Westerings Primary Academy Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Improve the quality of teaching, learning and assessment in science, geography and history by ensuring that: teachers have higher expectations of what pupils can achieve in these subjects teachers use these subjects to further develop pupils’ reading, writing and mathematics leaders are more effective in the checks that they make on pupils’ progress and attainment in these subjects.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• School leaders are fully committed to ensuring that every pupil at the school does as well as they possibly can. They have ensured that teaching is typically good and that personal development, behaviour and welfare are outstanding.
• School leaders know the school and the community it serves extremely well. Parents value the school’s work and the commitment that staff show in ensuring that pupils are happy, safe and well looked after. They recognise the strong and positive contribution that the school makes to pupils’ lives.
• The headteacher and governors ensure that teachers and other staff who work with pupils are well trained and committed to supporting pupils to do their very best. School leaders make regular checks on the quality of teaching and learning and use appraisal effectively to set targets for improvement that are clearly linked to pupils’ progress.
• There are strong and effective links with parents. Every two weeks, parents are given the opportunity to visit the school, look at pupils’ work and find out how well they are doing. Parents are also provided with written reports on pupils’ progress every six months. The school also makes very good use of social media to keep parents informed about school life.
• The school’s broad and balanced curriculum provides pupils with a wide range of opportunities to learn. The computing curriculum is a particular strength. Pupils in key stage 1 learn about algorithms and simple programming. In key stage 2 pupils learn about networks and build their own personal websites, with many pupils developing high levels of skills and knowledge. School leaders also share expertise with local schools, and in so doing, often utilise and further develop the expertise of older pupils. Pupils from Year 6 recently demonstrated the school’s approach to computing to a group of local headteachers.
• Not all subjects are subject to appropriate levels of scrutiny by school leaders. Weaknesses in science, geography and history have not been challenged and, in some classes, the quality of work in these areas falls well below that seen in other subjects.
• The school prepares pupils well for life in modern Britain. Tolerance and respect for others are at the heart of the school’s values. Pupils learn about the democratic process though assemblies, mock elections and the school council. The school also has links with a school in London, where the vast majority of pupils speak English as an additional language. Older pupils visit the school, and this is one way that they learn about different cultures and beliefs.
• The school’s breakfast club is well led and managed. It provides a safe and healthy start to the school day and it has helped to ensure that pupils are punctual and attend regularly.
• The school makes excellent use of its physical education and sport premium funding. It is used to provide a wide range of opportunities to participate in sporting events with local schools, including dodgeball, football and tennis. A high number of pupils participate in these events and the school has had great levels of success in competitive sports events recently. Funding is also used to support before- and after-school clubs. During this inspection, many pupils were seen enjoying gymnastics sessions before school.
• Pupil premium funding is used well to support the small number of disadvantaged pupils. Leaders and governors ensure that barriers to learning are identified and, where possible, removed. As a result of the additional support that these pupils receive, their attendance has improved and most make good progress and do as well as, and sometimes better than, their peers.
• The school makes good provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral and social development, through charity work and during times of reflection in daily acts of worship. The impact of this work can be seen in the way that pupils conduct themselves in class and around the school. However, weaknesses in the teaching of history and geography in some classes limits pupils’ understanding of the wide range of cultural influences that have shaped their own heritage.
• The academy trust provides a good balance of support and challenge to school leaders. The trust also helps to ensure that teachers have access to a good range of training opportunities.

Governance of the school

• Governance is effective. Governors visit the school regularly and provide support and challenge in equal measure. As a result, they know the school well and are able to ask relevant questions of school leaders about the school’s performance in order to help to ensure that high standards are maintained.
• Governors oversee the performance of teachers effectively and ensure that any pay awards are closely linked to performance. Governors make sure that they hold the school to account for its spending, particularly on how well the school uses pupil premium funding to raise the achievement of those pupils who are eligible. Governors ensure that all legal requirements are met regarding safeguarding. They make sure that policies are up to date and that regular checks are made on the single central record for accuracy and compliance.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• Safeguarding arrangements are fit for purpose. Senior leaders, including governors, take safeguarding responsibilities very seriously. There is regular and effective training for all staff and governors to ensure that they are up to date in their knowledge and understanding. As designated safeguarding lead, the headteacher has a strong and well-established link with outside agencies.
• The school’s records of engagement with these agencies are detailed and reflect a meticulous approach to this aspect of the school’s work. Where necessary, the school engages with the local authority promptly and follows safeguarding issues through effectively.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment

• Pupils quickly develop into confident, self-assured learners at Westerings Primary
• Pupils’ excellent behaviour makes a significant contribution to the good progress that Academy. This is because teaching is effective and staff have high expectations about what pupils can achieve. Staff do all that they can to ensure that all pupils do well. They are fully committed to helping each to fulfil their potential.

Good

they make. In many of the lessons seen during this inspection, pupils collaborated extremely well with each other in order to share their ideas and improve their work. Pupils were also seen providing support for their classmates who were experiencing difficulty in certain aspects of their learning.

• Teachers use their good subject knowledge, particularly in mathematics and English, to motivate and challenge all groups of pupils. They continually assess pupils’ progress in lessons through careful questioning and provide good written feedback to pupils that helps them to focus on what they need to do to improve their work further.
• Teachers regularly provide challenging activities for all pupils of all abilities. In mathematics lessons seen during this inspection, pupils enjoyed choosing from a range of challenges, with the vast majority selecting tasks that challenged them to think hard about their work.
• Teaching assistants provide good support in the classrooms and in small-group work. They are well trained and well briefed regarding their role in supporting teaching and learning.
• The teaching of reading is highly effective. A good selection of books is readily available and, across the school, reading is encouraged and enjoyed. Teachers set time aside for regular reading sessions with a focus on developing and deepening pupils’ skills as readers. Many older pupils read widely and often.
• The quality of work seen in pupils’ science, geography and history books was of variable quality. In some classes, for example in Year 6, pupils learn well in these subjects and make good progress in their learning over time. However, in some of the other year groups, common misconceptions are not challenged and, as a consequence, learning is weak. For example, in a science lesson on food chains, a pupil had incorrectly placed a dog above a cat and this had been marked as correct by the teacher.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Outstanding

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is outstanding.
• Pupils quickly develop into confident self-assured learners at Westerings Academy. They are proud of their school and have excellent attitudes to learning.
• The school provides a safe, secure and highly stimulating environment in which pupils are able to thrive both academically and socially. Staff make excellent use of the beautiful school grounds to enhance learning, often holding teaching sessions in the woodland area.
• There is a strong focus on teaching pupils to look after themselves and keep safe. For example, pupils learn about road safety through cycling lessons in key stage 2. Pupils across the school are regularly taught about the potential dangers associated with the internet and social media. The school’s website has the facility for pupils to report any incidents or concerns about cyber bullying to a member of staff.
• Pupils know about healthy lifestyles and how to keep themselves healthy. School meals are nutritious and well balanced, as are the snacks at the breakfast club. Pupils are well aware of what constitutes a healthy lifestyle and the levels of engagement in sport are testament to this.
• Incidents of bullying are extremely rare at the school. Those pupils spoken to during this inspection said that they were confident that any adult would soon sort out any problems between pupils.Those pupils who, from time to time, need additional support are very well cared for and supported by the school. Staff work hard to ensure that any barriers to their learning and well-being are overcome and pupils understand that some of their classmates have needs that are different from their own and that this requires special allowances to be made on occasions.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is outstanding. Pupils are confident, self-assured and sensitive to the needs of others.
• Pupils have excellent attitudes to learning, from the Reception class through to Year 6. They take pride in the way that they present their work and try hard to do their best.Pupils enjoy taking on additional responsibilities such as representing their classmates on the school council. Older pupils also act as digital leaders, working with the vice-principal to promote the use of technology across the school and supporting work on e-safety.
• Pupils love school. They are punctual and are rarely away. Attendance is above the national average and few pupils are persistently absent.

Outcomes for pupils Good

• Evidence from this inspection shows that pupils across the school make good progress from their various starting points. This is because teaching is effective and pupils have excellent attitudes to learning.
• Children get off to a good start in the early years. Most start at the school with skills and abilities which are similar to or above those typically found. They make good progress across the year. The percentage reaching a good level of development at the end of the early years was above the national average in 2016.
• Pupils achieve well in reading. They get off to a good start in the early years and Year 1, quickly developing a good understanding of phonics and an interest in books. The percentage of pupils reaching the expected standard at the end of key stage 1 in 2016 was around the national average, as was the proportion of pupils working at greater depth. Evidence from this inspection indicates that standards are improving in Year 1 and Year 2.
• Pupils in key stage 2 make good progress in reading. Many develop a love of reading and read widely and often. The percentage of pupils reaching the expected standard and working at greater depth was above the national average in 2016.
• A strong and effective focus on the teaching of mathematics is having a positive impact on pupils’ confidence in this subject and the progress that they are making. Results at the end of key stage 2 were around the national average in 2016. However, inspection evidence shows that many pupils, across the school, are making rapid progress. The school’s assessments show that attainment at the end of key stage 2 is likely to be above the national average this year.
• Pupils make good progress in writing. The percentage of pupils reaching a high standard at the end of key stage 2 in 2016 was significantly above the national average. Pupils’ books across the school are well presented and show that pupils write accurately and with confidence, in a wide variety of styles and genres to suit a range of audiences.
• The high standards seen in mathematics and writing books were not evident in all the science, geography and history books. Overall progress in these subjects was limited by the weak teaching in some year groups.
• Pupils who start at the school at other than the normal times settle in quickly due to the school’s effective care, guidance and support. School records show that many of these pupils join with skills and abilities which are below age-related expectations. Over one quarter of the Year 6 class who took the end-of-key-stage test in 2016 had spent fewer than two years at the school.
• The most able pupils achieve well at Westerings Academy. The percentage of pupils working at greater depth was above the national average in reading and writing in 2016. Improvements in the teaching of mathematics are resulting in greater levels of challenge and a higher proportion of these pupils being stretched to achieve even better standards.
• Pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities make good progress from their various starting points. The special educational needs coordinator ensures that funding is used effectively to support pupils, and to help them to overcome any specific barriers to learning.
• The small number of disadvantaged pupils do as well as and sometimes better than their peers. This is because staff use their detailed knowledge of each pupil to focus on areas of strength and remove, wherever possible, barriers to learning.

Early years provision Good

• Children start in the Reception Year with skills and abilities that are generally in line

with or above those typically found. They make good progress in their learning across the year and are well prepared for the next stage of their education when they move into Year 1.

• Effective systems and procedures ensure that children feel safe and are safe in the early years. Staff ensure that the environment, both inside and outside, is safe and secure. This helps children to settle well and develop confidence.
• Children learn together extremely well, quickly learning the value of collaboration and sharing. Children are extremely well behaved and kind to each other. On many occasions during this inspection, children held doors open for inspectors and for each other. Children also talked happily with inspectors about their learning.
• Teaching is good. Regular assessments are made of children’s abilities and interests. Staff use this information to focus on what children need to do to make good progress. The indoor environment is stimulating and well suited to children’s development and well-being. However, the outdoor area is not used as well to support learning and this sometimes leads to children spending time on activities that do not support learning as effectively as they could.
• There are strong links between school and parents. Staff visit children in their home, or in their pre-school setting, prior to their starting at the school in order to get a good idea about each child’s interest and abilities. Parents are given the opportunity to contribute to these initial assessments and are kept up to date with their children’s progress throughout their time in the early years.

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• The outcomes are

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 137405 Essex 10023401 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 4 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 294 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Principal Telephone number Website Email address Roger Juniper Elizabeth Atay 01702 205511 www.westerings.org admin@westerings.org Date of previous inspection 26 April 2012

Information about this school

• The school has grown in size since the previous inspection and now has two classes in each year group from the Reception Year to Year 3.
• A high number of pupils join the school mid-year, often during Years 5 and 6.
• The school is similar in size to the average primary school.
• Almost all pupils are White British and speak English as their first language.
• The proportion of pupils supported through the pupil premium funding is well below the national average.
• The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in English and mathematics.
• The school runs a breakfast club each morning.
• 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. .

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors observed teaching and learning in all classes.
• Inspectors listened to pupils reading and scrutinised the work that they had completed in books.
• Inspectors talked to pupils about their learning, and behaviour and safety.
• The lead inspector met with three governors, including the chair and vice-chair of the governing body. He also met with a representative of the Academies Enterprise Trust.
• Inspectors met with teachers who had management responsibility for special educational needs and the early years.
• Inspectors looked at the school’s evaluation of its own performance, its development plan, and a range of other school policies. They also considered documentation relating to child protection, safeguarding, and behaviour and attendance.
• Inspectors analysed the 125 responses to Parent View, Ofsted’s online questionnaire. They also met with parents at the beginning and end of the school day.
• Inspectors considered the views of staff, through analysis of the 11 responses to the staff survey.

Inspection team

Paul Tomkow, lead inspector Michael Jude Douglas Stroud Sharon Wilson

Her Majesty’s Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector