Westways Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Improve the effectiveness of leadership and management by:
  • ensuring that records precisely and accurately reflect the actions taken by the school to safeguard pupils
  • making sure there are more detailed records of pupils’ behaviour so that trends can be checked more regularly and thoroughly over time
  • ensuring that support for pupils with SEND is implemented in a timely manner, is reviewed thoroughly to determine the effect on pupils’ learning and progress and is communicated clearly to parents.
• Further improve the quality of teaching, learning and assessment by ensuring that:
  • teachers consistently address pupils’ spelling errors to ensure that pupils do not repeat the same mistakes
  • teachers and additional adults probe pupils’ thinking more through questioning
  • additional opportunities are provided for children in the early years to apply their reading, writing and number skills in a wider range of contexts.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• Since the appointment of the executive headteacher, in September 2017, all aspects of the school have improved. After an initial period of turbulence, leadership across the school has been strengthened. This has led to marked improvements in the quality of teaching and pupils’ outcomes.
• The vast majority of staff are behind the executive headteacher’s vision for improvement. Most staff are proud to work at the school. One member of staff said, ‘Everyone is working towards the school goals and we are all committed.’
• Middle leaders play an important role in checking the effect of actions taken to improve the quality of teaching and pupils’ outcomes. An increasing number of leaders are accessing national training and visiting other schools to share good practice.
• Leaders review the curriculum regularly to ensure that it meets the needs of pupils. The curriculum provides a broad range of experiences for pupils of all ages. The focus on global learning within the curriculum is enabling pupils to appreciate and understand cultural diversity and how they can contribute to their community and beyond.
• Staff talk positively about the impact of professional development on improving their teaching. For example, training on phonics has enhanced the teaching of early reading. Consequently, the proportion of children passing the phonics screening check is now above the national average.
• Although outcomes for pupils with SEND are improving, leaders and governors recognise that the support for these pupils has not always been coordinated as quickly as it could be. Previously, leaders have not reviewed the quality of support for pupils with SEND well enough. Governors are now monitoring this aspect of the school’s work with greater rigour.
• Most parents and carers hold positive views about the school. In response to Ofsted’s online survey, Parent View, 87% would recommend the school. However, some parents hold more mixed views about the school. Leaders and governors have already begun to address this through regular parent forums and parent drop-ins. However, some parents, particularly some parents of pupils with SEND, still feel that communication between home and school needs to improve further, and inspectors agree.

Governance of the school

• Governors have a secure understanding of the strengths of the school. They are not complacent and are determined to secure further improvement. Minutes from governing body meetings show that they regularly challenge senior and middle leaders and hold them to account effectively.
• Governors ensure that funding to support disadvantaged pupils is used effectively. As a result, attendance and outcomes for disadvantaged pupils are improving.
• Governors make sure that the additional funding received by the school to develop sport and physical education is used to enhance the range of sporting activities available to pupils. For example, pupils can access rugby, cricket, wheelchair basketball, Diwali dance and other sporting activities. Specialist coaches train teachers to ensure that expertise is shared and teachers can develop their skills further.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• Appropriate checks are conducted to ensure the suitability of staff to work with children.
• Leaders ensure that appropriate risk assessments are in place for the school site and any trips and visits.
• Staff understand the important role they play in keeping pupils safe. They know how to refer concerns to the school’s designated senior leader for child protection should they have any worries about a pupil. Recent safeguarding training for staff has included the ‘Prevent’ duty. Consequently, staff who spoke to inspectors understand the risks linked to radicalisation in the local area.
• Leaders work with external agencies to provide support for pupils and their families. However, pupil welfare records do not always reflect precisely the actions taken by the school.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• Teachers’ expectations of what pupils can and should achieve have been raised since the previous inspection. Pupils respond well to the consistent approach to teaching. As a result, pupils are largely engaged and enthusiastic about their learning.
• There are increasing opportunities for pupils to practise their writing skills across the curriculum and to write at length in subjects other than English. Teachers model good sentence structure and provide scaffolding for pupils when required. As a result, work in pupils’ books shows that their writing, across the curriculum, continues to improve. However, there is not a consistent approach to the teaching of spelling. Because of this, inspectors found that some pupils continue to make the same spelling errors.
• Pupils have many opportunities in lessons to discuss their work and support each other. The positive learning environment means that most pupils are confident to contribute to class discussions. For example, an inspector observed pupils explaining eloquently how they solved a mathematical problem to the rest of the class. However, on occasions, adults do not probe pupils’ thinking sufficiently for them to think more deeply about their learning.
• Pupils are given a range of opportunities to develop their mathematical problem-solving and reasoning skills within mathematics lessons and across the wider curriculum. Most pupils who inspectors spoke to feel challenged in mathematics lessons.
• Leaders place high importance on the development of children’s early reading. Adults model sounds in phonics accurately. They spot pupils’ misconceptions quickly and intervene when required. Pupils respond well to the daily phonics teaching they receive. Books are well matched to pupils’ phonics knowledge. Pupils routinely re-read books to improve their fluency.
• There is a strong culture of reading in other year groups. Pupils read often and enjoy reading. For example, during the inspection pupils in Year 6 enjoyed discussing a text about their topic of study on the Second World War. This activity helped to develop their understanding of key vocabulary and their inference and comprehension skills.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.
• Most pupils are confident to contribute to class discussions and share their views. For instance, during the inspection younger pupils were able to explain to their peers why they were raising money for a local children’s hospice. Pupils of all ages were participating in a reindeer fun-run to raise money for this hospice.
• There are a wide range of extra-curricular sporting activities. This contributes towards the development of pupils’ physical well-being. For example, cross-country running is very popular with pupils.
• Inspectors spoke to a number of pupils during the inspection. They all said that bullying either did not happen, or it was rare and when it did happen it was dealt with. However, a small proportion of pupils and parents who responded to the online Ofsted surveys do not share this view.
• The vast majority of pupils feel that there is someone to talk to if they have any worries or concerns. Some pupils told inspectors about the ‘worry’ box in classrooms, where they can share a concern or a worry that they may have. However, a very small number of pupils who responded to the pupil survey do not feel that there is someone to talk to about a concern they may have.
• Pupils understand how to stay safe on the internet. They also told inspectors about the work they do to keep them safe outside of school, such as learning about road safety.
• The school fosters British values well. These values are woven throughout the curriculum. In religious education, pupils learn about different faiths and cultures. The religious education curriculum is complemented by a range of visits and visiting speakers. Religious festivals are celebrated in assemblies. Consequently, pupils understand diversity and show respectful and tolerant attitudes.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good.
• Most pupils behave well and enjoy school. Most pupils are well prepared for their lessons and show positive attitudes towards their learning. Pupils told inspectors that if there is some misbehaviour it is dealt with by teachers. However, more detailed records of pupils’ behaviour would enable leaders to check trends regularly and thoroughly over time.
• Pupils have a good understanding of the school’s rewards and sanctions system.
• Pupils’ attendance declined last year. Because of a stronger focus by leaders on improving attendance, rates of absence have reduced. As a result, attendance is now in line with the national average.
• Pupils show respect for the school environment. Displays around the school are engaging and used by pupils to aid their learning. There is very little litter around the school.
• The majority of pupils take pride in the presentation of their work. Pupils were confident to talk to inspectors about their work and what they were learning.

Outcomes for pupils Good

• As a result of effective phonics teaching, Year 1 pupils, including pupils who speak English as an additional language, make good progress in the development of their phonics skills. In 2018, the proportion of pupils passing the phonics screening check at the end of Year 1 improved to above the national average.
• Pupils’ attainment in key stage 1 in reading, writing and mathematics was above the national average in 2017 and 2018. The attainment of pupils with SEND and disadvantaged pupils is improving. Gaps between the progress of these pupils and their peers are diminishing. However, leaders are aware of the need to check more carefully the impact of provision for pupils with SEND.
• The progress made by Year 6 pupils in reading, writing and mathematics improved in 2018. The proportion of pupils achieving the expected and higher standards in reading, writing and mathematics was above the national average, an increase from 2017. The progress made by pupils with SEND improved in reading, writing and mathematics. The progress made by disadvantaged pupils also improved from below the national average to the national average in writing and mathematics.
• A higher proportion of Year 6 pupils who speak English as an additional language attained the expected and higher standards in the English grammar, punctuation and spelling national tests in 2018, than seen nationally. This was a marked improvement compared to previous years.
• Work in pupils’ books and inspection evidence demonstrate that these improved outcomes are being maintained for current pupils.

Early years provision Good

• Leaders ensure that the early years welfare requirements are met.
• As a result of teachers’ clear routines and expectations, children are happy and are well cared for.
• Children work cooperatively together. They listen and respond well to each other. For example, during the inspection Nursery children collaborated well and worked together when solving problems in the water tray.
• The proportion of children, including disadvantaged children, achieving a good level of development in the early years is above the national average. A larger proportion of children this year are on track to exceed a good level of development compared to previous years.
• Children make good progress from their different starting points because of good teaching. Regular planning meetings between teachers ensure consistency between classes. Children are well prepared for Year 1.
• Parents who inspectors spoke to were positive about their children’s experiences in the early years, including the communication between home and school.
• The early years leader is clear about the strengths of early years provision and the areas for improvement. She has a comprehensive action plan, which is regularly reviewed. As a result, the early years leader understands the effect of actions taken to improve the quality of teaching and children’s learning and progress.
• Children are encouraged to take appropriate risks. This encourages them to be independent and take responsibility. For example, the outdoor area enables children to take risks, problem-solve and develop resilience in their learning.
• Leaders acknowledge that further opportunities for children to practise their early literacy and number skills, by following their own interests in different situations both inside and outside, would enhance early years provision further.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 107095 Sheffield 10052879 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 3 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 620 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Headteacher Lynn Pocock Sam Fearnehough (executive headteacher) Telephone number 01142 662 471 Website Email address www.westwaysprimary.co.uk/ enquiries@westways.sheffield.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 8-9 June 2016

Information about this school

• Westways Primary School is a much larger than average-sized primary school.
• The executive headteacher was appointed in September 2017. The leadership team also includes a head of school, an acting deputy headteacher and three assistant headteachers.
• The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic groups is well above the national average.
• The proportion of disadvantaged pupils is below the national average.
• The proportion of pupils with SEND is below the national average.
• The number of pupils joining the school at times other than the start of the school year is increasing.
• The school does not use any alternative education provision.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors visited a number of lessons covering all year groups. Some lesson visits took place with senior leaders. Inspectors also scrutinised a wide range of pupils’ books in a range of subjects and year groups.
• Inspectors talked informally to pupils during breaktimes and lunchtimes and during lessons. Inspectors met formally with groups of pupils from all year groups.
• An inspector met with members of the governing body, including the chair and vice-chair of governors.
• An inspector met with a representative from the local authority.
• Inspectors talked to a number of parents at the start and end of the school day on both days of the inspection.
• An inspector listened to some Year 2, 3 and 6 pupils read.
• Inspectors reviewed a wide range of documentation, including the school’s own self-evaluation, the school development plan, subject development plans, external reviews, minutes from governing body meetings and documents in relation to safeguarding, welfare, behaviour and attendance.
• Inspectors took into account the 113 responses to the Ofsted online survey, Parent View, including the 57 free-text responses. Inspectors considered the 20 responses to the staff survey and the 65 responses to the pupil survey. Inspectors also considered written communication from two parents and one governor.

Inspection team

Michele Costello, lead inspector Chris Cook Judy Shaw Janet Lunn

Her Majesty’s Inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector