Wateringbury Church of England Primary School

Wateringbury Church of England Primary School 147 Bow Road, Maidstone, Kent, ME18 5EA

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Overall effectiveness

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

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This is a school that requires improvement. It is not good because:

 Teaching requires improvement, especially at Key Stage 2. There is not enough good or outstanding teaching to enable all pupils to make quick progress including those that are more able.  Standards in mathematics at the end of Key Stage 2 are not high enough.  Teachers’ marking does not always show pupils what they need to do to improve and teachers sometimes set work that is too easy or too hard for pupils.  Leadership and management require improvement. Although systems used to monitor teaching have recently been improved, these have not had time to take full effect.  Although leaders, including governors, are driving improvements, they do not always respond quickly enough to any signs of underachievement to ensure all pupils make good progress.  Teachers sometimes talk too much, which slows pupils’ learning, and in some lessons teachers do not regularly check pupils’ understanding or extend their learning.

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The school has the following strengths:

 Progress is good in Key Stage 1.  The appointment of new staff to the leadership team has begun to have a positive effect.  Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good as a result of good opportunities provided in this area.  The school is a friendly, happy place. Pupils enjoy coming to school as shown by their above average attendance and good behaviour.  Pupils feel safe and know how to stay safe within an environment in which they build up a strong sense of right and wrong and show respect and care for others.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 15 lessons, of which two were joint observations with senior leaders. In addition, the inspection team made a number of short visits to other lessons.  The 74 responses to the online questionnaire (Parent View) and staff questionnaires were taken into account during the inspection.  Meetings were held with the headteacher and senior and middle managers, members of the governing body, including the Chair of the Governing Body and Vice-chair, and a representative from the local authority.  Inspectors observed the school’s work, and looked at a number of documents, including the school’s own data on recent and current progress, pupils’ books, planning and monitoring information, records relating to behaviour, attendance and safeguarding, and the minutes of recent meetings of the governing body.  Inspectors observed pupils during play and lunchtimes and spoke with a good number of them

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Information about this inspection

about safety. They held formal meetings with a group of pupils and listened to pupils read.

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Inspection team

Barbara Firth, Lead inspector Additional inspector David Whiteside Additional inspector

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Information about this school

 The school is an average-sized primary school.  Almost all pupils are of White British heritage; the proportion of pupils from other ethnic groups is below that seen nationally.  The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is below average.  Approximately one sixteenth of pupils, a much lower proportion than average, are eligible for the pupil premium, which is additional funding available for those pupils, in this case, known to be eligible for free school meals.  The proportion of pupils supported by school action is below average with the proportion of pupils supported at school action plus or with a statement for special educational needs being similar to that found nationally.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which sets the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.  Since the previous inspection the school has reorganised the leadership of the Early Years

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Information about this school

Foundation Stage and appointed a new deputy headteacher.  The school does not use any alternative provision.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve teaching, especially at Key Stage 2, so that it is consistently good or better by ensuring that:  teachers use information about what pupils know and can already do to set work which is at the right level for all pupils in the class including the more able  enough time is given by teachers to checking pupils’ understanding in lessons by asking probing questions  teachers provide clear guidance to pupils on what they need to do to improve their work and give time for pupils to respond to any advice  lessons move along at the right pace and teachers do not talk too long at the start of lessons  existing good practice is shared.  Raise achievement in mathematics at the end of Key Stage 2, while sustaining the progress made in English, by ensuring that:  work is consistently demanding enough for more-able pupils  opportunities to apply and practise mathematical skills are available across the curriculum,

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

including problem solving and number work.  Improve leadership and management by ensuring that:  monitoring provides a consistently sharp focus on weaknesses in teaching and learning, in Key Stage 2 in particular  senior leaders and managers including governors always respond promptly and with rigour to any underachievement to ensure that progress is accelerated  all governors receive training on the use of data to enable them to be fully effective in holding the school to account and contribute to school improvement and that an external review of governance is undertaken in order to assess how this aspect of leadership and management may be improved.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Achievement requires improvement because too many pupils in Key Stage 2 and particularly in mathematics do not make enough progress from their starting points in Year 3 and standards are not high enough at the end of Year 6 in both English and mathematics.  Most children enter the Early Years Foundation Stage with knowledge and skills above the levels expected for their age. They settle into their Reception class quickly and benefit from a wide range of play-based activities and regular teaching of letters and sounds to give them a secure grounding in their basic writing and reading skills. Children make expected progress so that by the time they leave Reception their attainment remains above the national average.  Pupils make good progress in Key Stage 1 and are on track to achieve well above average standards this year at the end of Year 2; pupils achieved well above the national average in 2012 in both mathematics and writing. They were average in reading because not enough pupils

