Wyvern Primary School

Wyvern Primary School Wyvern Avenue, Leicester, LE4 7HH

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Overall effectiveness

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

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.  The Early Years Foundation Stage gives children a good start to their education. They enter with skills well below those expected for their age, particularly in language and communication and personal and social development, and make good progress.  Pupils make good progress as they move through the school and they leave with attainment broadly in line with what is expected for their age.  Teaching is good because teachers provide activities that are carefully adjusted to meet the needs of different abilities.  Teaching assistants are very well prepared and give effective support. They use activities and resources well to interest pupils. Questions probe and extend their learning.  Pupils have exemplary attitudes towards their learning. They enjoy school, understand how to keep themselves and others safe and are kind, caring and polite to each other and to adults.  Attendance has risen and is now above

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

average.  Through the very good teamwork of the two joint headteachers, assistant headteacher and senior leaders the school has run smoothly while awaiting the arrival of the new headteacher.  Improvement, particularly in the use of data and the development of better systems to track and check on pupils’ progress, has improved both the quality of teaching and achievement.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Pupils do not have enough opportunities to develop their independence and to manage their own learning.  Teaching, although good overall, does not enable all pupils to make outstanding progress. Teachers do not always provide enough ideas to stimulate learning, especially in writing.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 26 lessons, of which six were joint observations with the joint headteachers.  Meetings were held with staff, two groups of pupils, the Chair of the Governing Body, and a telephone conversation was held with a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors took account of Parent View and a school survey of parental views, and 35 responses to the staff questionnaire. They had conversations with parents and carers as they dropped off their children at the start of the school day.  School documentation was examined, including the school’s own data on pupils’ current progress. Records relating to teachers’ performance, governor’s minutes, behaviour, attendance, safeguarding and provision for disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs were also scrutinised.

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Inspection team

Andrew Stafford, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Aileen King Additional Inspector Sue Aldridge Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 Wyvern Primary is larger than the average-sized primary school.  The proportion of girls in the school is lower than that found nationally.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs supported at school action is average, and the proportion supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is also average. The needs of these pupils relate mainly to speech, language and communication difficulties, and behavioural, emotional and social difficulties.  Pupils come from a variety of ethnic backgrounds. The percentage of pupils from minority ethnic groups is high. Over half of the pupils speak English as an additional language.  The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for the pupil premium (the additional funding allocated by the government for pupils known to be eligible for free school meals or who are looked after by the local authority) is lower than average.

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Information about this school

 There are no pupils attending alternative provision off the school site.  Wyvern Primary School meets the government’s current floor standard, which is the minimum expected for pupils’ attainment and progress.  The governors appointed two joint headteachers and a new deputy headteacher in September 2012 to temporarily lead and manage the school while they appointed a new permanent headteacher, who will take up post in June 2013. In addition, four new teachers also started at the school at the start of the school year.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Increase the proportion of good and outstanding teaching so that more pupils make better than expected progress by:  ensuring that pupils are consistently challenged by the work they do  developing greater independence in pupils and taking more opportunity to give them greater responsibility for managing their own learning  enriching pupils’ experiences consistently in all classes so they have more ideas to use in their learning, particularly in writing.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The achievement of pupils is good and improving. Almost all parents who responded to the school’s survey consider their children to be making good progress; lesson observations and scrutiny of pupils’ work during the inspection confirm this. Pupils’ progress from their starting points has improved and is good, but some inconsistencies remain and because of this pupils’ achievement is not yet outstanding.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Children enter the Early Years Foundation Stage with skills well below those expected for their age, particularly in their speaking and listening and their personal and social skills. They make good progress and catch up well because of the exciting and well-structured activities available, both indoors and outside, and good teaching of letters and sounds; as a result they are well prepared for Key Stage 1.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils make good progress in reading, writing and mathematics during Key Stage 1 because of teaching that is good and some that is outstanding. Very imaginative approaches to teaching and good blending of sounds and letters are improving reading.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Good progress is sustained in Key Stage 2 and overall attainment is average in English and mathematics. Test results show that the proportion of pupils making more than two levels of progress in both English and mathematics between Key Stages 1 and 2 is rising. More of the current Year 6 pupils are predicted to make better than two levels of progress this year, and the picture is even stronger in Years 4 and 5.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Most pupils have secure basic numeracy skills, but not enough time is allowed for them to be independent when applying their skills. Many write well-structured stories, but some lack the skills to be imaginative because lessons do not always inspire them.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The progress of pupils supported by the pupil premium, including those known to be eligible for free school meals, is good in both English and mathematics. This rate of progress is slightly better than for the other pupils in the school. The pupils getting the extra support in Year 6 in 2012 achieved well. Consequently, their attainment was above that of similar pupils nationally.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Across the school, attainment is lower in mathematics, especially for some girls. The school has given more attention to this issue and the gap between girls’ and boys’ attainment is closing.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The school promptly identifies the needs of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs and ensures that they are effectively supported in small groups. These pupils are making increasingly good progress.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The attainment of pupils for whom English is an additional language is slightly below the national average in English and mathematics. Early assessment of their needs whenever they join the school, together with good teaching and support to extend their vocabulary and confidence in English, has accelerated their progress. All of these pupils made the expected two levels of progress between Key Stages 1 and 2 in 2012 and this is increasing to good progress, especially in Years 4 and 5.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching is good and enables pupils to make good progress. Pupils say that teachers make learning fun and this fosters very good relationships between staff and pupils.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Most lessons effectively meet the needs of all pupils. Tasks are carefully adapted to ensure that disabled pupils, those who have special educational needs and those with English as a second language are fully included. They benefit from many activities that promote discussions between pupils and help develop their ideas.

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The quality of teaching is good

 In a mathematics lesson, pupils worked in small groups and accurately found fractions, decimals and percentages of written number problems. The practical activity was supported by the teacher who understood their individual needs well and involved all pupils in answering questions and sharing their ideas.

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The quality of teaching is good

 In the Early Years Foundation Stage, teachers and teaching assistants ensure that there are stimulating activities inside and outdoors so that children make worthwhile choices and initiate their own learning. Children move freely and safely between Nursery and Reception classes because they have been taught to keep themselves and others safe.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The teaching of literacy and numeracy is effective. Letters and sounds are taught well and the good use of practical activities enhances numeracy skills. Occasionally, teachers provide too much support or do not give pupils enough time to be independent; this slows the pace of learning. Pupils are rarely asked to dictate the pace of learning for themselves, for example by being able to choose more difficult tasks at an earlier stage in the lesson rather than having to complete a series of less demanding tasks first. Tasks do not always stimulate pupils’ imagination and some have difficulty in coming up with their own good ideas for their writing.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers provide opportunities for pupils to apply their literacy and numeracy across subjects. There is much evidence of this in topic work and, for instance, where pupils used mathematics in their practical science activities.

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The quality of teaching is good

 In one literacy lesson, outstanding teaching enabled pupils to make outstanding progress in their understanding of writing. The teacher was enthusiastic, the pace brisk and the task built well upon what pupils had already learnt. The use of video clips inspired pupils to eagerly discuss their ideas and to write these down. The teacher made good use of questioning to help pupils think about the features of a suspense story. Pupils enjoyed the activity and wrote good sentences with accurate spelling and punctuation.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers manage behaviour effectively and lessons run smoothly. Pupils enjoy working with others on difficult activities, including demanding work at the right level to stretch more-able pupils.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers make it clear to pupils what they are going to learn and also tell them what they need to do to be successful. Marking and feedback in lessons are very accurate and make it clear what pupils need to do to improve. In one class, this was even better because pupils assessed other pupils’ work at the end of the lesson and identified their classmate’s good progress in learning.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 All pupils spoken to said that poor behaviour rarely occurs because lessons are interesting and they want to learn. They are proud of their school and say that they appreciate the school’s approach to respecting each individual’s rights and responsibilities.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Pupils, parents and carers, teachers and other adults expressed very positive views about the standard of behaviour in the school. This was reflected in what inspectors saw in lessons, in assembly, in the playground and during lunch, where it was almost always impeccable.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Teachers and other adults are excellent role models because they display respect and care for others and high expectations for behaviour at all times. There is a calm and orderly atmosphere in the school.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Pupils say they feel safe and enjoy school. This is shown by their attendance which has improved to above the national average. Some pupils have been rewarded for their 100% attendance and others for their improved attendance in the fortnightly celebration assembly. The school is working hard with pupils, parents and carers to ensure that more pupils attend consistently well.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Evidence confirms that bullying is rare, as are exclusions from the school. Pupils are fully informed about all forms of bullying and say it is not a problem in their school. They show high levels of respect and caring for others. This is a strong aspect of the school’s ethos and is seen in the way they work well together in groups and pairs in lessons and in the polite way they speak to adults. This was particularly notable in the way all pupils responded with a warm and prompt ‘Good morning’ when the morning register was called.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Pupils take responsibility for their own safety and that of others in lessons, at play and in a range of other situations, such as recognising how to keep themselves safe on the internet. Support from agencies, including the police and the fire and rescue service, has taught them about risks associated with substance and alcohol abuse and how to resist peer pressure.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 The school uses its fortnightly celebration assembly most effectively to reward good behaviour and the contribution pupils make to the school community.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school’s leadership and governance have been effective in ensuring the issues identified at the previous inspection have been tackled. Leaders and teachers now give closer attention to the progress that pupils make. The joint headteachers are very ably supported by the assistant headteacher and a strong team of leaders and governors, all of whom share the same high ambitions for the pupils.

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The leadership and management are good

 Teamwork amongst staff is strong and they have developed more effective tracking systems to check pupils’ progress. This information identifies those needing extra help so that they catch up with others. Managers and teachers have regular meetings to scrutinise pupils’ progress. Teachers are required to explain any lack of progress and are now held to account for the progress of pupils in their class, giving all pupils an equal chance to succeed. Discrimination on any grounds is not tolerated.

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The leadership and management are good

 Teaching is monitored and staff given guidance as to how to improve. This has raised the quality of teaching and only a few inconsistencies remain. These include the need to ensure that all lessons inspire pupils.

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The leadership and management are good

 Teachers are set targets based on their performance and pupils’ progress. Salary awards are allocated based on meeting these targets. Training opportunities are tailored to the needs of teachers and the school’s drive for improvement.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school’s curriculum is well balanced and covers all subjects. It promotes reading well and pupils have good access to books in classrooms and in the library. Pupils in Year 6 say that they enjoy reading daily; all pupils have a class reading book and one that they choose from the restocked school library.

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The leadership and management are good

 The curriculum includes opportunities for pupils to celebrate their own culture as well as learn about the diversity of the world they live in. Visits and visitors extend pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, and this successfully promotes equality of opportunity in the school. The school’s celebration of the Sikh festival Vaisahki during the inspection was successful in bringing the school community together and promoting cultural understanding.

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The leadership and management are good

 The local authority has provided light-touch support for the school since its previous inspection. This is being reduced as it has high confidence in the capacity of the school’s leadership to continue to raise standards.

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The leadership and management are good

 The governance of the school:  Governors are knowledgeable about the school and have challenged it successfully to raise standards since the previous inspection. They analyse data, assessment information and receive regular reports which give them a good understanding of achievement across the school. They understand the quality of teaching and check that teachers improve their practice before salary awards are allocated. Governors have received training in the use of data and have recognised the need to extend this even further. Governors ensure that pupil premium funding is appropriately spent, as evidenced by the narrowing of the gap to the level of others in the school. The governing body ensures safeguarding meets the statutory requirements and that the school budget is managed efficiently.

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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 120028 Local authority Leicester Inspection number 413142

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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 Community Age range of pupils 3–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 439 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Louise Smith Headteacher Cathy Hannon and Raksha Winter (joint headteachers) Date of previous school inspection 8 June 2009 Telephone number 0116 266 1408 Fax number 0116 266 6782 Email address info@wyvern.leicester.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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