Washingwell Community Primary School

Washingwell Community Primary School Inspection report

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Age group 4–11 Inspection date(s) 29 February 2012–01 March 2012 Inspection number 377741 Unique Reference Number 108356 Local authority Gateshead Inspection number 377741 Inspection dates 29 February 2012–1 March 2012 Lead inspector David Shearsmith

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This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Type of school Primary School category Community Age range of pupils 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 178 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Sally Lovatt Headteacher Alison Hall Date of previous school inspection 20 January 2009 School address Bucks Hill View Broom Lane Whickham Newcastle-upon-Tyne NE16 4RB Telephone number 0191 488 4400 Fax number 0191 488 5287 Email address washingwellcommunityprimaryschool@gateshead.g ov.uk You can use Parent View to give Ofsted your opinion on your child's school. Ofsted will use the information parents and carers provide when deciding which schools to inspect and when.

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achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work-based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children's services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Introduction

David Shearsmith Graeme Clarke Additional inspector Additional inspector

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Introduction

This inspection was carried out with two days’ notice. Inspectors observed nine teachers teaching 25 lessons and parts of lessons, of which two were joint observations with the headteacher. Meetings were held with members of the governing body and the school staff. Inspectors took account of the responses to the online questionnaire (Parent View) in planning the inspection. Inspectors observed the school’s work, looked at pupils’ books and a number of documents, including those relating to development planning, safeguarding and child protection. They also analysed 80 parental and carers’ questionnaires and those completed by pupils and staff.

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Information about the school

This school is smaller than the average-sized primary school. The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is average. The majority are of White British heritage and speak English as their first language. The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs is average. The school has gained Healthy School status and holds the Sports Activemark award. The school meets the current floor standard. The current headteacher has been in post since June 2011. Since the last inspection, the school has received 60 pupils from a neighbouring school closure. The school has two classes for pupils with Autism. Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory and 4 is inadequate Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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Key Findings

 This is a satisfactory and improving school. The headteacher has initiated a range of strategies to improve it. She is well supported by a committed team of teachers who are moving the school forward. The school is not judged to be good because the progress of pupils is inconsistent, particularly in English. Pupils in the autistic unit make good progress.

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Key Findings

 Achievement is satisfactory overall. In the Early Years Foundation Stage, children make satisfactory progress from starting points which are typical for their age. In Key Stages 1 and 2, whilst the rate of progress is improving and leads to pupils' attainment being broadly average by the end of Year 6, it is inconsistent between year groups and is thus satisfactory overall. Pupils’ weak grammar and handwriting skills inhibit progress in English with insufficient opportunities for extended writing.

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Key Findings

 Teaching is satisfactory with an increasing proportion that is good. The school is taking action to strengthen the quality of teaching, but there is still some way to go before it is consistently good. Teachers, however, do not always use tracking information effectively to match work to pupils’ needs and abilities or to ensure that the pace and challenge in lessons promotes rapid progress.

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Key Findings

 The behaviour and safety of pupils are satisfactory. Pupils enjoy school and say that poor behaviour is usually dealt with well by their teachers. They say they understand the school’s behaviour system and know how to keep safe. There are also effective procedures to support the learning of the few pupils who occasionally misbehave.

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Key Findings

 The headteacher in partnership with the deputy headteacher provides strong leadership and they know the school’s strengths and weaknesses well. They have used pupils' progress meetings and some existing good practice to improve the quality of teaching and target further improvement. The school has a rigorous programme of monitoring and evaluation. However, subject leaders do not have a strong enough focus on improving pupils’ progress. Schools whose overall effectiveness is judged satisfactory may receive a monitoring visit by an Ofsted inspector before their next section 5 inspection. 

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Raise pupils’ attainment in English, so that it exceeds the national average by:  ensuring that pupils make consistently good progress each year  improving handwriting and grammar to ensure pupils can make better progress in their writing  ensuring there are more opportunities across the school for pupils to engage in extended writing.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Increase the proportion of good-quality teaching by:  quickening the pace of learning, so as to maintain pupils’ concentration  making better use of assessment information to promote pupils' progress in lessons  ensuring lessons meet all pupils’ needs through well-differentiated activities  having higher expectations and challenging pupils to make better progress.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the effectiveness of the school’s leadership by ensuring that subject leaders focus increasingly on pupils’ progress and overall achievement.

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Achievement of pupils

Children’s skills on entry to the Early Years Foundation Stage are typical for their age but relatively lower in reading and writing. A range of stimulating activities promotes children’s imagination and moves their learning on in all areas of their development and particularly in their basic skills. The provision outdoors is satisfactory, developing children’s independence and their creative and physical skills. Although they reach age-related expectations overall by the end of the Reception Year they still have weaknesses in their basic literacy skills.

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Achievement of pupils

Pupils make satisfactory progress in Key Stage 1. The school has a systematic approach to teaching reading and by the end of Year 2 most pupils’ attainment in reading is now average. There is a similar pattern of achievement in writing and mathematics with pupils making satisfactory progress to achieve broadly average attainment. Pupils continue to make satisfactory progress across Key Stage 2 and their attainment is broadly average for their age, including in reading, by the time they leave school. However, observation of lessons, work in books and the school’s data show a varying picture of progress across the school due to inconsistencies in teaching at both key stages. Where teachers use assessment information effectively in lessons, pupils learn well and make good progress because work is well matched to their needs but this is not consistent enough to promote good progress in all lessons. In addition, weaknesses in handwriting and grammar skills

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Achievement of pupils

mean that attainment in English is lower than that in mathematics.

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Achievement of pupils

Pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals broadly attain in line with similar pupils nationally. The more-able pupils and those who speak English as an additional language also attain in line with similar pupils nationally. However, progress in mathematics is beginning to improve. Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs make satisfactory progress overall. Pupils in the unit for autism make good progress due to good teaching and support. Most parents and carers believe their children are making satisfactory and sometimes good progress. Inspection evidence is that most pupils are making satisfactory progress overall, but an increasing number are making good progress.

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Quality of teaching

Teaching is satisfactory in the Early Years Foundation Stage, with a range of focused activities that promotes satisfactory and increasingly good progress in children’s basic skills. In Years 1 to 6, progress varies and is satisfactory overall. In the best lessons, teachers explain clearly to pupils what they will learn and provide activities that meet pupils’ needs. Some teachers employ interactive whiteboard technology well to engage pupils and plan effective opportunities for pupils to learn through practical activities and investigations. In a good lesson in Year 1, for example, pupils were motivated and engaged through an interactive story of Little Red Riding Hood. The teacher had good expectations of what pupils needed to achieve and, as a result, pupils made good progress with their drama in the forest. However, progress in their writing was inhibited by their no better than satisfactory grammar and handwriting skills. Teachers and teaching assistants generally

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Quality of teaching

interact with pupils to support them in their learning. In satisfactory lessons, the pace of learning is slow and challenge is not sufficient to ensure pupils make good progress. In these lessons, teachers do not give feedback to pupils well enough to promote their next steps in learning. In addition, teachers do not use assessment information consistently well to ensure work is matched to pupils’ abilities and ensure they achieve consistently well. However, in the autistic unit pupils make good progress due to good teaching that meets their needs well.

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Quality of teaching

The impact of the planned curriculum is satisfactory. There are some activities which help pupils to see the links between subjects and to develop and apply their skills in writing when writing reports. For example, in a good lesson the teacher made effective use of work on topics to promote pupils’ writing skills through writing a science report. However, occasions to allow pupils to write at length are missed. The development of pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is in its early stages of development as the school has a strong focus on raising attainment and is aware it needs to develop this area further. Marking is done regularly and is used to tell pupils how successful they have been in specific tasks and how to improve their work. Parents and carers were generally pleased with teaching although some commented on lack of progress in some classes. Inspection findings support this view.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

Pupils enjoy school and have improving attitudes to learning. They have a reasonable understanding of right and wrong as well as a natural curiosity about the world around them and bring this to bear as they learn and play. They are generally well cared for by all staff and pupils’ well-being is seen as a priority. Pupils generally feel that behaviour is typically satisfactory and sometimes good. Pupils are confident that any incidents of bullying or misbehaviour by one or two individuals that do arise are resolved successfully. Parents and carers also feel that behaviour is generally satisfactory because the school has systems in place to support pupils’ better behaviour. Behaviour was observed both in and out of lessons and any concerns were explored. Attendance is satisfactory and improving due to the school’s drive to ensure all pupils attend well, through a range of positive strategies to promote attendance and punctuality. Teamwork and collaborative working are encouraged

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

throughout the school, which has helped pupils to develop their life skills and independence. Pupils work and play together and show consideration and compassion for each other. Pupils have an understanding of different types of bullying and how to stay safe in a range of contexts and parents and carers feel that the school is generally safe and secure. Behaviour is managed well in the autistic unit and pupils integrate well into the rest of the school.

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Leadership and management

The headteacher works closely with the deputy headteacher to raise pupils' attainment and to improve the quality of teaching and learning. The headteacher has very accurately identified the school’s strengths and areas that need improvement through careful self- evaluation. The developments that have already taken place are encouraging further effort and creating a momentum for driving change through pupils' progress meetings and the rigorous monitoring and evaluation of lessons and books by the headteacher. There has, however, not always been a sufficient focus on progress by all subject leaders. Teachers agree that the quality of teaching needs to improve and professional development and support is having a positive effect. Actions already taken are showing signs of making a difference and delivering better outcomes for pupils. The careful monitoring of pupils’ progress and attainment by senior leaders is satisfactorily promoting equal opportunities.

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Leadership and management

This is because the school is better informed about the performance of all pupils, although some staff do not use the information well enough to promote good progress. These improvements show that the school’s current capacity to improve is satisfactory.

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Leadership and management

Improvements across the school are very evident and the headteacher has rigorously monitored the impact of actions taken; however, they have not had sufficient time to impact on raising attainment to above average. The curriculum meets most pupils’ needs and is satisfactory overall. Partnerships are developing well to support pupils’ progress in all aspects of their life at school and standards are beginning to improve. Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural experiences are also satisfactory, although further work needs to be done to develop pupils’ spirituality and understanding of other cultures.

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Leadership and management

The school's engagement with parents and carers is satisfactory and developing well as the school is beginning to make better links with parents and carers from the school that closed. The governing body is taking an increasingly active role in the school’s development. Members are being provided with comprehensive information, via the headteacher’s reports, about the changes taking place, and now challenge the school’s leaders more and hold them to account. Safeguarding procedures are satisfactory: they meet all requirements.

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding These features are highly effective. An outstanding school provides exceptionally well for all its pupils' needs. Grade 2 Good These are very positive features of a school. A school that is good is serving its pupils well. Grade 3 Satisfactory These features are of reasonable quality. A satisfactory school is providing adequately for its pupils. Grade 4 Inadequate These features are not of an acceptable standard. An inadequate school needs to make significant improvement in order to meet the needs of its pupils. Ofsted inspectors will make further visits until it improves.

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

Nursery schools 46 46 8 0 Primary schools 8 47 40 5 Secondary schools 14 38 40 8 Special schools 28 48 20 4 Pupil referral units 15 50 29 5 All schools 11 46 38 6

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

New school inspection arrangements have been introduced from 1 January 2012. This means that inspectors make judgements that were not made previously.

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

The data in the table above are for the period 1 September 2010 to 31 August 2011 and represent judgements that were made under the school inspection arrangements that were introduced on 1 September 2009. These data are consistent with the latest published official statistics about maintained school inspection outcomes (see www.ofsted.gov.uk ).

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

The sample of schools inspected during 2010/11 was not representative of all schools nationally, as weaker schools are inspected more frequently than good or outstanding schools.

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

Primary schools include primary academy converters. Secondary schools include secondary academy converters, sponsor-led academies and city technology colleges. Special schools include special academy converters and non-maintained special schools.

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

Percentages are rounded and do not always add exactly to 100.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Achievement: the progress and success of a pupil in their learning and development taking account of their attainment.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Attainment: the standard of the pupils' work shown by test and examination results and in lessons.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Behaviour how well pupils behave in lessons, with emphasis on their attitude to learning. Pupils' punctuality to lessons and their conduct around the school.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Capacity to improve: the proven ability of the school to continue improving based on its self-evaluation and what the school has accomplished so far and on the quality of its systems to maintain improvement.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Leadership and management: the contribution of all the staff with responsibilities, not just the governors and headteacher, to identifying priorities, directing and motivating staff and running the school.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Learning: how well pupils acquire knowledge, develop their understanding, learn and practise skills and are developing their competence as learners.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Overall effectiveness: inspectors form a judgement on a school's overall effectiveness based on the findings from their inspection of the school.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Progress: the rate at which pupils are learning in lessons and over longer periods of time. It is often measured by comparing the pupils' attainment at the end of a key stage with their attainment when they started.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Safety how safe pupils are in school, including in lessons; and their understanding of risks. Pupils' freedom from bullying and harassment. How well the school promotes safety, for example e-learning.

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to share with their children. It describes Ofsted's main

findings from the inspection of their school.

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Tyne NE16 4RB

You may remember that we recently inspected your school, to see how well you are being helped to learn. I am writing to thank you for being so friendly and helpful. I thought you would like to know what we found out.

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Tyne NE16 4RB

 Most of you enjoy going to school and learning new things.  The staff provide a range of opportunities to help you to learn.  Most of you say that behaviour is satisfactory and that the school deals well with any incidents of bullying. We agree with this.  You get support with learning to read, which is improving your skills.  The headteacher and staff take care of you and they are improving the school.

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Tyne NE16 4RB

You go to a satisfactory school with a number of strengths and your teachers have agreed that they can help your school to improve even more by:

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Tyne NE16 4RB

 helping you make better progress, especially in English, by making sure that all your lessons have pace and challenge  ensuring you improve your handwriting and have more opportunities to write longer pieces of work, so you make better progress in lessons  making sure that all the information that teachers have about how well you are doing is used to meet your needs and improve your progress  making sure that all leaders ensure you are making good progress in your lessons and books.

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Tyne NE16 4RB

Thank you for your help with the inspection.

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Tyne NE16 4RB

David Shearsmith Lead inspector procedures set out in the guidance 'Complaining about inspections', which is available from Ofsted's website: www.ofsted.gov.uk . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234 , or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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