Catterick Garrison, Wavell Community Infant School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Improve the quality of school leadership and management by:
  • ensuring that leaders set precise targets for school improvement that align closely to pupils’ learning and progress, enabling governors to challenge leaders and hold staff to account
  • checking that the ‘next steps’ for children in early years are clearly linked to improved outcomes and progress, and are regularly communicated to parents
  • reviewing and improving systems and strategies to improve pupils’ rates of attendance so that the proportion of pupils who are absent decreases to match that found nationally.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• The headteacher offers calm and purposeful leadership. She is dedicated to the pupils in her care. It is this dedication that underpins the nurturing ethos of this inclusive school and creates an oasis of calm and stability for its pupils.
• The headteacher is ably supported by a skilful and experienced deputy headteacher and the senior leadership team. Collectively, they acknowledge the varied and complex barriers that impact on pupils’ learning. They are determined to secure an excellent standard of education for pupils in the school.
• Leaders’ determination to successfully create a positive school culture, delivering nurture and care for pupils, has in part contributed to them taking their eye off the ball with regard to setting precise targets for school improvement. Targets have not been aligned closely to pupils’ learning and progress. Leaders have already begun to revise their school development planning to include precise, measurable targets.
• Alongside governors, leaders at all levels have worked hard to eliminate underperformance and improve the quality of teaching. As a result, current pupils’ progress is now strong and a very large majority are on course to reach the standards expected for their age.
• The quality of teaching has improved and is now at least consistently good. Teachers work extremely well together and share the leaders’ ambition to improve the quality of teaching still further to allow all pupils to excel.
• Procedures to monitor and evaluate the quality of the school’s performance, including checking the quality of teaching, are thorough and detailed. There is a sense of drive and urgency to secure the very best for pupils in all that the school does.
• The school’s curriculum is rich, broad and balanced. Care is taken to ensure that pupils have access to all subjects across the curriculum and the curriculum is regularly reviewed to ensure that it meets pupils’ needs and interests. Topics cover all foundation subjects and are often linked to the local community, such as Year 2 finding out about Richmond Castle in their topic on the first world war. The curriculum is well supported by after-school clubs such as dance and rugby.
• Pupils’ good personal development is in part due to a curriculum 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.
• Leaders have carefully managed pupil premium funding to provide targeted support for disadvantaged pupils, supporting their social and emotional development well. The positive impact of these actions is also clearly seen through the good progress made in learning by disadvantaged pupils and the most able disadvantaged pupils across the school.
• Pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities are well supported. Their needs are identified early and their good progress tracked accurately. Targeted training for teachers and teaching assistants has improved the quality of support offered to pupils. The special educational needs funding is very effectively used by leaders.
• Links with parents are good, with many parents making positive comments through the school’s own questionnaire and through Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View. Parents who spoke to an inspector were extremely positive about the school, talking of its many strengths and its excellent reputation locally. Parents know that the school promotes equality of opportunity for all and does not tolerate discrimination of any kind.
• The physical education and sports funding for schools has been used very well, for example by increasing staff confidence when planning and teaching physical education. Funding has supported staff training, such as in gymnastics, where teachers’ planning is now linked to core tasks which accurately assess pupils’ progress in this discipline. The skilled and enthusiastic physical education leader provides clear direction for staff, monitoring the impact of the funding and arranging extra-curricular sporting opportunities for pupils.
• Leaders acknowledge that a review of current strategies to improve pupils’ rates of attendance is needed as rates of absence are too high.
• The school has benefited from good support from the local authority. The education partner visits termly, reflecting their high opinion of the school’s work.

Governance of the school

• Governors are skilful and effective. Their calm determination to support leaders in providing a high-quality standard of education is reflected in their analysis of reports provided by leaders. Governors have an accurate view of the school’s strengths and weaknesses from first-hand experience. They participate in monitoring activities alongside senior leaders, and they understand the challenges posed by such large numbers of pupils joining and leaving the school at any time during the school year.
• Governors speak knowledgeably about pupils’ achievements and use their time effectively to make sure that they maintain an accurate and objective view of the school. Governors bring a range of professional skills into their governance of the school. They are passionate about improving their effectiveness as a governing body. They have accessed support through the local cluster of schools and they have produced a development plan.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• Policies, procedures and records are of high quality and up to date. Summary records of incidents of concern, no matter how small, are meticulously kept. All staff are appropriately trained and have access to well-written policies and guidance. As a result, they have a secure understanding of their individual responsibilities for safeguarding.
• The long-established culture of keeping pupils safe and putting them at the heart of the friendly and inclusive school community 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

• Teaching has improved since the previous inspection. Its impact on learning, including in reading, writing and mathematics, is reflected in the strong progress pupils now make in each year group, although minor inconsistencies remain in the quality of teaching across the school. Teachers have good subject knowledge and structure learning effectively. Work is usually pitched well according to pupils’ abilities, providing the right amount of challenge to move learning forward, including for the most able and the most able disadvantaged pupils.
• Teachers usually have high expectations of pupils and stick closely to the school behaviour policy. As a result, pupils’ attitudes to learning are good and support their learning very well.
• Teachers across the school plan lessons well to ensure that pupils make good progress. Plans are considerate of pupils’ wide-ranging needs. Teachers are usually skilful in adapting their plans to accommodate the very high number of pupils leaving or joining the school at all times during the school year. They also take account of ongoing daily assessments of pupils’ learning.
• In mathematics, basic skills of number and mental calculation are taught well. For example, teachers provide appropriate materials and apparatus to help pupils to see patterns in groups of numbers and they are skilled at consolidating pupils’ understanding.
• Some pupils from Years 1 and 2 read to an inspector, and the less able and the most able pupils all read well. Less-able pupils showed some skills of decoding, while the most able read with fluency and expression. Pupils read regularly at home.
• The teaching of phonics is effective. Sessions are organised to focus on the needs and abilities of pupils. In lessons, pupils are usually encouraged to use and apply their phonics skills for reinforcement. Teaching assistants are well deployed and offer purposeful and effective support to individuals and groups of pupils. As a result, pupils in receipt of intervention and individual support are making rapid progress in their learning.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good. The wider curriculum and daily practice ensure a constant focus on pupils’ well-being, placing a strong emphasis on developing pupils’ personal, social and emotional well-being. The impact of this manifests itself in the positive relationships that exist in this happy school.
• The work of the school in anticipating welfare concerns and supporting pupils’ positive attitudes is excellent. Staff work closely with pupils, parents and external agencies to integrate new pupils, enabling them to quickly feel part of the school community and tackle any barriers to learning. Teachers’ skilled use of ‘persona dolls’ to develop social stories and deliver key messages is highly effective in promoting pupils’ well-being.
• Pupils show respect and care for each other. They value their classmates’ opinions and work happily and cooperatively in lessons. Their skills in paired and group discussions are very good. Pupils demonstrate tolerance and empathy for others. Pupils feel safe in the school and the vast majority of their parents agree.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good.
• The very strong relationships that are nurtured in school 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 together and no one is left out. Pupils experiencing behavioural difficulties are managed very well, with highly effective support from all adults.
• Pupils enjoy their learning and 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 is working hard to improve rates of attendance. Attendance overall is better now than it was at the same time last year. Leaders face difficult decisions regarding requests for holidays from military parents, who can return home at short notice after long periods serving abroad. The school has many varied strategies to address low rates of attendance. These are under review as the school acknowledges that currently there is little sign of improvement in many pupils’ attendance.

Outcomes for pupils Good

• Within every year group, there are high numbers of pupils who have joined part way through their infant education. This hinders their ability to achieve the standards expected at the end of key stage 1. For example, since 2015, over 300 pupils have entered year groups at times different from those expected, with a similar number having left the school. Despite this high mobility, the achievement of pupils from their varied starting points is good, particularly for those currently in the school.
• The vast majority of pupils enter school in early years with skills below those typical for their age. By the time pupils leave, outcomes in general are still slightly below the expected standards in reading, writing and mathematics. However, of those pupils leaving at the end of key stage 1, only a small proportion of them have completed the whole of their key stage 1 education at Wavell Nursery and Infant School and therefore many have not been able to benefit fully from all that the school offers. Pupils who join at the usual start time and leave at the usual end time reach standards broadly in line with the national average.
• Inspectors checked the achievement information provided by the school against pupils’ books. This shows that the improvements in pupils’ progress seen so far this academic year are being sustained. For pupils currently in the school, progress is accelerating in reading, writing and mathematics. In every year group, the vast majority of pupils are on track to meet expectations for their age by the end of this school year.
• Outcomes in the 2016 phonics screening check were lower than the national average. However, from information gathered by inspectors, outcomes in 2017 have already improved and demonstrate good progress from pupils’ starting points.
• Pupils write with enthusiasm and imagination, often because their writing is linked to the topic or text they are studying. Pupils use a neat joined style and many are now able to write at length.
• Outcomes for the small number of most-able pupils and most-able disadvantaged pupils are strengthening. These pupils are making strong progress because teachers pitch work well according to pupils’ abilities and provide them with suitable challenge in their learning.
• Pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities have detailed programmes of support in place. Programmes are evaluated regularly to ensure that they remain appropriate. As a result, these pupils are making good gains in their learning and the same good progress as their peers.
• Strategic use of the pupil premium funding allows the school to provide high levels of additional support for disadvantaged pupils who need to catch up quickly. These pupils are making accelerated progress from their starting points and there are few differences between their achievement and that of other pupils in the school and those found nationally.

Early years provision Good

• The vast majority of children start the early years with skills and knowledge that are below those typical for their age. As a result of good teaching and provision, careful observation and good questioning, children make strong progress and are well prepared to start Year 1.
• A large proportion of children join early years at different times during the school year. Teachers ensure that the support they give pinpoints new children’s needs precisely. Consequently, an increasing proportion of children are reaching a good level of development by the end of Reception, with this set to increase again this year.
• Basic skills in reading, writing and mathematics are promoted effectively. Accurate assessment of children’s learning is used well to design and plan lessons to capture children’s interests. Sometimes, children’s ‘next steps’ in learning identified by adults are not closely aligned with children’s outcomes and progress in basic skills.
• The leader of the early years is experienced and a skilled practitioner. She understands the learning needs of young children and has successfully created an effective team of adults who share the same passion and drive as she does to see children thrive.
• Children work well together and are engrossed in their learning. This is because of the good emphasis adults place on developing children’s personal, social and behavioural skills. Adults ask thoughtful questions to make children think about what they are doing and to deepen their knowledge and understanding. As a result, children develop their skills and knowledge with increasing independence and confidence.
• Parents value children’s ‘learning journey books’ and ‘achievement books’, which include photographs, observations and evidence of children’s learning and development. Many parents add their own comments. However, the ‘next steps’ for children’s learning, identified by staff in the early years, are not regularly shared with parents.
• Progress in personal, social and emotional development is good and this accounts for the strengths seen in children’s behaviour and in their relationships with adults. They are encouraged to take turns and to consider others.
• Leaders are vigilant in all aspects of safety and safeguarding children’s welfare. Judging by the confidence and fun with which the children play and learn, they clearly feel very safe, secure and happy.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 121344 North Yorkshire 10024010 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 Infant School category Age range of pupils Gender of pupils Community 3 to 7 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 278 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Headteacher Telephone number Website Email address Lee Whitworth Gillian Crouch 01748 833 340 www.wavell-inf.n-yorks.sch.uk/ admin@wavell-inf.n-yorks.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 19–20 June 2013

Information about this school

• The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website.
• This larger-than-average infant school is located on the largest military base in mainland Britain.
• The majority of pupils enter or leave the school at times other than the usual, as whole regiments move at short notice on active service overseas or transfer to other military bases.
• There are few pupils from civilian families in the school.
• Most pupils are of White British heritage.
• A very small minority of pupils speak English as an additional language.
• The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is above average.
• The proportion of pupils who are eligible for support from the pupil premium is much lower than the national average.
• The school is a member of the Swaledale Teaching Alliance.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors observed learning in lessons. The lead inspector, together with the headteacher, made short visits to classes on the first day of the inspection. In addition, an inspector listened to some pupils from Years 1 and 2 read, and inspectors reviewed a sample of pupils’ work alongside the headteacher and deputy headteacher.
• The inspectors held meetings with governors, the headteacher, deputy headteacher and other members of the teaching staff. They also held meetings with some pupils from the school council and a representative of the local authority.
• The inspectors viewed a range of documents, including information on 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 development plan, documents relating to safeguarding and records of behaviour and attendance.
• Inspectors took account of the views of parents from the responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View, and from their responses to the school’s own questionnaire for parents. The views of staff were considered through their responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire for staff. The school’s website was also scrutinised.

Inspection team

Phil Scott, lead inspector Jane Langley Julie McDowell Colin Lofthouse

Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector