Wolverham Primary and Nursery School

Wolverham Primary and Nursery School Milton Road, Wolverham, Ellesmere Port , Cheshire, CH65 5AT

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Inspection dates 31 October–1 November 2012

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Good 2 This inspection: Outstanding 1 Achievement of pupils Outstanding 1 Quality of teaching Outstanding 1 Behaviour and safety of pupils Outstanding 1 Leadership and management Outstanding 1

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is an outstanding school.  Children get off to an excellent start in the Nursery and Reception classes.  Pupils reach well above nationally expected standards in English and mathematics at the end of Year 6.  The quality of teaching is outstanding.  The curriculum is filled with exciting ways for pupils to learn. It helps them to enjoy school and to achieve their best in different subjects.  Pupils behave exceptionally well. They are always friendly, polite and well-mannered. In lessons they are eager to do their best work. They say that they feel safe in school because the adults look after them so well.  Nevertheless, despite the school’s efforts, attendance sometimes dips a little below average.  School leaders, including the governing body, work with great determination to provide the very best for the pupils. They continually check the school’s work and do not accept ‘second best’.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector observed 10 lessons and parts of lessons.  Meetings were held with pupils, staff members and members of the governing body as well as the school’s consultant school improvement partner.  In addition, the inspector took account of the views of 20 parents who responded to the on-line questionnaire (Parent View).  The inspector observed the school’s work and looked at a wide range of documentation, including national assessment data and the school’s own assessments, the school’s self- evaluation of its work, curriculum information, samples of pupils’ work and safeguarding documents.

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Inspection team

Kevin Johnson, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 Almost all pupils are White British in this smaller than average sized primary school.  The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for support through the pupil premium (pupils known to be eligible for free school meals, those looked after by the local authority and children of service families) is above average.  An above average proportion of pupils is supported by school action.  The proportion of pupils supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is also above average.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectation for pupils’ attainment and progress.  The school has achieved several awards for its work in developing aspects of the curriculum and its work with the community. It has recently achieved the Family Partnership Award.  A breakfast club is provided by the school during term time.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve attendance so that it consistently meets or exceeds the national average, by continuing to monitor it rigorously on a daily basis and supporting the small proportion of families whose children are persistently absent.

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 When children start in the Nursery class their skills are very much lower than those expected for their age. Their abilities, to socialise with other children, to speak and explain what they are doing and to work out how to do things, are at a very early stage of development.  Children make excellent progress in the Early Years Foundation Stage because of both the outstanding way in which activities are planned for them and the way they are taught.  By the time they reach the end of Reception Year most children have broadly average skills for their age. They are happy to make choices, get on very well with other children and rely less on their teachers to do things for them. They know their letter sounds and numbers and are beginning to read simple words and to write them by themselves.  This excellent start sets pupils up well for the outstanding progress they make as they move through the school. Standards in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of Year 2 have

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

risen for the past three years and continue to do so. Pupils’ current work and the quality of teaching seen in Years 1 and 2 are clear signs that this improvement is continuing.  Pupils’ rapid progress in Years 3 to 6 means that by the end of Year 6 their attainment is well above average. All pupils reach at least the standards expected nationally in their tests and a substantial number achieve higher than expected standards in English and mathematics. From their starting points in the Nursery class, this represents outstanding achievement.  Reading is above average by the time pupils leave the school. They are keen on books, read fluently and with good expression to show that they understand what they read. All have clear views about the authors and different kinds of books they enjoy.  Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs make excellent progress. This is because all staff take responsibility for their progress and learning. Teaching assistants, who

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

give additional help to individuals and small groups, assess pupils’ learning before and after the extra teaching to see how much progress is made. They then work with class teachers to plan the next steps and set new targets. This means that pupils learn very quickly.  The pupil premium funding is used to very good effect in supporting, particularly, pupils known to be eligible for free school meals. The extra teaching time it buys and the way it is used to make sure all pupils can take part in all aspects of the curriculum mean that there are no differences between the standards and achievement of pupils in different groups.

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

 Teaching is never less than good and it is outstanding in most lessons throughout the school.  Teachers make sure that each pupil, whatever their ability, is properly planned for and supported in lessons. Pupils are not allowed to ‘mark time’ or wait for others to catch up. As soon as any group has the information they need they are taken by an adult to start work. This excellent use of teaching assistants’ time means that not a minute is wasted and that there is a feeling of real urgency about learning.  Accurate checks on pupils’ performance are key to pupils’ progress. Lessons always begin with what has been learned before and the chance to think about improvement so that learning moves on quickly. Teachers question pupils in lessons to make sure they understand and, perhaps, think of better ways to do their work. They, and teaching assistants, keep a close eye on pupils’ work and are very quick to help pupils to correct it when mistakes are made. Pupils

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

know what they have to do and they say that the way teachers mark their work is very helpful.  Reading, writing and mathematics are given highest priority by teachers. Pupils have many opportunities to write in different subjects and for different purposes. Some of these help to improve pupils’ personal development as well as their English. For example, a pupils’ committee has written policies for behaviour, anti-bullying and safety in school. Some have also written their own anti-bullying song.  The excellent quality of pupils’ handwriting and general presentation of their work show teachers’ very positive response to the previous report where handwriting was an aspect to improve.  Teachers frequently make mathematics more meaningful to pupils by setting up investigations outside of the classroom. For example, Year 1, pupils scoured the school site to find examples of three-dimensional shapes which they photographed and used for their learning in the classroom,

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

linking mathematics to real life.  Imaginative methods and resources are used to capture pupils’ interest and add excitement to learning. The use of electronic whiteboards, laptops, exciting choices of books and the chances pupils have to test their ideas on one another all feature strongly in lessons.  Relationships in lessons are excellent. Pupils are extremely keen to ‘have a go’ because they know that teachers value their ideas. Teachers encourage pupils to help each other and to be self-reliant about checking on their own work and setting fresh targets.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Pupils set themselves exceptionally high standards for their safety and behaviour. Parents’ highly positive comments, as well as pupils conduct around the school, show that those standards are achieved.  Attitudes to learning are excellent and pupils’ own aspirations for their futures are high.  Behaviour in lessons, and around the school in all situations, is outstanding. Pupils are always well-mannered and respectful to all others, and very keen to be helpful. Pupils know what is acceptable and what is not. They understand and accept others’ differences without question and do all that they can to enjoy their time in school.  Pupils fully understand the different forms that bullying might take, including cyber-bullying, which they have looked into and discussed thoroughly. Pupils are very firm in their view that there is no bullying in school. They are also very much aware of dangerous situations that they

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

might find themselves in outside of school and know how they can deal with them.  Pupils make an excellent contribution to the everyday life of the school. They willingly carry out tasks that help the school to run more smoothly. The work they do on various committees gives them a strong voice in school matters and helps them to see that they have important responsibilities.  Most pupils arrive in time for school and attend regularly. However, attendance is not consistent. At times it dips a little below average, largely due to the persistent absence of a few pupils. This results in such pupils failing to achieve a consistently good rate of progress. Some headway is being made as a result of the strengthening home-school links but there is still more work to be done with a small number of families.  Overall, pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is excellent and they are extremely well prepared for the next stages of their education.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 All staff and the governing body are extremely clear about the kind of school they want to work in. They set the highest standards for themselves and always expect the same of others.  The headteacher is a very active figurehead for the staff and an excellent professional role model in maintaining those standards and driving improvements.  Senior school leaders, and subject leaders, show the greatest determination to improve and maintain the highest quality of teaching. They continually check that teaching in all subjects comes up to the standards they have set. Second-best is not accepted, as seen in the extremely rigorous way that teaching performance has been improved, through well-planned and highly effective training, to help teachers improve their skills since the last inspection. The school budget is used very effectively to reward excellent performance.  Teachers plan an exciting curriculum that underpins pupils’ outstanding achievement. It is

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The leadership and management are outstanding

packed with activities that fire pupils’ imaginations, improve their skills, and help them to develop their personal interests. Pupils look forward to coming to school and feel strongly that they achieve very well in many subjects.  The governance of the school:  The governing body knows the school and the community it serves extremely well. Governors fully realise the responsibility they have to enrich the lives of pupils and to provide equal opportunities and better life-chances for all of them. To that end the governing body watches over the school’s performance very closely and holds leaders fully to account. At the same time it provides excellent support for the school in gaining an understanding of how it works, making successful appointments to the school staff and managing the finances and resources, including the pupil premium funding, very efficiently. Safeguarding pupils and staff is given

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The leadership and management are outstanding

high priority Policies and procedures are very clear and checked regularly to make sure that they are effective. All relevant training for staff and governors is up-to-date and the well-being of all pupils, particularly those whose circumstances may put them most at risk, is given very close attention.

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding An outstanding school is highly effective in delivering outcomes that provide exceptionally well for all its pupils’ needs. This ensures that pupils are very well equipped for the next stage of their education, training or employment. Grade 2 Good A good school is effective in delivering outcomes that provide well for all its pupils’ needs. Pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education, training or employment. Grade 3 Requires improvement A school that requires improvement is not yet a good school, but it is not inadequate. This school will receive a full inspection within 24 months from the date of this inspection. Grade 4 Inadequate A school that has serious weaknesses is inadequate overall and requires significant improvement but leadership and management are judged to be Grade 3 or better. This school will receive regular monitoring by Ofsted inspectors. A school that requires special measures is one where the school is

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Grade Judgement Description

failing to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education and the school’s leaders, managers or governors have not demonstrated that they have the capacity to secure the necessary improvement in the school. This school will receive regular monitoring by Ofsted inspectors.

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School details

Unique reference number 111089 Local authority Cheshire West and Chester Inspection number 403136

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School details

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

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School details

Type of school Primary School category Community Age range of pupils 3–11 Gender of pupils mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 133 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Paul Jenkins Headteacher Tracy Webb Date of previous school inspection 13 May 2008 Telephone number 0151 338 2242 Fax number 0151 357 2852 Email address head@wolverham.cheshire.sch.uk guidance ‘raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted', 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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School details

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 and as part of the inspection.

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School details

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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School details

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. 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

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School details

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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School details

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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