Wentworth Primary School

Wentworth Primary School Wentworth Drive, Dartford, Kent, DA1 3NG

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Inspection dates 31 January – 1 February 2013

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Not previously inspected 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.  Pupils achieve above average standards by the time they leave in Year 6, especially in mathematics, where more-able pupils make particularly good progress.  In the national phonics screening check for Year 1 in 2012, pupils achieved above the national average. Reading continues to be a strength throughout the school and standards are high at the end of Year 6.  Children in Reception make good progress from their starting points because teachers and adults work closely to plan exciting activities.  Teaching is good with some that is outstanding. Teachers check pupils’ learning and are effective in using feedback to help pupils improve their work.  Pupils talk enthusiastically about their work and are very supportive of each other as they share in their learning together. They confidently present their ideas and listen closely to one another’s views.  Behaviour is good and pupils feel safe in

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

school. Attendance is high. This is because it is seen as a priority and the school works effectively with parents and carers.  The headteacher and leaders monitor the school’s performance closely and are committed to raising standards further. The governing body has a clear understanding of the school’s effectiveness and is fully involved in improving the school.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because:

 The proportion of outstanding teaching is not high enough to ensure pupils’ progress is maximised so that it is rapid and sustained across all year groups.  Planning does not provide sufficient opportunities to develop pupils’ independent learning skills to the full.  Leaders do not always check that the good practice in teaching which is present in the school is shared and consistently used as an example for all teachers.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 22 lessons, of which six were joint lesson observations with the headteacher and two deputy headteachers. In addition, inspectors made a number of short visits to other lessons, listened to pupils read and scrutinised their work.  Inspectors met with pupils and talked about their work. Meetings were held with the Chair of the Governing Body and vice chair and senior leaders.  Documentation covering safeguarding, the performance management of staff, records on behaviour and safety and attendance, and the tracking and assessment of pupils’ attainment and progress were looked at.  Inspectors also visited the school website and observed pupils during lunch breaks and as they moved around the school.  Inspectors took account of the views of 63 responses from parents and carers in the online questionnaire (Parent View) and the school’s own survey of parental views, along with 11 questionnaires returned by staff.

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Inspection team

Howard Jones, Lead inspector Additional inspector Margaret Coussins Additional inspector Janet Warburton Additional inspector

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Information about this school

 This is a larger than average primary school.  The majority of pupils come from a White British background. The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic heritages is below average while the proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is below average.  The proportion of pupils receiving support from the pupil premium funding, which is extra government support for pupils eligible for free school meals, looked-after children and those from service families, is below average.  The proportion of pupils supported at school action is average. The proportion who are supported at school action plus or who have a statement of special educational needs is below average.  The school does not use alternative provision for its pupils (such as teaching them in other schools or specialist units).  The school meets the government’s floor targets which set the minimum expectations for pupils’

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Information about this school

attainment and progress.  The school converted to academy status 1 February 2012. Since achieving academy status, the school is active within a consortium which consists of a range of schools. When its predecessor school was last inspected by Ofsted it was judged to be satisfactory overall.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Increase the proportion of outstanding teaching to promote rapid and sustained progress for all pupils by:  teachers planning activities for all pupils which match their ability to maximise their achievement  extending opportunities for pupils to develop their independent learning skills  ensuring that leaders identify best practice and that this is shared and used as a model for all teachers.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Children in Reception Year make good progress. All groups of children leave Reception exceeding national expectations. This is because children have the opportunity to share in a broad range of stimulating activities supported by quality interventions from adults.  Pupils’ attainment in reading is strong. This is seen in the above national average achievement of pupils in the phonics screening check taken by Year 1. Pupils enjoy reading from a variety of texts and are especially enthusiastic in sharing in reading sessions in the school’s excellent library.  Attainment is high at the end of Year 6. It is well above average in both English and mathematics. However, while standards have remained high and the school’s checks show progress is improving for pupils from their different starting points it is not as rapid and sustained throughout all year groups because planning does not always take into account

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The achievement of pupils is good

different ability levels. Nevertheless pupils of all backgrounds typically achieve well.  Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs make progress similar to their peers. This is because of the broad range of approaches used by both teachers and other adults to develop their independence. Pupils say they value this and feel confident to participate fully in activities across the school.  Pupils for whom the school receives the pupil premium funding make good progress. Gaps are closing as reflected in their average points scores compared to all pupils. This is especially so in mathematics. The school is effectively using this funding and inspection evidence shows that these pupils are making accelerated progress, for example in writing.  Parents and carers who responded to the online questionnaire (Parent View) indicated their children are making good progress at the school.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers are effective in engaging the interest of pupils. Consequently, pupils are enthusiastic and say they enjoy their lessons. Teachers challenge pupils to use subject vocabulary and to apply their skills through collaborative work and the use of information and communication technology (ICT), such as electronic tablets.  In Reception, children grow in confidence in using their language skills. For example, in one session, children listened enthusiastically to a complex story because the teacher skilfully adapted the presentation and style to the children’s responses. Well-targeted questioning reinforced children’s knowledge of the sounds letters make.  Teachers mark pupils’ work so that they can become more successful. For example, in a Year 2 numeracy session the teacher had checked pupils’ written work from the previous lesson and used this to review their learning and plan appropriately challenging tasks and secure deeper

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The quality of teaching is good

understanding for all pupils.  Pupils have equal opportunity to do well. Teachers ensure they are inclusive and fully engage disabled pupils and those who need extra help to talk about their learning. Consequently, these pupils enjoy success along with the admiration and respect of other pupils who value their contribution in group work.  Pupils eligible for the pupil premium are supported effectively. This is because teachers and adults use approaches which tackle barriers to learning and help pupils to quickly catch up and enjoy success in their activities.  The additional adults working with pupils provide effective support. They have a range of skills and often lead group work and demonstrate how to respond correctly to questions. They help tailor activities to ensure pupils confidently access tasks and make progress equal to other pupils.  Teachers do not always guarantee that tasks are matched to the ability levels of all pupils. This

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The quality of teaching is good

is because the planning within year groups is not always sufficiently adapted to ensure activities are appropriate for all pupils regardless of their ability, to maximise pupils’ progress. Consequently, achievement is sometimes restricted for some pupils.  In some subjects, for example mathematics and science, pupils are challenged to ask questions about a topic. Pupils use these to explore and inform their learning around a theme. Consequently, their understanding is deepened as they apply their skills in this enquiry-based approach. However, on occasions such opportunities to develop pupils’ independent learning and creativity are restricted.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils have positive attitudes toward their learning. They are keen to participate and respond to their teacher’s questions. They enjoy working together toward whole-class presentations and using ICT to record their work. Children in Reception engage in purposeful activities over sustained periods of time. They show curiosity and enjoy developing their ideas together. However, on occasions pupils do not have sufficient opportunities for them to build their independence.  Pupils show considerable support for one another. Consequently, they feel confident to talk about their ideas and listen carefully to each other’s opinions regardless of their background. Pupils are keen to take on responsibilities to ensure that all pupils have a positive experience at school.  There is a strong sense of mutual respect between pupils and adults. Pupils say they are encouraged to express their views and teachers listen and act on their suggestions.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils say they feel safe. They say that incidents of bullying and racism are rare. They have a keen understanding of how to keep safe while using the internet and say that cyber bullying does not occur.  The very large majority of parents and carers who responded to the online questionnaire (Parent View) commented positively that their child feels safe at the school.  Attendance is high for most groups of pupils. The school rightly places a strong priority on this and has put into place a range of support for families.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher and senior leaders form an effective team. Along with the governors, they have ensured the school’s move to academy status has had beneficial outcomes for all pupils.  Staff are overwhelmingly supportive of the headteacher. Subject leaders have a clear understanding of how approaches used by teachers are improving the achievement of all pupils. From this, they identify priorities and contribute to strategic planning. All staff value the opportunities for training and speak of the benefits this has in further enriching pupils’ learning.  The setting of targets for teachers’ development is managed well. These are closely linked to promote pupils’ learning and focus on the progress pupils should make. However, leaders sometimes miss opportunities to check that the good practice in teaching seen within the school is shared and consistently applied by all teachers to maximise its positive impact.

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The leadership and management are good

 Disabled pupils and those who need extra help make good progress. Effective use is also made of the additional funding the school receives through the pupil premium to support pupils at risk of not doing well. Support is managed well and parents and carers especially value the personal approach provided by the school. Consequently, these pupils have equal opportunity to succeed.  The school has good capacity to move forward. Self-assessment is accurate with a clear plan for improvement.  There is a broad range of subjects taught and often these follow a thematic approach to provide an effective curriculum. There is a high priority on furthering pupils’ progress in reading, writing and mathematics. The application of ICT is a strength. The spiritual, moral, social and cultural aspects are covered effectively across subjects although imaginative and open-ended aspects of learning are more limited.

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The leadership and management are good

 The governance of the school: The governors have a depth of experience and draw on this to ensure the school builds on its current successes. They are fully engaged in checking on the progress of pupils and are keenly aware of what needs to be done to further improve achievement for different groups of pupils. They monitor how teachers are responding to their targets and use this when they check the quality of teaching and consider pay thresholds. The headteacher is equally held to account. Governors check how the extra funds the school receives through the pupil premium to support the learning of some pupils, through extra resources and additional teaching assistant hours, is improving their progress. Governors value the training they have already received and are developing this further. The arrangements for safeguarding pupils meet statutory requirements and are effective.

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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 137836 Inspection number 402773

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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 Academy Age range of pupils 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 500 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Russ Ketley Headteacher David Edwards Date of previous school inspection 10 November 2009 Telephone number 01322 220451 Fax number 01322 291562 Email address office@wentworth.kent.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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