Wavertree Church of England School

Wavertree CE Primary School Rose Villas, Wavertree, Liverpool L15 8HJ

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Inspection dates 31 October–1 November 2012

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Satisfactory 3 This inspection: Good 2 Achievement of pupils Good 2 Quality of teaching Good 2 Behaviour and safety of pupils Good 2 Leadership and management Good 2

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.  This is a rapidly improving school. When children arrive they have below average levels of skills and knowledge. When they leave they have made progress better than that found nationally and their achievement is good.  Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs, and those who attract the pupil premium, make good progress because individual support meets their needs and enables them to do well.  Teachers have high expectations of their pupils. They have a clear view of the progress made by every pupil and record this carefully through the year.  There is general agreement, between pupils, parents and staff that pupils are safe and behaviour is good.  Since arriving at the school around the time of the last inspection the headteacher has made a series of changes that have moved the school forward. This has supported teachers in becoming more effective and raising standards.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

Governors play a positive role in school improvement.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 There is some inconsistency in the quality of teaching through the school.  Sometimes the more-able pupils are not fully challenged.  Standards in mathematics are not yet as good as those in English.  There is occasional low-level disruption in a small minority of lessons.

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Information about this inspection

 During the inspection 14 lessons were observed, taught by seven teachers. This accounted for seven hours of inspection time.  Inspectors heard pupils read and looked at samples of work produced by pupils in each class.  Meetings were held with senior leaders, teachers, pupils and representatives of the governing body and the local authority.  Inspectors considered the nine responses to the on-line questionnaire (Parent View), those from the school’s own parental questionnaires, written comments and conversations with parents. The views of staff and pupils have also been taken into account.  A range of documents were looked at in detail, including data on pupils’ progress, teachers’ planning and assessment, schemes of work, school improvement plans and a range of procedures, including those for safeguarding.

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Inspection team

Martyn Groucutt, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Jonathon Yodaiken Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 Wavertree CE Primary School is smaller than the average sized primary.  The proportion of pupils supported at school action is a little below the national average, while those at school action plus, or having a statement of special educational needs is above.  The proportion of pupils who are eligible for the pupil premium (additional funding allocated to the school by the government) is well above average.  The school meets the government’s floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Continue the improvement in attainment throughout the school by:  ensuring maximum challenge for the most-able pupils by always giving them tasks that match their abilities  increasing pupils’ confidence in their thinking ability by providing more opportunities for problem solving during lessons.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Continue to improve the performance of pupils in mathematics throughout the school by:  making sure that teachers’ planning takes the different abilities of pupils into account and challenges every pupil at the right level  increasing the difficulty of work being given to those who show high ability in the subject  supporting teachers to develop their skills and confidence in teaching mathematics  ensuring that all teachers are using the agreed methods for teaching mathematics.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils’ achievement shows sustained progress over time and at a faster rate than that found nationally, except for some of the most-able pupils whose progress is not always maximised. This is true in all classes and subjects, and pupils’ work shows they are doing well throughout the school.  When children start in the Early Years Foundation Stage, their skills and knowledge are below the levels expected for their age. They make good progress and when they start Year 1 they have generally reached the level expected for their age and are well prepared for the next stage of learning.  Good progress continues through Years 1 and 2 with pupils reaching standards above those generally found in reading, writing and mathematics.  Careful analysis of the outcomes of every pupil by the end of Year 6 shows that progress has been sustained. Virtually all made at least the expected progress in reading, writing and

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The achievement of pupils is good

mathematics and a significant number exceeded the expected rate Achievement and progress from their starting points is generally good and for some pupils it is outstanding.  Reading is encouraged throughout the school and even the weaker readers use good strategies for working out difficult words. Pupils enjoy reading and attainment is good. This helps them do well in other areas, including communication, writing and mathematics.  The school has effective ways of recording progress and teachers do this every term so they know how every pupil is doing. This information gives a clear picture of whole-school improvement over time and supports teachers in their individual classrooms.  Equal care is taken to ensure that the needs of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs, and those who attract the pupil premium, are identified quickly and effective steps taken to address their specific difficulties. This enables them to make good progress, well

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The achievement of pupils is good

above that generally found, reducing the gap between their achievement and that of others in school.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching throughout the school and in most subjects is good and a significant amount is outstanding. However, the teaching of mathematics is not quite so effective and results are below those for English. Teachers sometimes seem less confident in mathematics. From looking at pupils’ work it is also clear that the school’s agreed way of teaching problem solving is not consistently used.  Generally, good teaching underpins the rising achievement, including that of pupils who are disabled or who have special educational needs. This is appreciated by parents of these pupils, some of whom seek places because they know how well pupils with a range of needs are doing through the good quality teaching and support provided.  Teachers’ expectations are high and pupils are set challenging targets that they are well- supported in achieving. However, as the school has successfully raised the achievement of the

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The quality of teaching is good

large majority it has not always maximised the outcomes for the most-able. They have not always been fully challenged, or their skills, such as those for thinking or problem solving, fully developed. These skills could also be further promoted for pupils of all abilities.  Teachers’ planning is generally good, but does not always result in different ability levels being equally well challenged so that all pupils can produce their best. Again this is more often seen in mathematics. Sometimes it leads to too many pupils doing the same work rather than learning that reflects individual needs.  Work is assessed and marked regularly and teachers’ comments provide good support in helping pupils to improve their work. Pupils are encouraged to work things out for themselves as a result of effective questioning skills shown by teachers. Lessons often contain a variety of activities and, because there is good pace and involvement, learning and enjoyment are evident.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Individual progress is assessed termly and results used to identify who is not making expected progress. Such pupils become the subject of focussed pupil progress interviews with the headteacher. This allows individual plans for improvement to be implemented which supports good progress for those who might be at risk of falling behind.  Teaching assistants work very effectively alongside teachers reflecting powerful teamwork in school. Sometimes additional funding, such as the pupil premium, is effectively targeted to provide one to one or small group support, or to help students meet specific targets through individual programmes.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils, staff, parents and carers all agree that behaviour is good and that pupils are safe. This creates a very positive ethos around school, reflected in the ‘buddy’ system where some older pupils help others.  Behaviour is generally good, creating a positive learning atmosphere. In the small minority of lessons that are not so effective there is occasionally a small amount of low-level disruption. This is usually because the pace of the lesson is slower and pupils are bored.  Pupils have a good understanding of bullying in its different forms, including cyber-bullying. They say that this is rarely a problem and when instances occur they tell an adult, knowing that effective action will result.  They understand the dangers of internet abuse and social websites. When an instance of inappropriate use was discovered the school immediately informed parents, working together to end the situation.  The school is working hard to raise attendance, which has improved since the arrival of the

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

headteacher and is now broadly average. The school works hard to engage with the small number of families who do not send their children regularly. Pupils enjoy coming to school and since the major changes to the curriculum are now far more engaged in learning.

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The leadership and management are good

 The sustained improvement since the last inspection reflects the vision and dynamism of the headteacher. She also created an effective leadership team that is now fully involved in the process of school improvement.  The school has benefited from effective help and support from the local authority, whose own audit of the progress of the school confirms sustained improvement.  Systems to monitor the quality of teaching are effective, forming part of the process of teachers’ appraisal and performance management. Staff are aware of their accountability for pupils’ progress and understand how this is linked to salary progression. Teachers on the upper pay scale have clear additional responsibilities and are held to account in the process of school improvement. Annual objectives are set for staff through a process that also involves self- evaluation against the Teachers’ Standards.  The school’s monitoring processes meet whole-school needs well. These are identified through

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The leadership and management are good

rigorous self-evaluation and the prioritisation of key issues for continued improvement. Their impact is seen in rising standards since the previous inspection.  The curriculum has been transformed since the last inspection. For the younger pupils it is topic based, while at the top of the school there is a mix of topic and subject based work. Opportunities to develop literacy and numeracy across the curriculum are taken. Pupils are much more engaged in learning, while teachers enjoy the teaching opportunities brought by the topic- based approach.  There are good opportunities to promote pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development and help them understand their role in a community that is diverse in culture, ethnicity and religion. For example, pupils visit places of worship of other major religions, as well as a Christian one. This broadens their view of the world and helps them develop their understanding

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The leadership and management are good

and tolerance.  Parents appreciate the changes since the last inspection and the role of the headteacher in taking the school forward. They are highly supportive and relationships between school and home are strong.  The governance of the school:  Governors are centrally involved in the process of school improvement. For example, they monitor finances, effectively ensuring that resources including additional funding such as the pupil premium are used to best effect to support learning. They monitor the effectiveness of the headteacher, ensuring that her performance objectives are challenging and focused on school improvement. Statutory safeguarding and child protection duties are carried out effectively. Governors are linked to year groups and to other specific elements of school life and are well informed so that they have played an important role in the recent improvements that are so evident throughout this school.

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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 104616 Local authority Liverpool Inspection number 404951

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School details

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

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School details

Type of school Primary School category Voluntary controlled Age range of pupils 3–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 171 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Janet Eastwood Headteacher Anna Brooksbank Date of previous school inspection 20 October 2010 Telephone number 0151 733 1231 Fax number 0151 733 7895 Email address wavertree-ao@wavertree.liverpool.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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