Westerhope Primary School

Westerhope Primary School Inspection report

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Age group 3–11 Inspection date(s) 03–04 May 2012 Inspection number 377760 Unique Reference Number 108457 Local authority Newcastle Upon Tyne Inspection number 377760 Inspection dates 3–4 May 2012 Lead inspector Kate Pringle

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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 3–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 417 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Brid Fitzpatrick Headteacher Jo Warner Date of previous school inspection 20 November 2008 School address Hillhead Road Westerhope Newcastle-upon-Tyne NE5 1NE Telephone number 0191 2674750 Fax number 0191 2675430 Email address admin@warner.westerhope.newcastle.sch.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, wor k-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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T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Introduction

Kate Pringle Wendy Richardson Additional inspector Additional inspector Kevin Dodd Additional inspector

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Introduction

This inspection was carried out with two days' notice. Twenty one lessons and 15 teachers were observed. Inspectors also observed shorter sessions of small-group support for pupils and listened to pupils reading . Meetings were held with groups of pupils, members of the governing body, and staff. Inspectors observed the school’s work and looked at pupils’ books, assessment information, policies and written procedures, school development plans, and updates of pupils’ progress. They took account of the responses to the on-line Parent View survey in planning the inspection. The views of pupils and staff were considered, together with those of parents and carers in the 123 questionnaires they returned.

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Information about the school

In this larger than average-sized primary school, the proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is lower than the national average. There are few pupils from minority ethnic groups, or who speak English as an additional language. The proportion of pupils supported by school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is lower than average. The school meets the current floor standards, which are the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress expected by the government. There is above-average mobility, due to pupils leaving the school at the end of Year 4 to attend middle school education in a neighbouring authority. The school holds Healthy School status.

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Information about the school

The on-site pre-school setting is managed privately and provides wrap-around care for nursery children. It will be subject to a separate inspection by Ofsted. 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 good school. It is not yet outstanding because, although pupils’ achievement is good overall, it is not consistently so in writing and mathematics across the school, in particular in Key Stage 1. Attainment is broadly in line with national expectations, with outcomes in reading high by the end of Year 6. Outstanding spiritual, moral, social, and cultural development underpins school life, contributing greatly to pupils’ outstanding behaviour.

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Key Findings

 Children make good progress in the Early Years Foundation Stage. They achieve well, particularly in their personal and social development and in learning letters and sounds. Progress in Key Stage 1 is satisfactory in writing and mathematics because the work set does not always challenge the more able. Pupils’ achievement in reading is good. Across Key Stage 2, progress accelerates and is at least good and often outstanding, although attainment by the end of Year 6 is average overall.

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Key Findings

 The majority of teaching is good or outstanding, reflected in the good and better progress pupils make in these lessons. Pupils are enthusiastic, showing great motivation to learn and being fully engaged in assessing the quality of their learning.

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Key Findings

 Pupils feel extremely safe. They say behaviour is excellent and bullying is rare. They are secure in the knowledge that staff act quickly to address any individual concerns.

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Key Findings

 Leaders and managers have brought about good improvement since the last inspection. Performance is managed well because leaders identify successfully where further improvement is needed, linking this to focused professional development. Monitoring and evaluation of teaching and learning are highly effective and there is an excellent understanding of where weaknesses lie.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Raise pupils’ achievement in writing and mathematics to equal that of reading, ensuring that progress is consistently good or better, particularly in Key Stage 1, by: - ensuring work is matched well to the abilities of pupils to provide appropriate challenge, especially for more-able pupils at Key Stage 1 - providing greater opportunities to use writing and mathematics in other subjects - ensuring that all marking and feedback to pupils on how to improve their work is consistently good or better, reflecting the best practice in the school.

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Achievement of pupils

Pupils, parents and carers say that achievement is good and this reflects the findings of the inspection accurately. Children make good progress in the Early Years Foundation Stage from starting points which are below expectations for their age. They make outstanding progress in their personal and social development and in linking sounds and letters, which prepares them well for future learning. Children engage very well and have strong relationships with staff, who understand their individual needs well. An improving picture over recent years means that children now leave the Reception Year with above-average attainment.

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Achievement of pupils

Good progress in reading continues over Key Stage 1 and pupils attain above-average standards in reading by the end of Year 2, although progress in mathematics and writing is largely satisfactory. By the end of Year 2, pupils’ attainment is average overall. Pupils enjoy the tasks set by teachers and show an increasing understanding of their own learning. At times, more-able pupils in Key Stage 1 do not achieve as well as they might, as a result of being insufficiently challenged. Pupils demonstrate increased motivation and interest in lessons where they have opportunities which challenge them to use their skills of reading, writing, and mathematics to investigate and solve problems.

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Achievement of pupils

Older pupils are fully involved in their own assessment and that of their friends. They take active responsible for their learning and are greatly motivated to use their own assessment skills to consider how successfully challenges have been met. Through Key Stage 2, there is accelerated progress, particularly in Years 5 and 6. Although pupils’ attainment in writing and mathematics is average by the end of Year 6, this represents good progress from their starting points in Year 3. They make exceptional overall progress in reading to reach high standards by the end of Year 6. Progress for those pupils who remain at the school after Year 4 is at least good, with much that is outstanding. Teachers provide focused support for those pupils who need extra help so that they are able to successfully catch-up with other pupils. This means that disabled pupils, those who have special educational needs, and those whose circumstances may make them vulnerable make good and often outstanding

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Quality of teaching

Pupils, parents and carers recognise the good teaching within the school. Teachers are knowledgeable, enthusing pupils, who are highly motivated to learn. In Key Stage 2, teachers enable pupils to have a very good understanding of their abilities and how to meet their challenges. Strategies to support disabled pupils and those with special educational needs are very effective and pupils make good progress. Most teachers address the needs of individual pupils well. However, on occasion, when there is insufficient challenge, for example, for the more-able pupils in Key Stage 1, the pace of learning can slow. Close monitoring of lessons and books secures an excellent understanding of teaching strengths and identifies any support and action required. Instances of teaching which is less than good are very few.

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Quality of teaching

In the Early Years Foundation Stage, teaching is good. Children settle quickly and form good relationships with adults. Children’s informative ‘Learning Journeys’ indicate their good progress. Teachers use the information to plan activities building upon past learning. The excellent teaching of letters and sounds challenges all children and they make outstanding progress. Staff give high priority to personal and social development and children leave the Reception class as confident, independent learners.

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Quality of teaching

Elsewhere, many lessons are outstanding and few are only satisfactory. In the best lessons, pupils are fully engaged in learning as they rise to appropriate challenge and use their skills in reading, writing, and mathematics to reflect and investigate. One writing lesson challenged pupils to reflect upon the evacuation of children during the Second World War. Pupils were very clear about the need to address their individual targets. They considered photographs, radio broadcasts, their knowledge of the period and related the situation to their own emotions when away from home. The resulting writing was highly descriptive and drew pensive pictures of the feelings of evacuees.

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Quality of teaching

In a few lessons, tasks are not focused sufficiently upon pupils’ needs and this means that learning is not as rapid for all pupils. There are good opportunities to use skills in reading across a range of subjects, but fewer to promote writing at length and mathematics at appropriate levels in other subjects. A good proportion of marking is exceptional and supports pupils’ learning very well. However, some does not indicate to pupils sufficiently well how to improve their work and move to the next steps in learning. Strategies to support disabled pupils and those with special educational needs are very effective and these pupils make good progress.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

Behaviour is outstanding and this standard of behaviour is well established. The vast majority of pupils, parents and carers say that behaviour is at least good. Pupils talk about their school positively, agreeing that behaviour in lessons and about school is excellent. They refer to friendly pupils and a caring staff, saying that bullying is rare, but, when it does occur, the school deals with it quickly and effectively. Pupils know what constitutes bullying because the school has helped them to identify what it ‘looks like’ and how to deal with it. Pupils are highly motivated and engage well in lessons. Older pupils rise well to the challenge of assessing their own work and that of others. Pupils feel very safe in school. They speak of adults who care for them and help them to grow in their own responsibility to keep themselves safe. Pupils look after one another. They work as ‘peer buddies’, school councillors and as part of the eco team, promoting the

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

understanding of right and wrong. Throughout the inspection, pupils were seen to be caring for others. They listened carefully to each other and reflected upon situations with careful deliberation. For example, Key Stage 2 pupils talked together about their work with younger pupils to identify concerns and solve problems. Attendance is improving and is now above average.

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Leadership and management

Leaders and managers have a shared vision for improvement. They have successfully addressed the areas from the last inspection: tracking across the Early Years Foundation Stage now reflects the progress children make accurately and, throughout the school, rigorous assessment is used by the vast majority of teachers to increase challenge for pupils. Actions to improve teaching have raised the proportion of good and outstanding lessons. Leaders monitor lessons and provide focused support where needed. A considerable number of teachers are using their professional development to promote different strategies for learning. Leaders and managers are keenly aware of the strengths of the school and where improvement is needed. Teachers are held to account and this is impacting positively upon the overall quality of provision and outcomes for pupils. There is good capacity to improve.

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Leadership and management

Leaders demonstrate a firm commitment to tackle discrimination and ensure equality of opportunity for all pupils to be successful. They are very aware of weaker aspects of learning and actions are in place to address these. The current progress of pupils across the school demonstrates a narrowing of the gap between boys and girls, higher attainment in reading, and a decreasing proportion of pupils with special educational needs, all as a result of effective strategies.

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Leadership and management

The governing body holds the school to account very well because it understands its strengths and where improvements are needed. Members have clear responsibilities, which they use to challenge proposals by questioning thoroughly identified areas for action. School policies and procedures, including those regarding safeguarding, meet requirements very well and are fully understood and implemented by staff.

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Leadership and management

The curriculum supports learning well, demonstrating increasing opportunities for links between subjects. Pupils use their reading skills well across the curriculum, but there is less opportunity for them to apply their writing and mathematical skills in the same way. The use of information and communication technology is a clear strength, with teachers and pupils using it to extend access to resources and share learning across subjects. Pupils enjoy the additional experiences that visits and visitors bring to their studies and the Year 6 residential visit enables older pupils to increase their confidence, independence and self-esteem. Outstanding spiritual, moral, social, and cultural development is key to the highly positive ethos of the school. Pupils demonstrate a number of roles in which they take on responsibilities. Links with a number of schools and external groups enhance the curriculum and pupils’ understanding of people from other backgrounds, nationally and globally.

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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 54 42 2 2 Primary schools 14 49 32 6 Secondary schools 20 39 34 7 Special schools 33 45 20 3 Pupil referral units 9 55 28 8 All schools 16 47 31 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 to 31 December 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

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

Floor standards the national minimum expectation of attainment and progression measures

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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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Inspection of Westerhope Primary School, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, NE5 1NE

 Thank you for the lovely welcome that you gave to the inspection team when we visited your school recently. We enjoyed talking with you and greatly appreciate the way in which you thought about our questions and considered your answers. We were able to get a good idea of what you think of your school.

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Inspection of Westerhope Primary School, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, NE5 1NE

We agree with you that yours is a good school. You enjoy school and this shows in your improving attendance and your excellent attitudes to learning. You have many good teachers in your school who have a very good idea of what you need to learn and they make lessons exciting for you. We were highly impressed by how many of the older pupils use their abilities to assess their work and that of their friends. Your behaviour is excellent and you feel safe in school because staff care for you and make sure that your concerns are quickly addressed. We feel that you look after each other very well and this makes your school a very caring one.

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Inspection of Westerhope Primary School, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, NE5 1NE

Many of you make good progress. You make excellent progress in reading and achieve highly. We would like you to make similar progress in your writing and mathematics, especially pupils in Key Stage 1. Teachers can help you to do this by making sure that tasks in class are matched to your different abilities well, especially those of you who are more able. We would like teachers to give you more opportunities to use your mathematics skills and to write at length, in other subjects. Finally, we would like all the teachers’ marking in your books to be as good as the best marking we saw.

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Inspection of Westerhope Primary School, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, NE5 1NE

You can help by continuing to enjoy school, attending well and working hard. May I, on behalf of us all, wish you every success for the future.

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Inspection of Westerhope Primary School, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, NE5 1NE

Kate Pringle 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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