Weaver Primary School

Weaver Primary School Western Avenue, Nantwich, Cheshire, CW5 7AJ

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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 off to a very good start in the Early Years Foundation Stage and make outstanding progress because of excellent provision and teaching.  Pupils make good progress across both Key Stage 1 and 2 in reading, writing and mathematics and standards are typically well above average by the end of Year 6.  The quality of teaching is good and some is outstanding. Teachers plan lessons well, have good subject knowledge and high expectations of pupils.  Well-planned and targeted support for pupils with special educational needs and those supported by the pupil premium enables these pupils to make good progress.  Behaviour is outstanding and pupils have excellent attitudes towards their learning. Relationships with each other and adults in the school are excellent.  Attendance is consistently above average; pupils enjoy school and feel very safe. Parents unanimously agree.  The headteacher has a clear and determined

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

focus on continued improvement and is supported fully by all staff. Pupils’ achievement has improved with an increase in the proportion of pupils reaching and exceeding national expectations of attainment.  Governors have an accurate view of the school’s work because they are well-informed and hold the school to account for its performance well.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Teaching is not yet outstanding. Activities are not always closely enough matched to the different needs of pupils.  Marking does not always give pupils precise enough guidance on how to improve and pupils do not always have opportunities to respond to this.  Subject leaders are not yet fully involved in checking on the quality of teaching and learning in their areas of responsibility to improve further pupils’ achievement.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 16 lessons or parts of lessons, two of which were observed jointly with the headteacher. Inspectors, along with the headteacher, scrutinised work in pupils’ books.  The inspectors listened to pupils from four different year groups read, and talked with them and other groups of pupils about their lessons and school life.  Meetings were held with the headteacher, senior and middle leaders, representatives of the governing body and the local authority.  The inspectors observed the school’s work and scrutinised documentation relating to pupils’ progress and to the school’s management, including the arrangements to ensure safeguarding.  Inspectors took account of the 92 responses to the on-line questionnaire Parent View, letters and phone calls from parents and school questionnaires completed by staff.

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Inspection team

Vanessa MacDonald, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Judith Tolley Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 Weaver Primary is smaller than the average-sized primary school.  The majority of pupils are of White British heritage. A small number of pupils are from minority ethnic backgrounds and a very small proportion speaks English as an additional language.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs supported through school action is average. The proportion of pupils supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is below average.  The proportion of pupils eligible for the pupil premium, including those known to be eligible for free school meals, is below the national average. The pupil premium is additional funding for those pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals, children from service families and those children who are looked after by the local authority.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards which set the minimum expectations

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Information about this school

for attainment and progress in English and mathematics.  There is a privately run breakfast club and after-school club which will be inspected separately.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Increase the proportion of outstanding teaching to further accelerate pupils’ progress by;  making sure that teachers’ marking always gives precise guidance to pupils on how to improve and that they have time to respond to this  making sure that pupils, particularly those of middle and higher ability, are always set tasks which give them an appropriate level of challenge.  Further develop the role of subject leaders in checking on the quality of teaching and learning in their subjects to further improve pupils’ achievement.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Most children enter the school in the Early Years Foundation Stage with skills and knowledge typical of those expected for their age. They make outstanding progress during the Early Years Foundation Stage, in most areas of their development, because of the well-planned and exciting curriculum. Most children enter Year 1 with skills that are above those expected for their age.  Overall, pupils make good progress from their starting points and the proportion of pupils making and exceeding the progress expected of them by the end of Year 6, compares favourably with national figures. Achievement is not outstanding because pupils’ progress in English and mathematics, as they move through the school, is uneven.  By the end of Year 6, standards in reading, writing and mathematics are typically well above average although unvalidated results for 2013 show a slight decline.  Progress in writing is good overall. Evidence in books shows consistently high quality

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The achievement of pupils is good

presentation and outstanding progress in some classes, particularly in Key Stage 1. This is because all pupils, including boys, are involved in writing for different purposes and have frequent opportunities to practise their writing skills, including in their topic work.  Pupils make good progress in reading. Pupils enjoy reading and pupils across Key Stage 1 are taught very effectively how to recognise letters and the sounds they make. Pupils build well on these skills and read with increasing confidence and fluency as they move through the school.  Older pupils are able to compare and contrast different features in a book. In a Year 6 lesson, a group of pupils showed their excellent understanding of similes, metaphors and personification whilst reading and analysing a poem.  Achievement in mathematics has improved with the proportion of pupils reaching the higher levels having increased, and all pupils making at least the progress expected of them.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The most able pupils make good progress from their starting points in mathematics, in reading and in writing. In some lessons, however, work is not always hard enough for all pupils, including the most able, to fully challenge them. Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs make good progress because they receive specific additional support from skilled and experienced teaching assistants.  The small number of pupils supported by the pupil premium makes similar progress to other pupils in the school because their individual needs are accurately identified and they have well- targeted support. The standards reached by pupils known to be eligible for free school meals in 2012 were below those of other pupils in reading, writing and mathematics by a year. However, the gaps in the standards reached between these and other pupils in the school are closing rapidly.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching is consistently good and some is outstanding. Teachers have high expectations and pupils’ presentation of their work is of a consistently high standard.  In the Early Years Foundation Stage, teaching is outstanding because activities are very well matched to the children’s different needs. For example, in one lesson children were using different strategies to count up to 20. The most able children were further challenged, through well-targeted questioning, to identify missing numbers.  In the strongest lessons, activities are very well matched to the different needs of the pupils and teachers on-going checks on pupils’ understanding and adaptation of the task ensures that pupils make rapid progress. This was seen in a Year 6 mathematics lesson, where pupils’ understanding and use of parallel and perpendicular lines was rapid and accurate because of outstanding teaching.  Evidence in books and observations of lessons shows that pupils are not always given tasks that

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The quality of teaching is good

are well matched to their needs, particularly those who are of middle and higher ability. This slows their rate of progress.  Teaching assistants support disabled pupils and those with special educational needs well through individual support or small group work. Support for the less able pupils is well planned and organised.  Teachers have good subject knowledge and design activities to interest pupils well. In a history lesson, pupils were avidly exploring a virtual archaeological dig on the computer and in another using different source material to develop their understanding of the life of Henry VIII.  Pupils’ work is marked regularly and teachers consistently use this to inform their lesson planning in English and mathematics. In the best examples, pupils are given clear guidance on how to improve and pupils have time to respond to the comments made which improves their work. However, this is not consistent across the school or in subjects other than English and

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The quality of teaching is good

mathematics.  Pupils are given opportunities to work together in pairs and groups, discussing ideas and questioning each other’s viewpoints. An outstanding example of this in Year 3 was where pupils worked collaboratively and confidently to identify areas in each other’s writing which could be improved. They showed excellent knowledge of different features in writing, which rapidly improved their work.  Teachers promote pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development well by developing an understanding of the world through global awareness days, each class having a millennium development goal about which to learn.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Pupils’ behaviour both in lessons and around the school is outstanding. This has an extremely positive effect on pupils’ good achievement. Pupils show care and respect for one another and typical comments from pupils include, ‘our school is like being part of a family’, and ‘we learn to share and be fair with one another’.  Pupils say that bullying is extremely rare and they understand the different forms that bullying can take. They are unerringly confident that any incidents are dealt with swiftly. Behaviour records show that behaviour is typically excellent and there are very few incidents of poor behaviour. Parents are very happy with the high level of care and support which is provided and with the quality of behaviour.  All groups of pupils feel safe in school and parents fully agree with this. Pupils are very aware of what constitutes a safe and unsafe situation, including keeping safe on the internet and through

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

strong links with the fire service and opportunities to learn about road safety. During the inspection, all classes were involved in learning about electrical safety and how to keep safe in the home.  Attendance is consistently above average and pupils greatly enjoy school and the good range of opportunities it offers.  Pupils are very proud of their school and local community. They take on a range of responsibilities with pride, such as school councillors, play leaders and buddies to younger pupils. They are actively involved in developing the school and local environment through litter picking, developing woodland and working with ‘Britain in Bloom’.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher has a clear and determined vision for further school improvement. All staff and governors are highly supportive of the headteacher and fully share her drive to ensure that all pupils reach their potential in all areas of the curriculum.  The members of the leadership team have an accurate understanding of the strengths of the school and the priorities for further improvement based on a rigorous analysis of pupils’ progress. As a result, standards have improved to well above average since the last inspection and the proportion of pupils reaching the higher levels has improved. This further reflects the school’s commitment to ensuring every pupil has an equality of opportunity and that any discrimination is tackled well.  There are frequent checks on the quality of teaching and appropriate targets are set for teachers to raise further pupils’ achievement. The appraisal system for staff is rigorous and linked clearly

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The leadership and management are good

to any increases in salary.  Although subject leaders are involved in looking at pupils’ work and teachers’ planning, they are not yet fully involved in checking on what is happening in their subject. They have not had an opportunity to be involved in lesson observations to check fully on the quality of teaching and learning to drive improvements further.  The curriculum meets the needs and interests of the pupils well. It is enriched with a wide variety of opportunities and visits, including residential visits, which one pupil described as ‘amazing’. These promote their physical and personal development well.  Partnerships with other agencies are strong, particularly the local school cluster partnership which provides both staff and pupils with opportunities to develop their skills. This partnership is jointly using the Primary School Sports funding to employ a specialist coach to develop specific

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The leadership and management are good

skills in games and also inter-schools competitions. This is helping both staff and pupils to develop their skills and it contributes positively to their well-being.  The management of Year 6 pupils’ move to the high school is very effective with strong links between the schools. Examples include teachers sharing their expertise, such as in mathematics, and high school play leaders promoting sport with the primary pupils.  Since the previous inspection, the local authority has provided light touch support for this good school.  The governance of the school:  The governing body has an excellent range of skills and expertise that it uses to benefit the school well. Governors regularly attend training, which provides them with the skills to question and challenge senior leaders about how well the school is performing. They have a very clear view of the school’s strengths and priorities, using financial information to

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The leadership and management are good

astutely prioritise actions. Governors can articulate clearly how both the pupil premium and Primary School Sports funding is being used and the positive impact it is having. They use information on the quality of teaching and school data to hold the school to account well for its performance. Governors are well informed about the management of teachers’ performance, including that of the headteacher, and they review teachers’ pay accordingly. The governing body has a focused action plan following its own review of how it checks on how well the school is doing, liaising regularly with subject leaders to check on school performance. Safeguarding meets all requirements.

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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 111167 Local authority Cheshire East Inspection number 426238

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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 211 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Lucy Kibble Headteacher Gill Price Date of previous school inspection 11 December 2008 Telephone number 01270 626 335 Fax number 01270 629 322 Email address admin@weaver.cheshire.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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