Wood End Primary School

Wood End Primary School Wood End Road, Wednesfield, Wolverhampton, WV11 1YQ

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Good 2 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

 Despite recent improvements, not enough pupils make consistently good progress across the school.  Standards vary between year groups and subjects. Where improvements have been made, this has not yet been sustained over time.  Teachers do not always plan work or ask questions at enough different levels of difficulty to move learning on even more quickly.  Marking does not always make clear how pupils can improve their work or encourage them to respond to comments and advice given.  In the Early Years Foundation Stage activities are not always clearly focused and adults sometimes miss chances to develop children’s skills in literacy and numeracy.  There is an over-reliance on the leadership of the headteacher. Although the team is currently reduced not all leaders are fully involved in school improvement. This slows down the impact of leaders, managers and governors on improving the quality of teaching and pupils’ achievement.

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The school has the following strengths

 Pupils behave well and are considerate and polite. They enjoy school, feel safe and are eager to learn.  Pupils who are disabled and those who have special educational needs make good progress.  Pupils have good opportunities to take part in a wide range of extra activities and clubs.  The headteacher and governors, supported by some key staff, are focused on the right areas for development. For example, targeted work in mathematics has resulted in Year 6 standards rising this year.  The school provides well for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors visited all classes and observed teaching in 21 lessons or part lessons. The headteacher and the assistant headteacher were invited to accompany inspectors during observations and did so on four occasions. Additionally, inspectors undertook a number of observations of assembly, playtimes and lunchtimes.  Inspectors took account of questionnaires completed by 14 members of staff. Only a few responses were submitted by parents and carers to the online questionnaire (Parent View). However inspectors talked to parents and carers before school and studied other forms of parental feedback such as the school’s recent survey.  Inspectors looked at data about pupils’ achievement. They scrutinised the work in books, heard a sample of pupils read and held discussions with pupils about their learning and experience of the school.  Inspectors held meetings with the headteacher, senior and middle leaders of staff and the Chair

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Information about this inspection

and Vice-Chair of the Governing Body. The lead inspector also met with a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors looked at a wide range of school documents, including: the school’s evaluation of its own effectiveness; improvement plans; minutes of meetings of the governing body; records of the monitoring of teaching and learning; behaviour records; and safeguarding checks.

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Inspection team

Lynda Smith, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Mary Le Breuilly Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 Wood End Primary is an average-sized primary school.  Most pupils are from White British backgrounds, with an average number of pupils from other ethnic groups, most of who are from Indian or combined heritages. The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is in line with the national average.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs supported at school action is below average. The proportion supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is average.  An average proportion of pupils are supported by the pupil premium, which is additional government funding given to schools to support certain groups of pupils. In this school it applies to pupils known to be eligible for free school meals.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for attainment and progress.

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Information about this school

 The leadership team is currently reduced in number.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Raise the quality of teaching to consistently good or better and increase and sustain pupils’ achievement in Key Stages 1 and 2 by:  ensuring teachers always plan and adapt lesson activities to precisely the right level of difficulty for pupils’ different learning needs  developing teachers’ questioning so they skilfully probe pupils’ understanding and challenge their thinking  improving marking so it gives clear advice to pupils on how well they have done and how they can improve further  giving time and encouragement to pupils to respond to comments made in the marking, correct errors and act on the advice given by staff.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the effectiveness of the Early Years Foundation Stage by ensuring that children’s choices are more precisely organised to give a balance of purposeful activities and greater opportunities for extending reading, writing and number skills.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Ensure all leaders and managers are fully involved and responsible for leading improvements by rigorously checking on and supporting the teaching and progress of all pupils.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Pupils’ achievement is uneven across year groups and subjects. Although progress is improving, it is not consistently good across the school nor have the improvements been sustained over time.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 The school reports that children enter the Early Years Foundation Stage at levels that are generally in line or sometimes lower than those expected for their age. Children enter Key Stage 1 with outcomes similar to national expectations, most having made secure progress.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Standards at the end of Key Stage 1, although broadly average, have been declining. Provisional results for 2013 suggest that this trend may have been halted in writing and mathematics, because more pupils have achieved the level expected for their age. However, few pupils have achieved a higher level in reading or writing.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 More Year 1 pupils reached the expected standard in the 2013 phonics check (a national assessment of pupils’ understanding of the sounds letters make) than in the previous year. This is due to improved phonics teaching which is enhancing pupils’ reading and spelling skills. The school also promotes reading, for example, through visiting authors and book weeks. Pupils read often and most of them confidently attempt new or unfamiliar words.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 At the end of Key Stage 2 standards in English and mathematics have been broadly average. Early 2013 results suggest reading and writing outcomes will be a little higher than last year, but progress in writing looks less strong. Attainment and progress in mathematics are much improved. This is because there has been a greater emphasis on increasing Year 6 pupils’ knowledge and understanding of numeracy through a range of teaching strategies.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs make good progress from their individual starting points because they are well supported. The school accurately identifies pupils’ different learning needs and the co-ordinator successfully ensures that specialist and additional teaching give effective support.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Pupil premium funding is being used wisely for extra support and small group teaching. Current school evidence suggests that eligible pupils are achieving increasingly well and gaps are closing. In 2012, attainment for Year 6 pupils known to be eligible for free school meals was about two terms behind their classmates in English and mathematics.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Pupils from minority ethnic groups and those who speak English as an additional language achieve at least in line with their peers. Where additional language or other support is given, most of these pupils progress well.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 The quality of teaching requires improvement because it is inconsistent between year groups. As a result pupils’ achievement varies and is sometimes too reliant on additional support and small group work to increase progress.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Teachers do not always use their knowledge of what pupils already understand to plan or adapt activities precisely enough to move learning on more quickly. Although tasks are often planned at three different levels this is usually too general to ensure the greatest progress for all pupils.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Where teaching is best, a range of specific work and resources are provided and pupils are given individual targets to achieve. For example, in a Year 4 literacy lesson pupils made good progress because work was matched to their ‘next steps’ in learning and pupils could clearly describe what was expected of them.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 In lessons, teachers’ questioning does not always give pupils opportunities to discuss their thinking or demonstrate their understanding. In the best practice, teachers ask open-ended questions and probe pupils’ answers. They use these discussions to adapt work and increase the pace of pupils’ learning.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Teachers’ marking is regular and often praises what pupils have achieved. However, guidance for pupils on how they can improve their work is limited and not frequent enough in many books. Where comments are made, pupils are not always encouraged or given sufficient time to respond to the advice given.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 There are good relationships and pupils respond well to adults in class and in small group sessions. Even when tasks pupils are given are not especially challenging, they are keen to please their teachers and are positive about their lessons.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Most teaching assistants contribute well to pupils’ learning. When they are effectively deployed in classrooms they give pupils secure support and challenge. Most are successful in supporting pupils in various small group learning activities outside the classroom. This work often underpins the good or accelerated progress that some groups of pupils make.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 In the Early Years Foundation Stage, children are happy and keen to learn. Children enjoy making choices about their independent learning. However, the activities and resources available are not always extensive or purposeful enough to produce the intended learning, and adults sometimes miss opportunities for children to use and extend their reading, writing and number skills.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils of all ages are eager to learn and tackle most tasks with enthusiasm. They enjoy a range of subjects and want to do well. They are particularly proud when they or their classmates get a ‘special mention’ for good work or behaviour in assembly.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The behaviour of pupils is typically good across the school. They are polite and well-mannered both in class and around the school. They co-operate positively and listen respectfully to each other’s ideas as was well exemplified in the sporting activity day organised and led by Year 6 for all the other classes.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils who find it hard always to behave properly are effectively supported by both staff and other pupils. There are few incidents of misbehaviour or bullying and pupils are confident that these are always quickly and consistently dealt with by staff. Parents spoken to agree that behaviour is managed well and that their children feel happy and safe in school.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Punctuality is good. Attendance, although improving, is lower than average. This is mainly due to children being taken on holiday during term time. The school has increasingly robust systems in place to tackle this, but has been a little slow to implement these revised procedures.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 Leadership and management require improvement because there are inconsistencies in the quality of teaching and the progress of pupils is uneven.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The headteacher and most staff are clear about the strengths and areas for development. Plans are in place for improvement and have had some success, such as the focus on mathematics at the end of Key Stage 2. Leaders check the work of the school, but some leaders other than the headteacher are insufficiently involved in ensuring that efforts to improve teaching are working.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The school monitors pupils’ progress closely and identifies any underperformance. However, there is sometimes an over-reliance on additional interventions to boost pupils’ progress where teaching has not been successful enough in the classroom.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 Key leaders ensure that support is in place for vulnerable groups and individual pupils facing difficulties. This support is mostly successful and aids learning well, as shown in the progress of pupils with disabilities and special educational needs. This demonstrates leaders’ commitment to equality of opportunity.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 Leadership of the Early Years Foundation Stage is not focused enough on ensuring development of provision from Nursery through to Key Stage 1. Assessments are not always used effectively to evaluate achievement over time and support improvement.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The school’s curriculum meets statutory requirements. Pupils study a range of subjects, many through topics which are enhanced through visits and visitors to the school. A range of activities are provided outside lesson time giving pupils opportunities to learn and have fun. Assemblies also provide valuable time for pupils to reflect on their own beliefs and attitudes and celebrate each other’s success. These opportunities, alongside residential trips and local and international school links, support pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development well.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 Where the local authority has given help and advice this has been accurate and is supporting leaders in improving practice.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The governance of the school:  Governors make sure that statutory duties are fulfilled and at the time of the inspection safeguarding met statutory requirements.  Governors know about the quality of teaching. They ensure that systems to set targets for teachers’ appraisal are robust and that teachers’ salaries are linked to their performance. As a result, where applicable, staff are only financially rewarded when targets have been met.  The governing body knows how the pupil premium funding is spent and reviews reports of the impact on eligible pupils’ progress. Other financial aspects are closely tracked and external audits shared.  Governors are using data increasingly well to develop an overview of the strengths and areas for development in pupils’ achievement. They actively check and question the work of the school and its leaders; for example, link governors meet with leaders in school to discuss

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The leadership and management requires improvement

subject areas and see pupils at work throughout the year and at specific ‘open days’.

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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 104322 Local authority Wolverhampton Inspection number 412216

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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 249 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Derek Wollam Headteacher Dianne Blower Date of previous school inspection 7 July 2009 Telephone number 01902 558940 Fax number 01902 558941 Email address woodendprimaryschool@wolverhampton.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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