Wyndcliffe Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Ensure that able pupils who underachieved when they were younger make rapid progress, so they attain the high standards of which they are capable, by making sure that teachers:
  • spot when these pupils need to move on to harder work
  • challenge these pupils effectively.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Outstanding

• In a relatively short time, the headteacher, ably supported by her deputy, has enabled staff and pupils to excel. As a result, teaching has improved quickly, standards are rising rapidly and pupils’ personal development, behaviour and welfare are exceptional.
• Leaders at all levels share the headteacher’s drive and passion that the school should provide the very best for its pupils every day. They are honest and searching in their quest to achieve this ambition. Leaders have a deep and accurate view of the school. They systematically examine information about its effectiveness to find ways in which it could be improved. Leaders then quickly put in place well-thought-out and appropriate actions that soon remedy any issue.
• The headteacher makes very clear what she expects from teachers. She checks every day that teachers are following the agreed approaches. There is no excuse for this not to be happening. If a teacher is struggling to meet the high standard required, leaders provide support and check that improvement is happening swiftly. Leaders are not prepared to compromise on the quality of pupils’ education and take decisive action if necessary. This is why the quality of teaching has improved so rapidly and continues to improve further.
• As a result, outcomes for pupils have improved quickly since the headteacher joined the school in September 2016. Most pupils are now achieving as they should and some are doing particularly well. For example, progress for disadvantaged pupils has improved substantially. The most able pupils in the school are mostly reaching the higher standards they are capable of. However, some of the more able pupils who have not achieved well in the past still could do a little better. Leaders have spotted this and are developing plans to address the issue.
• Staff are very positive about the support and training they receive. Teachers value the chance to improve their day-to-day practice and willingly try out new ideas. Budding leaders are excited by the opportunities they have to develop their skills and grow in their careers. All staff spoken to told inspectors they feel valued, trusted and empowered to take risks in their drive to be the best they can.
• A great deal of thought has gone in to designing the school’s curriculum. As a result, it excites pupils and motivates them to achieve well. It prepares them exceptionally well for the opportunities, responsibilities and challenges of adult life. This is a result of the expertly interwoven approaches to promoting pupils’ mental health, personal well-being and their social and moral understanding. Leaders, correctly, describe this as a ‘golden thread’, which runs through the entire curriculum. As a result, pupils have deep self-awareness and genuine empathy and respect for others. They are strong ambassadors for the school’s exceptional promotion of British values.
• Pupils’ views are taken very seriously. Leaders frequently consult pupils on the quality of their education. For example, leaders have discussed pupils’ experiences of the school’s curriculum as it has been implemented over the past year. Leaders have made adjustments along the way in response to the consultation. This has led to notable improvements.
• Leaders ensure that additional funding is used effectively to the benefit of pupils for whom it is intended. For example, the use of the pupil premium has resulted in the rapid improvement to outcomes for disadvantaged pupils. Similarly, the sports premium has been used well to improve the quality and frequency of physical activity for all pupils. Funding for pupils who have special educational needs (SEN) and/or disabilities is used appropriately to provide the support they need.
• The trust has played an important part in the school’s success. Since the school joined the trust in March 2015, directors have taken appropriate strategic action to achieve the current effectiveness of leadership. Trust staff have provided quality support to leaders and teachers during the transition to the current substantive leadership structure.

Governance of the school

• Governance is highly effective at overseeing the work of the school.
• The local governing body:
  • is knowledgeable about school improvement
  • uses all available information to evaluate the school’s effectiveness
  • is challenging and holds leaders to account for the impact of their actions.
• The board of directors of the trust:
  • sets an unequivocal strategic vision for the school as a member of the trust
  • ensures that it is well informed about the school’s effectiveness
  • ensures that staff and resources are deployed effectively across the trust to address improvement priorities and lead to sustainable leadership.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Pupils’ welfare is of the utmost importance to staff. The culture of the school is built on promoting pupils’ safety, happiness and well-being.
• Leaders actively seek to develop pupils’ resilience to the dangers of extremism, radicalisation, sexual abuse and exploitation. Pupils discuss these issues maturely and sensibly.
• The school’s policies and procedures ensure that staff are well placed to spot concerns and act appropriately. Where concerns are noted, designated senior leaders work closely with appropriate agencies to ensure that pupils and their families receive the support they need.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• The effectiveness of teaching in the school is underpinned by the deep respect and trusting relationships that exist between pupils and adults. Pupils believe that teachers and teaching assistants care about them and will support them in their learning.
• Teachers expect pupils to work hard and behave well in lessons. Pupils and teachers live up to each other’s expectations. As a result, pupils try very hard and are confident to challenge themselves.
• Teachers and teaching assistants use imaginative strategies to make learning fun and meaningful. They break down complex ideas into manageable chunks and show pupils clearly how to succeed. This is why pupils learn well.
• Teachers are knowledgeable about the subject matter they teach. They know how to deliver it appropriately for the age and ability of their pupils. Consequently, work is generally pitched effectively to enable pupils to meet these expectations. As a result, most pupils achieve well.
• Teachers place great emphasis on equipping pupils with secure reading, writing and mathematics skills. For example, teachers meticulously teach pupils to produce neat, well-formed, joined handwriting. Pupils are proud of this. Teachers have also focused on teaching pupils to use correct grammar, punctuation and spelling when they write. This is a key factor in why writing outcomes have improved.
• Teachers focus on developing pupils’ fluent recall of number facts. Teachers also enable pupils to apply their skills to solve problems and reason mathematically. Pupils’ attainment in mathematics has improved as a result.
• The substantial focus in recent years on improving the teaching of reading has led to much better outcomes for pupils. Teachers now allocate a good amount of time to teaching pupils to recognise words and make sense of their reading. Pupils learn to use high-quality vocabulary and to infer meaning that is not explicitly written on the page.
• Teachers implement the school’s policy on providing feedback very well. From a very young age, pupils understand what is good about their work and what could be better. They use the same principles as their teachers to spot strengths and improvement points in their own work and to make suggestions to their peers.
• Teachers and teaching assistants use questions skilfully to probe and clarify pupils’ understanding. This unpicks misunderstandings and enables pupils to explain their thinking. Teachers also use questions to challenge pupils to discuss and debate challenging ideas thoughtfully, sensibly and maturely.
• Teaching plays a substantial role in promoting equality of opportunity and celebrating diversity. Teachers take every opportunity to underline the school’s values. Pupils learn empathy, understanding and respect for each other through the positive role models that their teachers provide and through the experiences they have of supporting each other’s learning.
• Similarly, teaching strongly promotes pupils’ mental well-being. A well-being project is embedded in the approach to the teaching of reading. However, teachers make frequent reference to it in all lessons. In this way, teaching helps pupils develop self-awareness, self-confidence and resilience.
• Teachers keep a close eye on how well pupils are learning in lessons. They skilfully adjust the task if pupils are finding it difficult. This ensures that no one gets left behind.
• Teachers assess pupils’ work accurately to identify what they can and cannot do. Teachers use this information to plan work that helps fill gaps in pupils’ knowledge, deepen their understanding and build their skills further. This is particularly effective for pupils of average ability and those who need to catch up to achieve age-appropriate standards.
• Teachers are less adept at spotting and challenging pupils who have not achieved high standards in the past, even though they were capable. For this reason, some of the more able pupils are sometimes set work that is too easy. When they complete their work quickly, some of these pupils spend time in lessons waiting for their classmates to catch up. Teachers do not routinely move them on to harder work quickly enough.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Outstanding

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is outstanding.
• The strong emphasis placed on developing pupils’ mental well-being, their social understanding and moral purpose is a significant strength of the school. It permeates all aspects of pupils’ experience. The caring and inclusive culture of the school enables them to thrive.
• A carefully constructed programme, woven together by the school’s focus on the United Nations charter of children’s rights, gives pupils skills, attitudes and dispositions that will enable them to make a highly positive contribution to society. They are self-confident and self-assured. They have a well-informed understanding of different religious beliefs and cultures. They show a deeply held respect for others and a genuine tolerance of people’s characteristics.
• The school’s promotion of equality and inclusivity has been recognised by UNICEF, through its Rights Respecting School award. Pupils said that this work has empowered them to challenge what they believe needs to change.
• Pupils are aware of, and know how to protect themselves from a range of dangers. For example, pupils are aware of the risks of using the internet and social media. They can explain how to protect themselves online. Pupils know about their right to be safe from sexual abuse or exploitation and can explain ways of recognising and reporting concerns.
• Pupils said that bullying is very rare. Where it has happened, it has been dealt with effectively. Pupils feel they can talk to any member of staff if they have any worries.
• Pupils have many opportunities to take genuine responsibility and develop leadership skills. Their views are sought by leaders on many aspects of school life. Several groups represent the pupil body. These include the school council, the eco team, subject ambassadors, playground leaders and prefects.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is outstanding.
• Pupils conduct themselves extremely well around school. They are very courteous to adults and polite to one another as they move between classes or to and from the playground. Visitors are made to feel very welcome because pupils are friendly, yet respectful.
• Pupils’ exemplary behaviour in lessons means that lessons proceed swiftly and efficiently. Little or no learning time is lost because pupils settle immediately to their tasks and concentrate on their work without the need for much, if any, reminder.
• Pupils play happily together in the playground. They enjoy each other’s company and take care not to hurt or offend one another. Playground leaders are always on hand to offer friendly help or advice if fallings out do occur.
• Pupils’ enjoyment of school is reflected in their high rates of attendance. They are rarely absent. Families who choose to keep their children off school, or to take them on holidays during term time, are reminded that this is unacceptable. Those who continue to allow their children to take unauthorised absence are issued with penalty notices.

Outcomes for pupils Good

• When the school joined the academy trust, in March 2015, outcomes for pupils were unacceptably low. Improvement was slow until September 2016. From that point, pupils’ outcomes have improved quickly and are now strong. This is because pupils currently in the school make swift progress in a wide range of subjects.
• Standards are rising as a result. Most pupils in school are now producing an appropriate quality of work for their ages. This is confirmed in the improved national test results in 2017.
• Pupils acquire good basic reading, writing, mathematics and communication skills. They use these effectively to read, write, calculate and discuss in a wide range of subjects.
• Younger pupils learn to use phonics confidently to help them learn to read and spell new words. Pupils who attend the school from the very beginning develop this skill quickly. National phonic screening scores are below the national figure because a notable number of pupils join the school part way through Year 1, so do not benefit fully from the effective phonics teaching in the school.
• The proportion of pupils that leaves or joins the school during the year is increasing. Many of these pupils arrive with little knowledge of English. Some have no experience of formal schooling. The school is in the early stages of implementing a rigorous approach to help them quickly acquire the phonic skills that are the pre-requisite to reading and writing in English. It is too soon to determine the effectiveness of this programme.
• The highly effective use of the pupil premium funding has diminished the differences that existed between the attainment of disadvantaged pupils and that of other pupils. There is now little or no difference in the standards achieved by disadvantaged pupils in the school. As a result, they are catching up fast with other pupils nationally.
• Lower-attaining pupils who need to catch up in order to achieve appropriate standards for their age are well catered for in lessons and receive effective additional support. As a result, they catch up well to where they should be.
• Provision for pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities is effective and improving. As a result, their outcomes are good.
• Leaders and teachers use data about pupils’ prior attainment to identify whether they are currently achieving well enough. Almost all groups of pupils do achieve well. However, there are a few of the more able pupils who do not make as much progress as they could. They have underachieved in the past. Consequently, their attainment scores do not mark them out as being of higher ability. Leaders have spotted that this group has been missed. They are drawing up a plan to support teachers to challenge these pupils more effectively so that they make the rapid progress they are capable of.

Early years provision Good

• The early years provision is effective because leaders try to ensure that the provision meets children’s needs as well as possible. As a result, children achieve well across all areas of learning.
• When pupils join the Nursery, many have weak skills compared to typical three-year olds. The good teaching they receive ensures that they make strong progress. By the time they finish the Reception Year, most have reached the good level of development necessary to prepare them for the demands of Year 1. Although the proportion is lower than that found nationally, it shows that children have made good progress and are catching up to where they need to be. Leaders are seeking to increase this proportion, so that it is in line with the national figure.
• Children settle quickly in to school life because staff create a caring, nurturing, ordered environment. This helps children feel safe and confident. The well-established routines ensure that pupils learn quickly to behave well, to follow instructions, to take turns and to play sensibly together.
• Teachers work closely with parents and carers to find out what children can and cannot do when they start school. Teachers review this continuously to build a picture of children’s growing skills and interests. Teaching is planned carefully to take account of children’s interests and to systematically build their knowledge, skills and understanding. This is why all groups of children, including those who are disadvantaged, make strong progress.
• Children are captivated by the exciting activities on offer. For example, during the inspection, children were very excited to talk to inspectors about the sparkly treasure they had found in the pirate’s treasure chest. This motivates children to apply themselves to learning and helps them sustain concentration.
• Teachers and teaching assistants guide and support children’s learning skilfully. When they are working with a group, teachers direct children well to practise their reading, writing and number skills. When children are playing, adults keep an eye on what they are doing and listen to their conversations. When an opportunity arises, the adult interjects with a comment or a question that reinforces what children know or prompts them to think differently.
• Staff in the early years place great emphasis on helping children speak English confidently as soon as possible. Teachers and teaching assistants make sure that they always speak to children in complete sentences and using correct standard English. When children speak, adults help them to do the same. This sets children up very well for reading and writing later on.
• The safeguarding culture that permeates the school’s work begins in the early years. Staff are vigilant to spotting any concerns and acting quickly to protect children when needed. Children are happy, feel safe and learn how to act safely. All statutory welfare requirements of the early years foundation stage are met.
• The trust has provided effective support in recent months to ensure that the quality of early years provision was maintained during a period of staffing change. This has been welcomed by the staff and has enabled them to keep providing a good quality of education during the transition.
• Parents value the partnership they have with the school. Parents provide valuable information that helps teachers assess their children’s progress. Teachers hold workshops that help parents know how they can support their children’s learning at home. This relationship is effective.

School details

Unique reference number 141319 Local authority Birmingham Inspection number 10042840 This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. Type of school Primary School category Academy sponsor-led Age range of pupils 3 to 11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 678 Appropriate authority The board of trustees Chair Mr David Griffiths Headteacher Mrs Razia Ali Telephone number 01214 644241 Website www.wyndcliffe.bham.sch.uk Email address enquiry@wyndcliffe.bham.sch.uk Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

Information about this school

• Wyndcliffe Primary School is an academy sponsored by the Leigh Trust (‘the trust’). The trust was established as a multi-academy trust in January 2014 and comprised Leigh Primary School and Alston Primary School. Wyndcliffe Primary School joined the trust on 1 March 2015.
• The trust is governed by a board of directors. A local governing body oversees the work of Wyndcliffe Primary School. The chair of the local governing body is also the vice-chair of the board of directors of the trust.
• The trust is managed by a chief executive officer (CEO) and her deputy.
• The school receives support from within the multi-academy trust as need arises for aspects of leadership and the quality of teaching, learning and assessment.
• Pupils come from a wide range of ethnic backgrounds. Almost all speak English as an additional language.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors observed pupils’ learning by visiting lessons, talking to pupils as they worked and looking at the work in their books.
• Inspectors met with: the headteacher and deputy headteacher; other school staff; the CEO, deputy CEO and director of services from the Leigh Trust; the chair and another member of the local governing body; and groups of pupils in Years 2, 5 and 6. Inspectors spoke informally with other staff and pupils as they moved around school.
• Inspectors took account of the 35 staff survey submissions and the 12 responses to the Parent View online survey. Inspectors spoke with several parents at the beginning and end of the school day.
• A range of documents was examined, including: the school’s checks on how well it is doing and its plans for improvement; minutes of meetings of the local governing body; curriculum plans; policies relating to health and safety and pupils’ welfare; and information about pupils’ attendance and behaviour, and safeguarding.

Inspection team

Sandy Hayes, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector John Bates Ofsted Inspector Juliette Westwood Ofsted Inspector Karen O’Keefe Ofsted Inspector