Wood End Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

In accordance with section 13(4) of the Education Act 2005, Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector is of the opinion that the school no longer requires special measures.

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Further improve teaching by making sure that, in all classes, teachers and teaching assistants:
  • provide pupils with the right resources at the right time
  • explain clearly and ask questions to check what pupils understand rather than relying too much on instructions to get tasks done
  • give those pupils who already understand scope to draw on their knowledge and creativity to push on further
  • have consistent expectations for pupils’ spelling.
• Continue to improve pupils’ behaviour and attitudes to school by:
  • working with parents and other organisations to improve the attendance of pupils who miss too much school without good reason
  • further reducing incidents of rough or rude behaviour on the playground.
• Continue to strengthen leadership capacity across the school by:
  • providing more training and opportunities for leaders to work with leaders from other schools
  • making sure all leaders are suitably attentive to teaching and learning across the school.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• Strong leadership has united the staff team, gained the trust of parents and improved the school’s effectiveness. All staff understand their roles and respond positively to the encouragement, guidance and training they receive.
• The executive headteacher has her finger on the pulse of the school. She is focused on standards but equally mindful of staff and pupils’ well-being. She knows there is more work to do to build further on recent improvements and is developing other leaders’ skills in order to help with this.
• Already, some leaders’ expertise and efficiency are shining through. The leadership of special educational needs is organised and thorough. Subject leaders for English and mathematics are on the ball and increasingly involved in evaluating the effectiveness of teaching and learning. Indeed, during this inspection, over 70 parents turned up for a very worthwhile mathematics open morning. This is not only indicative of a school that is now confident with its curriculum ambitions, it also shows the high level of parental engagement and satisfaction. Comments entered into Parent View also paint an appreciative picture.
• Oversight of the pupil premium is carried out effectively. In order to improve disadvantaged pupils’ achievement, well-being and engagement in learning, the school provides additional activities during and after the school day. Leaders regularly check on pupils’ participation and progress rates and refine provision in response. Currently, 100% of disadvantaged pupils attend at least one extra-curricular activity.
• All leaders have great team spirit and radiate supportive optimism. Even so, some leaders could use more initiative when checking whether teaching in all classes is hitting the mark.
• While raising standards in English and mathematics has been the school’s top priority, there has been no easing off on other subjects. Science, for example, is taught weekly with new learning clearly building progressively on earlier lessons. Similarly, physical education (PE), humanities and the creative subjects are taught regularly, with PE provision enhanced by specialist teaching funded by the PE and sport premium.
• The school’s curriculum gives pupils a solid understanding of the difference between right and wrong. It also equips them with knowledge about different religions and customs and teaches them the value of empathy and respect for others. Currently, pupils are rehearsing for a ‘Spirit of Bollywood’ production and, during the inspection, spoke excitedly about the music and moves they were learning. Furthermore, pupils benefit from trips to nearby places of interest and take part in projects that help others and generate a sense of social responsibility.

Governance of the school

• Governance is effective. The local governing body is informed because governors keep in close contact with the school and know what is going on. Executive officers from Communities Academies Trust (CAT) also work closely with the school and carry out regular reviews that recognise progress and identify next steps. Governors and executive officers have ambitions to make sure the recording of information about the school’s effectiveness continues to improve.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective and this part of the school’s work has been consistently strong.
• Staff are vigilant in their duty of care. Any unexplained absences from school are followed up quickly and staff report any concerns about safety to the right people. The school works with other professional organisations when necessary.
• Leaders carry out all the correct employment checks on school staff and make sure they receive regular safeguarding training. Some staff have first-aid training.
• The school site is secure and access by visitors is controlled. Safety procedures, such as fire drills, are carried out regularly.
• Medicines in school are stored in the right place.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• The quality of teaching at the school has improved. Teaching in the early years and at the top of key stage 2 is particularly strong. Elsewhere, teaching usually hits the mark, but not always.
• Over the past two years, the staff team has focused on getting the basics of reading, writing and mathematics right. In all classes, the teaching of reading has come on in leaps and bounds. Pupils read regularly, enjoy being read to in class and have many opportunities to interrogate text and explore the meanings of words.
• Teachers also make sure that pupils practise writing in many different styles and develop the stamina needed to write at length. Pupils’ spelling and presentation have both improved, although, in some classes, staff are not attentive enough when pupils make careless spelling errors.
• Curriculum planning and teaching in mathematics have also strengthened and enable most pupils to build up their knowledge and skills in a logical progression. Staff have secure subject knowledge and plan interesting lessons that usually make pupils think and apply what they know to familiar and new situations. During this inspection, for example, inspectors saw pupils drawing on their knowledge of arithmetic and mathematical vocabulary to solve problems and explain their thinking. Even so, the use of assessment in this subject is better in some classes than in others. In a few cases, staff give too many instructions without checking how well pupils understand the underlying concepts or calculations. This means that some pupils get confused while others do not press on when they are ready. Similarly, appropriate table-top equipment to support pupils with their mathematics work is usually available and used well, but sometimes is not.
• Classrooms are kept tidy, with plenty of displays that celebrate pupils’ achievements and assist learning. Subject-specific vocabulary walls, words of the week and reminders about mathematical and scientific ways of working support pupils during lessons and remind them about expectations.
• Teaching in subjects such as science, PE, religious education, geography and history is frequent and effective. Books and teaching seen during this inspection revealed that the school provides a broad curriculum that is relevant and meaningful to pupils.

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 proud of their school and can explain how it has improved. They understand their role in making sure the school is a safe place in which to learn and play. For instance, pupil ‘ambussadors’ watch out for other pupils on the school bus and ‘digital leaders’ help their peers to stay safe online. In addition, all pupils know to say ‘stop it please’ if anyone else’s behaviour makes them feel uncomfortable. They also know that adults are quick to help when any problems arise and, around the school, there are many reminders about how to report concerns or worries.
• The school uses a therapeutic approach to support pupils with their emotional and social development. Pupils who struggle to make sense of their own feelings or to understand those of others, benefit greatly from this. Some of the comments made by parents during the inspection praised the school’s work in this area and noted how it has improved pupils’ attitudes towards school and life.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good.
• Pupils are calm in lessons and when moving around the school building. They listen to their teachers and are obedient in class. The school’s rules are fair, lessons run smoothly and pupils willingly cooperate with one another.
• Older pupils take on special jobs. In key stage 2, a ‘job squad’ of pupils shares daily tasks, such as setting up the hall for assembly and looking after younger pupils on the playground. These roles give pupils a sense of duty and responsibility and they carry them out well.
• Pupils of all ages have a good understanding of the school’s one-word rule of ‘respect’ and can explain why it is important to respect oneself and others. On the playground, pupils usually get on well but, from time to time, tempers flare and this can result in some rough behaviour. Pupils also report that some pupils swear or say unkind words, although they say this is much less common that it used to be. Inspectors’ checks on the school’s records found that incidents of poor behaviour are dealt with quickly and effectively. Staff also take steps to reduce the chances of it happening again.
• Most pupils attend school regularly and are rarely late. A few miss too much school without good reason and this hinders their progress.

Outcomes for pupils Good

• Standards are rising, and current pupils are doing well.
• At the end of key stage 1, standards in reading, writing and mathematics are in line with national figures. Pupils are well prepared for their start in key stage 2. Indeed, it is clear that standards coming up through the school are much higher than they used to be.
• In 2018, standards in English and mathematics at the end of key stage 2 were below the national average. At that time, this was a fair reflection of the gaps in pupils’ knowledge due to previous weaknesses in teaching. However, pupils currently in the school have had more time to benefit from improved teaching and are making good progress. In the current Year 6, for instance, most pupils are working at age-related expectations. Some are working at the higher standard.
• Work in books shows that pupils in all year groups get a lot of good work done in many different subjects.
• Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive effective teaching and support, which is regularly reviewed and adapted to meet their changing needs. Consequently, they make good progress. The most able pupils are also making better progress than before although, because a lot of time has been spent catching up, some are not as far ahead as they ought to be.
• The majority of disadvantaged pupils are keeping up with their peers. A few, and mainly those who miss a lot of school, have fallen behind.

Early years provision Good

• Provision in the early years continues to be good and some aspects have strengthened since the previous inspection. Phonics teaching, in particular, stands out as a strength. Effective teaching in both the Nursery and Reception classes means that children gain a secure knowledge of letter sounds, which fuels their interest and capabilities as readers. Furthermore, informed leadership and good communication between the two classes ensure that teaching and learning in the Reception Year builds logically on what children have learned in the Nursery.
• Across the early years, staff also give plenty of attention to developing children’s speaking and listening skills. Classrooms are set up to prompt questions and discussion and adults offer lots of encouraging words that build children’s confidence. In the class role-play areas, children can be ‘opticians’, chat to ‘customers’ or make phone calls, all of which give them meaningful reasons to talk, count and make notes. Their imaginations and curiosity are also fired up by many other things to see, touch and do, both indoors and outside.
• The school’s attention to early literacy and numeracy helps children, many of whom start with literacy and communication skills below those typical for their age, to acquire important skills that they will need in key stage 1. The impact of this early work is reflected in the proportion of children who reach a good level of development before starting in Year 1, which is above the national average. It can also be seen in the year-on-year rise in results in the Year 1 phonics screening check.
• In addition to basic skills, staff nurture children so that they feel valued, behave well and enjoy one another’s company. Children are considerate towards others and consistent expectations and routines help them to feel secure and happy at school.
• The early years curriculum also gives children plenty of scope to make choices, explore, investigate and play. Leaders are currently looking to introduce more activities that take their lead from children’s own interests and fascinations.
• The school has good links with parents. Before children start school, staff make home visits, hold meetings for parents and ease children gently into school through a series of visits. Once children are at school, staff send parents regular information about classroom learning and suggest things they can do at home to support their children.
• Staff carry out daily health and safety checks on the class and play areas. Children are well supervised and kept safe at school.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 140418 Warwickshire 10058459 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 Academy sponsor-led 3 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 157 Appropriate authority Board of trustees Chief executive officer Philip Hamilton Executive headteacher Moira Cross Telephone number 01827 872 237 Website Email address www.woodend.eschools.co.uk head2023@welearn365.com Date of previous inspection 13-14 December 2016

Information about this school

• Most pupils are White British.
• The proportion of disadvantaged pupils is just below the national average.
• The proportion of pupils with SEND at the school is above the national average.
• The school is in the Community Academies Trust (CAT). CAT’s board of trustees is responsible for setting the strategic direction of CAT’s schools. The trustees employ a chief executive officer (CEO) to oversee and work with all of CAT’s schools.
• At a local level, a governing body provides governance of two trust schools: Wood End Primary and Dordon Primary. An executive headteacher divides her time between the two schools. She is responsible for the work and performance of both schools. An associate headteacher provides day-to-day operational leadership at Wood End Primary.
• The school has five mixed year-group classes and a Nursery, which admits three-year-olds.

Information about this inspection

• The inspectors observed teaching and learning in all classes. Inspectors also examined pupils’ work in books and on display, and considered the school’s test and assessment information.
• Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour and the school’s routines at the beginning and end of the school day. They also observed pupils in lessons, school clubs, at lunch and breaktimes and when they were moving about the school site.
• By the end of the inspection, there were 27 recent responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View, and 28 free-text responses. The inspection team considered these and spoke with some parents during the inspection. In addition, inspectors spoke with pupils, staff, school leaders, governors and the CEO of CAT. Inspectors also looked at the 14 responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire for staff.
• Inspectors examined school documents. These included: information about pupils’ progress and attainment, evaluations of the school’s performance and several policy statements. Records relating to leadership, governance, staff training, SEND, early years, behaviour, attendance, exclusions, safety, safeguarding and the quality of teaching were also scrutinised. The school’s website was also checked.

Inspection team

Martin Pye, lead inspector Linda Brown

Her Majesty’s Inspector Ofsted Inspector