Wardley Primary School

Wardley Primary School Keir Hardie Avenue, Wardley, Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, NE10 8TX

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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.  Pupils enjoy coming to Wardley Primary and feel extremely safe in the school’s caring environment. The overwhelming majority of parents agree with this view.  Because of good, and sometimes outstanding, teaching all groups of pupils make good progress from their individual starting points. This has been better in mathematics than in English but there is now evidence of accelerated progress, particularly for boys, in reading.  Pupils say that teachers make learning ‘fun’. Teachers have very high expectations of their pupils. They know exactly where they are in their learning and plan challenging activities to move them on. An approach which focuses on the learning needs of each pupil aims to ensure that all achieve their best.  Pupils’ behaviour is exemplary in lessons, moving around the school and outside. All adults in the school act as excellent role models. As a result, pupils show respect for

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

each other and for adults.  A rich curriculum offers a wealth of experiences to support pupils’ outstanding spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.  Pupils, parents and staff agree that the school is exceptionally well led. The headteacher has taken decisive actions that have further improved attainment and the quality of teaching throughout the school.  Governors provide excellent support and challenge. They share the headteacher’s vision and are proactive in ensuring that the school continues on its journey to become even better.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Achievement overall is good rather than outstanding. It is better in reading and mathematics than it is in writing.  Not all teaching is yet outstanding.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed teaching in 13 lessons. Two were carried out jointly with the headteacher. In addition, shorter visits were made to a number of lessons and small-group activities.  Inspectors heard pupils of different ages read and looked at a sample of work in books.  They looked at a range of documentation, including that of national test results, the school’s own data, school improvement plans and safeguarding policies.  Meetings were held with members of staff, the governing body and a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors took account of the 23 responses to the online Parent View survey and of the school’s own parent questionnaires, as well as the views of parents they met. They also considered the responses to the staff questionnaire.

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Inspection team

Carol Gater, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Claire Brown Additional Inspector Barbara Waugh Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 Wardley is larger than the average-sized primary school.  The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for the pupil premium (additional funding for those who are eligible for free school meals, children from service families and those children who are looked after by the local authority) is higher than the national average.  The proportion of pupils supported at school action is lower than the national average.  The proportion supported through school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs has increased and is close to the national average.  The school meets the government floor standards which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.  The school runs a daily breakfast club.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 In order to further accelerate the rate of progress, particularly in writing, increase the proportion of outstanding teaching by continuing to:  share the excellent practice that exists within the school  ensure that all lessons move at a brisk pace and that movement between activities does not slow the rate of learning.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Children enter the Nursery with skills that are below those typical for their age. They settle well into the very warm, welcoming environment and quickly develop confidence. One parent commented that the teachers take ‘great pride in developing these very young minds and personalities to their full potential’. In the Reception class, children are encouraged to be involved in their own learning and discuss what they ‘plan to do today’. They make good progress, although, in some areas, their skills are still below average when they join Year 1.  Standards at the end of Key Stage 1 have been low over the past three years but current Year 2 pupils are now working in line with national expectations.  Pupils’ progress is tracked rigorously and individuals at risk of falling behind in their learning are extremely well supported in one-to-one or small-group sessions. This has resulted in rapid improvements across both key stages. Work in books and school records show that progress in

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The achievement of pupils is good

reading and writing is accelerating and the gap between boys’ and girls’ attainment is narrowing. Because of extra challenge in lessons, more pupils are reaching the higher levels by the time they leave the school.  Pupils speak enthusiastically about reading. The systematic teaching of phonics (linking sounds and letters) gets children in the Early Years Foundation Stage off to a very good start. Pupils realise the importance of being able to read and say they have improved because of the one-to- one help they receive at school and because they read every night at home. They have been inspired by regular visits from authors.  Writing has improved across the school because teachers provide clear advice on how pupils can improve their work. Progress in writing has accelerated but is not yet as rapid as it is in reading and mathematics.  Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs make good progress. This is because of

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The achievement of pupils is good

early identification of specific needs and swift action from well-trained staff.  Pupils who are eligible for pupil premium funding make good progress that is at least in line with their peers in both English and mathematics. Because of targeted support, the gap between this group and other pupils in the school has narrowed and attainment in 2012 was above the national average for this group.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching is good and there are examples of outstanding practice. Teachers know their pupils really well and use assessment information very effectively to plan activities that match pupils’ abilities.  Pupils respond well to teachers’ high expectations. There is a positive learning environment in which teachers constantly acknowledge pupils’ successes. Consequently, from a very early age, pupils develop confidence and self-esteem.  Pupils enjoy practical activities set in meaningful contexts. For example, older pupils adopted the roles of proofreaders working for a local business, ‘Wardley Warriors’. Their task was to ensure the correct use of standard English in the firm’s letters. In another lesson pupils worked out which pairs of children had exactly the correct amount of pocket money to buy tickets for the end-of-term disco.  When teaching is outstanding, lessons move at a quick pace and skilful organisation results in no

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The quality of teaching is good

time being wasted. Teachers promote high levels of independent working, and movement between activities is brisk. This is not the case in all lessons, especially when pupils move from one activity to the next, so sometimes, as a result, progress is not as rapid.  All teachers use questioning effectively to extend pupils’ thinking. In a mathematics lesson older pupils were asked to ‘justify’ their answers. Every time a deadline for an activity was set, pupils were challenged to convert the minutes to seconds or to the fraction of an hour.  The school has invested time in improving marking to ensure that pupils are well aware of the next steps in their learning. Teachers ensure that pupils have opportunities to respond to improvement points, and books show evidence of teachers working alongside pupils to clarify misconceptions.  Recent training on reading and writing has resulted in a consistent, whole-school approach and,

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The quality of teaching is good

as a result, promoted more effective learning. A focus on vocabulary across the school has resulted in pupils using more ambitious words in their speech and in their writing.  The teaching of reading is good and new resources, inviting reading areas in all classrooms and competitions have developed pupils’ interests in books.  Teachers carefully track pupils’ progress and are quick to take action when extra help or challenge is needed. Teaching assistants provide invaluable support for individuals and small groups. Pupils commented, ‘You get hard targets in maths but teachers and teaching assistants help you get there!’  Homework, often linked to basic skills, provides appropriate challenge for pupils.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Pupils have exemplary attitudes to learning. They settle quickly to tasks and work cooperatively in pairs and groups. They enjoy the challenges that teachers set and comment that they ‘like coming to school to do hard work’. This is reflected in their attendance which is above the national average.  Pupils are polite and courteous to staff, visitors and to each other. Behaviour around and outside the school is excellent.  Even the very young children in Nursery and Reception know what is right and wrong. Rules and routines are so well defined and reinforced that children play and learn together extremely well.  Older pupils enjoy taking on responsibilities as buddies, monitors and members of the school council. They are conscious of their role in the wider community and willingly raise funds for those less fortunate than themselves.  Participation in the UNICEF (The United Nations Children's Fund) Rights Respecting programme

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

has increased pupils’ understanding of cultural differences. All adults in the school act as positive role models, promoting values of tolerance and respect.  Pupils are very aware of how the school keeps them safe. Through the curriculum they have an excellent understanding of different forms of bullying and e-safety. They are confident that, should there be a problem, it would be taken seriously and addressed immediately by a member of staff.  The vast majority of parents who responded to Parent View or to the school’s questionnaire agree that pupils are well-behaved and that the school deals effectively with any behaviour issues.  Pupils appreciate the opportunity to attend the school’s breakfast club. They socialise well and play with a wide range of games. Two boys explained the necessity of having a healthy breakfast, ‘You need energy for learning!’

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher provides effective leadership and his commitment to strive for further improvement is shared by all staff.  Morale is high and staff feel valued and supported. Professional training for teachers and support staff has increased their skills and understanding, enabling some to access promotion.  Enthusiastic and skilled leaders have been fully involved in monitoring their subjects. They have organised regular workshops for staff that have improved subject knowledge and promoted a consistent, whole-school approach, for example in the teaching of reading.  The headteacher has ensured that teachers work alongside each other to share excellent practice. As a result, the proportion of good and outstanding teaching has increased.  Performance management systems, used in line with salary progression, are rigorous in ensuring that all members of staff are accountable for pupils’ progress being at least good.

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The leadership and management are good

Comprehensive tracking systems are used effectively to monitor the progress of all pupil groups.  The school has an accurate understanding of its strengths and areas for development. There is good capacity for even further improvement. Actions taken since the previous inspection have resulted in accelerating pupils’ progress, although leaders have identified that it is better, over time, in reading and mathematics than it is in writing.  The curriculum has a strong focus on basic skills and provides opportunities for pupils to practise and consolidate these through exciting, imaginative topics. Discussions with pupils, work in books and the school website evidence the breadth of learning and engagement in units such as ‘Ready, Steady, Cook’. Visits and visitors, extra-curricular activities and excellent international links further promote pupils’ outstanding spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

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The leadership and management are good

 Leaders actively promote equal opportunities for all, tackling any form of discrimination. All groups of pupils make equally good progress and are able to access all that the school offers.  Safeguarding systems are robust and meet all requirements. Health and safety policies are regarded as exemplary by the local authority.  The school works in partnership with the local authority and receives only light-touch support.  The governance of the school:  This has improved since the last inspection and the governing body now provides excellent challenge and support. Governors are fully involved in monitoring the priorities in the school’s action plan and are very proactive in holding staff to account for the progress that pupils make. They monitor all funding, including the use of that allocated through the pupil premium. Governors are well aware of the data on the school’s performance, its evaluation of teaching

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The leadership and management are good

and the performance management of staff and of rewards for good teaching. They have effective systems for gaining parents’ views and offer a monthly ‘drop-in’ session. They access appropriate training and ensure that safeguarding has a high profile. They are passionate in their drive for further improvement and work closely with the headteacher and staff to achieve this.

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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 108371 Local authority Gateshead Inspection number 412947

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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 311 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Ian Punton Headteacher Mustafaa Malik Date of previous school inspection 23 June 2009 Telephone number 0191 469 3012 Email address wardleyprimaryschool@gateshead.gov.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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