Westonzoyland Community Primary School

School report Westonzoyland Community Primary School Cheer Lane, Bridgwater, TA7 0EY

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Requires improvement 3 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 progress pupils make in reading, writing and mathematics is good. The information the school holds shows pupils now make better progress than they did in the past.  The determined work of the headteacher, supported by the senior leadership team, has been instrumental in bringing about improvements in the quality of teaching and learning.  Children achieve well in the early years stage, with a high proportion of children attaining a good level of development.  The pupils’ work is well marked and the written feedback gives pupils clear guidance on how to make their work better.  The good behaviour of pupils has a significant impact on how well they learn. Pupils say they feel safe and are well looked after in school.  Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs make progress equally as good as that of their peers in school.  The school has received good support from the local leader in education and has provided guidance

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

to the school leaders as they have moved the school forwards.  The learning activities across the school engage and enthuse the pupils. Through the development of the pupils’ social, moral, spiritual and cultural understanding, good relationships are fostered.  The governing body has developed governors’ skills and holds the school to account for the progress pupils make more effectively.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Learning activities do not always challenge the most able pupils effectively, especially in mathematics.  Some pupils do not learn phonics (the sounds that are linked to groups of letters) quickly enough.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector observed learning in 10 lessons, seven of which were observed jointly with the headteacher. The inspector also watched an assembly.  Meetings were held with groups of pupils and senior leaders. The inspector met with the Chair of the Governing Body and other members. He held a meeting with a local leader in education who has been providing support to the school.  The inspector listened to pupils from Years 2, 5 and 6 read, and scrutinised samples of pupils’ workbooks.  The inspector examined a wide range of documents, including the school’s information on pupils’ recent progress. He also looked at planning and documentation about checks on teaching, and records relating to behaviour, attendance and safeguarding arrangements.  The opinions of parents were taken into account through the 89 responses to the online questionnaire (Parent View), together with two letters submitted by parents of children at the school. The views of staff

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Information about this inspection

were considered through the 22 staff questionnaires.

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Inspection team

David Hogg, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 The school is smaller than the average-sized primary school. All pupils attend full time.  The school has a number of mixed-age classes. The early years provision comprises of the pre-school, with places for 25 three- to four-year-olds, and a Reception class. Pupils from Years 1 to 6 are placed in four mixed-age classes consisting of Years 1 and 2, Years 2 and 3, Years 4 and 5, and finally Years 5 and 6.  Nearly all pupils are from a White British background.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs is just over 10% of the school roll. This is broadly in line with the national average.  Nearly a quarter of the pupils in the school receive support funded by the pupil premium. This is in line with that found in most schools. The pupil premium is funding provided to give extra support to those pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and to children who are looked after.

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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?

 Improve the quality of teaching by ensuring staff plan activities that provide greater challenge for the most able, and accelerate their progress, especially in mathematics.  Improve phonics teaching so that the pupils learn the sounds that are linked to groups of letters more quickly.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher has made significant changes to improve the school since the last inspection. He has insisted on staff having higher expectations of how well pupils should achieve. All of the staff are committed to the goals of further improving the school and continuing to raise standards.  A series of good appointments has strengthened the senior and middle leadership teams. Subject leaders have a clear understanding of the aspects of the school that require further work and have played an active role in the development of plans to secure required improvements. Well-focused training and professional support have helped to improve the skills of staff.  School leaders monitor the effectiveness of teaching, carefully checking through work scrutinies and direct observation. Thorough monitoring of the progress pupils make is used to ensure different groups of pupils, including disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs, achieve well. As a result,

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The leadership and management are good

the school has been able to provide pupils with additional help to accelerate their progress when necessary. This rigorous level of review has also helped leaders to make decisions about how best to use the opportunities teachers have for promotion and salary advancement. School leaders share this information with the governing body.  A well-planned programme of learning activities ensures that pupils receive a broad and balanced range of subjects during a typical week. The school seeks to provide memorable life experiences that stimulate pupils’ interest in the topics pupils study. For example, pupils from Years 3 to 6 visited the Natural History Museum to experience at close quarters how dinosaurs lived.  The social, moral, spiritual and cultural development of pupils is good. Pupils have a clear understanding of what is right and wrong. They take an active part in school life and are proud of the roles they have

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The leadership and management are good

been given. The school provides pupils with opportunities for reflection through assemblies with Christian themes and with visits to the local church. Pupils develop a good understanding of other faiths and beliefs through religious education lessons. Visitors from different ethnic backgrounds help pupils understand the wider diversity of Britain that is otherwise not always evident in the predominantly White British character of the local community. British values are explored with the pupils through discussions and practical activities. The school celebrates and values diversity; discrimination is tackled rigorously and good relationships are fostered across the school.  The school uses the additional funds from the primary sport premium well. The school has improved the equipment available for the pupils and increased the number of sports clubs and activities open to them. Pupils have more opportunities to take part in inter-school competitions, for example cross-country

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The leadership and management are good

running and netball. The school has trained physical education leaders from Years 5 and 6 to organise games and activities for other pupils to take part in at break and lunchtime. For example, they lead ‘Disney Activities’ for the younger pupils one day a week, and organise dodge-ball for older pupils on another day.  The headteacher has had good support from a local leader in education appointed by the local authority to help the school improve. The school has benefited from her expertise to ensure it made needed improvements. The level of support has been tapered off as the school is now able to sustain its own development.  Safeguarding and child protection arrangements in the school meet statutory requirements and ensure pupils are safe and well cared for whilst in school.  The school has good links with parents. Regular newsletters inform parents of school activities, and the website provides them with detailed information on learning programmes and school policies.

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The leadership and management are good

 The work of the school leaders at all levels has not yet ensured all groups of pupils, particularly the most able, achieve the highest levels they can. The school strives to ensure all pupils have an equal opportunity to achieve as highly as they can.  The governance of the school:  The governing body has become more effective in reviewing the work of the school and governors now have a clearer understanding of their role within the school’s leadership team. They hold the school to account, for example, by reviewing how effectively additional resources are being used to accelerate the progress of particular groups of pupils. They know how well different groups of pupils within the school achieve compared with national averages. Through linking the reports from the headteacher and subjects leaders, governors understand how the school is working to improve the quality of teaching and how underachievement is being tackled. They understand how the achievement of the pupils is

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The leadership and management are good

linked to advancement by way of promotion and further salary increases. The governors check the financial position of the school carefully to ensure the effective use of resources, such as the primary sport premium funding. They carefully review the safeguarding procedures and policies annually to make sure they meet the required standards and ensure the welfare of pupils in school.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good. The positive attitudes pupils have in class help them learn and make good progress. Pupils say though that, on occasions, a small number of pupils do not always get on with their work as quickly as they should.  The pupils are well mannered and polite. They are confident when talking to new people and are very courteous. Pupils play well together at break and lunchtimes. Older pupils enjoy the responsibility of being a ‘buddy’ to younger pupils. Pupils take on responsibilities and leadership roles within school with pride and are a credit to the school.  Pupils have a good understanding of what constitutes bullying and the harm it can do. They are insistent that bullying does not take place in school and say that incidents of unkindness are rare. Any falling out is often mediated by the play leaders in the playground.  The relationships between the pupils and the adults who work with them within the school are very good

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Behaviour

and help promote good learning and progress.

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Safety

 The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good. Pupils say they feel safe in school and that they are well looked after when they are there. The school provides pupils with good guidance on road safety and teaches younger pupils about the dangers of talking to strangers. Older pupils have the opportunity to develop their cycling proficiency skills and awareness of road safety.  Pupils have a very good understanding of why they must be careful about sharing personal details when they go online, when playing games or using social media sites.  Pupils attendance is a little above the national average. The school works hard to maintain this level of attendance.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The effectiveness of teaching has improved since the last inspection and now enables pupils to make better progress in reading, writing and mathematics across the school.  Teachers use the information they have on the pupils to try to plan activities that accommodate the range of different abilities of the pupils in helping them to learn and make progress in lessons. However, the tasks do not always challenge the most able sufficiently, particularly in mathematics, or in the teaching of phonics where not all of them learn quickly enough how sounds are linked to groups of letters. Consequently, the progress some pupils make is not as rapid as it could be.  Pupils are provided with clear guidance in their lessons about what they are learning and what they have to achieve by the end of a lesson. This gives pupils a clear structure and allows them to attack each task without having to always check with their teachers about what they need to do next.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Pupils make the most of opportunities to discuss their work. These help them to develop and extend their ideas further. In the Years 5 and 6 class, a group of pupils demonstrated well-developed creative writing skills when sharing their ideas with the rest of the class. Other pupils used the examples to pick up ideas to make their work better.  Planned learning activities allow the pupils to practise their skills in different subjects. For example, work in the books of Years 5 and 6 pupils showed them using their mathematical skills to good effect when taking measurements and collecting results.  Pupils’ work is well marked. Teachers provide pupils with clear guidance on how they can improve their work and which aspects need correcting. Pupils make the necessary alterations promptly and build on their previous work as they do so. As a result, pupils do not repeat their mistakes and their progress is

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Over time, pupils’ attainment in reading writing and mathematics at the end of Year 6 has generally been above the national average. In 2014, results showed improvements in pupils’ writing but a falling away in mathematics. The school has reviewed these outcomes carefully and identified the need to ensure pupils’ basic skills in mathematics are more secure across the school. The school now starts each day with a short mathematics session. These activities, often practically based, focus on building pupils’ confidence in using numbers and in calculating answers in their head. The information the school holds indicates that pupils are now making more rapid progress in mathematics across the school.  Pupils make good use of the opportunity to read regularly in school, developing their skills well. Younger pupils are competent in using their understanding of phonics to build up unfamiliar words. Older pupils

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The achievement of pupils is good

read with developing fluency and confidence.  Pupils’ written work is well presented. The quality of the pupils’ writing is generally good, with some excellent writing seen from pupils currently in Year 6.  The school’s work to support disadvantaged pupils is proving effective. The gaps in their skills in writing and mathematical understanding, compared to other pupils in different year groups, are closing from their individual starting points. In 2014, disadvantaged pupils lagged behind others in the school by about a term in reading and mathematics but five terms in writing. When compared against other pupils nationally, they were behind by two terms in reading and in writing and three terms in mathematics.  The progress of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs is closely checked. Well-planned support is developed by class teachers and teaching assistants working together. As a result, these pupils

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The achievement of pupils is good

make good progress from their individual starting points, in line with others in the school.  The proportions of pupils achieving the higher national levels at the end of Year 2 and Year 6 dipped in 2014, especially in mathematics. The school’s information points to the fall in Year 2 being due to a higher proportion of pupils with additional needs in that cohort. The school’s assessments indicate rising standards in writing, and more pupils developing the necessary skills and understanding to gain the highest levels in mathematics, especially in Year 6.  Teaching across the school is now more effective than in the past and there is now a greater focus on ensuring the most able achieve at the highest levels. The information the school holds on the progress pupils make indicates the most able pupils are making at least good progress across the school, but the full impact is yet to be seen.

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The early years provision is good

 Children join the Reception class from the pre-school with skills that are broadly typical for their age in most areas of learning. This can, however, vary between the different years. Through effective teaching, the children build their skills during their Reception Year. In 2014, nearly 80% of the children achieved a good level of development. The children are well prepared for the move to Year 1.  Good overall leadership ensures effective coordination of the work of the teaching teams from the pre- school and the Reception class, who both share the same resources and classrooms. The classes work very closely together in planning interesting and engaging activities. For example, children recently investigated reports of ‘strange bumps in the night’ and ‘large footprints’ in the school grounds. Further investigations found a nest and two eggs. This led the children to the conclusion that a dinosaur had

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The early years provision is good

roamed the school grounds. As a result, their curiosity and imagination were very effectively stimulated.  Children from the Reception class and pre-school often move between the different areas, working and playing together. This allows some children to be challenged more, whilst others receive additional support.  The children work well together, and their social and language skills are well developed. Their behaviour is good. They share resources and cooperate with each other in their activities, seen, for example, in one session where children worked well together to build a castle out of large blocks and planks. In another work area, two girls told each other stories based on the pictures in books they were looking at. The children demonstrated good communication skills and were confident to talk about the class learning books they took home.  Adults make careful notes about the children’s progress, which are used well in planning subsequent

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The early years provision is good

learning activities. Photographs support these notes and are included in the learning journals the school keeps which can be viewed by parents when they come into school. Close links with parents are maintained to share information about their children’s learning.  Safeguarding arrangements that are relevant to the early years provision are robust. Children are well cared for and kept safe at all times.  The early years provision is not yet outstanding as some teaching, particularly of phonics, does not always challenge the most able children 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 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 123697 Local authority Somerset Inspection number 453517

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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 170 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Karl Smallridge Headteacher Jason Eveleigh Date of previous school inspection 15–16 January 2013 Telephone number 01278691381 Fax number 01278691115 Email address sch.414@educ.somerset.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 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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