Thorne Moorends West Road Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Further improve the impact of leadership and management by:
  • sustaining the recent improvements in pupils’ outcomes in English and mathematics throughout the school
  • improving the quality and effectiveness of phonics teaching so that a higher proportion of pupils, at least in line with the national average, reach the expected standard in the Year 1 phonics screening check
  • ensuring that checks on the teaching of English are more effective in swiftly picking up where teaching could be further improved
  • making sure that in the early stages of learning to read, pupils’ reading books are closely matched to their phonics knowledge
  • improving the transition from Reception to Year 1 so that pupils quickly build on the strong start they have had in early years
  • checking the impact of strategies to improve persistent absence and behaviour more rigorously.
• Further improve consistency in the quality of teaching and learning, particularly for lower-attaining pupils, by:
  • ensuring that there are ample opportunities for pupils to use and apply their writing skills, both in English and across the wider curriculum
  • making sure that reading tasks, especially those which are carried out independently, are effective in consolidating pupils’ learning.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• Leaders have secured rapid improvement in the last academic year, following falling standards since the last inspection. Current pupils are making better progress and an increasing proportion are reaching and exceeding age-related expectations.
• Leaders are outward-facing and welcome support from their links with a teaching school alliance and local schools. This support has been effective in developing a wide range of middle leaders who are now having a greater influence on raising standards in their areas of responsibility.
• Leaders have instilled a collective responsibility for pupils’ outcomes and have raised teachers’ expectations of what pupils can achieve. Staff feel well supported and are becoming more reflective about the impact of their teaching on pupils’ learning. This has contributed to the improved outcomes which are being secured.
• There has been a determined effort by the headteacher to create a culture in which staff routinely raise pupils’ aspirations. With that in mind, the curriculum has been designed around the three themes of cultural capital, powerful knowledge and aspiration. It is carefully crafted to be as engaging as possible, making sure that it is particularly appealing to boys, as they have not always achieved as well as they could. Parents and pupils agree that the learning experiences on offer provide great interest and spark pupils’ curiosity. These contribute to pupils’ enjoyment of school and their positive attitudes to learning, which support their development.
• Leaders have ensured that reading is promoted well through school and that pupils are encouraged to read regularly, both for pleasure and to enhance their learning across the curriculum. They have recognised that phonics outcomes could be improved further and have put a working party in place. There remains some inconsistency in the quality and effectiveness of phonics teaching, though. This has not been addressed quickly enough through leaders’ routine checks on the quality of teaching and learning. Consequently, leaders’ actions have been too recent to have a more significant impact on improving pupils’ phonics outcomes in Year 1 during this year.
• Leaders make excellent links with families. Parents highly value the regular opportunities for them to engage with school staff, access courses and training, and find out how to support their child’s learning at home.
• Leaders and governors check the impact of the pupil premium funding to increase its impact on pupils’ outcomes. This is beginning to lead to more focused spending plans. As a result, disadvantaged pupils are reaching standards which are similar to those of their non-disadvantaged peers and are becoming closer to those reached by other pupils nationally.
• Leaders’ tracking of individual pupils ensures that funding for pupils who have special educational needs (SEN) and/or disabilities is targeted appropriately and that pupils have access to facilities to meet their needs, such as the sensory room. Progress for this group of pupils has quickened as a result.
• Leaders do not routinely analyse information about pupils who are persistently absent to establish which strategies are having the greatest impact on improving their attendance. Similarly, behaviour records do not include enough detail, such as the type of behaviour, to enable leaders to spot any patterns and respond strategically.

Governance of the school

• Governors are aware of their roles and responsibilities and carry them out effectively. They have taken steps to make sure that when new governors have been appointed, they have further extended the range of skills which they are able to draw upon. This is serving them well in being able to provide more rigorous challenge and appropriate support.
• Governors have a firm understanding of the school’s strengths, weaknesses and priorities for further development. They use their regular visits and involvement in school life to help them check on the impact of leaders’ actions. They have enabled leaders to develop a wide team, including, in the last year, additional middle-leadership roles. This has been pivotal to the improvements which have been made to the quality of teaching and pupils’ outcomes.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. The strong culture of safeguarding that is evident in the school ensures that pupils feel safe and secure and are in a good position to learn. Appropriate checks are made on staff who work at the school. All staff have received appropriate training and are able to spot possible signs of concern.
• Safeguarding records are detailed and thorough. They show a close and effective working relationship with other agencies to ensure that pupils are kept safe.
• The curriculum supports pupils in learning how to stay safe. Consequently, they are able to talk with confidence about how to stay safe when faced with potential risks, such as using the internet, crossing the road or riding a bicycle.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• The quality of teaching has improved. Pupils are now making more progress with their learning in English, mathematics and across the wider curriculum. Teachers have increasingly high expectations of what pupils can, and should, achieve. Well-established routines and the use of the classroom learning environment are also effective in supporting pupils’ learning.
• Teachers are keen to make sure that the curriculum captures pupils’ interests. Meaningful and relevant cross-curricular themes, such as the current whole-school focus on the World Cup, bring pupils’ learning to life. Teachers also use these purposeful learning experiences to challenge stereotypes and promote equality. Consequently, pupils are interested in their learning and demonstrate very positive attitudes. They listen and concentrate well, taking pride in producing work of high quality which is usually presented neatly.
• Teachers ensure that pupils are developing the skills needed to write effectively for a range of purposes and audiences. Whole-class texts are used well to make the link between pupils’ reading and writing. Teachers encourage pupils to be ambitious with their vocabulary and language choices when writing, and pupils respond by using examples they have identified in their reading.
• In mathematics, there is a consistent approach to planning sequences of learning which are pitched at age-related expectations and build appropriately on pupils’ prior learning. Resources are used well to support pupils’ knowledge, skills and understanding. This helps them to more easily grasp abstract concepts. Teachers’ questions challenge pupils’ thinking, and pupils are expected to justify their answers to demonstrate their understanding.
• In reading lessons, pupils are enjoying the well-selected books, which are used effectively to develop their comprehension skills. However, when pupils are expected to work independently, they do not always sufficiently reinforce their prior learning. This is particularly the case for lower-attaining pupils who sometimes struggle to access the work without support.
• The quality and effectiveness of phonics teaching vary. Pupils who are not on track are receiving effective support to help them catch up. However, there are some missed opportunities for pupils to use and apply their newly acquired skills when producing writing in English, and across the curriculum. Lower-attaining pupils are often expected to write words and captions in grids and tables. This limits their ability to practise writing in full sentences and with appropriate handwriting.
• During the inspection, pupils in Year 5 were being taught by Year 6 teachers. Teachers use this opportunity to identify and address any gaps in pupils’ learning so that pupils are well prepared to make a solid start to Year 6 in September.
• Teachers and teaching assistants provide effective support for pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities. For example, they encourage pupils to develop their independence by using the ‘working wall’ to find the information they need to solve a problem.
• Teachers involve pupils in self-assessing their learning. Pupils know how to improve their work and they are encouraged to take greater responsibility for their own learning and development.
• Teachers’ questioning is enabling pupils to think more deeply. This challenges pupils’ thinking and allows teachers to check how secure pupils’ understanding is.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good. There is a strong commitment by school leaders to develop pupils as rounded individuals. Consequently, pupils’ physical and emotional well-being is developed well.
• Pupils have good attitudes to their learning and take pride in working hard and cooperating with others. Positive relationships between staff and pupils create a constructive atmosphere throughout school. Pupils respond well to the high expectations from staff and the engaging curriculum, which draws on pupils’ interests.
• The ‘West Best’ school’s values are woven into many aspects of the school’s work. This helps pupils to understand their application and importance in everyday life. Pupils say that the values encourage them to think carefully, for example, about the need to respect others, make the right choices and persevere when things are difficult. As a result, pupils are developing the skills they need to become confident individuals and effective learners.
• The wider curriculum makes a very positive contribution to pupils’ social, moral, spiritual and cultural development. For example, pupils contribute to the school by taking on jobs and responsibilities, such as being eco-warriors, e-cadets and road safety officers. They do so with pride and enthusiasm.
• Pupils say that bullying is rare and that they are confident that adults in school will be there to listen should they have any concerns. A culture of respect for others permeates the school and helps to prepare pupils well for life in modern Britain.
• The school’s breakfast and after-school clubs support pupils’ social interaction. Subsidised places, facilitated through pupil premium funding, are effective in helping to promote a punctual and settled start to pupils’ learning each day.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good. Pupils are polite and well mannered to staff, visitors and each other. They demonstrate self-discipline and manage their own behaviour well. Pupils behave positively in lessons and around school, including at break and lunchtimes.
• Leaders use a range of whole-school approaches to encourage good attendance. Consequently, absence and persistent absence figures are usually very close to, but just above, the national average, both overall and for all pupil groups.

Outcomes for pupils Good

• Current pupils throughout the school, including those who are disadvantaged or have SEN and/or disabilities, are making good progress. There has been rapid improvement in the proportion of pupils reaching and exceeding the age-related expectations. This is the case for English and mathematics in each year group. The improvement has been particularly marked in key stage 2. This is in stark contrast to pupils’ reading, writing and mathematics progress by the end of key stage 2 in 2017, which was significantly below the national average. In 2017, pupils’ attainment had also been in the lowest 20% nationally for reading and mathematics, both overall and for disadvantaged pupils.
• Attainment by the end of key stage 1 in reading, writing and mathematics improved in 2017. Writing attainment was just below the national average, reading was in line with the national average and mathematics was above the national average. Disadvantaged pupils’ outcomes also improved, with their attainment edging closer to that of their peers. In mathematics, disadvantaged pupils’ attainment improved so much that it was in line with that of other pupils nationally. The improved outcomes in key stage 1 have continued this year. Nonetheless, some lower-attaining pupils have less opportunity to practise their newly acquired skills. This means that they do not always secure their learning as quickly as they could.
• Pupils’ reading progress by the end of key stage 2 has been consistently below the national average over time. However, leaders’ actions to encourage pupils to read widely and often are proving successful. Current pupils have access to a range of high-quality texts and are developing a love of reading. They talk with enthusiasm about their favourite authors and are keen to read regularly so they can become ‘reader leaders’. At the early stages of learning to read, though, books are not always matched to pupils’ phonics knowledge closely enough. This means that some readers do not have the skills needed to read the words accurately and therefore they do not develop reading confidence and fluency as fast as they might.
• Leaders’ actions to make sure that boys make enough progress have been successful. An engaging and relevant curriculum is contributing to boys’ enthusiasm and subsequent progress and development.
• The new approach to teaching mathematics is proving effective. Pupils are developing secure knowledge, skills and understanding which they use to reason and solve problems with increasing confidence.
• Throughout the school, current disadvantaged pupils are making good progress and usually achieve similar outcomes to their peers.
• The remaining inconsistency in the quality and effectiveness of phonics teaching has contributed to the below-average proportions of pupils meeting the expected standard in the Year 1 phonics screening check over time. The proportion of pupils who are on track to meet the standard this year has increased, but not sharply enough. However, intervention for current pupils in Years 2 and 3 who did not meet the expected standard by Year 1 or Year 2 has been very effective in helping them to catch up speedily.
• Pupils now invariably access work which is pitched at age-related expectations. Consequently, pupils’ standards in a range of subjects, beyond English and mathematics, have improved accordingly.
• Current pupils in Year 1 have not built effectively enough on the strong starting points they began with, following their success in Reception. This has slowed development for some pupils, particularly lower attainers.

Early years provision Good

• The proportion of children reaching a good level of development has improved, and by 2017 was in line with the national average. Disadvantaged children achieve as well as their peers, and in 2017 their achievement was in line with that of other children nationally. The proportion of children exceeding the writing early learning goal has improved over time and has been above the national average for the last two years. Consequently, children are becoming increasingly well prepared for their learning in Year 1.
• This year, children have continued to make good progress from their, often low and sometimes very low, starting points.
• The early years leader is passionate about making sure that children get the best possible start to their education. She has a clear vision for further improving practice in the early years. Since she began in the post, she has brought Nursery and Reception together to make a more cohesive unit. Staff training and development have been used effectively to give adults the necessary skills to support children’s learning successfully.
• Leaders have prioritised parental engagement. During the inspection, parents and their children were visiting school for taster sessions. Leaders use situations such as these to engage with parents. This helps establish positive relationships and gives staff a good understanding of each child and how to best meet their needs. It is also an effective way for leaders to share expectations with parents, so they become equipped with an awareness of how to prepare their child for school. Throughout children’s time in early years, staff value parents’ views and use questionnaires to help them improve the effectiveness of their actions. Parents say that they feel well informed and receive useful guidance about how to support their child’s learning and development, for example with phonics and learning to read.
• The early years leader has developed thorough assessment systems. Detailed descriptions and examples of what each child knows, and can do, are used to identify appropriate next steps for learning. For example, regular checks are made on children’s pen grip and name writing to gauge their progress. This supports all adults in helping each child to make the necessary gains in their learning.
• Interaction with adults is effective in encouraging children to develop their reading, writing and mathematics skills as they carry out their activities, both in the classroom and in the outdoor area. Adults make careful adjustments to ensure that all children, including those who have SEN and/or disabilities, are able to access the tasks.
• The teaching of phonics is effective. A new assessment system has recently been introduced. As children move into the next year group, teachers will now have a more accurate picture of their starting points, so they can build quickly on children’s prior learning.
• Children are well cared for. Rules and routines have become well established so that children listen carefully to adult instructions and concentrate well. The early years leader, along with the early years staff team, ensures that the legal welfare requirements are met.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 106691 Doncaster 10047622 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 Community 2 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 392 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Headteacher Telephone number Website Email address Alan Pettigrew Kathy Thompson 01405 812 734 www.westroadprimary.co.uk admin@westrd.doncaster.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 24–25 September 2014

Information about this school

• The school is larger than the average-sized primary school. Most teaching staff are new to the school since the last inspection. The headteacher was appointed in September 2015. Two other senior leaders joined the school at the same time. A further senior leader was appointed in April 2018.
• The proportion of pupils known to be disadvantaged is almost twice the national average. Almost all pupils are White British. The vast majority of pupils speak English as their first language.
• The proportion of pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities is similar to the national average.
• In 2016/17, the school met the government’s floor standards, which are the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics.
• The school runs breakfast and after-school clubs.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors observed teaching and learning throughout the school. Most observations were undertaken jointly with senior leaders. Inspectors listened to pupils read and talked to them about their experience of school.
• Inspectors held meetings with senior leaders and a range of subject leaders. They met with two members of the local governing body. A meeting also took place with a representative from the local authority.
• Discussions took place with a group of teachers about the support and development they receive.
• Inspectors looked at pupils’ work in books, along with the school’s information on pupils’ achievement, to determine the progress that they are making.
• A range of documentation was considered. This included the school’s self-evaluation, records of the monitoring of teaching and learning, the school improvement plan, information relating to the attendance and behaviour of pupils, safeguarding and child protection records and minutes from governing body meetings. Documents outlining the arrangements for the use of pupil premium funding were also considered.
• Inspectors spoke to parents informally at the start of the school day to seek their views about the school. Inspectors also considered the 50 responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View.
• The 35 responses to the staff survey and the 40 responses to the pupil survey were also considered.

Inspection team

Kirsty Godfrey, lead inspector Lesley Allwood Peter Heaton

Her Majesty’s Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector