Wilstead Primary School

Age group 4–9 Inspection date(s) 13–14 March 2012 Inspection number 377929 Wilstead Lower School Inspection report

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Unique reference number 109492 Local authority Bedford Inspection number 377929 Inspection dates 13–14 March 2012 Lead inspector Martin Beale

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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 Lower School category Foundation Age range of pupils 4–9 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 138 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Ian Bryant Headteacher Janine Cox Date of previous school inspection 5 July 2007 School address Cotton End Road Wilstead Bedford MK45 3BX Telephone number 01234 302303 Fax number 01234 302303 Email address wilstead@deal.bedfordshire.gov.uk 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

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after children, safeguarding and child protection. Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the Education Act 2005, the school must provide a copy of this report free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as you give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the information in any way. To receive regular email alerts about new publications, including survey reports and school inspection reports, please visit our website and go to ‘Subscribe’.

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T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.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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You can also use Parent View to find out what other parents and carers think about schools in England. You can visit www.parentview.ofsted.gov.uk , or look for the link on the main Ofsted website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Introduction

This inspection was carried out with two days' notice. Five hours were spent observing parts of 13 lessons taught by 10 members of staff, holding discussions with pupils about their learning and hearing pupils read. The inspector held meetings with staff and members of the governing body. The inspector took account of the responses to the on-line questionnaire (Parent View) in planning the inspection. He observed the school’s work, and scrutinised pupils’ books, assessment data and case studies of specific pupils. He also looked at evidence of the school’s self-evaluation and improvement planning. The inspector analysed 61 responses to the questionnaire returned by parents and carers.

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Information about the school

Most pupils are from White British backgrounds in this smaller than average school. Few pupils are known to be eligible for free school meals. The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs is well below average. Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage are taught in a Reception class.

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Information about the school

The school shares its site with a privately run pre-school which also provides a breakfast and after-school club. This provision is not managed by the governing body and as such is inspected separately.

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Key findings

 This is a good school. It has several major strengths such as the pupils’ achievement in reading and writing, their very positive attitudes to learning and their excellent behaviour. The school is not outstanding because progress in mathematics is only satisfactory, particularly for girls, and attainment is average by the end of Year 4.

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Key findings

 Pupils make good progress from skills which are broadly as expected for their age on entry. Attainment is well above average by the end of Year 4 in reading and writing and, in some year groups, pupils are almost a full year ahead of expectations for their age.

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Key findings

 There is much lively and interesting teaching, particularly in English, that moves learning forward rapidly. However, teachers do not always pitch their lessons in mathematics sharply at the next steps in learning for all pupils or consistently provide opportunities for them to apply their skills to solving problems or undertaking investigations.

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Key findings

 Pupils try very successfully to live up to everyone’s expectations of them and to fulfil the school’s values at all times. Pupils show great respect for adults and demonstrate great care and consideration towards each other. Their ability to work as part of a team helps to generate a harmonious and purposeful environment for their development.

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Key findings

 Strong staff teamwork is one factor which has helped the school to maintain high standards since the previous inspection. The drive to manage performance and improve teaching has met with great success in reading and writing, but has had more modest impact in mathematics. Assessment data are used well to take action when pupils are in danger of falling behind their targets, but are not used as effectively to evaluate accurately and speedily the impact of the school’s actions.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve pupils’ progress in mathematics, particularly for girls, so that attainment matches that in English by:  introducing a rigorous programme to develop staff subject knowledge and expertise in teaching mathematics and monitoring its impact  providing systematically planned opportunities for pupils to apply their skills to solving problems and undertaking investigations  consistently using assessment information to pitch lessons sharply at the next steps in each pupil’s learning  develop pupils’ numeracy skills across all subjects  providing more effective feedback, through marking, about the steps pupils need to take to meet their targets.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Use assessment data and other information more effectively to evaluate the impact of actions taken by the school, in order to plan more sharply the next steps to be taken in school improvement.

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Achievement of pupils

Inspection evidence confirms the strongly expressed views of parents and carers that their children make good progress during their time at the school. Pupils enjoy their learning particularly when they are engaged in practical activities or when discussing their ideas with each other. They learn new skills at a good pace. Pupils regularly use their information and communication technology skills to support and extend their learning in subjects. Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs also make good progress although sometimes in quite small steps.

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Achievement of pupils

Children usually enter Reception with skills broadly as expected for their age. This year they are starting to make better than their previous satisfactory progress. They are increasingly able to explore their own lines of enquiry and were observed during the inspection undertaking a wide range of interesting activities using computers and other electronic devices.

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Achievement of pupils

The drive to bring more consistency to teaching phonics (the sounds that letters make), along with pupils reading regularly at home, is leading to reading developing well. The good progress in reading starts in Reception and continues across Key Stage 1 so that attainment is above average and rising by the end of Year 2. This good progress continues at Key Stage 2 and attainment is well above average by the end of Year 4. Pupils are creative in their writing because of the stimulating contexts provided, which fire their imaginations. They plan their writing carefully before embarking on extended pieces in a range of different styles. Having been enthralled by seeing a wasps’ nest, pupils in Year 3 produced thoughtfully crafted descriptions using a wide range of vocabulary, such as ‘colony’ and ‘antennae’, before introducing similes such as ‘as sharp as a needle’ to describe a wasp’s sting.

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Achievement of pupils

By contrast, progress is satisfactory in mathematics and attainment is broadly average. Basic skills develop reasonably well but pupils do not extend and apply these consistently to solve problems or when learning in other subjects. Girls are making slower progress than boys in part because they are not always keen to take risks and learn by their mistakes.

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Quality of teaching

Parents and carers are accurate in their view that teaching is good. An imaginative English lesson in Year 4 moved learning forward at pace and demonstrated many of the more effective features of the school’s teaching. The teacher stimulated the pupils’ imaginations as they used language creatively to describe mystery items hidden under a cloth. By regularly seeking responses from the pupils, the teacher ensured a good pace of learning and gave pupils the opportunity to refine their writing having listened to the ideas of others. Discussion was encouraged at all times and pupils were challenged to choose the best way to get their thoughts together before writing.

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Quality of teaching

Teaching in mathematics is only satisfactory because subject expertise is not as strong as in English. Planning is not as creative and whole-class teaching is not always challenging for the more-able, who sometimes sit through sessions of work they have already mastered. One exception to this was observed when a small group of more-able pupils in Year 4, who were following the Year 5 curriculum, rapidly developed an understanding of the grid method of multiplication because of the teacher’s confident and expert teaching. Marking in mathematics is also not as effective as in writing in helping pupils to meet their targets because teachers rarely comment on pupils’ work or show them how to take steps to consolidate and improve their learning.

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Quality of teaching

Assessment information is used well to adapt the planned curriculum for pupils in danger of falling behind their targets and to provide personalised programmes for disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs. Effective support for pupils with a statement of special educational needs is based on a very good understanding of their specific needs and constructive relationships with the adults who work skilfully with them. Grouping pupils by ability for phonics across Reception and Key Stage 1 is a major factor in the rapid development of their early reading skills.

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Quality of teaching

Teachers take every opportunity to promote the pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. They encourage pupils to work collaboratively and to use their imaginations by using interesting texts, video clips and resources. One effective example of this was when pupils in Year 2 compared the book and the film of ‘The Sleeping Beauty’ in order to help them develop their writing about the characters.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

The pupils’ often exemplary behaviour helps to create a very harmonious atmosphere throughout the school. The pupils are cooperative at work, play happily together and conduct themselves with care around the school, often holding doors open for adults and each other without prompting. Pupils feel they are treated fairly and that adults implement the school’s procedures firmly and consistently. They greatly enjoy being praised when they live up to expectations and are proud when they get a leaf on the ‘Values Tree’ for displaying qualities such as honesty or thoughtfulness. Their above- average attendance reflects their great enjoyment of school life. Pupils recognise that there is ‘zero tolerance’ of bullying. They say adults will help to sort out quickly any disagreements or falling-out between friends. Pupils are helped to understand the consequences of their actions if they say unkind things and taught

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

how to develop strategies so it does not happen again. As a result, records of incidents and the views of parents and carers as well as their children, confirm that the excellent behaviour observed during the inspection is typical for the school.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

Pupils say how safe they feel in school, and are not worried in any way as they can rely on adult support at all times. Their parents and carers strongly agree. Pupils are very aware of how to keep themselves safe and healthy, such as when they learnt of the effects of drugs and alcohol when going on board the ‘Life Bus’. Visits from the fire service and the local police officer teach them how to stay safe in and out of school. They take care of each other and, in part through the ‘buddy system’, they help pupils who might be feeling lonely or left out at playtime.

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Leadership and management

The school’s good capacity for further improvement is built on the headteacher’s clear vision, a cohesive leadership team and challenge from a well-informed and increasingly effective governing body. The performance of teachers is rigorously monitored in order to identify how they can improve, although assessment data are not always analysed to show how successful school initiatives have been or to set clear targets when planning new action. The focus, driven by the headteacher and senior leaders, on improving the teaching of reading and writing has led to rising attainment in both. More effective provision in Reception is leading to the children making more rapid progress. The well-led governing body has become much more effective as its structures have tightened and it has become more involved in monitoring the school’s performance and planning for its improvement. Governors understand the school’s qualities and challenge the headteacher, such as over the

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Leadership and management

need to improve achievement in mathematics.

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Leadership and management

The curriculum promotes the pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development well through art and music. Pupils greatly enjoyed singing and dancing in an assembly to music from steel pans before taking part in workshops finding out how they are made and some features of post-war Caribbean culture. The pupils’ experiences are supplemented by themed events such as ‘International Week’ and many other activities that extend their horizons.

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Leadership and management

The harmonious atmosphere reflects the school’s success in promoting equality and tackling discrimination. The headteacher and her staff are acutely aware of the circumstances and needs of pupils and use this information to focus on breaking down barriers to learning for individual pupils. Very few pupils fail to reach the level expected for their age by the end of Year 4. Boys’ writing is improving and the gap with girls is closing, but the school has been less successful in raising the attainment of girls in mathematics.

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Leadership and management

Parents are happy with the relationship between home and school. A recent e-safety workshop, to be followed up by a planned session on mathematics, has enabled them to support their children better. Safeguarding arrangements meet requirements and reflect the confidence of parents and carers in way the school looks after their children.

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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. 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 ). 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. 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

Attendance the regular attendance of pupils at school and in lessons, taking into account the school’s efforts to encourage good attendance.

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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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carers to share with their children. It describes Ofsted’s

main findings from the inspection of their school.

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Inspection of Wilstead Lower School, Bedford, MK45 3BX

Thank you for the warm welcome you gave me when I visited your school recently. I saw that you work very hard and are proud of the part you play in school life. I was particularly impressed by your confident answers to my questions. I have judged that Wilstead Lower is a good school because the headteacher, staff and governors try hard to help you all achieve of your very best. These are the things I liked most.

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Inspection of Wilstead Lower School, Bedford, MK45 3BX

 As you told me, the headteacher, staff and governors do their utmost to help you all to succeed, to take care of you and make sure you are kept safe.  You want to learn and behave very well; this helps to make the school calm and happy.  I agree with you that you are taught well. Teachers make lessons interesting and help you to make good progress.  Your writing improves rapidly because you are given opportunities to develop your skills in a wide range of interesting ways.  You also enjoy learning to read and I was impressed by the way you can talk about books you have read.  Those of you who find learning difficult are given effective help so that you make the same good progress as others in your classes.

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Inspection of Wilstead Lower School, Bedford, MK45 3BX

I have asked the school to improve teaching further in mathematics so that it is as good as in English. I have also asked that information about how well you are doing is used better when planning improvements to the school.

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Inspection of Wilstead Lower School, Bedford, MK45 3BX

You can all play your part in helping the school to get even better by continuing to work hard.

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Inspection of Wilstead Lower School, Bedford, MK45 3BX

Martin Beale 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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