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

achieved the higher levels. Pupils who took the government phonics check (on letters and the sounds they make) at the end of Year 1 gained above average results, showing the positive effect of the school’s recent refocusing of phonics teaching.  Pupils’ progress slows in Key Stage 2, particularly in mathematics although pupils are on track to achieve above average standards this year at the end of Year 6. Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 was broadly average in 2012 having been well above the national average in 2011. Although pupils achieved very well in English and particularly in reading, the proportion of pupils making either expected or better than expected progress in mathematics was well below the national average and particularly for those capable of achieving higher levels.  Despite some improvement this year, pupils’ rate of progress in Key Stage 2, particularly that of more-able pupils and in mathematics, is still not fast enough.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Different groups of pupils, including those not from the majority’s ethnic background and those who speak English as an additional language, achieve equally well. Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs or who are supported by the pupil premium now achieve as well as their peers, with an increasing proportion of pupils in these groups now making good progress; however, in 2012 pupils in these groups in Year 6 made less than expected progress and attained less well than similar pupils nationally and their peers in school and especially so in mathematics.  The school’s use of pupil premium funding has improved this academic year and is now more sharply focused. As a result, the gap in attainment, in terms of average point scores, between those for whom this extra funding is intended and other pupils in the school has narrowed, but not as successfully when compared with all pupils nationally. Eligible pupils are targeted for one-

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

to-one tuition, additional resources have been purchased to support mathematical development and extra teaching assistant hours provide intensive support in reading.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Although there is now more good teaching in the school, the quality of teaching requires improvement because it is not consistently good, especially at Key Stage 2. Not all pupils make consistently good progress in all subjects and in all year groups during their time in school, and especially at Key Stage 2.  Sometimes, teachers’ introductions are too long so that pupils have less time to work with one another, share ideas and extend their learning. When this is the case, more-able pupils in particular do not have the opportunity to learn as fast as they could .  On occasions teachers give pupils work that they can already do, notably in mathematics. This explains in part why too few pupils reach beyond expected standards in mathematics. Pupils told inspectors that too often their work was ‘too easy’ and in these lessons pupils lose interest and concentration.  In some lessons pupils are busy from the start. In one upper Key Stage 2 lesson focusing on

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

writing from another viewpoint, a variety of well-chosen activities and resources, including the pupils dressing in character, ensured that the quality of writing in the opening descriptions produced by all pupils gripped the reader, making them want to read more. The pace of this particular lesson was brisk and the teacher’s expectations were high, but too often at Key Stage 2 such a challenging pace is not typical.  In good lessons, teachers use skilful questioning techniques to check that pupils understand their work and change the planned activities to support the learning of individuals. This is not always used to such good effect, for example in a lesson where pupils were asked to use ‘thumbs up’ to indicate if they understood, even those pupils who did not understand put their thumbs up, so that their lack of understanding was not accurately identified.  Although marking is carried out regularly its effectiveness is variable. Teachers acknowledge

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

pupils’ achievements but do not always tell them what they need to do to improve their work or give time for pupils to respond to their comments or practise skills.  Where lessons are well planned and teachers use well the information provided for them about pupils’ capabilities, teaching assistants give effective support to pupils who need it, including disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs. However, support staff are not used to best effect when planning does not take full account of pupils’ individual needs.  Teaching in the Reception class is good and children receive a positive start to their schooling. Children settle well because routines are well established. As a result, children enjoy learning and involve themselves in well-planned activities that support all areas of learning.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils make a good contribution to the school’s friendly welcoming environment. They are keen to learn and show a high regard for all staff. They work well together, listen carefully and help each other during group activities.  Behaviour is typically good in and around the school. Even in those lessons where activities fail to fully gain pupils’ interest, their behaviour and attitudes to learning usually remain good. Only on a few occasions do their efforts slacken and they start to fidget.  Pupils feel safe in school and know and understand how to keep themselves safe. They have a good understanding of different types of bullying, including on the internet. They say that bullying is rare but, when it occurs, staff deal with it effectively.  Pupils say that they enjoy coming to school. This is reflected in their above-average attendance.  Assemblies, the curriculum and the religious ethos of the school support pupils’ spiritual, moral,

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

social and cultural development well. Pupils also know the importance of trying to treat everyone as equal, whatever their background or belief.  Most parents and carers are very positive about pupils’ behaviour and feel confident that their children are kept safe. They appreciate the way that the school cares for their children and supports their learning.

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The leadership and management require improvement

 Leadership and management are not good because they are not yet ensuring that all teaching is good enough to enable all pupils to make good progress. As a result, in some classes pupils make less than expected progress over time.  Although the monitoring of teaching and learning is now more rigorous, the improvements made to monitoring are relatively recent and not yet fully effective.  Leaders including governors have, on occasions, been too slow in responding to evidence of underachievement and putting in place measures to address it.  Nevertheless, leaders at all levels are committed to the school’s success. There is secure capacity for improvement as shown in the improvements in the Early Years Foundation Stage, which was judged as an area for development at the last inspection. The appointment to the leadership team of an outstanding teacher further strengthens the school’s capacity to improve,

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The leadership and management require improvement

the impact of which is already evident in some improvements to the quality of teaching overall.  Self-evaluation has accurately identified the areas requiring improvement and the school’s development plan identifies appropriate key priorities for the school set against clear success indicators.  The increased rigour in the management and monitoring of teaching has improved the accountability of teachers and the quality of teaching. Appropriate developmental and performance management systems are in place and the new policy links salary progression to pupils’ progress.  In response to the 2012 test results the systems to track pupils’ progress have been made more robust. Pupils who fall behind are now identified more quickly and support put in place more promptly to enable them to catch up. Consequently the school is now more effective in promoting equality of opportunity. In addition, it does not tolerate any form of discrimination.

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The leadership and management require improvement

 There are too few opportunities across the curriculum for pupils to develop and consolidate their numeracy skills.  However, the curriculum provides good opportunities for enrichment and promotes pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development well. During the inspection the school was decorated throughout with artefacts and pupils’ work relating to celebrating the Chinese New Year. Pupils also enjoy residential visits and trips to, for example, a Hindu Temple. They benefit from links with the local grammar school which provides a mathematics club for more-able mathematicians.  Until recently, the school was in receipt of intensive support from the local authority, which included developing the Early Years Foundation Stage provision; this is now effectively managed. More recently the local authority has reduced the level of its support and facilitated the school being part of a local collaboration which includes two outstanding schools.

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The leadership and management require improvement

 The school works well with parents and carers who are very supportive of the school.  Leaders now ensure that the pupil premium funding is used more effectively and monitored rigorously. Consequently the rate of progress of eligible pupils has improved.  The governance of the school:  The governing body is supportive and committed to the school. It ensures that statutory safeguarding requirements are met. Governors are involved in the school’s self-evaluation and monitoring of performance and they have an increasingly accurate view of how the school is performing in relation to standards nationally and in comparison to similar schools. However, they are not currently sufficiently skilled in interpreting information on pupils’ progress; as a result of this, they did not react quickly enough to evidence of underachievement in Year 6 in mathematics, and that of pupils supported by the pupil premium funding in 2012. Governors

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The leadership and management require improvement

have a broadly accurate view of the quality of teaching in the school and what needs to be done to improve it further. They have approved a new policy for managing staff performance, linking pupils’ results to salary progression. Financial oversight of the budget as a whole is 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 118632 Local authority Kent Inspection number 405797

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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 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 247 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Anita Hanley Headteacher Noreen Vinall Date of previous school inspection 2–3 February 2011 Telephone number 01622 812199 Fax number 01622 812199 Email address office@wateringbury.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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