Westwood Park Community Primary School

Westwood Park Community Primary School Vaughan Street, Winton, Eccles, Manchester, M30 8DH

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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 Good 2 Leadership and management Good 2

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.  The pupils’ rate of progress has improved since the previous inspection and is now good for all groups in reading, writing and mathematics.  As a result of rapid improvement over the last two years, standards by the end of Year 6 are now average.  Children in the Nursery and Reception classes benefit from a wide range of exciting activities and they achieve well. This ensures they make a good start to their education.  Teaching is typically good and sometimes outstanding. Pupils are encouraged to behave well and enjoy learning because activities are often exciting.  Relationships between staff and pupils are good. Pupils feel safe and behave well.  Pupils are polite and show respect for each other and adults. They are courteous and eager to learn.  Attendance has improved so that it is now average.  Pupils have a strong voice in the school. They have recently helped to develop playground

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

activities.  Leadership and management of the school have improved since the previous inspection. The headteacher, senior leaders and governors have worked together effectively to improve pupils’ achievement and the quality of teaching.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Pupils are not always given work that stretches their learning. The most-able pupils’ work is not consistently hard enough especially to make them think and apply their skills to write imaginatively.  Checks carried out while pupils work do not always lead to extra support and challenge.  Pupils do not have sufficient opportunities to develop their mathematical and writing skills even further in subjects other than mathematics and English.  Displays throughout school do not help pupils to see and understand the importance of writing.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspectors observed 11 teachers and visited 22 lessons, which included a joint lesson observation with the headteacher.  Discussions were held with the headteacher, staff, pupils, parents, the Chair of the Governing Body and a representative of the local authority.  The inspectors scrutinised pupils’ work and listened to pupils read.  A range of the school’s documentation was examined, including the school’s analysis of how well it is doing, documents relating to monitoring and evaluation, systems for tracking pupils’ progress, documents regarding safeguarding, key policies and pupils’ work in their books.  The inspector took account of responses of the school’s most recent questionnaire for parents, alongside 10 responses from the on-line questionnaire (Parent View).  Inspectors analysed 21 questionnaires completed by staff.

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Inspection team

Sue Sharkey, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Maria McGarry Additional Inspector Christine Addison Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 Westwood Park Community School is larger than the average-sized primary school.  Most pupils are of White British heritage. A few pupils are from minority ethnic backgrounds and a few speak English as an additional language.  The proportion of pupils supported through school action is below the national average. The proportion of pupils supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is also below average.  The proportion of pupils supported by the pupil premium is above the national average. The pupil premium is additional government funding provided for children in local authority care, for children from armed service families and for children known to be eligible for free school meals.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which are the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.  A Key Stage 2 teacher joined the school in September 2013 and an assistant headteacher, who

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Information about this school

is also the Early Years Foundation Stage leader, joined the school in January 2014.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching to outstanding in order to further raise pupils’ achievement by ensuring that:  when pupils’ progress is checked as they work they receive further support and challenge when needed  the skills pupils learn in mathematic lessons are developed even further through practical real-life problem solving activities in other subjects  ensuring that pupils’ tasks are always hard enough in reading, writing and mathematics so that pupils always make as much progress as possible.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the rate of pupils’ progress in writing by:  ensuring that pupils have more opportunities to write at length in English lessons, as well as other subjects.  raising the profile of writing across the school so that pupils can see its importance in everyday life  giving pupils who are aiming to achieve the higher levels of attainment every opportunity to extend their work and to produce work of the highest quality.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Children who join school in the Early Years Foundation Stage have skills that are well below those normally expected for their age. Their speech and language skills are usually very low.  Since the previous inspection, there have been considerable improvements to the outdoor area. Children now enjoy plenty of space where they can ride around in vehicles, play catching games with friends, as well as chat to each other as they push dolls along in prams. Adults talk to the children constantly to encourage and develop speaking and listening skills, as well as challenging them to think. Alongside the wide range of good activities children enjoy indoors, this helps to ensure that they make good progress.  Good progress continues for all groups of pupils, including the most able, through Key Stages 1 and 2. As a result, the number of pupils achieving the higher levels especially in reading and mathematics has improved since the previous inspection. For example, teachers’ assessments at

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The achievement of pupils is good

the end of Year 2 show that the proportion of pupils achieving Level 3 in reading and mathematics has risen from a few pupils to a quarter of the class. In the Year 6 2013 national tests, the proportion of pupils achieving Level 5 in mathematics was above average and average in reading.  The proportion of pupils making the expected progress, as well as more than the expected progress continues to rise. As a result, in the 2013 Year 6 national tests the proportion of pupils making expected progress in reading, writing and mathematics was above average. In writing and mathematics, an above average proportion of pupils made more than the expected progress. Year 6 pupils say that due to the additional support they receive both before school and a weekly after-school homework club, they know that their work is improving.  Recent changes to the way the children in the Early Year Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1

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The achievement of pupils is good

pupils are taught to read is already having positive results. Results in the national screening check in phonics (matching letters to the sounds they make) have over time been low, but the 2013 test results show that the proportion of pupils meeting the expected standards was average.  Pupils say they enjoy reading. Children in the Reception class know that the information on the cover of the book tells them about the author and illustrator and that the picture helps them to know what the story is about. By the time pupils reach Year 6, they look out for their favourite authors and are reading confidently and with enthusiasm.  As a result of rapid improvement over the last two years, standards by the end of Year 6 are average in reading, writing and mathematics. The school is committed to ensuring that all pupils have equal opportunities to succeed. Disabled pupils, those with special educational needs and

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The achievement of pupils is good

pupils who are eligible for the pupil premium funding are given good support individually or small groups often by well-trained teaching assistants. Consequently, they make good progress as do pupils from minority ethnic groups and pupils who speak English as an additional language.  Over the last few years Year 6 pupils who were known to be eligible for free school meals have achieved standards similar to other pupils in the school in reading, writing and mathematics. This was the case in 2013 for reading and writing and although pupils known to be eligible for free schools made good progress in mathematics, they were two terms behind other pupils in the school. Leaders have addressed this quickly and records show that the gap in their attainment is already closing.  Although pupils have opportunities to write for different reasons, pupils aspiring to the higher levels are not always set work that extends their thinking fully in order for their writing to be of

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The quality of teaching is good

 Since the previous inspection, the quality of teaching has improved and is now at least good with some that is outstanding. In the school’s most recent questionnaire parents agree that teaching is good.  The stimulating atmosphere in which pupils learn and the strong relationships between staff and pupils create a positive atmosphere in which pupils try hard and are motivated to succeed. All staff work together well to provide good support to pupils both personally and in their learning.  A good range of resources supports learning well in both English and mathematics for different groups of pupils. For example, in a Years 3 and 4 science lesson, a computer program translated questions into the language of the pupils who spoke English as an additional language and they received help to respond in English.  During a Years 4 and 5 English lesson, pupils had dictionaries and thesauruses on their tables, as

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The quality of teaching is good

well as prompt sheets, to remind them of the use of different words, for example, those ending in ‘ed’, showing difference tenses or different words to start a sentence.  Pupils’ imagination and interests are captured so that they want to learn. Year 2 pupils discussed features of advertising on films or television. They responded quickly to the teacher’s questions by switching their concentration swiftly so they could talk with their partner about sound and visual effects in an advert they had just watched. They listened carefully so they could explore each other’s thoughts during the conversation.  Good use is made of pupils sharing their ideas with each other. Pupils work successfully in pairs helping them to develop strong social and communication skills.  Lessons are planned carefully. However, tasks are not always sufficiently challenging for pupils in English and mathematics.  The teaching of reading, writing and mathematical skills is good and there are opportunities to

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The quality of teaching is good

promote these skills in different subjects. However, there are not enough opportunities for pupils to practise their writing skills by writing at length, nor are their mathematical skills used frequently to solve real-life problems in different subjects, such as geography or history.  As pupils work their learning is checked but there are occasions when the support given or questions asked are not challenging enough to help pupils think even harder.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils are enthusiastic learners and say they enjoy learning including ‘things they have never learnt before’.  The behaviour of pupils is good.  Although there are small amounts of bullying, behaviour across the school is generally good. A few pupils sometimes can be restless during lessons, but teachers manage pupils’ behaviour successfully through gentle reminders or appropriate hand signals.  Parents and pupils who talked with inspectors during the inspection agree that there are a few instances of bullying and pupils say that the school deals with them swiftly. They say they feel safe and agree that behaviour is good. Pupils talk about ‘Friendship Week’ where they discuss and become more aware of different kinds of bullying, such as cyber and physical bullying.  The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good. Pupils talk confidently about why they feel safe. They say they can talk to and trust any adult in school and there are always friends

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

who will help them.  Members of the school council are proud to have been appointed by their classes and are pleased that they are helping to organise and improve the play equipment in the playground. The school council chose the new equipment from within the set budget.  The learning mentor works closely with parents and pupils’ attendance has improved to average. The school council talk proudly of their contribution to helping improve attendance. All pupils have a weekly attendance card, which the class council member stamps for daily attendance. At the end of each week, names are drawn for pupils who have a fully stamped card and prizes are awarded.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher is well supported by the deputy headteacher. Together with the assistant headteachers and subject leaders they have driven school improvement effectively so that pupils’ achievement, the quality of teaching, pupils’ behaviour and leadership and management have all improved since the previous inspection. Significant improvements have also been made to the Early Years Foundation Stage outdoor area so that this area now provides the same good quality of education that is provided indoors. All staff share a determination to continue to move the school forward and this demonstrates the school’s good capacity for further improvement.  School leaders monitor pupils’ progress through regular meetings with teachers. These detailed checks allow staff to target support accurately with pupils who may be in danger of falling behind.  Leadership of teaching is good. Checks made on teaching are carried out in a variety of ways,

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The leadership and management are good

including observations of lessons, checking pupils’ books and analysing pupils’ work. Teachers’ pay is closely linked into performance and targets are suitably challenging.  Training is linked carefully to the school’s priorities and the management of teachers’ performance. Good quality staff training has led to marked improvements in the areas noted in the previous inspection report. A key improvement has been the introduction of a scheme to develop pupils’ knowledge of letters and sounds. This has helped enormously and has had a very positive impact on pupils’ reading.  The local authority has a good relationship with the school and provides good support, including training for staff and governors, and working with the headteacher to check on the quality of teaching.  All pupils have an equal opportunity to learn and develop well. No pupil is prevented from enjoying the full range of learning opportunities that the school provides. Activities to promote

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The leadership and management are good

pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development are well organised to make sure that these aspects of pupils’ development are well supported. Pupils say they enjoy many different kinds of activities, including traditional sports such as football and netball. They value their experience of the residential visit where they relish the outdoor adventure activities helping them to develop their team working skills, as well as activities such as archery.  The school uses the primary school sports funding to ensure that there is plenty of ‘large play equipment’ outside to help pupils take plenty of exercise and ‘voice’ their energy The school’s leaders are pleased that this is having a positive effect on pupils’ enjoyment and their health and well-being. A dance coach works alongside teachers in dance lessons, for example. Pupils talked excitedly about how they practise their dance regularly in preparation for a performance to other

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The leadership and management are good

schools.  The governance of the school:  The governing body is well led and managed and takes an active interest in all the school’s work. Following training since the previous inspection, governors have a better understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the school, including checking the school’s performance against that of other schools. The governing body is aware that there is still more to be done so that governors work more closely with staff. The governing body keeps a careful track on the school’s finances and knows how teachers’ performance is matched to salary progress and promotion. It makes sure that, for example, extra funding such as the pupil premium and the sports funding are used to strengthen pupils’ progress. The governing body ensures that all statutory safeguarding requirements are met.

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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 105905 Local authority Salford Inspection number 432133

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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 306 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Ceri Roscoe Headteacher Sara Walker Date of previous school inspection 20 February 2013 Telephone number 0161 789 2598 Fax number 0161 788 9763 Email address westwoodpark.primaryschool@salford.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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