Warboys Community Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Improve teaching and learning by ensuring that challenge is provided for the most able children more consistently across classes and subjects.
• Improve the behaviour of a small number of pupils, some of whom are very new to the school, to meet the school’s high expectations.
• Ensure that communication with parents effectively responds to their concerns in a timely manner.
• Further develop the role of middle leaders who oversee foundation subjects by ensuring that they:
  • develop more detailed curriculum plans for their subject to ensure that children build on their skills, knowledge and understanding
  • take a more strategic role in the leadership of the school to sustain and improve standards further.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• High expectations are modelled by the headteacher; she has a passion and a clear vision for the school to raise pupils’ outcomes, and this is shared by her staff. Leaders model the behaviours they expect of others and have been successful in improving the school. Staff morale is high.
• Senior leaders and governors have a clear picture of the school, its strengths and priorities for improvement. This is as a result of systematic procedures to monitor teaching, learning and assessment and pupils’ outcomes. Representatives of the governing body provide leaders with an appropriate balance of challenge and support.
• The quality of teaching has improved as a result of leaders holding teachers to account for the progress and outcomes pupils achieve. Rigorous pupil progress meetings and performance management processes ensure that teachers are fully aware of the progress made by pupils. They are able to use this information accurately to plan effectively to meet pupils’ needs.
• Leaders are meticulous in reviewing all aspects of teaching and learning. They are quick to identify strengths and address concerns if they arise. In addition to regular monitoring and meetings, leaders ensure that staff receive appropriate professional development and share good practice to strengthen consistency and quality in all classes. Staff regularly coach each other in order to achieve this.
• Leaders ensure that funding for vulnerable pupils, including those who are disadvantaged or who have special educational needs (SEN) and/or disabilities, is used effectively. The school acts quickly to tackle underachievement or barriers to learning. Leaders review support and adapt approaches accordingly to ensure that pupils’ individual needs are met. Leaders are not afraid to change their approach if strategies are not making the impact they are intended to. As a result, pupils are well supported and make good progress relative to their starting points.
• The school has a clear rationale for the design of its curriculum. It is broad and balanced and is enriched by a range of trips, themed weeks, activities and opportunities for children to apply their skills.
• Leaders use the physical education (PE) and sport premium grant to develop staff confidence, skills and knowledge, resulting in better teaching of PE. Pupils participate in a wide range of high-quality sport and demonstrate a good understanding of the purpose of PE. They enjoy the variety of sports and clubs on offer.
• Leaders promote pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development well. Pupils are encouraged to take on responsibilities, help each other and to work together. Leaders prepare pupils to be good citizens and ensure that they have a role in their community. For example, the school choir performs to the elderly. Pupils show tolerance and respect in their day-to-day work. As a result, they are well prepared for life in modern Britain and the wider world.
• Middle leaders are keen to develop their roles and raise standards of work. They have strong support from senior leaders. For example, the science leader has completed work to ensure that science is taught effectively across the school, and the PE leader has ensured that staff have worked alongside the PE specialist to develop subject knowledge and sustain improvements in PE. Although middle leaders share the headteacher’s high expectations, some lack a clear understanding of their roles as strategic leaders, particularly in relation to the development of curriculum plans and in the tracking of pupils’ progress.
• The vast majority of parents who responded to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, or who provided text messages, were supportive of the school. They recognised the effective work being done by all staff. This widely shared view was expressed in one parent’s comment: ‘The school is a warm, welcoming and happy environment for my children to learn. Every day they are happy to attend and excited to share what they have learnt that day.’ However, some parents said that the school did not respond to their concerns in a timely manner and they did not always understand leaders’ decisions regarding their views.

Governance of the school

• Governors are effective. They are dedicated and committed to improving the lives of the pupils. They have an accurate understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the school’s performance.
• The governors check closely on all aspects of the management of the school and provide effective challenge. Governors’ meeting minutes show that they hold leaders to account for the impact of additional spending on the progress pupils make.
• Governors know staff and pupils well and visit the school to gather critical information with which to challenge and commend the school.
• Governors’ oversight of the school’s safeguarding is thorough. For example, regular auditing of the single central record is undertaken to ensure that all pupils are safe.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• A strong safeguarding culture exists within the school and is a high priority among governors and staff. Governors’ monitoring of safeguarding is rigorous. All necessary checks are undertaken when recruiting new staff. Records are detailed and accurate. Information is recorded appropriately on the school’s single central record. This meets all statutory requirements.
• Procedures for staff to follow if they have concerns about a child or adult are clear. Any concerns are acted upon quickly. Safeguarding leaders make appropriate referrals to relevant external agencies when necessary. The school’s record-keeping is detailed and thorough. The designated safeguarding leads ensure that vulnerable pupils are well supported by the school and that work with families is effective.
• Staff are up to date with all government safeguarding guidance, including the ‘Prevent’ duty, which identifies the support available to pupils who are vulnerable to extremism or radicalisation. A range of strategies and approaches are used to support pupils emotionally and academically.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• Teachers and teaching assistants establish good relationships with pupils so that in each class pupils are keen to learn and respond readily to teachers’ directions. Pupils have some very positive attitudes towards learning. They are responsive and attentive. Eager pupils were observed in an English lesson keen to share their ideas about how they would describe household items to aliens. They were able to use appropriate vocabulary and write effective sentences, and were then able to apply their learning to a history task.
• Teachers skilfully ask questions to both probe and deepen pupils’ understanding; they model learning effectively and identify and address misconceptions quickly.
• Pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities are well supported in lessons. Teachers provide appropriate work and resources to meet their needs.
• Classrooms are well organised and teachers ensure that classroom displays and resources both celebrate high-quality work and support learning.
• Additional adults provide good support for pupils. They work effectively with teachers so they know what to do in all parts of lessons to promote effective learning. When working with groups and individuals, additional adults probe understanding by asking questions which move learning on.
• Reading is taught well across the school. The teaching of phonics is effective. Pupils make good use of their phonics knowledge to read new words.
• Teachers plan work to meet pupils’ different abilities and mainly cater well for the range of ages and abilities within each class. They provide additional support through tasks and resources for less-able pupils and provide some challenges for the most able pupils. However, sometimes the most able pupils have to complete work which is too easy for them before moving on to the challenges.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.
• Pupils display good behaviour in the classroom and around the school. They are kind and helpful to other pupils. The older children regularly help the younger children. One pupil told an inspector, ‘You help others because it is the right thing to do.’ Pupils show positive attitudes to others and are helped to develop strong social skills. They know the difference between right and wrong and enjoy working and playing together. One child commented, ‘Philosophy helps you to get your point across without arguing, which has made our school a much more peaceful place where we all get along.’
• Pupils stated clearly that the school keeps them safe. They know who to go to if they have a problem. Pupils stated that bullying is not an issue, but if it were, they are confident that staff would deal with it swiftly and effectively.
• Pupils relish the responsibilities they are given, for example helping at lunch and running sports day. Children know their opinions are listened to and spoke articulately about their role in school improvement.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good.
• Attendance is in line with the national average for all pupils and for groups of pupils.
• Pupils’ behaviour is typically courteous and respectful. They behave well in lessons and during less structured times of the day, such as lunchtime. Pupils said that behaviour is generally good, but in their responses to the online questionnaire, some indicated that behaviour was not always as good as they would like.
• Staff model the behaviours they expect of pupils – staff are smiling and engage with pupils in a positive way.
• Pupils who have previously found it hard to make the correct behaviour choices are increasingly able to do so independently due to the careful and well-judged support they receive.
• Despite the good behaviour evident throughout the inspection, a small number of parents and pupils stated that behaviour could be better at school and school leaders could improve how they communicate and respond to parental concerns.

Outcomes for pupils Good

• Outcomes have improved because of leaders’ and governors’ appropriate focus on the quality of teaching and learning in reading, writing and mathematics and their successful action to eliminate weak teaching. Work in pupils’ books and the school’s current assessment information show that standards are improving throughout the school. Pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education.
• Children achieve well in the early years, and the proportion securing a good level of development is in line with the national average. The majority of children make good progress from their starting points.
• In 2017, key stage 1 pupils improved their achievement in reading, writing and mathematics. Overall standards were in line with national averages except for boys and disadvantaged pupils in writing. Strategies have been put in place to accelerate the progress in writing made by boys and disadvantaged pupils.
• The teaching of phonics is effective and pupils make good progress in Year 1. As a result of focused teaching, pupils’ achievements in the phonics screening check were in line with national figures in both 2016 and 2017.
• By the end of key stage 2 in 2017, unvalidated information shows that pupils’ progress in reading, writing and mathematics was strong. The proportion of pupils reaching the expected standard in reading is above average. The proportion of pupils exceeding the expected standard in reading and mathematics has also risen since 2016.
• Pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities make good progress from their starting points. The deputy headteacher, as leader for special educational needs, carefully plans for these pupils, ensuring that provision is well matched to their individual needs.
• Disadvantaged pupils in the school are currently making good progress. The school accurately identified that not enough disadvantaged most-able pupils achieved the higher standards in reading and mathematics and greater depth in writing at key stage 2 in 2017. Strategies have been put in place to accelerate the progress of the most able disadvantaged pupils, and current information shows that more pupils are on track to reach the higher standards and achieve greater depth as a result.
• In some classes, the most able pupils are not making as much progress as they could because teaching does not provide sufficient challenge for them.

Early years provision Good

• Leaders have created a setting which is clearly child-centred, is stimulating and is used energetically by children. The indoor and outdoor spaces are well organised and offer learning opportunities for the children across the breadth of the curriculum. Well-planned learning activities help children develop the basic skills of numeracy and literacy and encourage them to be curious and take an active interest in their learning. The early years provision is improving rapidly.
• The early years is well led and managed. Leaders have a good grasp of the strengths and areas for improvement. They recognised, for example, that boys did not achieve as well as girls in writing. They have reviewed and adapted the provision to encourage boys to write, and as a result boys are now making good progress. Children’s level of speech and communication is typically low on entry and therefore children are given lots of opportunities to talk and develop their phonetic knowledge.
• The quality of teaching is good and children enjoy coming to school. Staff are enthusiastic and encourage the children. They support children well, intervening in their play to ask effective questions and promote learning. As a result, children enjoy their learning. Careful records are kept of children’s learning, which are well used by adults to plan children’s next steps and make sure that all opportunities are used to develop basic skills.
• Children know how to keep safe. They understand and stick to the clear routines.
• The school works well with parents. Recently, staff have introduced an online communication system which enables the school to share children’s achievements with parents. It also means that parents can upload and share their child’s achievements from home. The school has introduced a reading challenge and models phonics for parents to enable parents to support their children at home. One parent commented: ‘The settling-in process has been fantastic. His teacher is friendly and approachable. He is excelling with his reading and I could not be happier.’
• The proportion of pupils who achieved a good level of development in 2017 improved and was similar to that found nationally. Leaders recognise that children now make good progress, but some groups of children, for example boys and the most able, do not exceed the expected standard by the end of the Reception Year.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 110715 Cambridgeshire 10036267 This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. Type of school Primary School category Age range of pupils Gender of pupils Community 4 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 268 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Headteacher Telephone number Website Email address John Parker Angela Boxall 01487 822317 www.warboys.cambs.sch.uk office@warboys.cambs.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 24 November 2015

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, which are the minimum expectations for attainment and progress of pupils by the end of Year 6 in reading, writing and mathematics.
• The school is a smaller school than the average primary school. The majority of pupils are of White British background.
• The proportion of pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals is slightly lower than is found nationally.
• The proportion of pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities or who are supported by an education, health and care plan, or statement of SEN, is above average.
• Pupils are taught in a range of single-age and mixed-age classes.

Information about this inspection

• The inspection team observed pupils learning in all classes and considered the work in pupils’ books to assess the quality of teaching, learning and assessment over time.
• Some joint observations were undertaken with senior leaders.
• The inspection team scrutinised a wide range of documentation, including the monitoring of teaching, the management of teachers’ performance, minutes of governing body meetings, safeguarding documents and the school’s website.
• The inspection team held meetings with governors and school staff, including senior and middle leaders.
• Inspectors also spoke to pupils across all year groups about their learning.
• The inspectors took account of the 64 responses to the online questionnaire, Parent View, 30 responses to the staff survey, 54 responses to the pupil survey and 63 free-text responses from parents.
• Policies and procedures for the safeguarding of pupils were examined, including mandatory checks made during the recruitment of new staff.

Inspection team

Ashley Best-White, lead inspector Marios Solomonides Marek Krzanicki Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector