St Peter's Church of England Primary School Wymondham Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Improve the quality of leadership and management by ensuring that:
  • governors hold leaders robustly to account for the impact of their actions
  • leaders and subject leaders rigorously monitor and evaluate the quality of teaching and learning, so they can provide better support to teachers to improve pupils’ outcomes
  • senior leaders develop the knowledge and skills of subject leaders, so they can effectively support teachers to make improvements to the quality of their practice.
• Improve the quality of teaching and learning by ensuring that:
  • teachers plan learning tasks that are more closely matched to pupils’ needs, particularly for the most able pupils, so that more pupils reach a higher standard at the end of key stage 1 and key stage 2 in all subjects
  • expectations for pupils’ spelling, grammar and punctuation are consistently high in all subjects
  • questioning skills are developed, so staff can consistently check and deepen pupils’ knowledge and understanding
  • pupils have more opportunities to develop and apply their problem-solving skills and ability to reason across a range of situations.
• Improve the quality of teaching and learning in the early years by ensuring that:
  • adults ask more probing questions of children, especially the most able, to check on and deepen their knowledge and understanding.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

• Leaders and subject leaders do not rigorously monitor and evaluate the quality of teaching and learning. Their view of the quality of teaching and learning is overgenerous. They do not provide timely support or feedback to teachers, so that they are able to make improvements to the quality of teaching and learning. Consequently, actions to improve standards are delayed.
• Opportunities for subject leaders to develop their knowledge and skills are limited. Consequently, they are not able to provide effective support and training to teachers to improve the quality of their practice across the school and improve outcomes for pupils.
• The performance management of teachers is not managed well. Leaders do not provide enough training opportunities for staff to develop their knowledge, skills and expertise to improve the quality of teaching and learning across the school.
• Disadvantaged pupils make good progress, because they receive effective assistance from adults who support them to acquire knowledge and develop their skills in a range of subjects. Pupils’ workbooks show that they make good progress in lessons and receive regular opportunities to read with an adult. Senior leaders are using the additional funding for disadvantaged pupils well.
• Leaders have used the additional funding for physical education and sport well. Opportunities for pupils to be involved in a range of extra-curricular activities have increased. Pupils have also enjoyed the outdoor curriculum on offer. Leaders have ensured that the curriculum is broad and balanced. They have included a range of topics that inspire and motivate pupils to learn. For example, pupils in Years 5 and 6 are enjoying their topic work based on an ancient African civilisation. They have considered the importance of ancient artefacts and how they have informed historians about life in different cultures.
• Pupils appreciate the responsibilities that they have to support a range of activities at school. For example, play leaders have opportunities to develop their leadership skills through arranging games at breaktimes for younger pupils. Pupils also enjoy the range of after-school activities and opportunities to take part in sports festivals with other local schools.
• Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development and their understanding of British values are promoted well by staff. Pupils learn about a range of faiths and cultures, for example through celebrating Diwali and the Chinese New Year.
• Currently, there are no pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities at the school. The school’s staff understand their duties and know how to support the needs of those pupils eligible for additional government funding.

Governance of the school

• The multi-academy trust has organised local schools within the trust to work together so that they can share professional development opportunities and leadership roles. There is a regular trust review process in place to check on all aspects of the school’s work. Some recent training to support the development of mathematics has been put in place. However, it is too early for the improvements to be seen.
• The governing body does not hold leaders to account as robustly as they could because they do not ask questions that are challenging enough. Consequently, they are unable to evaluate effectively leaders’ actions to raise pupils’ achievement.
• Governors have effectively overseen the allocation of additional government funding. They have monitored this well. They know that it is having a positive impact on improving pupils’ participation rates in sport and raising achievement for disadvantaged pupils.
• Governors have received up-to-date safeguarding training.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Leaders ensure that the school’s single central record of checks on staff, governors and visitors is kept in order and meets requirements.
• Staff and governors have a clear understanding of safeguarding. Leaders respond swiftly to concerns and record all actions taken.
• All staff understand their role in safeguarding pupils and know the procedures for reporting concerns. These are dealt with effectively by the headteacher.
• Pupils are knowledgeable about how to keep safe in school, online and in the local community.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

• Not all teachers plan learning tasks that are matched to meet effectively pupils’ needs, particularly those of the most able, to enable pupils to make rapid progress and reach higher standards. Mathematical tasks are often too hard or too easy for pupils. Consequently, pupils do not develop their mathematical understanding or make the accelerated progress of which they are capable. Pupils who spoke with inspectors said that they find some of the work too easy.
• Expectations for pupils’ spelling, grammar and punctuation are not consistently high enough in all subjects. Pupils’ workbooks show that they make frequent spelling, grammar and punctuation errors. Pupils repeat their mistakes and teachers do not always challenge pupils to correct them, as the school’s marking and assessment policy requires.
• Often, opportunities are missed for pupils to practise and develop their English skills in the wider curriculum. Consequently, pupils, particularly the most able, do not make the progress of which they are capable in writing.
• Teachers do not always use effective questioning to check on pupils’ learning. Teachers do not know if pupils have fully understood what has been taught and, therefore, they are not fully able to plan learning appropriately in follow-up lessons.
• In key stage 2, pupils do not have enough opportunities to develop and apply their mathematical problem-solving and reasoning skills across a range of situations. Consequently, opportunities to deepen pupils’ knowledge and understanding are limited.
• Where teaching is effective, teachers know their pupils well and plan tasks that meet their needs. For example, in Years 1 and 2, the class teacher skilfully supported pupils to solve mathematical investigations. She was able to extend the pupils’ learning through effective questioning. Consequently, pupils’ workbooks show that they make good progress over time.
• Disadvantaged pupils make better progress because they receive effective adult support across the school. Leaders have ensured that personalised support is in place for these pupils and their workbooks show that they make improved progress from their starting points.
• Pupils read well at the school because they have regular opportunities to practise their reading skills with an adult. Phonics is now taught well and pupils use their skills effectively to read unfamiliar words. Pupils who spoke with inspectors said that they enjoyed reading and they select books from a broad range of genres.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good. The headteacher promotes the school’s values effectively to engage pupils in their learning and development. For example, pupils responded thoughtfully to the assembly which focused on friendship. Pupils eagerly acted out the Bible story and showed consideration for other pupils’ views. Pupils have a clear understanding of what is right and what is wrong.
• Pupils have good attitudes towards learning and work well together in groups, pairs or independently. They willingly share ideas and listen to what others have to say. Pupils show respect for all staff, including when they work with teaching assistants outside the classroom.
• Pupils show mature attitudes to their leadership roles, such as being a member of the school council or a school prefect. They enjoy being play leaders and regularly set up lunchtime play activities for younger pupils, as well as being prefects and the responsibilities that this holds.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good. Incidents where there is poor behaviour are very rare.
• Pupils’ behaviour at playtimes, lunchtimes and when pupils are moving between classes is good. They follow adults’ instructions quickly.
• Pupils say they feel safe in school and have been taught effectively about how to keep safe generally, including online safety.
• Attendance is broadly average. Leaders know what they have to do to ensure that the attendance of disadvantaged pupils improves so that it is in line with the national average. Leaders contact parents quickly to seek reasons for pupils’ absence and provide additional support when needed.

Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

• The proportion of pupils reaching the national expectation in the Year 1 phonics screening check has been below the national average for three years. The English leader has recently reviewed the phonics scheme and the teaching of this aspect to ensure that they are meeting the needs of all pupils. By the end of Year 2, all pupils have reached the national expectation.
• In key stage 1, pupils’ outcomes have, over time, been higher than age expectations.
• Pupils’ progress over time in key stage 2 has been above average in reading and mathematics. Writing progress has been broadly average over time.
• Pupils’ workbooks show that the most able pupils are not challenged enough in lessons and work is not planned sufficiently well for all pupils to make accelerated progress, particularly in mathematics.
• Work in pupils’ books and current assessments suggest that rates of progress for disadvantaged pupils and the most able disadvantaged pupils are at least good. The additional funding is used well to support these pupils to make good progress.
• Pupils’ workbooks show that the most able pupils are not sufficiently challenged in English and mathematics across the school. Consequently, they do not make the progress of which they are capable.
• The progress of current pupils in English across key stage 2 is inconsistent. Often, pupils’ workbooks show that they do not have enough opportunities to deepen and practise their English skills sufficiently well. Early years provision Good

• Leadership and management of the early years are good. Leaders have a thorough and accurate knowledge of the children and ensure that children feel and are kept safe. The early years leader has established effective links with the local pre-school. She regularly attends the pre-school in the summer term to meet with the new children and build positive relationships before they start the school. Consequently, children start the early years with confidence and ease.
• The majority of children enter the Reception Year with skills and knowledge typical for their age. In 2016, the proportion of children achieving a good level of development was broadly average. From children’s starting points, they make good progress and are well prepared for Year 1. Currently, there are no disadvantaged pupils in the early years.
• Children’s workbooks and learning journeys show that they are engaged in a broad range of learning activities. The school is involved with a variety of schools and cluster groups, so that they are able to check their judgements of children’s achievements. As a result, staff in the early years are able to plan activities in response to children’s needs.
• Children enjoy their learning tasks because they are interesting. For example, children have learned about the book ‘The Lighthouse Keeper’s Lunch’ and enjoy the outside beach area and activities linked with this book. Likewise, children were captivated by the arrival of a message in a bottle. The well-planned activities capture the children’s interest, which results in children being engaged and enthusiastic learners.
• Children’s behaviour and safety in the early years are good. The friendly nature of the staff means that children feel safe. They have positive relationships with each other and all adults. Children follow instructions and are able to be independent learners because adults have established effective routines in the early years. They enjoy the range of learning activities, both inside and outside the classroom. Consequently, children are fully engaged in their learning and make good progress.
• On occasion, opportunities are missed by adults in the early years to use questioning to check and deepen children’s knowledge and understanding. Consequently, children do not always have the opportunity to deepen their understanding when they are learning independently, particularly the most able children.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 140909 Leicestershire 10031196 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 Academy converter 5 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 48 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Headteacher Telephone number Website Email address John Robertson Anne Harvey 01572 787658 www.wymondhamprimary.org/ aharvey@st-peters-wymondham.leics.sch.uk Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

Information about this school

• The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website.
• The school complies with Department for Education guidance on what academies should publish.
• The academy joined the Diocese of Leicester Academies Trust in June 2014.
• The proportion of pupils who are supported by the pupil premium funding is below average.
• There are no pupils who currently have special educational needs and/or disabilities.
• The majority of pupils are from White British backgrounds.
• The typical number of pupils in Year 6 is so small that the government’s current floor standards do not apply.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors observed eight lessons in total, of which three lessons were seen jointly with the headteacher.
• Meetings were held with the headteacher, the assistant headteacher, who is also the early years and English subject leader, the mathematics leader and one representative from the trust. Three governors from the local governing body were also interviewed.
• Inspectors scrutinised in detail a range of pupils’ books in a variety of subjects.
• Inspectors looked at a wide range of the school’s documentation, including the school’s evaluation of its own performance and development plan, information on pupils’ attainment and progress, behaviour, bullying and attendance records, safeguarding procedures, reviews of the pupil premium and sport funding, and reports by external advisers.
• Inspectors observed behaviour around the school, including at breaktimes and lunchtimes. They spoke formally with one group of pupils and informally with others around the school. One inspector listened to pupils reading.
• There were not enough responses to Parent View, Ofsted’s online questionnaire, to be considered. Inspectors spoke with parents before school and considered the three responses from parents to the Ofsted free-text service.

Inspection team

Emma Nuttall, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Christopher Davies, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector