Wavertree Church of England School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Improve the quality of teaching, and thereby outcomes for all groups of pupils, particularly at key stage 2, by:
  • ensuring that a greater number of pupils, particularly the most able, are provided with challenging work to enable them to reach the higher standards in writing and mathematics by the end of this academic year and that this is sustained over time
  • providing pupils with more opportunities and guidance to develop and apply their writing skills across the curriculum
  • ensuring that the differences between disadvantaged pupils and others nationally continue to diminish rapidly.
• Improve the quality of leadership and management of the school by:
  • strengthening the role of subject middle leaders, such as in history and geography, so that they track pupils’ progress with the same precision that is evident in English and mathematics
  • continuing to improve the attendance of disadvantaged pupils and pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• The headteacher’s unwavering passion and desire to do the best for all the pupils are also embraced by governors and staff. Since the last inspection, they have worked tirelessly to address the previous weaknesses identified and improve other areas of the school’s provision. They recognise that some most-able pupils are still not attaining high enough standards in writing and mathematics by the end of key stage 2.
• Senior leaders meet regularly and use a wide range of information to analyse the strengths and weaknesses of the school. Leaders’ rigorous monitoring leads to clear and accurate self-evaluations. These evaluations form the basis of the school improvement plan which drives the school forward.
• The local authority works effectively with school leaders to support further school improvement. Its meticulous reports and focused work in school have strengthened the drive to improve.
• Procedures to manage the performance of staff are well established. Teachers’ targets are closely aligned to the priorities identified as weaknesses through self-evaluation. This has supported the school to increase the proportion of pupils reaching expected standards at the end of key stage 1 and key stage 2.
• Staff develop their own skills and knowledge through access to good-quality ongoing professional development. This includes visits to other schools to moderate writing and opportunities for staff, at all levels, to share good practice with each other. Staff thrive on this open culture and are determined to improve their practice further.
• Leaders of English and mathematics have a secure understanding of their subjects. They have established recent changes which are improving outcomes for pupils in reading, writing and mathematics. Staff and pupils are proud to have gained the quality mark in reading. Pupils act as reading advocates and lead on initiatives in school. This has helped to raise the profile, and pupils’ enjoyment, of reading in the school.
• Subject leaders of other subjects, such as history and geography, do not monitor and track pupils’ progress within their area of responsibility with the same precision that is evident in English and mathematics. This results in slower rates of progress for pupils in some areas of the broader curriculum.
• The curriculum is broad and balanced and fit for purpose. Leaders have given careful consideration to the specific needs of their pupils. They have incorporated the use of the local conservation area and wonderful park facilities into the topic elements of the curriculum. Educational trips out of school, extra-curricular activities and visitors to school enthuse pupils’ desire and passion to learn. The school aims to ensure that pupils have many memorable experiences during their years at Wavertree. Pupils have opportunities to take part in a residential visit in every year group through school. The curriculum work fully embeds British values in all aspects of the school’s work.
• Pupils have access to many extra-curricular activities. Parents appreciate the range and opportunities for children to extend their skills within and beyond the school day. Parents generally hold the school in high regard.
• Leaders ensure that pupil premium funding impacts on school priorities. This includes a focus on improving the attendance of pupils at the school, the development of speech and language opportunities for younger children and increasing the pupil–teacher ratio in upper key stage 2. However, despite the best efforts of school leaders, the attendance and outcomes for disadvantaged pupils are currently below those of other pupils nationally.
• Additional funding for sport in primary schools is spent effectively to provide specialist teaching of physical education (PE) and to increase pupils’ activity and participation in competitive sport. Pupils’ increased participation is monitored closely to ensure that this funding has the desired impact.
• Funding for pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities is spent well and monitored closely. Targeted and specialist support provides focused intervention for individuals and groups of pupils to meet their specific needs.

Governance of the school

• Governance is effective. Governors are passionate about the school and bring a varied range of skills and experience to their role. Their skills and experience support school improvement.
• While governors are very supportive of the headteacher, they are equally prepared to hold leaders to account, wherever they judge that practice could improve further.
• Governors ensure that their statutory responsibilities, especially in safeguarding pupils’ welfare, are fully met and effective. Governors understand the information they receive from the headteacher and ask challenging questions to hold leaders to account. This helps to ensure the best outcomes for pupils.
• Governors are regular visitors to the school. Governors regularly check the website to ensure that it complies with statutory requirements.
• Governors receive information from school leaders about the performance of teachers. They use this to help them understand leaders’ decisions about teachers’ salary progression.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• There is a strong safeguarding culture within the school. Staff and governors know that safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility.
• School staff are proactive in identifying potential risks and minimising these. Staff follow a meticulous routine to ensure the safety of pupils as they cross a road to access the school playground.
• Staff are clear about policies and procedures in relation to child protection. Staff have a clear understanding of what to do if they are concerned about a pupil.
• The school works well with parents and other stakeholders to ensure that pupils are safe.
• Staff carry out appropriate checks on all staff prior to employment and the identity of visitors is carefully checked on arrival at the school.
• Staff and governors have received ‘Prevent’ duty training and know what to look for in order to keep pupils safe in relation to this guidance.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• Teachers have good subject knowledge in relation to the subjects and age group taught. This supports the development of an interesting and engaging curriculum for pupils. For example, in a Year 5 class, pupils made use of the school’s context and linked this creatively to a local history project.
• Teachers promote positive attitudes towards learning. They encourage and support resilience in learning. In a Year 6 class, pupils demonstrated great perseverance to explain the correct definition of a semi-colon. They were not worried about making mistakes when answering questions. In fact, pupils’ errors were sensitively developed into improved learning by the precise questioning of the class teacher.
• Writing skills are showing improved development. Pupils write for a variety of purposes and a range of audiences. However, there are not enough opportunities for pupils to apply their skills and knowledge within and beyond the English curriculum. This inhibits pupils, particularly the most able, from writing at greater depth and gaining higher attainment in writing.
• Teachers provide a good balance of work in mathematics. This includes a strong emphasis on fluency. All classes are working hard to increase opportunities for reasoning and problem solving. However, some pupils, particularly those who learn quicker, are at times given mathematical tasks which do not challenge them enough.
• Reading has been a focus throughout the school. Pupils show a real love for reading. They read with a good level of expression and fluency. Many pupils make use of the school library and read regularly with their parents at home. Pupils now make better progress in reading. The unvalidated data for 2017 indicates improved progress and attainment in reading at the end of key stage 2.
• The teaching of science is good. Pupils develop the necessary investigative skills required to follow a line of inquiry. For example, in a Year 6 lesson, pupils explored different environments and the effect these have on micro-organism growth. Pupils described results using accurate scientific vocabulary. There is increasing evidence that pupils apply their mathematical skills through the science curriculum, which reinforces learning.
• Homework is appropriate to the age and development of the child. Pupils enjoy the challenge that homework brings and are eager to complete and return it.
• Relationships across the school between pupils and staff are respectful. This ensures an effective classroom learning ethos where pupils generally have positive attitudes to learning.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.
• Pupils pride themselves on the school’s Christian values which they could clearly explain. There are ‘worship stations’ in every classroom and in many areas around the school. Pupils have a high level of compassion and tolerance of others.
• Pupils are well organised and ready to learn; therefore, the overall level of punctuality is good.
• Pupils take on a range of important responsibilities, including being class monitors, reading advocates and prefects. Inspectors observed, on several occasions, pupils helping and supporting others.
• Pupils are very aware of how to stay safe when working online. They know the importance of not sharing passwords with anyone and know how to report any concerns they may have.
• Pupils have a good understanding of the different forms that bullying can take. Pupils told inspectors that if bullying did happen, teachers would deal with it quickly. School records show that issues of bullying and aggression are infrequent and leaders deal with these appropriately.
• The diverse and rich curriculum contributes to broadening pupils’ understanding of faiths, cultures and customs within and beyond Britain. Pupils learn about a wide range of cultures and this supports them well to prepare for life in modern Britain.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good.
• Pupils are friendly and considerate, often displaying thoughtfulness towards each other and to adults in school. For example, pupils hold the doors open for one another and for adults. The school has a friendly and open culture.
• Pupils from different faiths have a high level of tolerance of one another. For example, children typically explained that although they had a different faith, their values aligned with all other pupils through the school values.
• Pupils are active on the playground without being overly boisterous. Adults support pupils in their play.
• Leaders carefully analyse pupils’ absence patterns and trends. Families receive focused support to improve attendance. Leaders are not afraid to address families where support fails and have imposed fixed penalty notices in some cases. Leaders are aware that, while overall attendance continues to improve, there are still some groups of pupils, such as pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities, who do attend as regularly as they should and have high persistent absence rates.

Outcomes for pupils Good

• A higher than usual number of pupils join and leave the school each year.
• Children come into the early years with skills that are below those typical for their age. The proportion of children gaining a good level of development overall is currently below national standards. However, the proportion of children attending the early years at the start of the academic year who remain in school and achieve a good level of development is above the national average. This group of children make strong progress by the end of Reception. Overall, children are well prepared for transition into Year 1.
• The proportion of pupils achieving the expected standard in the national phonics screening check at the end of Year 1 is below the national average. However, pupils catch up by the end of Year 2, where the proportion achieving the expected standard in the phonics re-check is above average. Pupils readily apply their phonics skills to help them decode text when reading. They demonstrate high levels of enjoyment of reading.
• The unvalidated results for 2017 show that, by the end of key stage 1, the proportion of pupils who met the expected standard in reading and mathematics is above the national average. This represents strong progress from low starting points.
• At the end of key stage 2, the unvalidated results for 2017 show that the proportion of pupils reaching the expected standard is in line with the national average in mathematics and above the national average in writing.
• Pupils’ scientific knowledge and skills are well embedded across the school. Pupils make good progress in science.
• Leaders have changed the approach to the teaching and learning of mathematics and writing. This is having a positive impact on pupils’ outcomes. Inspection evidence, including observations of learning of pupils currently in school, shows that pupils are making good progress in their learning. Reviews of current pupils’ work, a sample of last year’s books and the detailed assessment information about pupils’ achievements also show that the majority of pupils make good progress, particularly in mathematics and writing.
• School leaders use pupil premium funding to target small-group work and one-to-one activities in order to support pupils’ learning. School progress information and the work seen in pupils’ books show that most disadvantaged pupils are making good progress from their starting points, and differences with other pupils nationally are diminishing. However, leaders across the school recognise that more work needs to be done to ensure that disadvantaged pupils perform as well as or better than others nationally.
• Inspection evidence, including observations of learning of pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities, shows that pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities are generally making good progress from their different starting points. However, a minority of pupils in this group do not make enough progress and this is exacerbated by poor attendance.
• Pupils’ attainment and progress improved at the end of key stage 2 in 2017 compared to 2016. Leaders now know that, while improving, the proportion of pupils achieving greater depth in writing and mathematics is not as high as it could be.

Early years provision Good

• Leadership and management of the early years are good. Staff assess children accurately on entry and know the children well. Staff demonstrate determination and passion to improve outcomes for all children.
• Teaching and learning in the early years are good. The outdoor learning environment is completely enclosed and extremely safe. Children freely access the engaging and well-resourced outdoor area. The indoor learning environment is equally as attractive and inviting. This promotes enthusiastic learners.
• Relationships between children and adults are strong. Standards of behaviour are good. Children are happy and animated about the activities they are doing and can therefore maintain their concentration for sustained periods of time. Children were keen to engage and inform inspectors about their learning. For example, inspectors were invited to play in the mud kitchen and make pies.
• Children feel safe. All staff receive good-quality training in all aspects of child protection, including paediatric first aid training.
• Additional funding provides focused language development support for children from disadvantaged backgrounds. Staff model extending language and use frequent questioning to actively promote language through children’s learning.
• Parents value the positive relationships they have with the early years staff in school. Parents take an active part in their children’s learning and are able to come into class regularly to take part in joint learning sessions and see their child learning first hand.
• At the time of this inspection, there were no breaches to the statutory welfare requirements.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 104616 Liverpool 10037757 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 Voluntary controlled 3 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 205 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Headteacher Janet Eastwood Anna Maria Brooksbank Telephone number 01517 331231 Website Email address www.wavertree.liverpool.sch.uk/ wavertree-ao@wavertree.liverpool.sch.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.
• This is smaller than the average-sized primary school.
• The school provides part-time Nursery provision each morning.
• The school runs its own breakfast and after-school club.
• The proportion of disadvantaged pupils is above the national average.
• The proportion of pupils of minority ethnic heritage is above that found nationally.
• The proportion of pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities is above the national average.
• The proportion of pupils who have an education, health and care plan or statement of special educational needs is below average.
• The proportion of pupils joining or leaving the school each year is above the national average.
• The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ achievement in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 6.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors observed teaching and learning in all classes and across a variety of subjects.
• Inspectors spoke with pupils in a separate meeting and informally at breaktimes and lunchtimes. They also listened to pupils read.
• Inspectors looked at pupils’ work from all year groups and in different subjects, both during lessons and through a separate work scrutiny.
• A wide range of documentation was considered, including the school’s self-evaluation, the single central record for safeguarding and information relating to the quality of teaching.
• Inspectors checked pupils’ behaviour and attendance records.
• Meetings were held with school leaders, other staff, members of the governing body and with a representative from the local authority.
• Inspectors spoke with parents.
• Account was taken of the school’s own questionnaire to parents. Consideration was also given to the 34 responses to Ofsted’s online pupil questionnaire.
• Inspectors took account of 12 responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Parent View, as well as 11 free-text replies. Inspectors also considered a letter from a parent.

Inspection team

Gaynor Rennie, lead inspector Michael Platt Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector