Captain Webb Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Further improve outcomes for all groups of pupils in key stages 1 and 2 by continuing to embed, evaluate and refine the systems and structures that are now in place in order to secure sustainable improvement.
• Improve the quality of teaching, so that it is consistently good by making sure that teachers:
  • match tasks to pupils’ starting points to ensure challenge for all groups
  • consistently follow senior leaders’ advice on how to improve their practice, including using the successful classroom strategies that leaders have recently introduced
  • routinely stretch pupils through well-chosen activities and questions.
• Improve the quality of leadership and management by:
  • constantly reinforcing expectations of the pace of learning for all groups of pupils
  • developing middle leaders, so that they are as effective as senior leaders in working to ensure rapid improvements across the school
  • checking the progress of different groups of pupils in greater detail, particularly disadvantaged pupils of different abilities, so that, when necessary, precise improvements to teaching can be made. An external review of the school’s use of the pupil premium funding should be undertaken in order to assess how this aspect of leadership and management may be improved.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

• Leadership and management require improvement because leaders have not yet done enough to secure consistently good teaching for pupils. As a result, pupils do not make consistently good progress, particularly in 2017 key stage 2 outcomes. The efforts of leaders and governors to drive improvements have been hindered by turbulence in staffing, particularly at senior leadership level.
• In the past, leaders have not provided teachers with precise feedback to help secure effective teaching. As a result of recent changes, leaders now monitor the quality of teaching frequently and are quick to spot where practice needs to be better. External support, both from the interim headteacher’s school and the school improvement partner, is helping leaders to sharpen the accuracy of their judgements.
• Over time, the impact of pupil premium funding has been variable, as the pattern of disadvantaged pupils’ achievement across the school shows. Leaders have begun to undertake more careful analysis of how best to use the pupil premium and plan support that is more closely matched to pupils’ needs.
• In the past, leaders did not check routinely the performance of some groups of pupils, including the most able pupils and pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities. New systems, including a nurture room introduced by the interim headteacher, are helping leaders to identify groups of pupils who are not doing as well as they should. These groups include the most able pupils, disadvantaged pupils and those who are the most able disadvantaged. However, it is too early to judge whether this new approach will generate sustained improvements in pupils’ outcomes.
• The recently introduced curriculum programme now ensures that pupils are developing age-related skills and knowledge. Teachers are also increasingly using this programme to plan opportunities which inspire pupils to write. Leaders draw on teaching expertise from various sources, including other schools within the area, to ensure that the teaching of subjects, such as science and physical education, is of good quality. However, implementation of the new curriculum is not fully embedded throughout the school.
• The strong, determined leadership of the interim headteacher has provided stability and guided the school through some challenging times. The new leadership team is developing the right level of skills and experience to drive improvements at a more rapid pace.
• Leaders’ own evaluation of the school’s strengths and weaknesses is accurate. While recognising the improvements that have been made more recently, senior leaders are realistic about the challenges that lie ahead.
• Provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is effective in preparing them for the responsibilities of living in modern Britain. They understand British values, such as the concept of tolerance, and speak about them confidently. They appreciate the importance of equality of opportunity, and that there is much to learn from their friends from different cultures.
• The physical education and sport premium is helping to develop pupils’ understanding of what constitutes a healthy lifestyle. The wide variety of well-attended extra-curricular sports clubs contributes well to pupils’ enjoyment of school. The school also actively promotes participation in inter-school competitions through its membership of the Schools Sports Partnership.
• The provision for pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is increasingly well led. The special educational needs leadership tracks these pupils’ progress with care and puts in place appropriate support. The progress these pupils make is improving, but is not consistently good.
• Parents who responded to the Ofsted survey reported that since the arrival of the new senior leaders this year, the school has improved its provision and care for their children.

Governance of the school

• Governors have contributed effectively to steering the school through recent turbulent times. Sensibly, governors actively recruited and then relied on the experience of the interim headteacher and school improvement partner to bolster leadership capacity. This is helping leaders to focus their efforts on improving teaching and raising standards.
• Governors have an increasingly accurate picture of the school’s effectiveness. They are aware that some aspects of their work need sharpening, in particular the way they hold leaders to account for the impact of the pupil premium funding.
• Governors’ training in keeping pupils safe is up to date. As a result, they ask leaders the right questions about whether the school fulfils all of its duties with regard to safeguarding.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Recruitment checks are thorough and personnel records are kept in good order.
• Designated staff are suitably trained and policies and procedures are in place to ensure the safety of the pupils.
• Staff have up-to-date training on how to keep children safe and on the ‘Prevent’ duty. Pupils are clear on how to keep themselves safe and whom to contact if they have any concerns.
• Where necessary, referrals to external agencies are swift, and thorough follow-up procedures are in place.
• Parents who spoke to inspectors or responded to the online survey confirmed that they are confident that their children are safe at the school.
• Risks are carefully considered, both within the school and before pupils are taken out on trips. Adults regularly check the site to ensure that it is secure.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

• The quality of teaching is uneven throughout the school. This results in variation in outcomes across key stages 1 and 2. Where teaching is most effective, pupils make quick progress. However, less effective teaching results in pupils making slower progress than that of which they are capable.
• The level of challenge presented to pupils does not allow them to achieve as well as they could. For example, an overall lack of challenge, demonstrated in pupils’ writing in the foundation subjects such as geography and history, reflects teachers not having a sufficiently robust appreciation of what constitutes learning at greater depth. This leads to too great an emphasis on pupils reaching the expected, rather than higher, standard.
• Teachers’ use of questioning is variable. At its best, it helps teachers to appreciate precisely what pupils understand, so that they can help them overcome barriers to their learning. Where questioning is weaker, teachers do not get to the heart of why a pupil is stuck. This prevents teachers from providing the specific guidance needed.
• Leaders have drawn effectively on practice in other schools to introduce a number of new teaching strategies. Where teachers have adopted them, there has been a notable impact on how well lessons proceed. However, the use of these strategies is still inconsistent and so the effect on pupils’ outcomes, including disadvantaged pupils of different abilities, remains limited.
• It is clear, through looking at work in pupils’ books, that progress for many has improved considerably since new leaders took up their posts. This is because expectations of what pupils can achieve are higher, and stronger links between subjects support pupils’ understanding.
• In the past, teaching did not ensure that additional adults’ support for pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities was effectively helping their learning. As a result, some pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities did not always persevere in their work and gave up too readily when they found learning difficult. Work seen in pupils’ books indicates more positive attitudes to learning but still not consistently good.
• Pupils read a range of texts to improve their knowledge, understanding and skills. Many read for pleasure and weaker readers are able to use their phonics knowledge to sound out words.
• Where teachers plan challenging activities and assess pupils’ learning accurately, pupils make better progress. However, inconsistencies remain across all subjects and classes. As a result, pupils do not make good progress.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good. Pupils are well cared for and safe. They value the care shown by all adults in the school and feel confident in knowing how to report any concerns.
• Pupils are happy and enjoy coming to school. They respond well to adults and to each other. They talk about their learning and recognise when teachers’ advice challenges them to improve.
• The school’s work to support pupils’ mental health has been successful in developing their self-confidence and emotional well-being. As a result, pupils work and play well together, and relationships between pupils and staff are strong across the school. For example, in a Year 3 mathematics lesson, pupils were observed working well together with their teacher to ensure that their problem-solving skills were further enhanced.
• The school teaches pupils how to keep safe when out of school. For example, they are made aware of risks in talking to strangers. Pupils are taught how to use the internet sensibly, including taking care to select online games that are appropriate for their age and how to keep personal information secure.
• School records show that bullying is rare. Pupils show a good understanding of what constitutes bullying. They say bullying is rare and, when it does occur, it is dealt with quickly and effectively by staff.
• The wide range of clubs and activities, including archery, badminton, drama and sport, promote the physical health of the pupils. Through effective use of school funding, pupils are able to access clubs of their choice.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good. Leaders have ensured that staff and pupils all have high expectations of themselves.
• Pupils’ movement around the school is purposeful and orderly. They are punctual to lessons and are quickly ready to learn. Pupils are polite and respectful to each other and to staff and visitors, often saying, ‘Good morning’.
• In lessons, pupils typically listen very carefully to staff and to each other, and usually work productively whether independently, in pairs, groups or as a whole class. Very occasionally, a few pupils find it hard to persevere if they are expected to complete difficult tasks without the help of an adult.
• The school looks at patterns in pupils’ attendance. School leaders have used this information to identify those families that require support to ensure that their children attend regularly. As a result, attendance has been consistently above the national average for several years.
• Parents are happy with the school’s approach to keeping their children safe. Those parents who spoke to inspectors expressed their support for the school’s leadership.

Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

• Pupils completing key stage 2 in 2016 made average progress between the end of Years 2 and 6 in reading, writing and mathematics. Early analysis of 2017 results indicates a decline in progress.
• Individuals and groups of pupils make different rates of progress from their starting points. For some pupils, progress falters and, as a result, they do not sustain the standards they have previously demonstrated. In some cases, pupils who have previously attained the expected standard fall below the standard expected in subsequent years. Progress across the course of this academic year, as seen in pupils’ books, is also inconsistent, with some pupils making good progress and others making far less than that.
• Outcomes are stronger for younger pupils, including for those in the early years provision, where achievement is on an upward trend. Outcomes in the Year 1 phonics screening check declined from 2015 to 2016, but for the current year they have returned to the level of 2015. In 2016, the proportions of key stage 1 pupils reaching or exceeding the standards for their age were below national averages in reading, writing and mathematics. Disadvantaged pupils also failed to reach the standards of other pupils nationally.
• The attainment of disadvantaged pupils varies throughout the school. In some cases, they achieve in line with, or better than, their peers. The school’s assessment information indicates that, although many disadvantaged pupils reach the expected standards in reading, writing and mathematics, too few reach the higher standards.
• The progress of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities varies throughout the school. In some year groups, their rates of progress from their starting points are comparable to those of all pupils, but in others they are slower.
• The most able pupils are not consistently provided with the opportunities to excel. As a consequence, they do not make the progress of which they are capable. Where the most able pupils are given well-crafted opportunities to deepen their knowledge, they achieve well, for example in key stage 1 reading.

Early years provision Good

• The majority of children begin the early years foundation stage with skills and abilities below those typical for their age, particularly in literacy and mathematics. The proportion attaining a good level of development by the end of the Reception Year has risen over recent years to be close to the national average in 2016, and has improved further in 2017.
• Leadership of the early years is good. Leaders have an accurate view of what is working well across the phase. Plans for further development are coherent and tightly focused. Leaders have checked that all statutory welfare requirements are being met.
• Evidence seen in children’s books during the inspection demonstrates progress in early reading and writing is particularly strong. Carefully planned activities, together with a strong grounding in phonics and handwriting skills, enable children to produce high-quality writing.
• Teaching is effective in promoting good learning. Adults routinely have conversations with the children, listening to them carefully and encouraging them to talk. As a result, children develop good listening and speaking skills. For example, children are encouraged to identify ‘speedy green words’ from the text they are studying and say those words out loud to improve their pronunciation skills.
• Children are cared for well. Adults are kind and attentive to the needs of each child. Children’s behaviour in the early years provision is good. They are engaged by the interesting and challenging activities on offer. They concentrate well and stick at tasks. Most children get on well with one another. Adults patiently encourage the few who may find sharing difficult to respect the wishes of others and to take turns to use the equipment.
• Teachers track children’s progress and report it to parents regularly.
• The classrooms and the outdoor play areas are laid out attractively, enabling children to acquire a range of skills. There are plenty of opportunities for them to climb, balance and ride wheeled vehicles. Those who want a more protected environment for part of the day have access to quiet corners and reading areas. Those who want adventure can find it in the activities involving sand, water or construction activities.
• Staff handle transition into Year 1 well. Adults’ careful attention and support enable children to start Year 1 with rapidly improving language, number and social skills.

School details

Unique reference number 123443 Local authority Telford and Wrekin Inspection number 10032689 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 416 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Interim headteacher Telephone number Website Email address Mark Chetwood Sandra Osman 01952 386770 www.captainwebbprimary.org.uk sandra.osman@taw.org.uk Date of previous inspection 18–19 June 2013

Information about this school

• The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website.
• Captain Webb Primary School is a larger than average-sized primary school.
• The proportion of disadvantaged pupils is above the national average.
• The proportion of pupils who are from minority ethnic groups and the proportion who speak English as an additional language are both below average.
• The proportion of pupils with an education, health and care (EHC) plan is below the national average. The proportion of pupils who receive support for special educational needs and/or disabilities is broadly average.
• The interim headteacher has been in post since February 2017. At the time of the inspection, the headteacher appointed for September 2017 was working with the interim headteacher until the end of the academic year.
• The school meets the current government floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for the attainment and progress of pupils by the end of Year 6.

Information about this inspection

• The inspectors observed pupils learning during two learning walks and in 15 lessons or parts of lessons. Several lessons were observed jointly with senior leaders.
• The inspectors looked at work in pupils’ books and listened to pupils read. They met with pupils to gain their views of the school. The inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour at breaktime, lunchtime and at the end of the school day, as well as in lessons.
• The inspectors looked at a range of documentation, including: assessments and records of pupils’ progress; the school’s checks and records relating to safeguarding; child protection and attendance information; records of how teaching is managed; and the school improvement plans.
• Meetings were held with the interim headteacher, the headteacher due to take up her post in September 2017, the deputy headteacher, the special educational needs coordinator, and middle leaders. The lead inspector met with governors, including the chair and vice-chair of governors, and the school’s improvement partner.
• The inspectors took account of the 30 responses to the Ofsted online questionnaire, Parent View, and those of 16 parents who completed the online free-text survey. Inspectors also looked at the five responses to the online staff questionnaire.

Inspection team

Steven Cartlidge, lead inspector Michael Onyon Justine Lomas Russell Hinton Anna Smith Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector