Westbury Church of England Junior School

School report Westbury Church of England Junior School Oldfield Park, Westbury, BA13 3LY

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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

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 The governors and headteacher have been successful in raising pupils’ achievement since the previous inspection. More is now expected from teachers and pupils.  Teaching is typically good because teachers plan work that is usually at the right level of difficulty for all groups of pupils. As a result, pupils’ rates of progress, including those for disadvantaged groups, have increased this year in all subjects.  The Resource Base is effective in securing good progress for disabled pupils and those with special educational needs, including those with complex needs. Adults continuously assess and reshape the curriculum to match pupils’ needs.  Pupils are proud of their school and their good attitudes and behaviour reflect this. Attendance has improved because pupils enjoy school and work hard in lessons.  The school is actively involved with the local community. The pupils participate in many events held in Westbury, which makes a positive

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

contribution to their good spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.  Leaders and managers have gone out of their way to form links with, and learn from, other schools. This has helped to improve the quality of teaching and to raise pupils’ achievement.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 There is not enough teaching that is of the outstanding quality needed to ensure pupils consistently make rapid progress.  Leaders’ analysis of data is not always meticulous enough to be sure that areas of weakness are sufficiently well prioritised.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors visited 14 lessons or part lessons. Three observations were conducted jointly with the headteacher.  Attendance data and documents related to safeguarding and child protection were checked.  Inspectors considered assessment data on pupils’ progress and attainment. Documents and policies were examined, including the school’s self-evaluation and improvement plan.  The inspectors met with a group of governors, senior leaders, middle leaders and a representative from the local authority.  Inspectors listened to pupils read and held a discussion with a group of pupils from Years 3 to 6 to find out their views about the school.  Inspectors took account of 29 responses to the online questionnaire, Parent View, as well as the parents who wrote to the inspection team. Inspectors also spoke to a number of parents at the start of the school day. Twenty-two staff questionnaires were analysed.

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Inspection team

Shahnaz Maqsood, Lead inspector Additional inspector

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Information about this school

 Most of the pupils are of White British heritage. Very few are from a range of minority ethnic groups and at an early stage of learning English.  Over half of the pupils are supported by additional funding known as the pupil premium; this is double the proportion in most schools. The pupil premium is additional government funding to support those pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and those who are looked after by the local authority.  About two fifths are disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs, which is well above average.  The school has a Resource Base for pupils with complex learning needs. There are 12 pupils in the base; half are funded by the local authority and half by the school.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress at the end of Year 6.  The school is a member of a local cluster group of schools which hold regular meetings related to

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Increase the proportion of outstanding teaching by ensuring that teachers continue to benefit from the most successful teaching already present in the school, developing their planning skills to make sure all pupils are always effectively helped to make rapid progress.  Improve the overall quality of leadership and management,by further developing the effectiveness of the ways in which leaders analyse data in order to prioritise areas of weakness.

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The leadership and management are good

 Expectations of what pupils can achieve are much higher now than at the time of the previous inspection. This important change has been bought about through the commitment of the headteacher, who is well supported by the assistant headteacher. This has led to significant improvements in teaching and pupils’ achievement.  The school’s self-evaluation has enabled staff to improve the quality of their teaching. Teachers responsible for subjects work closely with the senior leaders to check on the quality of teaching. Although there is still work to do to make full use of information gained from the assessment of pupils’ work to raisestandards and increase progress rates.  The quality of teaching has improved and is good because teachers’ performance targets are sharp. Staff training is well suited to meeting the needs of individual teachers. All teachers are held to account for the performance of the pupils in their care.

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The leadership and management are good

 A ‘data booklet’ is produced every six weeks, which is a summary of pupils’ progress and attainment. This has been very useful for checking how well individual pupils are learning. In the majority of cases the school puts effective support in place for those groups falling behind. Last year the school placed extra emphasis on supporting disadvantaged pupils and less on others who were falling behind in reading and mathematics. As a result disadvantaged pupils did not all achieve their best in these subjects in 2014. School leaders have addressed this weakness and this year disadvantaged pupils are achieving well..  The school is in the local authority’s improving schools programme and has benefited from substantial support. This includes training for governors which has improved their effectiveness in regularly checking on the work of leaders and on how teachers manage the subjects they have responsibility for.

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The leadership and management are good

 Additional funding is used effectively to narrow gaps between disadvantaged pupils and others. These pupils are given extra help in English and mathematics as well as educational visits and music lessons so that they are able access the full range of the curriculum offered by the school. The school is determined to promote equality of opportunity and to tackle all types of discrimination, and is successful in doing so.  All safeguarding checks are robust,appropriate and effectively meet requirements.  Good use has been made of the sports funding. Specialist teachers and a varied range of sporting activities add to the pupils’ sporting experience. Teachers’ improved skills have increased the pupils’ enjoyment and levels of participation in the subject. During the inspection, pupils were extremely excited about a football match they were playing against another local school.  The school uses pupils’ ideas and interests to plan the wide and varied curriculum. Pupils told inspectors

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The leadership and management are good

that they particularly enjoyed a project making boats. Strong emphasis is placed on building pupils’ basic skills in English and mathematics. Pupils are encouraged to enquire and find things out for themselves. Social, moral, spiritual, cultural and British values are promoted well through a programme of assemblies and more widely across subjects. For example, students are prepared well for life in modern Britain through understanding values such as tolerance and the rule of law. They have recently studied great British composers.  The governance of the school:  Governance has been strengthened and is now effectively challenging and supporting the school appropriately. Although they appreciate that there is more still to do, members of the governing body have a growing understanding of data. In an improvement over previous years governors are now in a position to ask probing questions which stimulate improvement. They are ambitious and want the pupils

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The leadership and management are good

to achieve their best. For example, one member said, ‘The school leaders no longer accept excuses for underachievement.’  Governors have taken many opportunities for training and to improve their skills. Safeguarding procedures are robust and the governing body make regular checks to maintain high standards of safety.  The governing body make frequent visits to the school and know detailed information about the running of the school. They are aware of the quality of teaching and have successfully pushed for improvement.  Governors are aware of their duties with regard to promoting equal opportunities, ensuring there is no discrimination. They ensure that the pupil premium funding is used effectively to close gaps in pupils’ performance and raise achievement.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good. Pupils learn well because they are motivated, challenged, concentrate on their work and try their best. Parents agree that behaviour is good. It is not outstanding because a few pupils lose their focus in lessons and become distracted.  Pupils are proud of their school and their achievements. Their books are well presented and at lunchtime many make healthy choices. Pupils queue quietly, speak politely and respond immediately to adults.  Behaviour improves as pupils go up through the school from Year 3. Those who join the school with challenging behaviour are well supported and their behaviour improves.  Low-level disruption is very rare. Pupils think that the reward and sanction system is applied fairly and consistently by all teachers so they are encouraged to behave well.

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Safety

 The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good.  Pupils feel safe and know how to keep safe online, on the roads and out of school. They are aware of how to deal with strangers politely and safely.  Inspectors were told that bullying was rare. If it happens then ‘teachers sort it out straight away’. Pupils know about the different types of bullying and why it is wrong.  Pupils show respect for and interest in different faiths and cultures. One pupil in Year 3 said, ‘It is important because we all live together.’  Attendance of all groups of pupils, including girls, has improved and is now broadly average. The school quickly identified that girls’ attendance was below that of boys. It took action and now attendance is similar for both groups. The school has worked closely with the family support worker to eradicate cases of particularly low attendance.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Good and consistent teaching has enabled pupils to make good progress this year. Teachers have high expectations and usually set appropriately challenging work for all groups of pupils so that all make progress.  Teaching is not judged as outstanding because on a minority of occasions staff do not always ensure that all pupils make rapid progress.  Warm relationships are forged between adults and pupils that support learning well. The learning environment is based on mutual respect and trust, which benefits learning and the development of pupils’ good attitudes.  Questioning is used by teachers to check if pupils understand and to help them extend their learning. Teachers explain tasks well so pupils know what to do. This results in pupils making good progress and achieving well. For example, in a Year 3 lesson, pupils had to write a letter home as a Roman soldier. A range of questions around ‘Why?’ and ‘How did he feel?’ resulted in the pupils writing extensively and in

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The quality of teaching is good

detail using emotive language.  Books are marked regularly. Pupils are praised for what they do well and the teachers make it clear how they can improve. All pupils have learning targets which are stuck on their table and on the back of their books. This ensures they have an immediate reminder about what they need to improve.  Evidence in books and other inspection activities shows that writing is taught well. Pupils are taught different styles and for a range of purposes. There are good opportunities for short pieces and sustained writing in lessons, and special ‘Wow’ writing days.  Reading is promoted through the reading club and by encouraging parents to read to their children. This practice has helped pupils’ reading skills.  Teaching a range of problem-solving strategies to develop basic skills in mathematics, reported as an area for improvement in the previous inspection, has secured improvements in this subject. ‘Grid race’

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The quality of teaching is good

motivates pupils and brings out their competitive instinct as well as helping them to learn their multiplication tables and other number facts.  High levels of challenge for the most able ensure this group of pupils make good progress.  Teaching of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs is good because pupils are supported by skilled and able teaching assistants who explain and adapt tasks so that this group make progress. Adults in the Resource Base are also well trained and have good understanding of how these pupils learn and how to create small steps for them in the learning programmes. They have created a nurturing environment in which these pupils are making good progress.

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is good

 Achievement is good because, this year, inspection evidence shows that pupils across the school are making good rates of progress in reading, writing and mathematics. Pupils’ progress is now tracked carefully and appropriate action taken to tackle underachievement.  Pupils join the school with attainment well below the national average in all the subjects at the end of Key Stage 1. In 2014, attainment was well below in reading and writing and below in mathematics in Year 6. The attainment of girls was particularly low because there was a significant number with complex needs who were not able to achieve. Current data and books show the attainment of Year 6 pupils in school to be already much closer to the national average than 2014 in English and mathematics.  The proportions making expected and more-than-expected progress are similar to or better than the average in English and mathematics this year.

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is good

 In the past, many pupils had gaps in their mathematical knowledge and basic skills. Since then a range of strategies and focused teaching have addressed these gaps and progress is now good.  Increasing proportions of pupils are reaching the higher levels at the end of Year 6 because the most able are challenged in lessons.  The introduction of the reading club, where pupils support each other with reading, has benefitted pupils. Adults and pupils conduct book reviews and recommend books which pupils say inspire them to read. Pupils with weak knowledge of phonics are given carefully directed support in this area. As a result, attainment in reading is rising rapidly and progress is good.  Achievement in writing is good and improving, with the school rightly focusing on improving the use of vocabulary, punctuation and spelling. The school acknowledges that slow progress in the past has kept attainment in writing below the national average, but can show that progress is now accelerating.

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is good

 Disadvantaged pupils currently make good progress and gaps between their progress and that of their peers are on track to close further in English and mathematics. In 2014 they were two terms behind other pupils nationally and less than half a term behind their peers in school.  Pupils with complex needs in the Resource Base make good progress because staff know what this group of pupils know, understand and need to learn next. Staff use this information to organise tasks and support which ensure the pupils make good progress in their learning.  Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs make good progress because skilled and knowledgeable staff assess pupils accurately and plan tasks which ensure pupils learn well. A wide range of resources, good modelling by staff and effective advice enable good progress for this group of pupils. WHAT INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS MEAN

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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

Local authority Wiltshire Inspection number 453424

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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 Voluntary controlled Age range of pupils 7–11 Gender of pupils Mixed

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Reverend Jonathon Burke Headteacher Richard Hatt Date of previous school inspection 10–11 January 2013 Telephone number 01373 822695 Fax number 01373 822695 Email address head@westbury-jun.wilts.sch.uk guidance ‘raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234 , or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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School details

You can use Parent View to give Ofsted your opinion on your child’s school. Ofsted will use the information parents and carers provide when deciding which schools to inspect and when and as part of the inspection.

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School details

You can also use Parent View to find out what other parents and carers think about schools in England. You can visit www.parentview.ofsted.gov.uk , or look for the link on the main Ofsted website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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School details

achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory 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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