Warley Primary School

Warley Primary School Chindits Lane, Warley, Brentwood, CM14 5LF

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Satisfactory 3 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 make a good start in the Reception class. Their good progress continues in Years 1 to 6 in reading, writing and mathematics.  All groups achieve well in the school’s stimulating and happy atmosphere.  The quality of teaching is good and pupils work hard. Pupils find lessons interesting and challenging.  Pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school is outstanding. Pupils are very polite to adults and to each other.  Pupils feel extremely safe in school. They have highly positive attitudes towards their learning.  The headteacher’s ambition and drive to improve the school are shared enthusiastically by staff. Leaders, including the governing body, successfully use training to improve the quality of teaching and raise pupils’ achievement.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Sometimes, the pace of learning in lessons slows when introductions go on for too long or when learning activities do not precisely match pupils’ needs.  Pupils are not always given time to show the teacher that they have taken note of the advice that marking gives about how they can improve their work.  Pupils’ calculation skills are relatively weak.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspectors observed the teaching in all classes. They visited 12 lessons taught by eight teachers as well as sessions for small groups of pupils or individuals led by teaching assistants. The headteacher joined an inspector for one of these visits.  Inspectors held discussions with pupils, the headteacher, teachers, the Chair of the Governing Body and a parent governor. The lead inspector had a telephone conversation with a representative of the local authority.  The inspectors heard pupils read and looked at a range of evidence, including records of pupils’ progress, safeguarding documentation, behaviour logs and the results of the school’s checks on the quality of teaching. They also examined the work in pupils’ books.  The views of 44 parents, analysed through the Parent View website, were considered. The inspectors also took account of the views of several parents who wrote letters or e-mails to the

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Inspection team

Gerald Griffin, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Richard Moody Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 This school is smaller than average.  Most pupils are of White British heritage. The remainder come from a wide variety of minority ethnic backgrounds.  The proportion of pupils for whom the school receives the pupil premium (additional government funding for pupils eligible for free school meals, those in care and those with a parent in the armed services) is at the national average.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs supported through school action is below average. The proportion of pupils supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is below average.  Mobility (the proportion of pupils who join or leave the school part way through their primary education) is above average.  In 2012, the school met the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in English and mathematics.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Raise teaching and rates of progress by making sure that:  the pace of learning does not slow during lessons  learning activities exactly match pupils’ needs  pupils always have time to respond to the advice they are given about how to make their work better.  Improve progress in mathematics by providing more time for pupils to practise calculation skills.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Children start school with expected levels of knowledge, skills and understanding for their age. They make good progress in all areas of learning in the Reception class to reach above-average attainment at the end of their Reception Year.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 This year, pupils have made better-than-expected progress in Years 1 to 6 in reading, writing and mathematics. The attainment of the current Year 6 is above the average for 2012, a marked improvement in mathematics over last year.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Standards have risen in mathematics because teaching in the subject is now consistently good. Additionally, plans to improve pupils’ solving of mathematical problems and their enjoyment of the subject have been successful. The speed and accuracy of calculations are weaker elements of pupils’ work because they are not given enough time to practise these skills. This means that progress in mathematics is not as rapid as it is in English.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Above-average mobility leads to attainment in Year 2 that varies from year to year. For example, in recent years between one third and one half of all pupils in Year 2 joined Warley after the start of their primary school career. These pupils quickly settle into school and make good progress often from below-average attainment on entry.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils enjoy reading and do so regularly. Attainment in reading in Year 2 is above average. Pupils use phonic skills (linking letters to the sounds they make) effectively to read unfamiliar words. The 2013 Year 1 phonics screening check results show pupils’ skills to be above last year’s average, as they were in 2012.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 When writing, pupils’ spelling, punctuation and sentence construction are largely accurate. They use a wide range of vocabulary to express their ideas clearly.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs concentrate well in lessons. They make similar progress to their peers because of good teaching, often in small groups, by well- qualified adults who know their needs well.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 At the end of Year 6 last year, the attainment of pupils known to be eligible for the pupil premium was five terms below their classmates in English and one term in mathematics. This year the gap has closed. This shows the school uses pupil premium funding well. For example, it is used to provide these pupils with help to catch up with work when they have fallen behind and to provide them with support to raise their ambitions and aspirations.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers have high expectations. They plan challenging work that deepens pupils’ knowledge and understanding. Teachers’ questions make pupils think deeply.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Relationships in lessons are very positive; pupils find their work relevant and engaging and, as a result, they are keen to learn and work hard.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Good use is made of resources such as computers and educational games by teachers to explain ideas and develop understanding.  In the Reception, teachers plan an appropriate balance of adult-led and child-chosen activities both in the classroom and outdoors.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The typical brisk pace to learning sometimes slows and pupils’ attention wanders when activities, such as introductions or practical work, last too long.

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The quality of teaching is good

 When teaching is outstanding, teachers plan work that precisely matches the needs of all pupils in the class. This does not happen in all lessons and, occasionally, the pace of learning drops when some pupils find their work either too hard or too easy.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers plan many opportunities to develop pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural awareness. For example, in a recent piece of written work, older pupils reflected maturely on not judging people on their appearance.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching assistants give valuable support especially to disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs and those known to be eligible for the pupil premium. For example, they keep notes on these pupils’ progress which are used by the teacher to plan future work.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Marking provides each pupil with detailed advice about how they can make their work better. In the best lessons, teachers provide ample time for pupils to show they have taken notice of this help, for example, by correcting inaccurate work. This is not the consistent picture across the school.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Pupils have outstanding attitudes to learning. They enjoy all aspects of school and this is reflected in their above-average attendance.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 The school sets high expectations for behaviour, and parents, pupils and staff confirm that the excellent behaviour seen in classes and around the school during the inspection is the norm.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Pupils feel extremely safe and say that bullying is unheard of. They are confident that any cases would be dealt with quickly by the school. They understand different forms of bullying, such as cyber-bullying, and know precisely what to do if they meet it.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Pupils speak confidently about how staff are always on hand to help them if they have a worry or concern. They are taught how to keep themselves safe and have an excellent awareness of potential dangers. This includes those presented by social networking sites on the internet.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Pupils take a high level of responsibility for their learning. For example, they frequently assess their own progress to make sure they are meeting their challenging targets. They check that their work is of a high standard by asking teachers detailed questions about how to plan and complete a task. This was seen in a Reception class where a child confirmed that her ideas were correct for showing and labelling paths on a map she was drawing.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Pupils are keen to take responsibility, for example as members of the Eco Council. This body has successfully planned conservation measures for the school, which won them a national award.

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The leadership and management are good

 School leaders, including the governing body, have high expectations and set the school challenging targets.

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The leadership and management are good

 Since the previous inspection, standards have risen and progress has improved strongly. Furthermore, improvements in the teaching and leadership in the Reception mean children now make good progress. This, together with the strong improvement in mathematics, shows that leaders’ plans are successful and that the school is well placed to improve further.

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The leadership and management are good

 Leaders make regular checks on teaching and the quality of learning. The follow-up from these successfully tackles weaknesses to improve teachers’ skills. For example, successful training has improved the staff’s teaching of problem solving in mathematics.

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The leadership and management are good

 The Early Years Foundation Stage provision is well managed to see that children have a good start to their education.

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The leadership and management are good

 A very large majority of parents expressed positive views about their children’s education. The school provides meetings that are well attended by parents, for example about reading, mathematics and preparation for the Reception class. These help parents to support their children’s learning at home.

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The leadership and management are good

 The local authority has made a valuable contribution to checking the accuracy of the school’s data. The school successfully uses consultants to improve the quality of teaching and leadership.

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The leadership and management are good

 The way subjects are taught strongly promotes pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. For example, the school provides many opportunities for pupils to reflect on the impact of their words and actions on others and to develop a strong moral code. The many and varied displays of art around the school confirm standards in this subject are high. Leaders have identified that more time is needed to strengthen pupils’ calculation skills.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school completes all statutory checks on the suitability of staff to be employed. Leaders carry out child-protection policies rigorously. They continually review and update safety procedures to make sure that they are of the highest standard.

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The leadership and management are good

 Leaders have a clear commitment to combating discrimination and promoting equal opportunities. This is shown in the good progress made by all groups of pupils, from all backgrounds. The school fosters good relations with outside agencies to improve pupils’ life chances even more.

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The leadership and management are good

 The governance of the school:  The governing body asks searching questions of the school, for example about progress in mathematics. Governors make regular and accurate checks on the quality of teaching and pupils’ achievement to make sure they are improving. They see that the school is spending the pupil premium funding on those eligible for it and check how effectively the money is spent. Governors check that teachers’ targets are specific and challenging and that pay rises and promotion are linked with performance. Governors understand the information published about the school well and make accurate judgements about how the school’s performance compares to similar schools. They fully support staff training and are keen to improve their own skills.

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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 115042 Local authority Essex Inspection number 401485

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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 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 172 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair John Austin Headteacher Janette Lincoln Date of previous school inspection 20 January 2010 Telephone number 01277 223008 Fax number 01277 200325 Email address admin@warley.essex.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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