Wimbledon Park Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Develop opportunities for sharing great teaching even more rigorously, particularly in mathematics.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Outstanding

• The headteacher has established a culture of high expectations for all pupils. Despite staff mobility in the last two years, excellent coaching and induction have ensured that leadership capacity remains strong. Performance management systems are robust and effectively support the identification of leadership potential and the development of each individual’s talents. Strong leadership across the school ensures that standards remain high.
• All leaders, including year-group and subject leaders, play a key role in monitoring pupils’ achievement. Leaders expect teachers to teach extremely well and to help pupils make very good progress. They ensure that this happens by giving effective support and challenge to all teachers.
• Leaders provide innovative guidance and high-quality training for all staff on creating the right environment for learning. Pupils really enjoy the rich and varied curriculum. It motivates them to work hard and make good progress. Pupils’ achievement continues to improve.
• Leaders have used the primary physical education and sport funding to offer pupils a wide range of physical activities. Pupils relish the chance to take part in different games and sports, from cheerleading to archery. High-quality coaching has further enhanced the school’s teaching of physical education (PE). All pupils have benefited from highly skilled sports teaching and participation in inter-school and out-of-school team competitions. Parents value the inclusion of all pupils to represent their school, regardless of their sporting prowess.
• The pupil premium grant is used very effectively to ensure that the needs of disadvantaged pupils are met and that they can fully participate in all aspects of school life. Leaders make sure that all staff know their disadvantaged pupils well and that well-planned learning provides the support and challenge that they need. Teachers use skilful questioning to encourage the most able disadvantaged pupils to persist in tackling challenging tasks and not give up. Small story-telling groups provide valuable opportunities for disadvantaged pupils to practise talking about and sharing their ideas before writing them down. As a result, disadvantaged pupils make rapid gains.
• The school places a high value on the development of pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. For example, there are many opportunities provided for pupils to celebrate their own and others’ successes in and out of lessons. In music performances, they are encouraged to reflect on their contribution. Pupils show care, respect and tolerance when learning about a wide range of different cultures and faiths or when helping each other as members of the ‘children that care’ team or as a ‘buddy’ for new arrivals. Older pupils are trained to act as mediators and to resolve disputes, to encourage pupils to see an alternative viewpoint. Leaders ensure that pupils are extremely well prepared for life in modern Britain.

Governance of the school

• Governance is highly effective. The governing body has a clear understanding of the strengths of the school and is ambitious for its continued success. Governors are clear about their roles, make visits to the school and keep a watchful eye, ensuring that the vision and inclusive culture of the school are maintained and strengthened.
• Governors have made sure that they have a wide range of skills and experiences. They use their knowledge and understanding to great effect, challenging leaders to secure continuous improvements while sustaining strengths. They are very well informed about the quality of teaching and how this is linked to pupils’ achievement. Consequently, they have an accurate understanding of the school’s performance and how this compares with that of other schools nationally. They know how the pupil premium funding is spent and realise the successful impact it is having on the achievement of disadvantaged pupils.
• The governing body was instrumental in consulting with parents and the wider community in deciding the school’s ethos during a time of change, building works and the school’s expansion. Governors use their skills and expertise in marketing and research to gain the views of their community, or in human resources and audit to undertake comprehensive reviews of performance management and finance systems. Collectively, the governing body provides very effective strategic leadership in this school.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Leaders and governors have ensured that all staff are aware of the latest statutory requirements contained in ‘Keeping children safe in education’ (September 2016).
• The school is vigilant in supporting pupils and their families. In order to do so, it ensures that all training is up to date and that staff understand how to identify pupils at risk of harm, and what to do if they have a concern. Leaders make sure that there are regular updates to training for governors and staff, for example on the ‘Prevent’ duty and female genital mutilation.
• Leaders carefully track the attendance, progress and achievement of vulnerable pupils. They maintain clear, detailed records of any concerns raised regarding the safeguarding of pupils and ensure that this information is shared appropriately and in a timely manner when required. Consequently, early help from external agencies is put in place swiftly to support pupils in need of additional support.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding

• Pupils learn exceptionally well because teachers and other adults providing support have very high expectations of what they can and should achieve. The well-planned curriculum supports teachers in providing an engaging range of activities, based around an interesting book, to promote learning and encourage pupils to try their best.
• Teachers have excellent subject knowledge. This is demonstrated by their skill in extending pupils’ thinking through questioning. For example, pupils in a whole-class reading session were observed learning about the use of narrative to begin a story. They were asked to carefully consider how the author introduced the story and the effect of this on the reader. The teacher’s skilful questioning continually encouraged them to think about how a writer’s voice is captured on the page.
• Pupils speak persuasively, and their writing across all subjects is engaging and demonstrates a strong awareness of the audience. The teaching of reading is excellent. Younger pupils use their knowledge of phonics to help them read new words. Older pupils read with confidence and understanding. It is clear from the breadth and depth of writing seen in pupils’ English books, learning journals and the writing on display, that their developing understanding of reading is further extended. Pupils use their wide and varied reading experiences well to enhance their own writing.
• The use of subject specialists in music, PE and French, and their excellent understanding of the curriculum, help all pupils to make strong progress in these subjects. Teaching in music and PE is inspiring. Skilled specialists ensure that there are many high-quality opportunities to enhance pupils’ learning beyond the set curriculum. The most able pupils are identified and given additional challenges. In music, ensembles are formed, with workshops and masterclasses for the most able. Older children take responsibility for helping to lead singing. Pupils’ singing is uplifting and contributes strongly to their spiritual, social and cultural development.
• The teaching of mathematics is strong. Lessons are well planned and ensure that pupils develop secure conceptual understanding. Good use is made of practical resources to help pupils learn. Teachers know their pupils well and use skilful questioning to encourage them to explain their reasoning. Pupils are provided with many opportunities to practise and discuss increasingly complex problem-solving tasks.
• In PE lessons and at play, pupils cooperate well, using equipment appropriately and with increasing levels of skill. They take part in team activities, demonstrating tactical awareness and solving challenges. Pupils take pride in their individual and collective sporting achievements.
• Excellent coaching and performance management are really effective in making sure that teachers and teaching assistants teach well. Teachers share their planning with teaching assistants before lessons. As a result, they have a clear understanding of their role and deliver well-planned support. Teaching assistants question pupils skilfully and play an important part in ensuring that pupils who are at risk of falling behind in their learning are supported to make rapid progress. For example, they introduce bilingual pupils to unfamiliar technical vocabulary, effectively supporting pupils to learn the meaning and reinforce the spelling of these new words. As a result, bilingual learners, particularly those at the early stages of learning English, confidently contribute during whole-class lessons.
• Staff expectations of what disadvantaged pupils and the most able disadvantaged pupils are able to achieve are consistently high throughout the school. Teachers, teaching assistants and subject specialists know who these pupils are and use carefully directed questions to check their levels of understanding. From this, teaching staff ensure that they provide learning opportunities or additional, small-group support to consolidate, challenge and deepen their understanding further. Consequently, these pupils learn exceptionally well and make rapid progress.
• Since the last inspection, high-quality training and innovative guidance from school leaders have supported staff in sharing great teaching practices, raising the quality of teaching across the school. However, following recent changes in staffing and the departure of the mathematics lead, senior leaders are aware of the need to share great practice more rigorously, particularly in mathematics.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Outstanding

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is outstanding. Pupils are given many opportunities to engage in healthy lifestyles, taking part in a range of sporting activities, so encouraging active play, and learning about heathy eating and the importance of good dental care.
• Pupils, parents and staff are clear that the school is a happy and safe place. Pupils know what bullying is and the different forms it may take. They are adamant that it does not happen, and written logs show that incidents of bullying are rare. Pupils say that adults and pupils are quick to check that everyone is cared for. They hold the ‘children that care’ team in high regard, saying that no one is ever lonely as the ‘children who care’ will always play with you or find you a friend or buddy.
• Pupils demonstrate exceedingly sensible attitudes when moving around the school or when using their new outdoor adventure playground equipment to balance, swing, climb and explore. They know how to keep themselves safe at play and when using computers and information technology. Many opportunities are provided for them to reflect on and consider issues, from what to do if a friend is being unkind to a peer, to debating with the school council on how best to spend its allocated funding. As a result, pupils develop an exceptional level of confidence in interacting with others across the age ranges to listen, talk and share what is important to them.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is outstanding. Pupils are very welcoming, polite and courteous. Relationships are excellent and pupils are fully engaged in lessons and enjoy their learning activities.
• All adults have the highest expectations of behaviour and model care and respect, for example when asking the very youngest of pupils what they would like to have for lunch or when serving the attractively presented food options with care.
• The school environment celebrates pupils’ achievements, from the many sporting trophies, to the hats they designed and made in celebration of World Book Day, to the winners of the latest handwriting competition. The building and outdoor environments are very well maintained and are graffiti- and litter-free. Pupils, parents and staff are proud of the recent improvements to the outdoor play areas and the role they took in fund-raising to provide this attractive, inviting and exciting space.
• Attendance is exceptionally high. Leaders have well-developed systems to rigorously track and identify any attendance concerns early, acting on these concerns swiftly. As a result, the school’s high levels of attendance have been sustained and any group’s attendance that was below the national average has rapidly improved.

Outcomes for pupils Outstanding

• Determined and ambitious leadership at all levels has contributed to the steady rise in attainment since the last inspection. Pupils now achieve exceptionally well across the school. By the time they leave Year 6, the progress they have made and the standards they have reached are significantly above national averages. Parents are overwhelmingly positive about the ongoing improvements that the headteacher and leaders have made since the last inspection.
• In 2015, the proportions of pupils in Year 2 and Year 6 securely reaching the expected levels for their age were above national figures. Work in current pupils’ books and unvalidated 2016 assessment information for Years 2 and 6 show that pupils achieve well across all curriculum subjects, make rapid progress and are well prepared for the next stage of their education.
• The proportion of pupils in Year 1 meeting the expected standard in the phonics screening check remained above the national average in 2015 and 2016 and has increased each year from 2013. This is a result of a consistent, whole-school approach to the teaching of phonics which ensures that the youngest pupils make secure gains in their reading. Pupils across the school use their phonic skills effectively when they read and when learning how to spell words.
• At key stage 1, around four out of five pupils achieved the new expected standard in 2016 for reading and mathematics when being taught and assessed against the revised curriculum. Just over three out of four pupils achieved the new expected standard in writing. These results exceed the provisional national averages.
• At key stage 2, in reading, writing and mathematics, the vast majority of pupils achieved the new expected standard in 2016 when being taught and assessed against the higher standards expected under the new curriculum. These results exceed the provisional national averages, particularly for the proportions of pupils working at greater depth.
• The most able pupils currently in school make strong progress across the curriculum, particularly in reading, writing and mathematics. Consequently, the proportions of pupils working at greater depth in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of key stages 1 and 2 are above the provisional national averages for 2016. This is because of teachers’ focus on delivering a curriculum that supports the mastery of learning and their careful identification of the most able pupils.
• Pupil premium funding is used effectively. Disadvantaged pupils and the most able disadvantaged pupils currently at the school make rapid progress from their starting points. Work in their books, across all subjects, shows rapid progress regardless of whether they join the school at the start of Nursery or later in their educational journey. 2015 results for the end of Year 6 confirm that differences between disadvantaged pupils and others nationally have diminished. Provisional 2016 results for Year 6 show that all disadvantaged pupils met the national expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics.
• Strong guidance, training and leadership ensure that staff expertly meet the needs of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities, or those at the earlier stages of learning English. Consequently, from their starting points, these groups of pupils make good and outstanding progress similar to their peers.
• Children make consistently excellent progress in the early years. Children start their time at the school with skill levels broadly typical for their age. At the end of the Reception Year, the proportion of children with a good level of development is well above the national average and increasing.

Early years provision Outstanding

• Leadership in the early years is highly effective. Children are assessed accurately through skilful questioning, appropriate evaluation and detailed observations of what they can do. Assessments are moderated among staff in school and with another local school and have been checked by the local authority.
• The classrooms are safe and very well organised. Stimulating activities in the inviting, outdoor environments strongly engage children and sustain their interest. The school’s achievement information and records of current children’s learning in their learning journeys and writing books show that they make rapid progress. This is because the learning opportunities provided are exciting and well matched to the children’s needs and interests.
• Leaders have tackled key priorities for action sharply. The curriculum develops basic reading, writing and number skills extremely well. Through a consistent approach to teaching accurate letter formation, children rapidly develop good handwriting. Children receive high-quality phonics teaching and are well prepared to share books, sound out words and use their phonics knowledge to start to support their spelling and writing.
• Children’s behaviour is outstanding. Visits to the local pre-school and home visits made by staff before children start, as well as close partnerships with parents, help children to settle quickly when they join the school. The contribution that families make to children’s learning is valued by the school and many parent volunteers help in class. Parent volunteers are inducted well and have a clear awareness of the importance of keeping children safe.
• Children are taught important personal, social and emotional skills very effectively so that they are well prepared for their move into Year 1. This enables them to share and take turns when they play together and to discuss their ideas in pairs, groups and with their class. Children across the Nursery and Reception classes interact exceptionally well with each other. For example, children in the Reception outdoor area worked cooperatively, without adult support, to pass the water and pour it down the different intertwined tubes. They enjoyed consulting each other on where the water might reappear in order to ‘catch it’ in their tubs so that their friends wouldn’t get splashed.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 102648 Merton 10019249 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 Community 3 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 652 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Headteacher Elise Clarke Paul Lufkin Telephone number 0208 9464925 Website Email address www.wimbledonpark.merton.sch.uk school@wimbledonpark.merton.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 5–6 October 2011

Information about this school

• The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website.
• The school is larger than the average-sized primary school. Since the previous inspection, major building works have been completed and the school has expanded year on year, moving from two to three forms of entry. There are currently three classes in each year group from Reception to Year 5, with two classes in Year 6.
• The early years provision comprises two part-time Nursery classes, one in the morning and one in the afternoon, and three full-time Reception classes.
• Just under half of pupils are from a range of minority ethnic backgrounds. The largest group is from White British heritage, with any other White background forming the next sizeable group.
• The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is just above the national average.
• The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is below the national average.
• The proportion of disadvantaged pupils supported through the pupil premium funding is below the national average.
• The proportion of pupils who join or leave the school other than at the usual times is just above average.
• The school organises and manages after-school provision. A breakfast club on site is run by a separate organisation and is subject to a separate inspection.
• The school meets the government’s floor standards, which set out the minimum expectation for pupils’ attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 6.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors visited 44 lessons or parts of lessons. Some of these were joint observations with a senior leader. Inspectors also visited a music assembly. During the inspection, Year 6 pupils were out of school on a residential trip.
• Inspectors spoke with two groups of pupils. They observed pupils at the start of the school day, at playtimes and at lunchtime, and spoke with pupils informally during the inspection. They listened to pupils read and looked at work in pupils’ books, from the current and the past academic year.
• Meetings were held with senior staff, year-group and subject leaders, and teachers in the early stages of their teaching career. Meetings were also held with members of the governing body and with a representative of the local authority.
• The inspection team reviewed a range of documentation provided by the school, including the school’s improvement plan, minutes of meetings of the governing body, documents relating to safeguarding, and performance management, behaviour and attendance logs, and information about pupils’ attainment and progress. The school’s website was also reviewed.
• The 177 responses to the online parent questionnaire (Parent View) were taken into account, as were the 170 replies to the pupil questionnaire and the 48 replies to the staff survey. The views of parents were also collected at the beginning of the day, and from comments received electronically from 32 parents.

Inspection team

Jean Thwaites, lead inspector Frances Hawkes David Bryant Milan Stevanovic Calvin Henry

Her Majesty’s Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector