Lulworth and Winfrith CofE VC Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Improve teaching, learning and assessment further by ensuring that teachers:
  • raise their expectations of the most able pupils to ensure their achievement across the school is consistently high
  • introduce more effective problem-solving work to enable pupils to apply their mathematical skills and reasoning
  • enable pupils to improve their writing through using and applying other literacy skills, including communication, speaking and listening.
• Strengthen leadership and management by ensuring that governors’ evaluations are more accurate and informative in holding leaders to account.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• School leaders have a strong understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses. They take effective action to improve pupils’ achievements. As a result, pupils’ progress in mathematics has accelerated and is now good. Improvements at key stage 2 have eradicated problems that previously existed in pupils’ spelling and punctuation.
• The headteacher holds others to account effectively through professional performance reviews and appraisal. As a result, the quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good.
• Those with responsibility for pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities know the pupils and their particular needs well. The special educational needs coordinator supports teachers effectively to implement high-quality learning plans for every child. As a result, the extra funding is used effectively and pupils make good progress, including those who have specialist advice from external health and education services.
• Leaders work well with a wide range of external agencies to provide good support for pupils. The emotional literacy support adviser (ELSA) effectively ensures that pupils receive the support they need to develop academically and emotionally. This is particularly beneficial to the children of service and military families as well as disadvantaged pupils.
• Middle leaders understand their areas of responsibility well. Professional development and staff training matches staff needs effectively. For example, continuing development has strengthened teachers’ understanding of ways to improve pupils’ reasoning and fluency in mathematics.
• Assessment is accurate in identifying those pupils who need further support or intervention to catch up. As a result, teachers provide pupils with work that meets their needs.
• Subject leadership in mathematics and English is effective in identifying priorities and matching relevant solutions. Actions are well considered and have a positive impact on pupils’ outcomes.
• Leaders take effective action to support disadvantaged pupils and pupils from a military background. Leaders recognise the difficulties that pupils face and ensure that there is well-tailored personal, academic and emotional support through, for example, the ELSA. School leaders use the pupil premium grant effectively so that pupils are well supported to make a positive contribution to school, feel valued and make good progress.
• School leaders ensure that the sports grant is effectively spent. This contributes directly towards high-quality games and physical education (PE), including a specialist gymnastics coach who leads weekly sessions as well as daily lunchtime activities. The school exceeds the minimum requirement expected of pupils each week and demonstrates a strongly positive attitude to the teaching of PE. Consequently, pupils enjoy PE and participation in physical activity is high.
• Leaders ensure that the school provides an active, broad and exciting curriculum. One pupil, whose view was typical, said, ‘There are always so many things to do. It helps our learning!’ The school supplements the main curriculum with a range of activities, including the eco-council, French and arts clubs.
• Leaders and governors are effective in promoting pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. For example, they provide acts of worship for pupils’ individual and shared reflection.
• Pupils understand and abide by British values and principles. These are reflected through the school’s values of ‘belief, fellowship and harmony’. They have a strong impact on the daily work and mission of the school in supporting pupils and getting them ready for the next stage in their learning.
• The local authority has provided appropriate external support and challenge to the school. It rightly recognised weaknesses in the previous year and provided leaders with effective help in dealing with them.

Governance of the school

• Governors are knowledgeable and committed. They work effectively to hold school leaders to account for the quality of provision through visits and monitoring activities linked to the school development plan. As a result, governors are fully aware of the school’s needs and priorities for improvement and take effective action to improve them. In particular, teaching and learning in mathematics is improving rapidly.
• Governors’ checks are beneficial to the school. For example, they have been proactive in ensuring the single central record is accurate and safeguarding training is completed by all. Consequently, staff and governors’ training is current and they have a strong understanding of safeguarding requirements and procedures.
• The governing body works effectively with the senior leaders and staff. Mutual respect and understanding serves the school well to tackle identified priorities.
• Governors’ strong knowledge of the school has raised their effectiveness in holding leaders to account. Their evaluations, however, are sometimes not precise enough to bring about even quicker improvement.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• School leaders recognise the importance of safeguarding and potential difficulties entailed in having two school sites. In recognition of this leaders have taken suitable precautions to ensure that systems and processes run effectively between sites and across the whole school. For example, governors ensured that the school has three members of staff trained to be designated safeguarding leads so there is capacity to provide adequate cover in any eventuality.
• Leaders and staff show a commitment and determination to keep children safe. All mandatory pre-employment checks, vetting requirements and training are in place. Staff know when and how to make referrals and escalate any concerns, which are dealt with promptly and appropriately by school leaders.
• School leaders have strong processes for keeping children safe, including reporting concerns. Staff are tenacious on behalf of children.
• All staff are diligent and aware in their roles and responsibilities. For example, the school office administrator closely tracks attendance and reports when any children may be missing education. In this way, the school has successfully intervened for pupils in keeping them safe and in school.
• Pupils say they feel safe at school. They can explain how to stay safe in various situations. For example, pupils in Year 2 show a good awareness of staying safe online and know precisely what types of personal information they must protect.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• Teachers have well-established routines and systems which help pupils to know what is expected of them. This supports vulnerable pupils, in particular, to manage their behaviour and to be active and enthusiastic learners.
• Teachers and teaching assistants use a range of effective questions to deepen pupils’ understanding and knowledge. As a result, pupils are challenged to think and solve problems and are not overly reliant on adults or others to succeed.
• Most teachers use assessment information effectively to match work to the different needs and abilities of the pupils. They know the pupils well and this helps them, for example in supporting pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities. As a result, pupils make good progress across the curriculum.
• Teachers’ expectations are not always high enough to support and challenge the most able pupils. As a result, their progress falters, particularly in mathematics, and they do not reach their full potential.
• Teaching assistants are well trained and make valuable contributions in lessons. In particular, they effectively support lower-attaining pupils to catch up, as well as enabling those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities to make strong progress.
• The teaching of phonics and reading is effective. Teachers ensure that pupils can apply their phonic knowledge and understanding in a variety of ways and in many situations. As a result, pupils apply their skills to read and write well.
• The teaching of mathematics is improving strongly. However, pupils do not apply their skills and knowledge through high-quality problem solving. As a result, pupils are limited in how they apply and deepen their mathematical knowledge.
• Teaching does not sufficiently develop the most able pupils’ skills in editing and improving their writing. As a result, the standard of their final pieces of written work is not always high enough.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.
• Staff provide high-quality support and guidance for pastoral care, including for disadvantaged pupils and services pupils. Pupils new to the school or settling in receive particularly good help.
• Pupils are willing to ‘have a go’ and show good attitudes to learning. Pupils support each other and are keen to learn. They are highly motivated and pupils, even the youngest ones, take responsibility for their learning.
• Pupils say this is a ‘happy school’ and there is no bullying. One pupil on the key stage 1 Winfrith site, whose view was typical, said, ‘we’ve all known each other since we were born’. Parents confirm that the school provides a friendly and supportive culture.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good.
• Pupils’ general conduct and behaviour around the school on both sites helps maintain a calm, happy and purposeful environment. Pupils show respect and tolerance towards each other, reflecting the school’s aims and values.
• The school has effective systems to support and encourage good behaviour. Pupils know what is expected of them and make a positive contribution to the school day by, for example, tidying up at the end of playtime.
• Leaders are taking appropriate action to improve pupils’ attendance. Overall, rates of attendance are similar to the national average.

Outcomes for pupils Good

• Current work in pupils’ books and assessment information show that achievement is good. Pupils are now making strong progress to meet and exceed the national standards at the end of key stage 2. A decline in pupils’ progress seen in 2015 and 2016 in national key stage 2 tests is being reversed.
• School leaders have been effective in improving pupils’ spelling, punctuation and grammar. Pupils’ writing shows strong improvement, particularly in spelling. As a result, pupils’ results in the 2016 key stage 2 tests improved sharply.
• In 2016, pupils’ attainment in reading, writing and mathematics was consistently above the national average at the end of both key stages 1 and 2.
• Pupils who have moved from key stage 1 to key stage 2 are maintaining these standards and making strong progress from their different starting points.
• Pupils’ achievements in Year 6 are improving rapidly. Pupils confidently demonstrate the full range of skills to meet and exceed the national standards at the end of key stage 2 in reading, writing and mathematics.
• Disadvantaged pupils and services children make good progress in reading, writing and mathematics. Where individuals’ progress is weaker, leaders have put in place effective support.
• Pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities make good progress in reading, writing and mathematics across the school. This includes those who have an education, health and care plan or a statement of special educational needs.
• Pupils who speak English as an additional language make good and sometimes rapid progress, particularly in their language skills and development. The programmes provided for these pupils are enabling them to catch up quickly.
• Lower-attaining pupils or those with low starting points are being well supported to catch up with their peers. For example, current pupils in Year 1 are making rapid progress towards reading, writing and undertaking the number work that is expected of them.
• Current Year 1 pupils are making good progress with their letters and sounds. Pupils confidently use and apply their phonics knowledge to read and write. Those pupils who need to are catching up well, with the overwhelming majority now working well within expected standards.
• Pupils have reading skills that are expected of them. Pupils read confidently and with expression. In key stage 1, pupils use a variety of strategies to help them read and are not overly reliant on sounding and blending. However, a few pupils lack the comprehension skills to be able to explain what they are reading and to infer information.
• An increasing proportion of pupils are working towards the highest standards. However, teachers do not challenge and stretch the most able pupils sufficiently, which limits the progress of some of these pupils.

Early years provision Good

• Teachers and other adults know the children well. As a result, they ensure work is imaginative and well planned to meet the full range of children’s needs.
• Teachers make effective use of assessment information, including from pre-schools, to ensure the children get a good start in the school. The children make good progress during their Reception Year and are well prepared for Year 1.
• Adults organise the school day and plan resources effectively to ensure children can move freely and make their own choices in their learning. For example, the inspector observed one boy busily cutting sticking tape and working imaginatively to make a model of a spider. Children show curiosity, creativity and independence through the opportunities provided.
• The curriculum in the Reception Year is organised well to ensure the different groups of children enjoy their learning and make good progress. The most able children demonstrate skills and knowledge that exceed the standard of many early learning goals.
• Adults encourage good behaviour through positive relationships and by modelling their expectations. As a result, the children show kindness and respect for one another. For example, two girls took turns to look after each other during a pretend ‘tea party’.
• School leaders ensure that the children meet and work with school staff and the other children before joining the school. These effective transition arrangements ensure that children are ready for school and settle in well.
• Parents recognise the effective work of the school team. They feel supported and happy to communicate with school staff. Parents usefully contribute their thoughts and observations towards the school’s assessments of the children.
• The children have limited opportunities to practise and apply writing and number skills in the environment, which reduces the rates of progress the children are capable of in these areas.
• Safeguarding in the early years is effective.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 135323 Dorset 10024937 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 Maintained 4 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 101 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Headteacher Telephone number Website Email address Joanne Selfe Sharon Buckland 01929 400330 www.lulworthwinfrith.dorset.sch.uk/ office@lulworthwinfrith.dorset.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 17–18 November 2011

Information about this school

• The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website.
• The school is split over two sites in neighbouring villages: key stage 1 and the early years provision is in Winfrith Newburgh; key stage 2 is in West Lulworth.
• An amalgamation of Winfrith Newburgh and West Lulworth took place in 2007 as a first school and it became a primary school in 2015.
• The school is smaller than the average primary.
• The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals is lower than the national average.
• The percentage of pupils who speak English is an additional language is lower than the national average.
• The percentage of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is above the national average.
• The percentage of pupils from a services background is above the national average due to the school’s location near Lulworth AFC Gunnery school.

Information about this inspection

• This inspection was completed initially under section 8 of the Education Act as an exempt school before conversion to a full section 5 inspection.
• The inspectors visited all classes across both school sites. Most visits to classrooms were conducted through accompanied learning walks.
• Meetings were held with the headteacher as well as the subject leader for English, the subject leader for mathematics (the assistant headteacher) and the special educational needs coordinator. The lead inspector also spoke with representatives of the school’s governing body.
• During the inspection, inspectors met with the early years leader and headteacher, who has overall responsibility for disadvantaged pupils.
• The inspectors scrutinised a number of documents including the governing body’s minutes of meetings and notes of visits, assessment information, the school’s self-evaluation, the school development plan, anonymised performance management records and evidence relating to safer recruitment and child protection.
• Inspectors undertook a scrutiny of pupils’ books to evaluate the quality of work and check the accuracy of assessment information held by the school in writing and mathematics.
• Children spoke to the inspectors during various activities throughout the inspection. In addition, inspectors met with pupils and heard pupils read from both key stage 1 and 2.
• The inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour at playtimes.
• An inspector also met with parents at the start of the second day. The 11 responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Parent View, were taken into account.

Inspection team

Stewart Gale, lead inspector David Edwards Her Majesty’s Inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector