Withington Primary School

Withington Primary School Lock Road, Withington, Hereford, HR1 3QE

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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 leadership team and governing body have made rapid improvements to all aspects of the school.  Pupils make good progress, particularly in the Early Years Foundation Stage.  Attainment in both English and mathematics is rising. The proportions of pupils making and exceeding expected progress are above national averages.  Teaching is good, and increasingly outstanding.  Behaviour is good and pupils have positive attitudes to learning.  Pupils’ safety is good and the school makes sure that everyone is safe. Pupils stated that they feel very safe in school.  The federation provides good leadership and management. Leaders and managers at all levels monitor how well teachers are doing and the progress of their pupils.  Attendance has risen steadily and is above average.  The leadership team and governing body have developed links with a wide range of local and wider community groups to provide further

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

learning opportunities for pupils.  Parents are very positive about the school. All say that they would recommend it.  Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is excellent.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Pupils’ handwriting and presentation skills are weak, which limits some pupils’ progress.  On occasion, work is too easy or too hard, and this slows pupils’ progress.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector observed nine lessons. All of these observations were carried out jointly with members of the senior leadership team.  A number of pupils from Years 1 and 6 were heard reading.  The inspector observed the work of the school and looked at a range of school documentation on pupils’ progress, attendance, school self-evaluation and development, and a range of policies and procedures relating to the safety of pupils.  The inspector scrutinised the work of pupils both in lessons and in their workbooks, covering a range of subjects.  The 26 responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View, were considered, as were the 13 responses to the staff questionnaire.  Meetings were held with senior leaders and managers of the school and federation, the Chair and the community member of the Governing Body, and a group of pupils. A telephone conversation took place with a representative of the local authority.

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Inspection team

Ronald Hall, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 Withington Primary School is smaller than the average-sized primary school.  It is federated with Aylestone Business and Enterprise College. There is a single governing body and the principal of the college is the executive headteacher of the primary school. There is a Head of Learning in the primary school with responsibility for the day-to-day management of the school.  Pupils are taught across four mixed-aged classes.  Most pupils are White British. The proportions of pupils from minority ethnic groups and those speaking English as an additional language are below average.  The number of pupils who join and leave the school at times other than those normally expected is above average.  The proportion of pupils who are eligible for the pupil premium is above average. In this school the additional funding is for pupils who are in local authority care or known to be eligible for free school meals.

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Information about this school

 The proportion of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs supported by school action is well above average. This is also the case for those supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs.  There were too few pupils in Year 6 in 2013 for the government’s current floor standards to be applicable.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Raise achievement further by improving pupils’ handwriting and presentation skills across the whole school.  Raise the quality of teaching further by making sure that teachers consistently give pupils suitably demanding work that enables them to make good or better progress.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Improvements in achievement have been marked and rapid in Withington School. Pupils’ books and work in lessons show that pupils are making good and, for some, outstanding progress. This is shown in the carefully collected information the school gathers on pupils’ achievement.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The attainment of children when they start school in Reception varies year by year from well below to broadly in line with that typical for their age. Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage make outstanding progress from their varying starting points. This is seen most clearly in language and communication, due to the high priority staff place on developing the children’s speaking and listening skills.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Although progress slows a little in Key Stage 1, it is still good for all pupils, and those who speak English as an additional language make even more progress. This is because the school reacts quickly to provide any extra support when needed. The results of the 2013 Year 1 screening check in phonics (letters and sounds) were well above average. Reading is a key feature in Key Stage 1 and sets the foundation for the pupils’ love of reading seen across the whole school.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The school quickly assesses the capabilities and needs of pupils who join partway through Key Stage 2, a number of whom speak English as an additional language. It uses specialist agencies when needed. They provide one-to-one or small-group support, which results in rapid progress for these pupils. Several of these pupils spoke highly of the support they had been given and how much it had helped them.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Progress rapidly accelerates in Key Stage 2, and pupils leave at the end of Year 6 having gained at least Level 4 in both mathematics and English. Achievement in reading, writing and mathematics is good. However, limited handwriting and presentation skills are hindering the rates of progress for some pupils.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The percentage of pupils gaining the higher Level 5 in English and mathematics in 2013 was below that seen nationally. However, school information shows that the number of pupils on track to reach these levels is rising rapidly and the most able pupils’ achievement is rising across the whole school.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils who receive extra support through the pupil premium make good progress, in line with their classmates. Because the numbers are small, it is not possible to comment on their attainment at the end of Year 6 without the risk of identifying individuals. Excellent use of resources and one-to-one support for these pupils make sure that each individual’s needs are fully met.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 For pupils in Year 6, school information indicates that a higher proportion than in previous years are on track to achieve the higher Levels 5 and 6 in national assessment tests, and that attainment levels are rising across the school. Teachers make learning fun, create tasks that are relevant to the pupils’ lives and so create positive attitudes to learning, resulting in pupils being fully engaged in their learning.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs make good progress. The school uses the expertise of a wide range of specialist agencies to make sure that all pupils’ needs are met. In lessons, the extra adults who support learning provide excellent help and guidance. They use careful questioning, in-depth discussion and ongoing checks to make sure that the pupils fully understand their work.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The quality of teaching has improved considerably since the previous inspection. As class sizes are relatively small, teachers plan for each individual in their class and this is one of the reasons why achievement has risen across the school. In lessons, teachers and other adults who support learning carefully check the progress pupils make. This allows them to change the lesson activities to make sure all pupils make the progress of which they are capable.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers plan interesting activities which engage the pupils, particularly the most able pupils. In a phonics lesson in the Early Years Foundation Stage, the teacher used a fun and interesting book in which the children quickly became enthralled. The teacher skilfully used words within it to reinforce the letter sounds she was teaching. The children clearly enjoyed this approach, which led to them listening carefully to the sounds and accurately repeating them.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers do not consistently demand high levels of presentation in pupils’ work and do not always reinforce handwriting skills. This means that some pupils’ books are untidy, which in turn means that they find it difficult to read and improve their work at a later date.

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The quality of teaching is good

 There are occasions when teachers do not provide work which challenges all the pupils and so the rates of progress are slower than expected. This is because pupils become bored and so lose interest in their learning. Others find the work too easy and so complete it quicker than expected.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Other adults who support learning are well trained, highly skilled and have good subject knowledge. This results in the support they provide to the pupils at all levels being of a high quality. For example, during a mathematics lesson on probability, the skill of the support member of staff resulted in the less-able pupils making outstanding progress. This was due to the care taken to fully explain each step and make each point relevant to the lives of the pupils.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Parents and pupils rightly feel that teaching is good. During discussions with pupils, they were clear that teaching had improved. As one stated, ‘Our teachers make lessons fun. They have got better and better.’ Another stated, ‘Teachers help us learn. They ask us questions and explain things when we don’t understand.’ This approach was clearly seen in all the lessons observed.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is excellent due to the wide range of opportunities teachers provide to promote it. The school has close links with the local church and other religious groups, resulting in pupils having an excellent understanding of a range of religions and cultures. Visits and visitors to the school provide first-hand experiences for the pupils, who value the opportunities to ask questions and learn from the experiences of others.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The behaviour of pupils is good. Pupils take great pride in their school. This is because all the adults in school are smartly dressed and act as positive role models. As a result, pupils wear their school uniform confidently and are neat and tidy. Adults are polite and courteous towards each other and the pupils. In turn, pupils are well mannered and highly supportive of each other. They talk to adults with confidence.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Both parents and staff rightly feel behaviour is good and has improved over time. The senior leadership team of the federation has successfully improved behaviour across the school. This has been done through improved teaching, subjects that are fun and engage pupils, and all adults having high expectations. Pupils have responded positively to this approach and, as one pupil stated, ‘Our learning is fun and our teachers help us learn.’

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 As teaching has improved and pupils enjoy their learning more, attendance has steadily risen. Attitudes to school are positive for all groups of pupils and so persistent absenteeism has fallen. During discussions with pupils, it was clear that they did not like to take time off school in case they missed something. As one stated, ‘I always come to school. If I take a day off, I might miss something that was really fun.’

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils’ attitudes to learning are positive, as adults constantly reinforce the importance of learning. In lessons, teachers not only teach the pupils about the subjects they are learning but constantly relate this learning to their everyday lives. Therefore, pupils want to learn, as they understand its relevance and how it will help them in the future. Pupils often commented to the inspector that learning now meant something to them.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils stated that, ‘Some children have difficulties and so can be a little naughty at times.’ However, any behavioural issues are dealt with quickly and effectively by staff. In lessons seen during the inspection, pupils generally remained focused on their work, but where teaching was not at its best some became distracted and so progress rates slowed a little. However, even in these cases, other pupils would encourage them to concentrate.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Although pupils are very proud of their school, they do not all take as much pride in their work. Some pupils’ work is let down by careless presentation.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good. The senior leadership team has made the school a safe and secure environment. The governors, for example, instigated electronic locking devices on all external doors. Pupils say they feel safe and that teachers look after them.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Teachers have made sure that pupils have a good awareness of the various types of bullying. Pupils were able to discuss types of bullying confidently and felt that, in their opinion, only what they considered minor incidents happened. As one pupil stated, ‘In this school, we don’t have racial bullying or anything like that. Sometimes we call each other names but nothing is really meant by them.’ Another pupil then emphasised that staff quickly dealt with all incidents.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils have a good understanding of how to stay safe and healthy, especially when using the internet. During lunchtime discussions, pupils happily explained what a healthy lunch looked like.

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The leadership and management are good

 The principal, well supported by the federation leadership team and governing body, has successfully improved the school since its previous inspection. The leadership team has rapidly improved teaching and monitors its quality carefully to ensure it meets the national Teachers’ Standards. Achievement is rising as the quality of teaching improves.

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The leadership and management are good

 Leaders have used the close ties with Aylestone Business and Enterprise College to provide staff and pupils with opportunities to develop their professional expertise. The head of learning and other senior leaders have provided excellent support to staff, brought in new teachers and made sure that they all have opportunities to continually develop their skills.

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The leadership and management are good

 Teachers gain support and constant training to improve their skills and knowledge. Pupils receive specialist teaching in physical education and are given opportunities to experience being taught at Aylestone Business and Enterprise College by specialist teachers. As one pupil stated, ‘PE is great, we are taught such a wide range of sports now.’

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The leadership and management are good

 All leaders and staff have high expectations, resulting in rapid improvements. The principal and head of learning have developed an effective system for monitoring all aspects of the school. The progress of pupils is checked carefully and, if any pupil falls behind, they react quickly to make sure that they are supported to achieve as well as they might.

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The leadership and management are good

 Leadership and management of the Early Years Foundation Stage are outstanding. This has led to the children receiving an excellent foundation to their education. Resources are well matched to the changing needs of each group of children who start at the school to make sure that they reach their full potential.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school has put into place robust measures for monitoring staff performance and has used these to make sure that any underperformance has been eliminated. Where there is weaker teaching, the senior leadership team has provided support to improve staff performance. Leaders and governors ensure that teachers’ pay and promotion are linked to the quality of their work and the progress their pupils make.

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The leadership and management are good

 The senior leadership team has worked hard to develop close links with the parents. They support hard-to-reach families effectively, so that they understand the importance of their child’s education. This has resulted in attendance steadily improving and being above average.

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The leadership and management are good

 Parents and staff rightly feel that the school has improved. All the parents who replied to the online questionnaire (Parent View) were highly positive about the school. Parents view the school very favourably and feel that it keeps them fully informed of their child’s progress.

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The leadership and management are good

 The local authority regularly checks the work of the school. It confirms the accuracy of the information the school has on pupils’ progress and checks the quality of teaching.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school has excellent links with local community groups and other specialist agencies. These are used to make sure that every pupil’s needs are fully met and to contribute to their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

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The leadership and management are good

 The extra funding the school receives through pupil premium is used effectively to provide a range of support. This has resulted in eligible pupils making good progress.

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The leadership and management are good

 The primary sports funding has been used to provide specialist teaching and to increase the number of sports clubs available to the pupils.

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The leadership and management are good

 The governance of the school:  The governing body has worked hand in hand with the senior leadership team of the federation to improve the school. Governors regularly visit the school to carry out observations to check that the information they receive from the senior leadership team is accurate. They scrutinise the information on pupils’ progress and compare this to the quality of teaching. This is then tied in with decisions on teachers’ pay and promotion. The governing body ensures that the pupils and staff are all safe. It has been instrumental in initiating many safeguarding improvements to ensure that statutory requirements are fully met. Governors attend regular training to make sure that they can carry out their roles effectively. The governing body knows how the pupils at Withington Primary School perform compared to pupils nationally. This information is used to set challenging targets for the principal and the school as a whole.

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The leadership and management are good

Governors are fully aware of how the additional funding, including the pupil premium, is used within the school and how this has improved pupils’ education.

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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 116748 Local authority Herefordshire Inspection number 430616

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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 61 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Phillip Wilcox Principal Sue Woodrow Date of previous school inspection 26 June 2012 Telephone number 01432 850289 Fax number 01432 850289 Email address admin@withington.hereford.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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