacy support assistant helps pupils to develop self-calming techniques and mindfulness. Specific help is available for pupils who need extra support because they are dealing with, for example, bereavement, family break-up or anxiety.
• The pupils inspectors met said they feel safe in school. They know they can use the ‘worry box’ if they have a concern and that their concerns will be dealt with. Pupils are aware how to keep themselves safe online, and leaders are proactive in ensuring that parents are kept informed about the potential dangers pupils face outside of school.
• The wide range of extra-curricular and lunchtime coach-led activities promote the importance of keeping active and staying healthy. A wealth of opportunities exist to try different sporting and physical activities, including cross-country running and yoga. Healthy eating is promoted through cooking clubs.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is outstanding.
• Conduct in class and around the school is exemplary. Pupils are well mannered, polite and courteous.
• Pupils and parents believe the incidents of discriminatory language and bullying are very rare. Pupils who spoke to inspectors say bullying never happens. As equality, respect and tolerance is interwoven into the school’s curriculum, pupils know how to be supportive and kind to each other.
• Learning is not disrupted by incidents of poor behaviour. All adults apply the behaviour policy consistently.
• Pupils enjoy coming to school and understand the importance of regular attendance. Rates of attendance are well above the national average.

Outcomes for pupils Good

• The proportion of pupils reaching the expected standard at key stage 2 has risen to be well above the national average in reading, writing and mathematics in 2017. In 2017, pupils in Year 6 made above-average progress when compared with pupils nationally.
• In 2016 the proportion of pupils reaching the expected standard was in line with the national average in reading and writing, and above in mathematics. However, in reading and writing, pupils, including the most able pupils, did not make as much progress as similar pupils nationally. These pupils did not make good progress.
• Due to leaders’ close monitoring of disadvantaged pupils, and the swift and well-targeted support put in place, these pupils made strong progress. They perform better than disadvantaged pupils do nationally at key stages 1 and 2. Pupils’ workbooks show that there is no discernible difference in the progress made by disadvantaged pupils and other pupils in the school.
• Leaders have targeted the recent underperformance of pupils who have SEN and or/disabilities. Recent changes to the support these pupils receive have ensured that teaching is more focused on their needs. As a result, these pupils are now making good, and in some cases rapid, progress.
• The proportion of pupils reaching the expected standard in the phonics screening check has consistently been above the national average.
• Teacher assessment information shows that pupils make good progress in the wider curriculum. A large majority of pupils work at the expected standard in science, humanities and the arts.
• In key stage 1, the proportion of pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics was above the national average in 2016 and 2017. However, some middle-ability pupils did not make as much progress as they should.

Early years provision

Outstanding

• Leadership of the early years is outstanding. Through a programme of effective training and coaching, teaching is inspirational. Adults respond exceptionally well to children’s needs. Learning is well planned to meet needs and to develop children’s learning. Leaders quickly identify the needs of disadvantaged children or those who have SEN and/or disabilities and put appropriate support in place swiftly to ensure that learning is maximised.
• Adults have high expectations of what children can achieve. Adults provide children with a stimulating and an imaginative learning environment. Children have a wide range of resources that they access independently to develop their own learning.
• Children are encouraged to be independent and purposeful in their play. Adults demonstrate and suggest activities to children, and children are encouraged to use resources as they choose. Children play exceptionally well together. They are keen to talk to adults about their learning.
• Resources are linked to a theme that the children use as a base point to develop skills. For example, ‘Stickman’ by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler was used as a starting point to develop imaginative play of a journey to a camp site. Children used crates to build boats or cars to get them to their destination.
• The development of early reading and writing skills is carefully planned to systematically build on learning. Children make rapid progress and blend sounds together to write words and basic sentences, or to sound out unfamiliar words.
• A thorough process of induction before children join the early years ensures that adults have a comprehensive view of children’s needs before they start. Parents are encouraged to contribute to children’s learning, enhancing learning at home and at school.
• Due to highly effecting teaching, learning and assessment, the proportion of children achieving a good level of development by the end of the early years is consistently above the national average. Children are well prepared for year 1.
• Safeguarding in the early years is highly effective and fully meets all statutory requirements.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 119959 Leicestershire 10023217 This inspection was carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. The inspection was also deemed a section 5 inspection under the same Act. Type of school Primary School category Age range of pupils Gender of pupils Maintained 4 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 219 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Headteacher Telephone number Website Email address Mike Randle Andrew Pridmore 0116 287 6050 www.elizabethwoodvilleprimaryschool.co.uk office@elizabethwoodvilleprimaryschool.co.uk Date of previous inspection 31 October–1 November 2012

Information about this school

• The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website.
• The school meets the current government floor standards for primary schools.
• Elizabeth Woodville Primary School is a smaller than average-sized primary school.
• Pupils are taught in seven classes.
• The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals is below the national average.
• The proportion of pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities is well below the national average.
• The school is a national support school. The headteacher is a national leader of education, senior leaders are specialist leaders of education. Leaders from Elizabeth Woodville primary school provide support for other schools.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors observed learning in all year groups, some of which were observed jointly with the headteacher. Inspectors observed the teaching of reading skills and listened to pupils read. The inspectors also talked with pupils about their school and looked at examples of pupils’ work in all year groups to gain a view of the impact of teaching over time.
• Meetings were held with the headteacher, subject and middle leaders and representatives of the governing body.
• The inspectors spoke to parents informally and considered the 91 responses to the online parent questionnaire (Parent View).
• The inspectors looked at a range of the school’s documents, including: the single central register, the self-evaluation and plans for improvement; the most recent information on the achievement and progress of pupils; information relating to the health, safety and safeguarding of pupils; the most recent data relating to the attendance of pupils; responses to the staff questionnaire; and minutes from meetings of the governing body.
• The inspectors considered the range and quality of information provided on the school’s website.

Inspection team

Helen Williams, lead inspector Cheryl Lodge Deborah Allen Viv McTiffen, lead inspector

Her Majesty's Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector