Wyke Regis Church of England Junior School Ofsted Report

Full report

In accordance with section 44(2) of the Education Act 2005, Her Majesty's Chief Inspector is of the opinion that this school requires significant improvement, because it is performing significantly less well than it might in all the circumstances reasonably be expected to perform.

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Continue to improve pupils’ progress so that more of the pupils meet the national expectations at the end of key stage 2 by: ensuring that the specific needs of lower and higher attaining pupils are met effectively
• Improve the quality of leadership and management by ensuring that:

leaders evaluate progress against key priorities precisely so that future actions can be well focused leaders at all levels monitor and evaluate the consistency of teaching and learning across year groups, providing challenge, support and guidance within defined timescales leaders develop the skills of middle leaders so that they can check on and influence improvements in teaching the governing body challenges leaders more rigorously to improve outcomes for pupils, particularly more able and lower attaining pupils consistently across all classes

• Improve the quality of teaching so that it is consistently good or better by ensuring that:

teachers raise their expectations of what pupils can achieve, particularly the most able teachers check for understanding effectively in lessons and make better use of information about what pupils know, understand and can do in order to provide learning activities that are well-suited to their needs An external review of governance should be undertaken to assess how this aspect of leadership and management may be improved.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management

Requires improvement

• Since the significant dip in the school’s results in 2016, school leaders have reviewed the curriculum and approaches to teaching and learning. Leadership has been re-structured and leaders have worked closely with other schools, both in the federation and more widely, to improve rates of progress. However, leadership roles are not yet well developed. For example, middle leaders are not able to evaluate the quality of teaching, challenge weak practice and contribute fully to the drive to improve teaching and learning.
• Leaders have developed the school’s assessment processes and their system to track pupils’ progress. While the system provides a useful and important structure, leaders’ monitoring of pupils’ progress and the quality of teaching have been too generous, which means that they have not made an accurate evaluation of progress in each year group.
• The improvements in tracking and analysing pupils’ progress have supported leaders to identify those pupils who are falling behind in their learning so that additional support can be provided promptly.
• Leaders, including governors, regularly undertake a range of monitoring activities which provides them with information about the quality of teaching and pupil outcomes. However, monitoring has focused largely on subject knowledge and subject specific strategies and has not identified precise aspects of teaching that require improvement. They have not analysed and evaluated monitoring information with sufficient rigour to enable them to identify precise priorities to bring about rapid improvement for all groups of pupils. Consequently, some of the actions taken by leaders have not been well targeted and have had limited impact.
• The school’s plans for improvement contain many intended actions, which have not been prioritised according to which actions will make the most difference for pupils. The plans also lack clarity about how the impact of the actions will be measured and evaluated. This means that governors have not been able to hold leaders to account for improving pupils’ outcomes.
• As a result of the weaknesses in evaluation, leaders and governors have assessed the school’s current provision and outcomes too generously, which has diminished their sense of urgency to improve.
• Teachers have been provided with guidance and support from school leaders in relation to developing new approaches to the curriculum. Additionally, leaders have arranged a range of professional development to increase staff skills. For example, teaching assistants have received training to develop their questioning skills and the impact of this work can be seen in the quality of the support they provide for pupils. However, the targets set for teachers to improve their skills are not having enough impact on improving the quality of teaching and learning.
• Additional funding is used effectively to support disadvantaged pupils. The effectiveness of the use of the pupil premium funding has been evaluated, which has supported leaders to ensure that funds are sharply focused on raising achievement for this group of pupils, including the most able disadvantaged.
• Pupils benefit from a range of activities and skill development provided by the additional sports funding allocation. However, the impact of this funding has not been fully monitored and evaluated.
• The systems to support pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities have been recently refined to improve leaders’ capacity to track and analyse their progress from their different starting points. However, it is too early to see clear impact from these developments.
• The curriculum is broad and balanced, supported by a range of extra-curricular opportunities that are appreciated by the pupils and the parents. The curriculum is strong in promoting pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. It also supports pupils in learning about maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
• Pupils learn about faiths and cultures that are different to their own. The Christian values and inclusive ethos of the school results in pupils working and playing together well and consistently showing good levels of respect They understand and can talk about both Christian and fundamental British values.
• Parents are positive about the work of school leaders. Many parents who participated in the Parent View online questionnaire and spoke to inspectors were strongly supportive of the school and its leadership.

Governance of the school

• Although governors take their monitoring role seriously and have a comprehensive range of monitoring information, their evaluations have been too generous. This has reduced the sense of urgency to improve and has resulted in inconsistencies in both leadership and teaching.
• Governors are committed to getting in to school to gather first-hand information. Although, these visits are helpful in increasing governors’ understanding of the school’s work, the areas reviewed are not checked with sufficient rigour or followed up thoroughly enough. This hinders the potential impact of the governors’ monitoring and evaluation work.
• A review of governors’ documentation indicates that governors are asking appropriate questions about different pupil groups, including those that are disadvantaged or who have special educational needs and/or disabilities. However, the issues raised in committees and full governing body meetings are not pursued sufficiently to hold leaders to account and to check the impact on pupil outcomes.
• Governors are committed to increasing their knowledge and skills. They have undertaken a good range of training to support them in their role.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• The school has fully trained designated lead officers who are available at all times across the school day. This is underpinned by a secure system for staff to report any concerns. Any referrals are collated, analysed and used well to assess potential risks.
• Leaders ensure that all staff have regular training to keep them informed about how to protect pupils, be alert for signs of harm and how to report and record any concerns.
• The school has good links with a range of agencies to ensure that any emerging issues can be managed effectively and promptly. As a result, pupils at risk of harm outside the school environment are supported by appropriate interventions.
• Mandatory employment checks and safer recruitment practices are in place and the related record keeping procedures are comprehensive and secure.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

• The quality of teaching is inconsistent and not good enough overall, although it is generally stronger in upper key stage 2. Where teaching is most effective teachers have a secure understanding of the next steps for each pupil group and plan effectively to meet their different needs. Where this happens, pupils make good progress.
• Teachers do not consistently have high enough expectations of what pupils can achieve in individual lessons and over time. The most able pupils are often not provided with sufficient challenge to develop and extend their understanding. In the online pupil survey more than 20% of the pupils did not feel that they were challenged enough.
• Teachers are not building on prior learning and regularly checking for pupils’ understanding. This results in some pupils repeating skills they have already acquired and some pupils unable to understand the learning task. This is impacting negatively on the progress made by the most able and the lower attaining pupils,
• The purpose of lessons and what is expected of them is not always clear to pupils. Subsequently, pupils can be unproductive during a lesson, their progress is slowed and their work is not of a high enough quality.
• The teaching of reading is not consistently addressing pupils’ individual needs. For example, some pupils’ comprehension is being impeded by a lack of vocabulary, some are affected by a lack of support with reading at home and some by reading material that is not at an appropriate level for them.
• Changes in the teaching of mathematics have resulted in a clearer focus on mental mathematics and problem-solving. The impact of this work can be seen in upper key stage 2 where pupils are able to recall key number facts and strategies and apply them well when solving problems.
• Pupils generally use written feedback from teachers well and understand what they need to do improve their work.
• The ethos of the school, classroom routines and expectations around behaviour ensure that pupils work with positive attitudes. They are keen to talk about their work and are articulate about what helps them to improve.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school's work to promote pupils' personal development and welfare is good. Teachers, teaching assistants and leaders provide strong pastoral care for pupils so they feel safe and secure in school.
• Teachers and leaders share a clear focus on pupils’ well-being and mental, social and emotional health. Pupils who have challenging personal circumstances have been helped to stay in school and make progress.
• Staff work well with different agencies and professionals to ensure that vulnerable pupils are well supported both in school and at home.
• Pupils are polite, considerate of each other and friendly. They work and play well together.
• Pupils say that they feel safe at school. They are confident when talking about their own thoughts and ideas and know who to go to should they have any concerns or worries. They can explain how what they learn at school helps to keep them safe, including online safety
• A small proportion of the responses to the online questionnaire raised a concern about bullying in the school. However, discussions with pupils in a range of different contexts during the inspection did not indicate any concerns about bullying. Pupils said that it did occasionally happen, but that they knew what to do and that it was dealt with well by teachers.
• The breakfast club provides pupils with a calm and orderly start to the day.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good. Conduct around the school, during lessons and at breaktimes, is typically calm and happy.
• Good behaviour management processes allow teachers and leaders to manage any challenging behaviour effectively, resulting in an orderly and purposeful environment.
• Pupils generally take a pride in their work and have a positive attitude to learning.
• The online pupil questionnaire is predominantly positive and over 90% of the pupils would recommend the school to a friend.
• Overall, attendance is in line with national expectations. School leaders and teachers are actively and effectively promoting the importance of good attendance.
• A small number of pupils are persistently absent (with attendance below 90%). This has improved over the last three years, but is currently above the national average. Some of this absence is the result of families taking holidays during term-time.

Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

• Over the last two years, too few pupils have achieved the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 6. Although progress measures at the end of key stage 2 in 2017 indicate an improvement on the 2016 figures, they remain in the bottom 20% of schools.
• School assessment information and pupils’ work indicates that progress and attainment are continuing to improve in all subject areas. However, too many pupils are not yet working at the standards expected for their age.
• The percentage of pupils achieving the higher standard at the end of key stage 2 over the last two years was below the national average and this remains an issue for the school. Too few of the most able pupils, including the most able disadvantaged pupils, are currently producing high quality work and reaching the higher standards. However, this is variable across the school and outcomes for the most able are generally stronger in upper key stage 2. Nevertheless, standards for the most able pupils overall are not high enough.
• Whilst pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities are making good progress in relation to their starting points, they are not as a group closing the gap with their peers in the school or with the national average.
• Disadvantaged pupils without special needs are making at least expected progress and often good progress. The most able disadvantaged pupils are making good progress.
• Disadvantaged pupils who also have special needs are not yet making consistently good progress.
• Achievement across the wider curriculum indicates that pupils generally have a secure understanding of the knowledge and skills they have learnt in English and mathematics.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 113787 Dorset 10037864 This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. Type of school Junior School category Age range of pupils Gender of pupils Voluntary controlled 7 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 360 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Headteacher David Blackburn Jacqueline Sonner (acting head of the federation) Telephone number 01305786041 Website Email address

www.wykeregisfed.dorset.sch.uk junoffice@wykeregisfed.dorset.sch.uk

Date of previous inspection 10-11 January 2013

Information about this school

• The school does not meet requirements on the publication of information about the pupil premium funding and the additional sports funding on its website.
• The school is part of the Wyke Regis Primary Federation.
• Most of the pupils are White British. Few speak English as an additional language and the proportion from ethnic minority backgrounds is low.
• The proportion of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities is higher than in most schools.
• The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for pupil premium funding is above the national average.
• The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.
• The school provides a breakfast and after-school club for pupils.

Information about this inspection

• The inspectors visited all classes and were accompanied by either the deputy head of federation or the assistant head of federation.
• Meetings and inspection activities were undertaken with the deputy head of federation, the assistant head of federation, the sports premium leader, the mathematics and English subject leaders, the special educational needs co-ordinator, a year group leader and representatives of the school’s governing body as well as speaking with a representative of the local authority.
• The 46 responses to Parent View, the online questionnaire, were taken into account as were the 30 responses to the staff questionnaire and the 28 responses to the pupil questionnaire. Inspectors also spoke to parents directly at the school.
• Inspectors observed behaviour before school, in the breakfast club, in lessons, at breaktimes and at lunchtime.
• The inspectors spoke with children in lessons, individually and in small groups. They also listened to children reading.
• Inspectors undertook a joint scrutiny of pupils’ work with the mathematics and English subject leaders to evaluate the quality of work, assess progress and check the accuracy of assessment information held by the school in writing and mathematics.
• Inspectors reviewed a range of school documents including the federation development plan, the summary of self-evaluation, governors’ minutes and monitoring information, senior leaders’ monitoring information, school assessment information, the pupil premium strategy, sport premium strategy and evidence relating to safeguarding and child protection processes.

Inspection team

Janet Ross, lead inspector Heather Barraclough Mark Lees

Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector