Westmoor Primary School

Westmoor Primary School Church Lane, Dewsbury Moor, Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, WF13 4EW

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Good 2 This inspection: Good 2 Leadership and management Good 2 Behaviour and safety of pupils Good 2 Quality of teaching Good 2 Achievement of pupils Good 2 Early years provision Good 2

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 The leadership, including that of governors, has successfully amalgamated the infant and junior schools.  The headteacher’s strong leadership, coupled with effective teamwork, has been instrumental in the school’s success.  Pupils are making good progress from their starting points, including disabled pupils, those with special educational needs and those for whom English is an additional language.  Pupils are enthusiastic about their learning. Their positive attitudes contribute well to their improving achievement.  Effective teaching is leading to pupils making good progress and to attainment rising by the end of Year 6 in reading, writing and mathematics.  Children in the early years have many carefully planned learning opportunities that prepare them well for Key Stage 1.  The school effectively promotes British values. Tolerance and respect thread through all aspects of the pupils’ daily lives.  Pupils behave well and are proud of their school.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

They show great care and consideration for others whether at work or at play. They are very polite and well mannered.  Pupils feel happy, safe and secure in school, knowing there is always someone to turn to if they have a problem.  The curriculum provides pupils with a wide range of experiences to support their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.  Strong links exist between the school and parents, who are very positive about the staff and the education their children receive.  The governing body plays an important role in supporting and challenging the school’s work. Governors are very aware of the strengths of the school as well as areas for improvement.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Opportunities for pupils to develop and improve their reading comprehension skills further in all subjects, particularly history, are not used well.  Sometimes pupils rely too heavily on their teachers to provide them with answers rather than working things out for themselves.  Pupils do not always have sufficient time to respond to the good advice their teachers give them about how to improve their work.  Teachers do not consistently challenge pupils by the questions they ask.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 19 lessons, one of which was seen together with the headteacher.  Inspectors looked at work in pupils’ books and records of the learning of children in the Nursery and the Reception Year.  Meetings were held with groups of pupils, school staff, the Chair of the Governing Body and other governors. The lead inspector had a telephone conversation with a representative from the local authority.  Inspectors took account of the 14 responses to Ofsted’s online parent questionnaire, Parent View, and the 70 responses to a recent parent questionnaire undertaken by the school. Inspectors also held informal discussions with parents at the start of the school day.  Inspectors observed the school’s work and looked at a number of documents, including: the school’s own information on pupils’ current progress, planning and monitoring documentation, records relating to behaviour and attendance, and documents relating to safeguarding.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors also took account of the 28 responses to the staff questionnaire.

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Inspection team

Andrew Morley, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 The school is above average in size.  Half of the pupils are from a wide range of minority ethnic backgrounds.  The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is above average. This includes a significant minority who enter the school at the early stages of learning English.  The proportion of disadvantaged pupils known to be eligible for funding through the pupil premium is well above average. This is additional government funding which supports pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals or who are looked after.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs supported through school action is above average, as is the proportion supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs.  The school amalgamated with the infant school in April 2013.  The headteacher is a Local Leader of Education and supports other schools in the local authority.

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Information about this school

 The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Further accelerate pupils’ progress in reading by:  providing pupils with wider opportunities to practise their reading skills at times other than their daily reading lessons  giving pupils more opportunities to engage in sustained activities that develop their reading comprehension skills  ensuring teachers are clear about when and how higher order comprehension skills will be taught.  Raise the proportion of good and outstanding teaching across the school by:  giving pupils time during lessons to think about their learning and respond to their teachers’ suggestions on how their work might be improved further  further developing teachers’ questioning skills to help the pupils think more deeply about their work  providing more opportunities for pupils to work independently so that they develop greater responsibility for their own achievement  sharing the outstanding practice evident in teaching across the school.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher and governors have skilfully led the amalgamation of the infant and junior schools. The leadership has ensured that staff are confident and focused on raising standards.  The headteacher is a good role model for all. She has developed a highly effective leadership team that works cohesively to support and encourage all members of staff to constantly improve and provide a good learning experience for all pupils.  The school development plans focus on the key priorities to maintain and further develop the improvements made. These are well known by staff and shared with governors, who are fully committed to supporting the improvements made.  Subject leaders have played a significant role in supporting improvements and providing assistance for their colleagues. The school is focused sharply on developing subject leadership through further training in evaluating assessment data.  Senior leaders have implemented good procedures for checking pupils’ progress. These enable both senior

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The leadership and management are good

and middle leaders to assess how all pupils are doing and to identify areas of weakness. Regular checks are made on the quality of teaching and learning through observations, discussions with pupils and teachers, and through pupils’ work in books.  Teachers are held to account for the progress of the pupils in their classes. Arrangements to check performance are fully in place and linked to salary progression.  The school promotes equality of opportunity well by tracking the progress of pupils carefully and swiftly taking action if there are signs of potential underachievement. The pupil premium is used well to promote the good progress of disadvantaged pupils. Its use is regularly reviewed so that leaders and governors can target spending to where it has the maximum impact on raising the achievement of disadvantaged pupils.  The well-organised curriculum supports not only literacy and numeracy but also promotes very effectively

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The leadership and management are good

the pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. The curriculum is enhanced by a whole range of extra-curricular and enrichment activities. Pupils are very appreciative of the opportunities that they have to, for example, visit the theatre and different places of worship. Pupils improve their writing skills across all subjects in the curriculum, but do not consistently get opportunities to develop reading comprehension skills in all subjects.  The local authority provides light-touch yet effective support, especially in supporting newly qualified teachers. It is an indication of its confidence in the headteacher that it requested her to help support another local primary school.  The school works closely in partnership with other schools and is actively involved in a local area network to develop a common approach to new national assessment arrangements.  The school strongly promotes British values throughout all aspects of the school, including special event

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The leadership and management are good

days. For example, pupils have the chance to study diversity through a ‘Uniquely You’ project. In assemblies pupils learn about democracy. Special focus weeks or events, such as ‘Black History Month’, help the pupils understand that they are all the same, regardless of race or belief.  The school has a very positive relationship with parents. Parents are very happy with the way the school is changing and the improvements since the arrival of the headteacher. They say that ‘The headteacher has an open-door policy and any issues or concerns are able to be dealt with instantly.’  Additional sports funding is used effectively to extend the school’s already extensive provision and ensures that a legacy remains should the funding cease. Buying in specialists to work alongside and train teachers is leading to their increased confidence and skill in teaching physical education lessons.  The school’s arrangements for safeguarding pupils meet statutory requirements. Staff and governors

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The leadership and management are good

receive up-to-date training and are clear about the procedures.  The governance of the school:  The governing body has a clear understanding of the school’s strengths and areas for development. Governors are kept well informed about the school’s work through reports from school leaders and the local authority. They also visit the school regularly, spending time talking to pupils as well as meeting with staff. The expertise of governors is used effectively to hold the school to account. This includes both safeguarding and finance. They manage the school’s finances well, including the expenditure of the pupil premium and additional sports funding. They have a good understanding of the school’s performance data and are aware of the school’s priorities to continue to improve. Governors regularly attend training provided by the local authority and the school to make sure they are up to date with changes such as the new curriculum, as well as taking part in specific training for new governors.

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The leadership and management are good

Governors set challenging targets for the headteacher and understand the link between teachers’ pay and their performance.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good. Their positive attitudes to learning contribute well to their improving achievement. However, pupils must understand that they have to push themselves to do even better and aspire to achieve their very best at all times.  Pupils are polite and courteous to each other and to all adults. They say ‘Good morning’ and hold doors open without prompting. They are happy and proud to be in school and are eager to arrive on time in the morning. This all contributes to a harmonious, friendly and welcoming atmosphere around the school.  Pupils move around the school quietly, including when arriving at and leaving assembly. They behave well in the dining hall and in the playground. The provision of a wide range of interesting activities outside at break and lunchtime means there is always something to do; all adults interact with the pupils and lead activities.  Pupils show respect to each other and adults. The Base 1 programme provides the pupils with

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Behaviour

opportunities to engage in discussions about making choices, as well as valuing each other and all cultures and religions.  Pupils like to take on extra responsibilities in Year 6. These responsibilities include looking after the younger pupils and arranging activities at lunchtime. The school council is proud of its achievements that include reviewing the provision of the playground equipment.  Pupils with behavioural needs are given good levels of additional support. Adults manage any incidents well and effectively; this is helped by the supportive and calm, inclusive environment in the school.

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Safety

 The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good. Pupils’ safety is a priority. Pupils have a good understanding of how to keep safe and describe the school as being ‘very safe’. The pupils say that if they need help, they know whom to go to and that issues are always dealt with fairly.  Pupils are unanimous in their rejection of any type of bullying. They say that the school teaches them about what forms bullying can take and the dangers of each. Pupils treat each other with great respect and this was very evident in a school assembly on ‘Believing in and supporting each other’. Pupils listened sensitively and showed great appreciation for each other’s talents.  The school has worked hard to improve the attendance of pupils. There have been improvements as a result of the headteacher’s regular meetings and positive communication with parents of pupils whose attendance has fallen below the national average. Attendance is improving and is in line with the national

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Safety

average.  Parents are supportive of the school and the majority who responded to Parent View and the school’s own surveys indicate that they are pleased with the way the school makes sure children are well behaved and deals with bullying.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The quality of teaching provides positive learning experiences and results in increasing rates of progress over time. Teachers have high expectations of the pupils’ work and behaviour. Teaching has a positive impact on learning and progress because it motivates and inspires pupils.  The vast majority of lessons are well planned and structured. Teaching is conducted at a brisk pace which keeps pupils engaged in their learning. As a result, classrooms are calm and purposeful.  A strong feature of lessons is the high quality of relationships. Pupils and teachers have great respect for one another and pupils cooperate well with each other when working in groups. In the best lessons, teaching provides very stimulating resources to engage and enthuse the pupils in their learning.  Pupils benefit from teachers’ good subject knowledge. For example, in a Year 5 English lesson on developing playscripts, the teacher used questioning effectively to assess pupils’ understanding and

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The quality of teaching is good

provide further guidance on the next steps in their learning.  Good questioning, together with the introduction and clear explanation of technical aspects of subjects, raises pupils’ confidence and ensures pupils are always prepared to try; this helps them make good progress. However, teachers do not always ask further questions to encourage pupils to think more deeply.  Pupils enjoy learning through themes or topics. Teachers look for connections between different subjects to make learning more interesting and meaningful. However, the opportunities to transfer and develop reading skills to other subjects are not as strong as they are in writing and mathematics.  Teachers mark work regularly and accurately, providing pupils with good advice about how they should improve their work. However, pupils are not always given the time and encouragement to respond to this advice.  Pupils are sometimes too reliant on their teachers to provide answers rather than working things out for

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The quality of teaching is good

themselves. Occasionally this acts as a brake on accelerating their progress and keeping their learning at a faster pace.  There is some outstanding teaching in the school but it is not fully utilised to further raise the quality of teaching across the school.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 From their starting points to the time they leave Westmoor Primary, pupils make good progress. Standards on entry to the early years are generally low, especially in the area of communication, language and literacy. Children are taught well and leave the Reception class having attained standards that are close to those expected. This represents good progress during their time in the early years.  Attainment in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of Year 1 is broadly average. The school is taking appropriate action to raise attainment further by addressing the gap with additional intensive support. This support was observed during the inspection and there was evidence of an improvement in pupils’ confidence and understanding of key mathematical and literacy skills and concepts. As a result, pupils’ progress is accelerating securely.  Pupils make good progress in reading because phonics (letters and the sounds that they make) is

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The achievement of pupils is good

effective. However, some pupils do not always understand fully the words that they read to make full sense of texts.  In Key Stage 2, pupils’ progress is good in both English and mathematics, ensuring they attain standards that are above average when compared to other schools nationally. Progress in mathematics and writing is better than in reading, however, because there are not yet sufficient opportunities for pupils to refine their reading skills in a range of subjects other than English.  In 2014, at the end of Year 6, a number of pupils achieved the highest levels in mathematics. This shows that the most able pupils generally make good progress as teachers ensure that work is matched to their ability.  Pupils enjoy reading and are provided with many opportunities to read widely and often as well as to listen to stories, which they enjoy. Some pupils can sound out the words they read well, but are yet to

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The achievement of pupils is good

develop skills in understanding the meaning of the words they read; this is because they do not have enough opportunities to practise and apply their reading skills in a range of different subjects.  Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs are supported extremely well. They receive skilled and targeted support both in class and small groups; this ensures they make good progress that is at least in line with and sometimes faster than their peers’. Other groups of pupils, such as those from minority ethnic backgrounds and those for whom English is an additional language, all make similarly good progress.  The school’s strong commitment to equality of opportunity can be seen in the attainment of disadvantaged pupils, which has improved: their attainment in reading, writing and mathematics now matches that of other pupils in the school and nationally.

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The early years provision is good

 Children achieve well in the early years because the provision is led and managed effectively. Children make good progress from starting points which, for a significant majority, are below those typical for their age, especially in language and communication skills, and in their understanding of the world. Attainment is rising year-on-year and by the end of the early years, children are prepared well for entry to Key Stage 1.  Teaching is good. All adults focus on developing the children’s language skills by being models of clear spoken English, explaining new vocabulary carefully and providing an environment in which talk is valued. The attention of adults to the children’s social development helps them feel safe and settle quickly. This enables those new to English to grow in confidence and make rapid strides in their speaking.  Children develop their understanding of phonics quickly because sessions are taught effectively and

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The early years provision is good

followed up by activities that enable children to build successfully on what they have learnt. The children have good opportunities to extend their learning in the Reception outdoor classroom.  Children are well motivated and become quickly engaged in learning, particularly in sessions led directly by adults. Behaviour is good. Children follow classroom routines without fuss and work together well, supporting each other in discussion or when working on activities. They show confidence and a readiness to learn, which comes in part from the close and productive partnership between school and home.

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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 failing

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Grade Judgement Description

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 107613 Local authority Kirklees Inspection number 432049

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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 2–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 516 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Mr S Readhead Headteacher Mrs K Lonnergan Date of previous school inspection 21 November 2012 Telephone number 01924 485982 Fax number 08442 511384 Email address office@westmoorprimaryschool.co.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 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

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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