Otley the Whartons Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Strengthen the quality and consistency of teaching and learning by:
  • ensuring that work is consistently well matched to pupils’ needs and abilities and provides suitable challenge, including for most-able pupils
  • continuing the drive to improve pupils’ understanding and use of correct grammar, spelling and punctuation in written work.
• Improve the effectiveness of leaders and managers by:
  • checking that agreed whole-school initiatives and actions to improve teaching further are implemented consistently across every class
  • ensuring that teachers have consistently high expectations of the quality of work produced by pupils.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• School leaders, staff and governors, led exceptionally well by the headteacher, share an absolute conviction and passion for ensuring that all pupils achieve well, regardless of their background or ability. Working together collegiately, leaders and governors aspire to ensure that all staff and pupils succeed.
• The skilful headteacher has been unwavering in her determination to secure an excellent standard of education for pupils in the school. She has worked tirelessly and successfully to eliminate underperformance, improve the quality of teaching and accelerate the rates of progress that pupils make in their learning.
• Leaders ensure that pupils’ progress is tracked systematically and accurately and any emerging concerns are acted upon quickly. Teachers work well together, are supportive of each other, and appreciate the collegiate approach taken to school improvement in which they can share good practice and their successes in teaching. Teachers are held to account for the progress of pupils in their class, and share leaders’ ambition to provide the very best for the pupils in school.
• Leaders are working hard to ensure that all agreed actions to further strengthen teaching are consistently implemented in every class, as small variations still exist. Not all teachers have the same high expectations of the quality of work produced by pupils.
• Leaders and governors have a very accurate view of what the school does well, and what it needs to do to be even more successful. Procedures to monitor and evaluate the quality of the school’s performance through checking the quality of teaching are planned carefully, incisive and detailed. Areas identified for further development in teaching are followed up meticulously.
• Leaders’ plans for further improvements reflect a clear view of the school’s strengths and weaknesses. The school improvement plan is very comprehensive and highly detailed, and is sharply focused on improving the quality of teaching in school. Targets set align closely with the progress pupils make in their learning.
• The school’s curriculum is rich and balanced, and it is regularly reviewed to ensure that it meets pupils’ needs and interests. It is now led very well by subject leaders who have clear responsibility to oversee the planning, teaching and resourcing of all curriculum subjects. The role of these middle leaders is pivotal to ensuring that pupils have access to a range of exciting and engaging experiences through visits such as to Eden Camp as part of a topic on the Second World War, or using the school’s extensive wildlife forest as part of a science investigation.
• The curriculum is enhanced by a number of one-off theme days such as one designed to celebrate the four home nations of the United Kingdom. There are also a wide range of after-school clubs such as ukulele playing, gardening, cartoon drawing, cooking and a range of sports clubs, all designed to support pupils’ learning across the curriculum.
• Leaders have managed the pupil premium funding effectively to provide targeted support for the very small number of disadvantaged pupils through actions aimed at boosting their resilience and ability to stick at tasks. Assigned learning partners have effectively supported and stretched their learning, including for most-able disadvantaged pupils. The positive impact of these actions is seen through the good progress now made by all disadvantaged pupils across school, including the most able disadvantaged.
• Pupils’ good personal development is in part due to a curriculum and school ethos that strongly contributes to their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. In lessons and in assemblies, the promotion of British values such as democracy and the rule of law prepare pupils well for life in modern Britain.
• Pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities are supported well. Their individual needs are identified early and their progress, which is good, is tracked accurately. Consequently, the special educational needs funding is used effectively by leaders.
• Links with parents are good, with many making positive comments when responding to the inspection online questionnaire. Parents say that they know that the school promotes equality of opportunity well, and does not tolerate discrimination of any kind, a view shared by inspectors.
• The physical education and sport funding for schools has been used well. Working alongside the Youth Sports Trust, the school has received the silver award for its provision of sporting opportunities. A specialist teacher has delivered physical education lessons, and strengthened teachers’ expertise in delivering sports lessons. Pupils have been trained to assess their own progress in physical education tasks, accelerating their learning.
• The school receives appropriate and timely challenge and support from its local authority improvement partner, which has effectively supported leaders in making the substantial improvements seen in the school since the previous inspection. The school has also benefited from cross-school collaboration with other local schools, and especially partnership work with a local outstanding primary school.

