Willington Primary School

Willington Primary School Chapel Street, Willington, Crook, County Durham, DL15 0EQ

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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.  Pupils’ achievement is good. Pupils make good progress. Standards have risen in Year 2 and Year 6.  Teaching is good overall. It is occasionally outstanding, especially in Year 2 and in writing in Year 4 and mathematics in Year 5.  Pupils know exactly what skills they are learning and what they need to do to improve their work. The work set helps pupils to learn well whatever their ability.  There are many opportunities for pupils to enjoy exciting activities and to see the links between subjects.  The school offers highly sensitive care and support to pupils.  Pupils’ behaviour is good. They care extremely well for one another and say they feel very safe. Attendance is average. There are remarkably few pupils who are persistently absent.  The headteacher and the governing body have a very clear understanding of the school’s strengths and relative weaknesses. They have clear systems to check how well the school is

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

doing. They have put plans in place which have resulted in improved teaching and ensured pupils make good progress.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Pupils are given too few chances to develop their writing skills by writing creatively and at length in English and other subjects.  Targets for pupils’ progress and attainment in the school's plans for the future are not rigorous or specific enough.  There are too few parents on the governing body.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors held meetings with staff, groups of pupils and the Chair of the Governing Body. The inspectors also spoke on the telephone to a representative from the local authority.  Inspectors looked at a range of evidence including: the school’s improvement plan; the school’s data relating to pupils’ progress; the work in pupils’ books; and the school’s documentation relating to safeguarding.  Inspectors observed teaching and learning in 14 lessons taught by nine teachers. They listened to groups of pupils in Years 1 and 2 read. In addition, the inspectors made a number of short visits to lessons accompanied by the headteacher and the deputy headteacher.  The inspectors conducted two lesson observations jointly with the headteacher and the deputy headteacher. The inspectors also observed the headteacher and deputy headteacher reporting back to the teachers on their findings regarding the quality of teaching, learning and pupils’

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Information about this inspection

achievement in the lesson.  The inspectors took into account the 24 responses to the online questionnaire (Parent View). Inspectors also analysed the school’s own survey of parents.  Twenty-one staff completed questionnaires and the responses were analysed.

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Inspection team

Gordon Potter, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Frank Cain Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 This school is an average-sized primary school.  Almost all pupils are White British.  The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for the pupil premium is well-above average. (The pupil premium is additional funding for those pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals and those children that are looked after by the local authority.)  The proportion of pupils supported at school action is well-above average.  The proportion of pupils supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is above average.  There are morning, lunch-time and after-school clubs which are run by school staff and external coaches.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ progress and attainment.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching so that it is outstanding, to further raise standards and rates of pupils’ progress, by:  offering pupils even more exciting opportunities to develop their writing skills at length in imaginative and creative activities in English and across a range of subjects  providing more chances for pupils to develop their problem-solving skills in activities in mathematics and other subjects.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Increase the impact of leaders at all levels on pupils’ attainment and progress, by:  ensuring targets for pupils’ progress and attainment in the school's plan for the future are specific and rigorous  encouraging more parents to become members of the governing body.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Most children start school with skills and knowledge that are well below those typically expected for their age. Good teaching helps children make good progress in the Early Years Foundation Stage. As a result more children than in the past are in line with the expectations for their age and have a good level of development when they enter Year 1.  Further good teaching in Key Stage 1 helps pupils to make good progress. Standards at the end of Year 2 have risen although they remain below average in reading, writing and mathematics. Some excellent teaching in Year 2 is now helping more pupils to reach standards that are in line with and above the expectations for their age.  Standards have also risen at the end of Year 6 although some variability in the quality of teaching has led to some variation in standards in the past three years. The improvements in standards in Year 2 have not yet had time to have an impact on standards in Year 6.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 In 2013, pupils in Year 6 made good progress in writing and mathematics from their starting points at the end of Year 2. They made the progress expected of them in reading.  The school has now introduced plans which have been highly successful in ensuring that pupils across school are now making good progress in their reading. There is a consistent focus on reading and pupils of all ages speak enthusiastically about the books and authors they enjoy when reading in school and at home.  Teaching how letters are linked to sounds is good. As a result, almost all pupils have a clear understanding of letters and the sounds they make (phonics) and understand how this helps them to read words they are not used to.  Pupils currently in Year 6 are on track to attain standards that are below those expected. However, they have made good progress from low starting points at the end of Year 2 as a result of good and some outstanding teaching in Key Stage 2.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 In 2013, the most able pupils achieved well because the school identified their needs early and gave good focus to meeting them. The most able pupils currently in Year 6 have been clearly identified and work is targeted to help them attain above-average standards.  In 2013, most of the pupils who were known to be eligible for the pupil premium, including those pupils who were known to be eligible for free school meals, made the progress expected of them. However, too few of them did better than this. The extremely high proportion of eligible pupils both currently and in the past, most of whom also have special educational needs, means that the gap between those pupils and other pupils in the school has been wide. They were one year behind other pupils in the school in reading and writing and five terms behind in mathematics at the end of Year 6 in 2013.  The school has recognised this issue and now has clear plans to improve the learning and check

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The achievement of pupils is good

their progress of this group of pupils. As a result, eligible pupils currently make similar good progress overall as other pupils in school in English and mathematics. This ensures that the gap between those pupils and other pupils in the school is now narrowing in Year 6.  Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs make good progress because of the good teaching and support they receive from teachers and highly skilled teaching assistants.  The school is very clearly focused on identifying any pupils who are at risk of falling behind and concentrates on ensuring that all pupils make at least good progress. This demonstrates that the school spends the pupil-premium funding effectively and clearly shows the school’s commitment to promoting equal opportunities and tackling discrimination.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching is good over time in reading, writing and mathematics in all classes and for all groups of pupils. It is outstanding in Year 2 in English and mathematics, in mathematics in Year 5 and writing in Year 4.  The work set helps pupils to learn well whatever their ability. Pupils know what skills they are learning and what they need to do to succeed in their work. They are helped to correct any misunderstandings about their work. Excellent marking shows pupils how to improve their work and gives them time to act upon advice given. As a result, pupils make rapid progress.  For example, in mathematics, pupils in Year 5 were helped to extend their understanding of how to multiply decimal fractions and solve word problems through having clear explanations and advice against which they could check their learning. The work was challenging but they were able to develop their understanding of the steps to take to succeed in their work and they made

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The quality of teaching is good

excellent progress.  However, progress in mathematics is good rather than outstanding because not all learning is of this excellent quality. Occasionally, pupils do not get enough chances to develop their problem- solving skills in activities in mathematics and other subjects.  Outstanding progress was made in writing by pupils in Years 2 and 4. They were writing about their own versions of Enid Blyton’s The Faraway Tree and reports about the eruption of Vesuvius. They were clear about the skills they were learning, encouraged to talk about and plan their ideas and helped to think about how they could improve their own and others’ writing. They were excited by the topics they were writing about and made excellent progress.  However, progress in English is good rather than outstanding because, despite this exciting approach, pupils have too few opportunities to use their creativity and imagination to produce a

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The quality of teaching is good

longer piece of work in English and across other subjects.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The behaviour of pupils is good. Pupils say that behaviour is good in their lessons, around school, during assemblies and in the dinner hall. Where pupils are fully engaged in their learning, their behaviour is outstanding. On occasions though their attention wanders when activities are less engaging.  Pupils show great respect for one another, are extremely polite to adults and eager to talk about their school. Pupils show maturity and enjoy taking on responsibilities. Older pupils look after younger children and pupils play safely and enjoyably together.  They develop social skills through the many opportunities to learn together in the classroom, school clubs and the sports activities with pupils from other schools. The school council offers ideas to improve the playground, the curriculum and school dinners.  The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good. Parents and pupils are certain that

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

pupils are safe and happy in school. There are rigorous procedures to ensure that this is indeed the case with all adults offering highly effective and sensitive care to pupils.  Pupils feel extremely safe. They are very aware of different forms of bullying, including cyber- bullying and name-calling. They say that there is no bullying and they are able to solve problems between themselves or by asking their friends or adults to help them.  The school’s records show that instances of poor behaviour are extremely rare. While there have been no permanent exclusions, there been a very few unavoidable fixed-term exclusions. The very few pupils who find it difficult to behave well are extremely well managed by staff and their behaviour has improved rapidly.  Attendance is average. However, there are remarkably few instances of persistent absenteeism as the school has clear systems to check attendance and encourage pupils and parents to see

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

the importance of coming to school. It is also because pupils feel extremely safe and enjoy their lessons, extra activities and visits. They are very proud of their school and their own work and take great care to ensure that it is very neatly presented.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher has a very clear view of the school’s strengths and the areas where it needs to improve further. He has created strong teamwork and high morale through encouraging and determined leadership, and demands high standards. As a result, the school is a calm, caring and safe environment which allows good learning to take place and which enables teachers and pupils to thrive and give of their best.  He is extremely well supported by the deputy headteacher who has also played a major part in the school’s improvement through her role as a coach to teachers. Together, they have developed a team of middle leaders who have contributed effectively to improvements to teaching, the curriculum, behaviour and pupils’ achievement. Indeed, all teachers welcome taking on responsibilities and the accountability for their own classes and subject areas.  The headteacher and deputy headteacher regularly check the quality of teaching. They

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The leadership and management are good

understand what constitutes good teaching and judge it accurately. They are extremely clear in their feedback to teachers who respect and welcome their advice and act upon it. This process is closely linked to ongoing training for teachers and brings about good teaching across the school.  The headteacher has a clear understanding of how to use data to measure pupils’ progress and ensures that other teachers have the same understanding. The school improvement plan has appropriate areas for development and there are clear procedures to check its impact regularly. However, targets for pupils’ attainment and progress are not rigorous or specific enough and this contributes to holding back progress to some extent.  Salary progression has been used well to improve teaching and raise standards because teachers are very clear that they will only be rewarded when their pupils have done as well as, or better

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The leadership and management are good

than, they should have done.  The primary school sports funding has been used effectively to develop competitive sports, to use coaches to develop expertise in teaching physical education and to introduce new sports such as tag rugby, tennis and netball. Pupils say they enjoy their lessons and teachers welcome the focus on developing their skills alongside the coaches. These are contributing well to pupils’ healthy physical development and well-being.  While the school focuses on developing pupils’ basic skills in reading, writing and mathematics, it also provides many exciting opportunities for pupils to broaden their spiritual, moral, social and cultural awareness through, for example, in-depth study of geography, history and science and through a range of educational visits.  The school welcomes the support and advice it receives from the local authority and from its education partners. This has helped to improve the quality of teaching and learning and the

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The leadership and management are good

provision in the Early Years Foundation Stage.  The governance of the school:  Governors offer highly effective support and robust challenge to the school. The Chair of the Governing Body is very knowledgeable and experienced and offers clear, extremely well- informed leadership. She is well supported by other governors who understand the school because they have clear areas of responsibility, which they regularly check through a programme of school visits. They have clear systems to check closely plans for the future, the quality of teaching, the achievement of pupils and the curriculum. In addition, they understand the arrangements to check the teachers’ performance and any rewards for good teaching. The budget is extremely well managed. Governors receive clear information about how the pupil- premium funding and the new primary school sports funding are allocated and are very knowledgeable about their impact. They ensure that the school fulfils its statutory

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The leadership and management are good

responsibilities for safeguarding. All staff have been vetted and are trained appropriately to keep pupils safe and free from harm. Despite regular attempts to do so, the school finds it difficult to persuade parents to participate as governors and contribute to the further development of the school and their children’s 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 114066 Local authority Durham Inspection number 429988

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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 247 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Olwyn Gunn Headteacher Stephen Cornforth Date of previous school inspection 28 May 2012 Telephone number 01388 746414 Fax number 01388 745658 Email address willington@durhamlearning.net 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 and 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

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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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