Wrockwardine Wood Infant School and Nursery

Wrockwardine Wood Infant School and Nursery Church Road, Wrockwardine Wood, Telford, TF2 7AH

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Outstanding 1 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 headteacher and senior leaders carry out rigorous checks on the quality of teaching and ensure that staff receive high-quality training and support and regularly analyse how well pupils are doing.  Teachers make sure that lessons are interesting and they make good use of computers to stimulate pupils’ learning.  From starting points that are below typical levels, pupils make good progress and leave school with attainment that is above average.  Pupils enjoy school and they take great pride in their school. They behave well and contribute greatly to the positive atmosphere of the school.  This is a caring school, popular with pupils, parents and carers. It keeps its pupils safe and secure. Parents and carers are closely involved in the life of the school.  Governors provide a good balance of support and challenge. They have developed their skills and understanding and have a clear view of

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Marking does not consistently show pupils the next steps they need to take to improve their work. Teachers do not always make sure that pupils act on the advice they are given through marking.  Pupils do not have enough opportunities to develop their ideas by writing at length.  Pupils are not sufficiently well informed about the diversity of life in modern Britain.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 20 lessons, four of which were observed jointly with the headteacher.  Inspectors also listened to pupils read, looked at their work and observed behaviour at the start of the day, during break time and at lunchtime.  Discussions were held with the headteacher, senior leaders, members of staff, the Chair and three other members of the Governing Body, a representative of the local authority, pupils and parents.  Inspectors looked at policies, self-evaluation and development planning documents, records relating to behaviour, attendance and safeguarding, information about pupils’ progress and minutes of governing body meetings.  Responses from 48 parents to Parent View, Ofsted’s online questionnaire, 25 staff questionnaires and the school’s own parental and pupil surveys were taken into account.

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Inspection team

David Evans, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Christine Millward Additional Inspector David Westall Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 Wrockwardine Wood is an average-sized infant school with a nursery.  Most pupils are White British.  An average proportion of pupils are supported by the pupil premium, which provides additional funding for pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals, those in local authority care and those with a parent in the armed forces.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs who are supported by school action is below average, while the proportion supported by school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is above average.  Nearly half the teaching staff are new to the school, having joined during the last year. Of these most are newly qualified teachers.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Further improve the quality of teaching by making sure that:  marking in each subject shows pupils what to do next to improve their work  teachers check that pupils follow the advice they are given through marking  pupils have more opportunities to develop their ideas by writing at length.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Create more opportunities to prepare pupils for life in modern Britain.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Children get off to a good start in the Nursery and Reception classes. They arrive with skills and aptitudes which are generally below the levels typical for their age. As a result of the good care and close attention they receive from all the adults, they make good progress in their learning. By the time they move into Year 1, standards are broadly in line with those expected in most areas of learning.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 As a result of good teaching and positive attitudes to learning, pupils make good progress in English, mathematics and other subjects. Attainment at the end of Year 2 has been above the national average almost every year since the last inspection.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 In the 2013 national Year 1 check on phonics (letters and the sounds they make) a below- average proportion of pupils reached the required standard. However, the results showed improvement which has continued this year. Children now develop their knowledge of phonics through a systematic programme which promotes speaking and listening skills as well as reading and writing.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils do well in reading, because the school works in close partnership with parents and carers to foster a love of reading. Children read at home as well as at school, and this makes a valuable contribution to their learning. More-able pupils read challenging books and weaker readers draw on appropriate strategies to help them to work out how to read words and understand texts.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs make good progress. This is because their needs are identified early, their progress is monitored and additional support is provided to help them learn. For example, the school has a ‘nurture group’ in which selected pupils improve their learning by completing work which is specially designed for them.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Gaps are closing rapidly for pupils who are in receipt of the pupil premium because funds are now being used more effectively. In 2013, although these pupils’ progress was good, attainment in both English and mathematics was below that of their classmates. They were a year behind in reading and two and a half terms behind others in writing and mathematics. Current assessment information shows standards for these pupils in 2014 are expected to be higher and gaps much smaller.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching in the Early Years Foundation Stage is consistently good or better. Staff provide exciting, challenging activities to help children learn. There is a good balance of adult-led activities and tasks that children choose for themselves, making good use of resources both indoors and outdoors.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The teaching of phonics is now good in the Early Years Foundation Stage and throughout the school. This is the result of the specific focus given to the teaching of phonics and because staff build on the good start pupils are given when developing early language skills. The quality of teaching is consistently good in reading, and staff have benefited from more training in this area during the last year.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Where teaching is most effective, teachers check what pupils can do by questioning them in a way that enables them to explain their thinking. Teachers plan carefully with teaching assistants to improve pupils’ understanding, matching the learning tasks to the pupils’ different abilities. Good examples were seen of pupils being encouraged to explore their own ideas, especially in the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching assistants are used very well. They provide good support for the small groups in class and help individual pupils to develop their learning skills at a pace that suits them. For example, in one lesson, a teaching assistant challenged pupils well to use their phonics knowledge to help their writing task. Teaching assistants also provide a good level of support for disabled pupils, and others who have special educational needs.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers have a positive impact on pupils’ good behaviour. They maintain strong relationships with pupils, based on respect. They praise achievement when deserved and help sensitively when pupils find difficulty in learning. Consequently, pupils are courteous, strive to improve their work and show respect for others.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Work is marked regularly, but it tends to celebrate pupils’ work and does not always help pupils understand how they can improve it. While there is evidence that pupils have opportunities to respond to marking, teachers do not ensure that pupils act on the advice they are given. Teachers set pupils individual targets but they do not adopt a consistent approach to this.

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The quality of teaching is good

 In Key Stage 1, pupils are overly reliant on worksheets for recording their work. This means that they do not have enough opportunities to develop their ideas by writing at length.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The behaviour of pupils is good. Pupils have positive attitudes to learning. They enjoy coming to school and like their teachers.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils are polite and welcoming to visitors. They respond well to adults and are considerate to one another. Even the youngest children in the Early Years Foundation Stage look smart in their uniforms and have good manners.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 In the playground, pupils are ready to take turns, and they are well supervised. Pupils told inspectors that the good behaviour seen in and around the school was typical.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The children in the Nursery and Reception classes have an attractive outdoor play area, with opportunities for them to learn language, number and personal skills outdoors, as well as physical skills.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good. All safeguarding procedures fully meet statutory requirements. The school keeps pupils safe and makes sure that those who work with them have been properly checked.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils understand how to keep themselves safe. They told inspectors that there was no bullying, such as racist or cyber-bullying, but that sometimes there was a little name-calling. However, they know to whom to turn if they have any worries and are confident that any concerns will be quickly dealt with.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Parents and carers who responded to Parent View or who spoke to inspectors agreed that their children are safe and well looked after at the school. One parent or carer who spoke to inspectors praised the school highly, not only for identifying her child’s special educational needs, but for providing emotional and practical support.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The school has stepped up its work to raise attendance, which was average in 2013. It contacts parents on the first day of the pupil’s absence, using telephone, text and email. The governors have imposed a very strict policy with regard to term-time holidays, but a recent outbreak of chicken pox had an impact on attendance rates in this infant school. There have been no exclusions.

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The leadership and management are good

 Disruption to staffing since the last inspection has meant that the school is not as effective as it was at the last inspection. However, the headteacher and senior leaders share a determination that the school will continue to improve and again be an outstanding school.

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The leadership and management are good

 Successful initiatives, such as the system introduced for tracking pupils’ progress, the improved teaching of phonics and mathematics and pupils’ subsequent rise in achievement in these areas demonstrates that the school has the capacity to continue to improve.

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The leadership and management are good

 Subject leaders are fully involved in the checks and the evaluation of teaching and learning. They report regularly to the governing body to ensure that governors are kept fully informed of progress and improvements.

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The leadership and management are good

 As a result of recent staff changes, there is some variability in the quality of teaching, particularly in Key Stage 1. Leaders have not yet had sufficient time to secure a large proportion of outstanding teaching and so accelerate pupils’ progress further.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school has effective procedures for managing staff performance and linking good teaching to movement up the pay scale.

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The leadership and management are good

 The curriculum and the school’s values underpin provision for spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. This is enhanced by a range of trips and visitors to the school. The impact is seen in the inclusive atmosphere of the school and support for vulnerable pupils. The school has good links to schools in other parts of Europe to enhance pupils’ international understanding, and staff have visited some countries in Europe as part of an exchange scheme. However, pupils have too few opportunities to gain an understanding of life in Britain’s diverse society. They do not have a good enough understanding of the different cultures and religions in modern Britain.

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The leadership and management are good

 Pupil premium funding is spent carefully on a range of additional resources, including the provision of extra support by teaching assistants, specific learning programmes and funding for pupils to be able to participate in extra-curricular activities. These contribute well to the equality of opportunity for all pupils. More rigorous evaluation of their effectiveness by senior leaders ensures that they provide good value for money.

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The leadership and management are good

 Good use is being made of the primary school sports funding to improve the quality of physical education, to promote healthy lifestyles for pupils, to update physical education resources and to provide additional training for the subject leaders.

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The leadership and management are good

 Through their own risk assessments, the local authority judges this school as one requiring minimal intervention. Support is appropriate and adequate. The most recent report, provided by the local authority shows a clear understanding of the school’s strengths and of the areas for development.  The governance of the school:  The governing body have the skills, knowledge and understanding to support and challenge the leaders of the school.  Governors have undertaken appropriate training. They visit the school regularly and demonstrate a commitment to improving outcomes for the pupils.  Governors play a key role in checking the work of the school. They have a clear understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses. They use achievement information well, attend meetings and receive regular reports, which they challenge by asking probing questions.  Governors understand how the performance of teachers is managed and how teachers are

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The leadership and management are good

rewarded based on their effectiveness. They have also managed the performance of the headteacher well.  Governors carry out their statutory responsibilities effectively.

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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 123406 Local authority Telford and Wrekin Inspection number 441173

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School details

This inspection was carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. The inspection was also deemed a section 5 inspection under the same Act.

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School details

Type of school Infant School category Maintained Age range of pupils 3–7 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 253 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Alan Smith Headteacher Denise Garner Date of previous school inspection 6 March 2007 Telephone number 01952 387860 Fax number 01952 387864 Email address H2116@telford.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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