Wolvey CofE Primary School

Wolvey CofE Primary School Bulkington Road, Wolvey, Hinckley, LE10 3LA

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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.  Children get a firm foundation for learning in the Reception class. Overall, pupils achieve well throughout the school and some pupils make outstanding progress.  Pupils’ achievement is better in English than in mathematics. The progress of pupils whose parents travel, taking their children away from school for long periods, is good in lessons.  There is no difference in the rate of progress between groups of pupils while in school because teachers regularly check their progress and provide extra help where necessary.  Teaching is good because teachers modify learning tasks to take account of pupils’ different needs and give clear guidance for improvement.  Pupils’ behaviour and safety is outstanding. The school is a harmonious and welcoming community where everyone is valued and respected. The provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is exceptionally strong.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Strong leadership and sensitive management ensure a good education for all children. Pupils’ achievement has gradually improved since the previous inspection.  The school accurately evaluates its work through checks on teaching and pupils’ progress. The governing body has been strengthened with new governors and through training and challenges staff well. The school has a good capacity to improve.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Work set, particularly in mathematics, does not always provide enough practical activities to support all pupils, particularly slower learners and those who have gaps in their understanding.  Although the school holds good records of pupils’ progress and they are warmly welcomed back into the community, the gaps in their understanding are not always well enough filled before they return to their class.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspectors observed 14 parts of lessons taken by seven teachers. Two of these were joint observations with the headteacher. Additionally, six pupils were heard reading.  Meetings were held with the headteacher, members of staff, pupils, and the Chair of the Governing Body. The lead inspector held a telephone conversation with a representative of the local authority.  The inspectors took account of 13 responses to the on-line questionnaire and 23 staff questionnaires. They looked at results of a recent parent questionnaire sent out by the school.  The inspectors observed the school’s work, and looked at a number of documents including: records and documents relating to tracking pupils’ progress; monitoring and evaluation; behaviour and safety; and safeguarding and attendance. The inspectors carried out a work scrutiny with the headteacher.

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Inspection team

Kathy Hooper, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Alan Jones Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 The school is smaller than the average primary school but larger than at the time of the previous inspection.  The school provides for broadly three different groups of pupils: children of traveller and Gypsy/Roma families; those with a parent in the armed services; and those from surrounding villages. Of those children of armed services families, about a third are Nepalese and are fluent English speakers, as are those from other minority ethnic groups.  There is a higher than average proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs supported by school action.  The proportion of pupils eligible for the pupil premium, the additional government funding for those in the care of the local authority, those with a parent in the armed services and those who are known to be eligible for free school meals, is very high.  There are seven classes, largely grouped by age although some more-able pupils join classes for

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Information about this school

older pupils.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.  All pupils are educated on site. Since the last inspection, a centre for under-fives has been established on the school’s site. It is managed by the school’s governors but it is inspected separately.  The governing body has changed since the last inspection but the Chair of the Governing Body is the same.  The headteacher has supported several local schools requiring improvement.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Increase the amount of good and outstanding teaching by:  matching practical learning activities precisely to pupils’ different levels of ability and interests in every lesson, particularly in mathematics  moving pupils on more quickly to work on their own and find things out for themselves  checking the small steps made by slower learners in lessons and using the information to plan their next steps.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Ensure that the gaps in reading, writing and mathematics when pupils re-join the school after a period of extended absence are quickly filled.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils join the school with skills and experiences that are below those expected for their age. Children’s achievement by the end of the Reception class is good. Children have an imaginative range of activities led by adults or to choose themselves. They develop good learning skills that help them to successfully continue learning in Year 1.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 By the end of Year 2, their attainment is broadly similar to pupils in other schools. More-able pupils in Year 1 read unfamiliar words accurately and slower learners in Year 2 break down the words they do not know. They use other clues, such as the pictures, to understand what they are reading and read books regularly.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils achieve well and, by the time they leave school at the end of Year 6, they are working at higher levels in English than other pupils of the same age in other schools. Their attainment in mathematics is similar to that of other similar aged pupils. Two out of five of this year’s Year 6 pupils are working at levels that are above those expected in mathematics and reading, and one in three in writing. Despite variations in the overall ability of different Year 6 classes, the scores in tests show a gradual improvement over the past five years.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 While they are in school, Gypsy/Roma and traveller families make good progress and are supported well in their literacy in school and by outside help from the local authority. Pupils from minority ethnic families make similarly good progress, and the Nepalese pupils are helped by a Nepalese speaker with a military background.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The needs of pupils with disabilities and those who have special educational needs are well understood and they make good progress in learning. Teaching assistants and teachers give pupils time to practice skills and give them positive feedback to boost their confidence.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The pupil premium is used flexibly to provide resources and staff. As a result, the pupils whose parents are in the armed services and those known to be eligible for free school meals make good progress and there is no difference in their progress and that of other groups.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 All classes have a wide range of ability and this is made more extreme because of extended lengths of absence for some pupils. In some lessons, slower learners make less progress than more-able pupils because there are not enough hands-on tasks to help them to understand what they are learning, particularly in mathematics.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils’ writing and their mathematics are improving as a result of a whole-school focus this year. Year 6 pupils write at length and produce accounts that are spirited and imaginative. More-able pupils use computers to design and make helpful posters and booklets to explain to others the life cycle of a flowering plant.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers are knowledgeable and skilful. They plan together and have improved their teaching as a result of training and feedback from colleagues and managers. They give pupils activities that make them think hard. For example, they help younger pupils to sound out letters and blend them when they are reading. When they question pupils, teachers encourage pupils to reflect on what they are reading and help them to develop their imagination. As a result, pupils enjoy books.  In the best lessons, teachers set work at the right level of difficulty for the needs and interests of pupils of all abilities. In a Year 6 mathematics lesson, the most able were quickly engaged, working on their own and finding out for themselves. The slower learners were given enough support until they were confident. All pupils learn quickly in the best lessons; they work very hard and are sure about what they are doing and why. Teachers in these lessons make sure that

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The quality of teaching is good

pupils know how to help themselves when they get stuck.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Where learning is not so good, the pupils do not have enough time to do their own work. Occasionally, the teacher does not spot and explore pupils’ misunderstandings, especially in mathematics. In these lessons, where less-able pupils do not fully understand the tasks that are set, their attention wanders so they make less progress than they should. Nevertheless, more- able pupils always complete their work quickly and enthusiastically.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers regularly check pupils’ levels, but they do not always check what all pupils, particularly the middle and lower ability pupils, have learned in each lesson, missing opportunities to sort out their difficulties. Nevertheless, they mark pupils’ work well, commenting on what pupils have done well and how to make their work better. Many teachers encourage pupils to reply to their written comments.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching assistants are well trained and make considerable contributions to pupils’ learning in the classroom and beyond. They frequently take individuals and small groups of pupils out of the classroom to work on basic skills, such as handwriting and reading.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Pupils enjoy lessons and the social aspects of school life. They are very cooperative, try very hard in lessons and concentrate well. They readily help each other and value their friends. Pupils returning to school are welcomed back warmly by the whole community and they are delighted to return.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Parents, carers and visitors comment on the high quality of the relationships. Thoughtless behaviour is rare and immediately resolved in partnership with parents. Pupils are very polite and there is very little bullying or rudeness to others.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 There are frequent opportunities for pupils to reflect on their values, consider their attitudes to events and issues, and discuss their beliefs. Children in the Reception class thought about how they might share things with others when reading about how the Rainbow Fish learned to share his shiny scales. Older pupils considered the recent terrorist activities at the Boston marathon. The values and beliefs of different cultures, such as the Nepalese represented in the school, are respectfully explored and valued.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Although attendance overall is below average, due to the fact that some pupils’ parents travel extensively, the attendance of those who do not travel is in line with other primary schools. The school has made great efforts to reduce absence. It promptly follows up any absences and works closely with parents and carers. As a result, pupils’ attendance is slowly improving. The attendance of some pupils who joined the school with a history of poor absence has improved significantly.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Health and safety and safeguarding are taken extremely seriously. Pupils feel safe in school and the older pupils look out for younger ones. They learn to keep themselves safe and clearly explain how to avoid dangers such as cyber bullying.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher and his deputy provide strong and respected leadership and effective management. They check that each class is well taught and that pupils are making progress. They make sure that teachers in charge of subjects and areas of the school’s work do their jobs well. Staff work well together to learn from each other how to make teaching and learning better.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school receives minimal support from the local authority. It is seen as a centre of good practice and used to support others in the authority. There are good links with local schools and military schools abroad and good practice is shared.

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The leadership and management are good

 The programme of learning is developing well and teachers make sure that pupils use their reading, writing and mathematics skills in all lessons.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school keeps good records of pupils’ progress and individual pupils have extra support when they fall behind. There is, however, sometimes not enough support for the large number of pupils who require help to catch up on their return from extended absences.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school’s good arrangements for checking teaching and learning mean that it has identified the right priorities for improvement. Teachers have helpful and precise targets and there is a good programme of training to help them to improve their work.

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The leadership and management are good

 Parents and carers are welcomed into the school and are well involved in their children’s education. There are excellent links with parents in the Early Years Foundation Stage. The school benefits enormously from its links with the church and with the community.

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The leadership and management are good

 The governance of the school:  The skills and knowledge of the governing body have improved since the last inspection. Its members visit the school and check that every pupil has the same chance to succeed. They are proud to be part of the school and have a good understanding of how well everyone does their job. Members of the governing body know how good the teaching is in each class and where rewards are due in terms of pay rises. They regularly check how well different groups of pupils achieve, including the disabled and those who have special educational needs. Pupil premium funding has been well used to close the gaps between different groups of pupils. The extra funding has been efficiently used and is shown on the school’s website. Teaching assistants provide individual support for some pupils and some funds are used to help pupils to take part in school visits. As a result, there is little difference between the achievement of

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The leadership and management are good

children in the armed services and those know to be entitled to free school meals and others. The governing body makes sure that national requirements are met. Safeguarding procedures are in place and implemented well.

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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 125677 Local authority Warwickshire Inspection number 413172

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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 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 193 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Douglas Tribe Headteacher Richard Moore Date of previous school inspection 25 November 2008 Telephone number 01455 220279 Fax number 01455 221708 Email address Head3193@welearn365.com 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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