Governance of the school

• Governors bring a range of appropriate professional skills and experience to the school that enhance their effectiveness and impact. They share the passion and commitment of the headteacher and senior leaders. Governors have ensured that a strong team of leaders are in place, and are determined and passionate to see the school thrive. Governors challenge and question school leaders well, holding them to account for the quality of teaching, learning and assessment, as well as for the outcomes for pupils as seen in statutory tests and school data and the impact of pupil premium funding.
• Governors make it their business to know about the work of the school, and have an accurate and incisive view of the school’s strengths and weaknesses. They participate in monitoring activities alongside senior leaders such as analysing work in pupils’ books and making short visits into classes. Governors oversee the implementation of the school development plan meticulously, each governor being assigned to one key priority. They fulfil their statutory duties well, taking them very seriously.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• The school has a tangible ethos that is positive and caring, putting the welfare and well-being of each pupil at the heart of all that it does. This is clearly seen in the friendly, happy and confident manner of the pupils in school.
• Policies, procedures and records are of exemplary quality and are up to date. All staff are appropriately trained, and registers of staff training are completed. Staff have access to well-written policies and guidance, and, as a result, have a very secure understanding of their individual responsibilities for safeguarding.
• The long-established culture of keeping pupils safe remains very evident. Leaders ensure that a culture of safeguarding is embedded among all staff, and leave no stone unturned in their duty to keep pupils safe.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• The quality of teaching is much improved since the school was previously inspected. The impact of teaching on learning, including in reading, writing and mathematics, is reflected in the strong progress pupils now make in each year group.
• Lessons are usually lively and interesting, capturing pupils’ imagination. For example, in Year 6, pupils engaged in purposeful discussion to develop arguments for and against the idea that video games have a negative impact on modern society. Pupils chose words and phrases carefully to give weight to their opinions, such as ‘it has been scientifically proven that…’.
• Teachers use good subject knowledge and structure learning effectively. Pupils in Year 1 were able to write the opening to narrative about a dragon, using the ideas from a short video clip. Pupils shared ideas enthusiastically, talking in full sentences, and used the very supportive learning environment to retrieve exciting vocabulary such as ‘fierce’ and ‘ferocious’.
• Teachers have high expectations of pupils’ attitude and behaviour, and stick closely to the school’s behaviour policy. Very occasional low-level disruption, often as a result of the pace of learning slowing, is addressed quickly and effectively. Teachers’ expectations of the quality of work produced by pupils are not consistently high in every class.
• Work is usually pitched well according to pupils’ abilities, and teachers are skilled at adapting and changing plans based on ongoing daily assessments of how well pupils grasp learning. On some occasions, work does not provide sufficient challenge, including for most-able and most-able disadvantaged pupils.
• In mathematics, basic skills of number and mental calculation are taught daily and consolidated regularly. For example, Year 6 pupils were solving complex problems using their knowledge of finding the mean of a group of numbers. Pupils in Year 4 were consolidating their skills in column addition and subtraction.
• Pupils write with enthusiasm and imagination, and are increasingly skilled in editing, redrafting and improving their work. Pupils in Year 4 used the previous day’s ideas based on an illustration to describe the setting of ‘Penny Lane’ as part of their narrative writing, extending and improving their plans. The teaching of correct spelling, punctuation and grammar require further development as not all pupils have the requisite skills and understanding to use them accurately and consistently in writing.
• As a result of the rigorous and systematic teaching of phonics, children are getting off to a fast start in their reading. Adults are skilled in delivering well-structured lessons, pitched well according to pupils’ reading skills.
• Teaching assistants are deployed very well, and are skilled at giving timely help and support to individuals and groups of pupils. They work well as part of the teaching team, and play a significant and important role in pupils’ learning.
• Minor inconsistencies remain in the extent to which some teachers implement agreed whole-school actions and initiatives relating to teaching, for example in the application of the school’s marking and feedback policy. These are quickly being resolved.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.
• The school works tirelessly to ensure that all pupils are safe and well cared for. Adults work closely with pupils and families in a supportive and sensitive manner. Pupils say that they feel very safe in school. Pupils show high levels of respect and care for each other. They value their classmates’ opinions, and work happily and cooperatively in lessons.
• Pupils’ attitudes to learning are good, and most are very keen to succeed and to always produce their very best work. They grow in confidence during their time in school, acquiring an assured and resilient approach to developing their own learning. They take their roles of responsibility within the school community very seriously. During the inspection, the school council delivered a presentation on changes to lunchtime arrangements based on consultation work they had completed in classes.
• Bullying or racist incidents are extremely rare. If they do occur, they are promptly challenged, recorded and tracked to ensure that underlying causes are understood and resolved. Pupils know that offensive language is not acceptable, and have full confidence in staff to resolve any issues of poor behaviour.
• Pupils thrive in the positive, well-ordered and caring school environment. Displays are bright and attractive and support learning well. Pupils’ physical and emotional well-being are valued and promoted very effectively. The school motto of ‘excellence, enjoyment and achievement for all’ typifies the ethos of the school very well.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good.
• The strong relationships in school and high levels of trust between adults and pupils ensure that pupils conduct themselves well in lessons and around school. Pupils are polite, courteous and have good manners. Playtimes are harmonious occasions where pupils play happily, and can turn to ‘play leaders’ if they have any concerns.
• Pupils enjoy their learning, and most work conscientiously. Incidents of low-level disruption are rare. Behaviour systems encourage positive attitudes to learning and the very few instances of misbehaviour are deftly addressed.
• The school has worked hard to improve attendance, which is monitored closely every week. There is a range of strategies, including a school-devised game of ‘Otleyopoly’, based on the well-known board game, offering a range of incentives and rewards for different classes. The already high rates of attendance are still improving, including for disadvantaged pupils.

Outcomes for pupils Good

• As a result of consistently high expectations, good teaching, pupils’ positive learning behaviour and an unwavering determination to succeed, outcomes for pupils are now good. Progress and attainment have improved since the school was previously inspected, and are on track to improve rapidly again this year.
• Pupils are making consistently strong progress across Years 1 and 2. The proportion of pupils who attained the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics in the 2016 Year 2 national testing was above national figures. The proportion of pupils working at greater depth is just above that found nationally.
• Pupils’ early reading skills in Reception and Year 1 are developed very well. Most pupils achieved well in the 2016 national phonics screening check. The proportion who met the standard was well above that found nationally.
• In the 2016 national assessments, the proportion of Year 6 pupils who met the expected standard was below that found nationally in reading and mathematics, but well above in writing. Pupils made strong progress in writing and reading, but progress in mathematics was below that found nationally. The proportion working at greater depth was above that found nationally in reading and writing. Progress for current pupils is now accelerating rapidly across key stage 2.
• Based on accurate and reliable school assessment and tracking data, which matches closely to work scrutinised in pupils’ books during the inspection, current pupils are making strong progress in their learning from their individual starting points in most year groups, including in mathematics. A very large proportion are on track to reach standards expected for their age, both at the end of key stage 2 and also in other year groups across school.
• The progress of the current most-able and most-able disadvantaged pupils largely matches that of their classmates, and has accelerated since the start of the school year. Even so, there is still scope to increase the proportion of pupils that reach the higher levels of attainment further. Sometimes, the most able are not challenged to reach their full potential.
• As a result of the effective and strategic use of the pupil premium funding, disadvantaged pupils in each year group make good progress in English and mathematics. Although the number of disadvantaged pupils is too small in every year group to make any reliable statistical comparison, this small number of pupils now achieve very well.
• The school is quick to identify any pupils who are at risk of falling behind. Staff make effective provision for these pupils through activities which are well matched to their individual needs and abilities. This includes pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities. Where needed, detailed individual support plans are in place, with challenging targets. As a result, the progress made by these pupils is largely good from their individual starting points.

Early years provision Good

• The vast majority of children start the early years with skills and knowledge which are broadly typical for their age. As a result of good teaching and provision, careful observation and good questioning, children make strong progress, with a large majority reaching a good level of development which is above that found nationally. Children are very well prepared to start Year 1, both academically and socially.
• Children are eager to explore and learn. They enjoy opportunities provided to investigate and learn happily together. Their behaviour is consistently good. Children are encouraged to take turns and to consider others. They are confident, independent and friendly. It is clear that provision in early years has improved since the previous inspection.
• Adults observe children carefully and build upon their interests. They carefully support children’s learning through prompts, skilful questioning and work alongside children during imaginative and creative play sessions. Activities and resources are chosen carefully. On a very wet day, children enjoyed outing in their waterproofs and wellies and exploring and investigating in the rain. They mixed paints to change the colour of different puddles.
• Opportunities for children to develop their basic skills and abilities in reading, writing and mathematics are well supported by effective and precise teaching. Phonics are now systematically taught, and care is taken to ensure that children hear and say sounds correctly.
• The experienced and skilled early years’ leader understands the learning needs of young children and has successfully created an effective team of adults who share the same passion and drive to see young children thrive. She has a clear understanding of the strengths in early years, and has identified key areas for improvement such as ensuring that parents are fully involved in making contributions to assessments using children’s documented learning journeys.
• Every opportunity is taken to extend children’s thinking. When a butterfly emerged from its chrysalis, a group of children were fascinated by it. An adult seized upon this opportunity to engage the children in discussion, encouraged them to write names for the butterfly, and supported children to paint a picture of a butterfly using symmetry.
• The school’s partnership with parents is good. Children settle quickly into the Reception class because induction arrangements, including a home visit and a number of information meetings, are effective. There are daily opportunities for parents to stay with their children at the start of each day to share learning experiences, and parents are happy to complete ‘wow-moment’ sheets to record special or significant events.
• Leaders are vigilant in all aspects of safety and safeguarding children’s welfare. Judging by the confidence and fun with which children play and learn, they clearly feel very safe, secure and happy.

Inspection report: Otley the Whartons Primary School, 27–28 June 2017

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School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 107881 Leeds 10031028 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 Maintained 4 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 176 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Headteacher Telephone number Website Email address Julie Cameron-Young Julia Dickson 01943 465018 www.whartonsprimary.co.uk julia.dickson@whartonsprimary.co.uk Date of previous inspection 7–8 July 2015

Information about this school

• The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website.
• Otley the Whartons Primary School is smaller than the average-sized primary school.
• The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for support through the pupil premium is well below the national average.
• Most pupils are White British. The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic groups and who speak English as an additional language is well below average.
• The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is average.
• The school meets the government’s current floor standard, which is the minimum expectation for attainment and progress in English and mathematics at the end of Year 6.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors observed learning in lessons, including one lesson observed jointly with the headteacher. In addition, inspectors listened to some pupils from Years 1 and 2 read, and inspectors reviewed a sample of pupils’ work alongside the headteacher.
• Inspectors held meetings with governors, the headteacher and deputy headteacher, and members of the teaching staff. Inspectors also spoke to some parents and the school’s improvement partner. They also held meetings with a group of pupils from the school.
• Inspectors viewed a range of documents including information relating to pupils’ achievements over time, the school’s data on recent and current progress of pupils, and the school’s view on how well it is doing. Inspectors also reviewed the school improvement plan, documents relating to safeguarding and records of behaviour and attendance.
• Inspectors took account of the 76 parental responses to the online questionnaire, Parent View. Inspectors also took account of the 14 responses to the online questionnaire for staff and the 39 responses made by pupils. The school’s website was also scrutinised.

Inspection team

Phil Scott, lead inspector Dom Brown

Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector