Westfield Primary Academy

Westfield Primary Academy Chalkstone Way, Haverhill, CB9 0BW

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Not previously inspected as an academy 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

 Westfield has made substantial improvements since it became an academy. The head of school, senior leaders and managers provide good leadership, and the governing body has supported them well in raising achievement and improving teaching.  The academy trust has a very clear vision for the academy. It has provided excellent support and challenge to senior leaders in raising their expectations and made sure that the academy is well placed to improve further.  Achievement is good and standards are rising across the year groups. Pupils currently in Year 6 have made exceptionally good progress in writing and mathematics. Their attainment in writing is well above average.  The quality of teaching is good, especially in the early years and at Key Stage 2, and teachers have good opportunities to develop their skills through training.  Pupils usually behave well in lessons and they feel safe in the academy. Pupils are very positive about

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

all the experiences the academy provides.  Pupils are valued as individuals and those who need extra help with their learning receive good support.  The academy provides well for children in the early years. Teaching is good and this enables children to achieve well across the areas of learning.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Teachers’ expectations are not always as high as they could be, especially at Key Stage 1. Work does not always challenge the most-able pupils enough.  In subjects other than English and mathematics, teachers do not consistently match tasks to the next steps in learning for different groups of pupils. They also tend to have lower expectations of pupils’ writing in topic work than in literacy lessons.  Just occasionally, teachers do not insist that all pupils behave as well as they could in lessons, particularly in the younger classes.  The Nursery classroom is not as stimulating as the Reception classes and the outdoor area, though improving, does not yet promote outstanding progress.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspection team visited 31 lessons. In combination with looking at pupils’ books, talking to them about their work and checking their progress over time, this provided a balance of evidence on teaching and learning. Inspectors heard a small number of Year 1 pupils read, looked at lunchtime and playtime arrangements, talked with a group of pupils and observed an assembly.  On the first day of the inspection, pupils in Years 5 and 6 were on a residential trip and on the second day, they took part in pre-arranged special events. Particular emphasis was, therefore, placed on looking at their books and conducting an in-depth interview with Year 6 pupils.  Meetings were held with the Executive Principal and Director of Primary Learning and the head of school, with the deputy headteachers, English and mathematics leaders, the early years leader and the inclusion manager. Discussions took place with three representatives of the governing body and with the Chief

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Information about this inspection

Executive Officer of the Samuel Ward Academy Trust.  The inspection team took account of the 68 responses to the online survey, Parent View, and the 23 completed staff questionnaires.  The inspection team observed the school’s work and looked at a range of documentation. This included: the school’s self-evaluation and development plan; records of pupils’ attainment, progress, behaviour and attendance; and systems for protecting and safeguarding pupils.

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Inspection team

Margaret Goodchild, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Inspection team

Christopher Cheswright Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 Westfield Primary opened as an academy on 1 October 2013. It is sponsored by Samuel Ward Academy Trust.  The academy is bigger than the average-sized primary school and it has increased in size.  Children in the Nursery class attend in the mornings only and those in the Reception classes attend full time.  The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds and the proportion who speak English as an additional language are broadly average.  The proportion of disadvantaged pupils supported by pupil premium funding is broadly average. This funding is for pupils looked after by the local authority and those known to be eligible for free school meals.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs is a little above average.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 6.

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Information about this school

 There have been a number of staff changes since Westfield became an academy, including the appointment of a new head of school. A teacher in the Reception Year is a Specialist Lead Teacher for the early years, providing support across the academy trust.  The pre-school on the academy site is managed separately and so did not form part of this inspection.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Increase the proportion of pupils who make rapid progress and build on existing strengths in teaching by:  making sure that teachers’ expectations are consistently high, especially at Key Stage 1, and that the most-able pupils are challenged throughout lessons  matching tasks more closely to the needs of different abilities in subjects other than English and mathematics  making sure that teachers expect pupils to write as well in their topic books as they do in their literacy books  ensuring that teachers always communicate the highest possible demands for how pupils should behave in lessons  making the Nursery classroom more stimulating and further developing the outdoor area to promote children’s learning.

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The leadership and management are good

 The head of school and senior leaders have worked well to bring about improvement since Westfield Primary gained academy status. The academy trust has provided excellent support and challenge and there is a strong commitment amongst all leaders to making the academy as effective as possible. Leaders have established a culture in which relationships are positive, teaching can flourish and overall behaviour is good.

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The leadership and management are good

 The leadership of teaching is good and the academy has taken firm action in tackling ineffective teaching. Leaders regularly check teachers’ performance and make sure that those who need additional support receive clear guidance and training. Productive links with other schools that are managed by the academy trust are contributing to an increase in teachers’ skills, and staff morale is high.

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The leadership and management are good

 The English and mathematics leaders are dynamic and have high expectations. They conduct various checks on teaching and provide clear direction for other staff. These leaders have had good opportunities to develop their role and there has been a particular push to raise achievement in mathematics. The role of other subject leaders is developing effectively and they are becoming increasingly involved in evaluating teaching and learning in their areas.

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The leadership and management are good

 Leaders thoroughly analyse assessment information each half term to judge how well the academy is doing and to identify pupils who need extra support. This helps them to ensure pupils receive equal opportunities and to check that there is no discrimination.

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The leadership and management are good

 The curriculum promotes pupils’ academic and personal development well. The academy places strong emphasis on the teaching of literacy and numeracy skills, and provides topics that reflect pupils’ interests. A good variety of educational visits, clubs and special events stimulate pupils’ learning and help to promote their good spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Pupils have good opportunities to take part in local and national events and enjoy writing to pupils in Australia. They reflect on their experiences, learn about other faiths, cultures and moral issues.

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The leadership and management are good

 The academy promotes British values well. Attitudes such as respect and honesty are promoted through assemblies and the personal, social and health education programme. Year 6 pupils have considered ‘Britishness’ and produced posters to show what they had learned and pupils in Years 3 and 4 conducted their own ‘election’ to learn about democracy on the same day as the General Election. Pupils find out about the different cultural influences that shape the country and the academy prepares them well for life in modern Britain, including through welcoming and celebrating the cultures within its own community.

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The leadership and management are good

 The academy uses its pupil premium funding appropriately to support disadvantaged pupils, and as a result these pupils are making good progress. It has used it to provide support programmes for pupils who need additional help with their literacy and numeracy, and to boost the attainment of eligible pupils in preparation for National Curriculum tests. It also uses funding to give pupils the opportunity to take part in activities that enrich their learning, to support their families and to help pupils manage their own behaviour.

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The leadership and management are good

 The academy makes effective use of its primary physical education and sport premium to increase pupils’ physical skills and improve their health and well-being. It has used the funding to increase teachers’ skills, especially in teaching dance and gymnastics, to provide a wider range of equipment at break times and to provide specialised physical programmes for pupils. As a result, pupils are able to take part in more competitions and have a wider range of experiences open to them.

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The leadership and management are good

 The academy works well in partnership with parents in the early years and provides a considerable amount of support for the families of pupils whose circumstances make them vulnerable. It is working to deepen its partnership with other parents and is already taking action to bring this about.

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The leadership and management are good

 The academy trust provides exceptionally good support and direction and has a strong vision for the academy’s development. A number of in-depth reviews have been undertaken since the school became an academy, and these have been extremely valuable in pinpointing exactly what needed to be done to improve. The trust has a thorough knowledge of the academy’s work and having an Executive Principal who works across three of the trust’s schools helps to promote constructive links and sharing of best practice.

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The leadership and management are good

 The academy has thorough and effective systems for safeguarding pupils and its arrangements meet statutory requirements. There are very clear policies, careful checks on staff and the academy works closely with other agencies to protect pupils who could otherwise be at risk.

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The leadership and management are good

 The governance of the school:  Governance is effective. The governing body has a good understanding of the academy’s work and has benefited from extensive training to develop governors’ skills. Governors regularly visit the academy to collect information for themselves, and they have also found the reviews conducted by the academy trust useful in increasing their knowledge of what is working well and what could be improved.  The governing body holds senior leaders to account and its members have a good awareness of data, including the spending and impact of pupil premium funding. They are well informed about the quality of teaching and make sure, through teachers’ performance management, that the best teachers are rewarded and any underperformance is tackled.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good. Pupils learn and play harmoniously together and they are polite and courteous around the school, many readily holding doors open for others. Pupils have good attitudes to learning and say that they enjoy school. Children in the early years become readily absorbed in activities and pupils throughout the academy usually engage well in lessons. They are eager to contribute their ideas in lessons and are enthusiastic about the topics they study.

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Behaviour

 Pupils in Year 6 show a mature attitude to learning and are very positive about the things the academy has provided for them. They talk with pride about the work they have produced and praise the way some of the activities provided have been ‘once in a lifetime opportunities’. They say that the academy is ‘like a family’ and makes everyone feel valued.

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Behaviour

 There are very good arrangements for supporting children when they start school and pupils who are soon moving on to secondary school are very positive about how the academy has prepared them for the future.

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Behaviour

 Pupils say that most of their classmates behave well and that the academy offers a lot of support to anyone who needs help with their behaviour. The majority of parents who completed the Parent View survey believe that behaviour is managed well.

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Behaviour

 While most pupils apply themselves well to their work and clearly enjoy learning, there is some low-level disruption on occasion. This is almost invariably in the younger classes where teachers are not always quick enough to set high expectations by explaining exactly how they expect pupils to behave at different points in the lesson. When they do so, even the youngest pupils behave well, work hard and listen carefully.

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Safety

 The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good. Pupils say that they feel safe in the academy and know who to talk to if they have any concerns. Pupils learn about how to keep themselves safe, including when using computers and mobile phones. They show a good level of safety when using equipment in the playground. Most parents believe that the academy keeps their children secure and looks after them well.

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Safety

 Pupils get on well together and readily help one another. They show concern for others and care for anyone who has difficulties. Pupils know about different types of bullying, though they suggest that bullying ‘has been wiped out’. If on a rare occasion it occurs, they say that telling a teacher puts a stop to it. Records show that any occasional incidents of bullying are handled promptly.

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The quality of teaching is good

 There has been clear improvement in teaching since the academy opened, and teachers have had good opportunities to develop their skills. Pupils’ work, records of their progress and lesson observations all show that teaching is now good.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers provide pupils with interesting activities and instil enthusiasm for learning. They nearly always plan their lessons well and provide pupils with work that provides the right level of challenge. They use assessment information effectively to adapt activities and address any misconceptions pupils have.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers and teaching assistants ask questions that are effective in checking pupils’ understanding and which push them to think more deeply. Often, they target their questions well to challenge particular pupils. Teachers and teaching assistants make good use of resources to support pupils’ learning, including providing pictures to help those who are learning English as an additional language.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The teaching of pupils who need additional support is of good quality. Teaching assistants and other staff frequently provide carefully tailored help for individuals and small groups of pupils, to supplement the learning they do with the rest of the class. These sessions provide pupils with valuable support and work is pitched appropriately at the next steps in their development.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The teaching of mathematics is good. Improving teaching in this area has been a focus for the academy, with specialist training for staff in asking mathematical questions. In the younger classes, staff make good use of practical equipment to support pupils’ understanding. In the older classes, pupils’ books show that teachers give them the opportunity to explore interesting topics that draw on their mathematical knowledge. The impact of improvements in the teaching of mathematics is evident in the work of pupils in Year 2 but particularly so in improved progress for Year 6 pupils this year.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The teaching of reading is good. In a lesson taught to a group identified as needing faster progress, the teacher paid good attention to reading mathematical language. The teaching of phonics (the sounds than letters make) is generally good and where teaching assistants support less-able pupils, they have a very clear overview of their progress. In recognition of the better progress pupils have made this year in writing and mathematics, the academy is now working to make reading more appealing. It has begun to introduce a wider range of fiction and non-fiction books to increase pupils’ enjoyment of reading and to develop their comprehension skills.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The teaching of writing is good in sessions and tasks specifically aimed at literacy. There has been a clear improvement in pupils’ handwriting and presentation skills through a new approach to the teaching of these aspects of writing. Younger pupils have regular opportunities to practise their handwriting and letter formation. The academy has placed strong emphasis on improving spelling and staff challenge pupils to use imaginative vocabulary, including through the use of dictionaries and word lists. Pupils write for a wide range of different purposes and have good opportunities to redraft their work in response to teachers’ marking.

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The quality of teaching is good

 In subjects other than English and mathematics, teachers do not always plan tasks that provide the right level of challenge to enable all pupils to make as much progress as they could. Teachers also tend to have lower expectations and provide less guidance when pupils write as part of topic work than they do in literacy lessons. As a result, pupils’ writing is often not as good in their topic books as in the work they produce in literacy lessons.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching is good in the early years and in Key Stage 2, where pupils’ achievement is occasionally outstanding in lessons. Teaching overtime is also good in Key Stage 1 and leads to pupils making good progress. However, teachers’ expectations are not always as high as they could be especially in Key Stage 1. At times, teachers give the most-able pupils work that is too easy for them or do not allow them to move on quickly enough to more difficult work.

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The achievement of pupils

 Achievement is good and standards are rising across the year groups. Pupils’ books show that they produce a good amount of work and an increasing percentage of pupils are making better than expected progress in reading, writing and mathematics.

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The achievement of pupils

 A significant proportion of children join the early years with limited skills in literacy, mathematics and personal, social and emotional development. In other areas, children’s skills are broadly typical of those usually found for their age. The proportion of children who reached a good level of development at the end of the Reception Year in 2014 was a little below average. Currently, children are making good progress and their attainment is close to that normally found for their age.

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The achievement of pupils

 The academy’s results in the Year 1 screening of pupils’ knowledge of phonics were average in 2014 and a higher proportion of pupils succeeded when retaking the test than in schools nationally. At the end of Year 2, standards were broadly average in reading, writing and mathematics in 2014. Given pupils’ below average attainment on entry to Year 1, progress at Key Stage 1 was good.

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The achievement of pupils

 At the end of Year 6, standards in 2014 were average in reading, writing and mathematics, and in English grammar, punctuation and spelling. Pupils made good progress in writing and most made the expected amount of progress in reading and mathematics. The percentage of pupils who made better than expected progress was a little below that for schools nationally in reading and mathematics. However, less than a year of their time in Key Stage 2 took place after the school became an academy.

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The achievement of pupils

 Pupils currently in Year 2 have made good progress across Key Stage 1 in reading, writing and mathematics. While attainment remains broadly average, it is higher than it was at this time last year especially in mathematics. Pupils in Year 6 have made exceptionally good progress in writing and mathematics during their time in Key Stage 2 and good progress in reading. Their attainment in writing is well above average and it is broadly average in reading and mathematics, though still better than at this time last year.

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The achievement of pupils

 At the end of Year 6 in 2014, disadvantaged pupils were just over a year behind their classmates in mathematics, a year behind in writing and two terms behind in reading. They were just over a year behind other pupils nationally in mathematics, a year behind in reading, and two and a half terms behind in writing. Disadvantaged pupils made less progress than the rest of the class in reading, writing and mathematics. The academy’s current records show that the gap between disadvantaged pupils and their classmates is narrowing and these pupils are now making good progress.

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The achievement of pupils

 Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs receive good support in most lessons and when they work in small groups with teaching assistants. This enables them to make good progress, especially in writing and mathematics. Pupils of minority ethnic heritage and those who speak English as an additional language make similar progress to their classmates.

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The achievement of pupils

 Although teachers do not always challenge the most-able pupils as much as they could in individual lessons, especially at Key Stage 1, data show that their overall achievement is good. In the older classes in particular, they tackle challenging work in mathematics. For example, they investigated how the Golden Ratio found in the work of Leonardo da Vinci and the building of the pyramids, is also evident in nature and in the human body. They have produced some imaginative written work and use words with care. In studying the First World War, a Year 6 pupil wrote: ‘In mud as deep as my thoughts, waiting… will I ever come back? We’re going over the top… guns firing, friends falling, bombs dropping, minds blowing, all that’s left is me. I hear the end calling with its dark voice. A gun fires. Is this the end?’

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The early years provision

 The early years is led and managed well. Staff have a shared commitment to raising children’s achievement and to making the provision as good as possible.

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The early years provision

 Teachers collect an excellent range of information about what children can already do when they visit them at home, and liaise with pre-schools before the children join the academy. Communication with parents is good, so that they are kept well informed about their children’s learning, and teachers have thorough systems for tracking progress.

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The early years provision

 Given that many children have limited skills in some areas of learning when they start in the early years, they make good progress to reach standards that do not differ significantly from the national average by the end of the Reception Year. They are well prepared for moving up to Key Stage 1.

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The early years provision

 Teaching is good in the Nursery and Reception classes, and teachers place strong emphasis on developing children’s basic skills of literacy and numeracy. Teachers structure sessions carefully and the children benefit from a good amount of attention from adults because the early years is staffed well. Teachers and teaching assistants question children in detail to check their understanding and promote their language development.

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The early years provision

 Behaviour is good and children enjoy trusting relationships with the staff so that they feel safe. They concentrate for lengthy periods of time, relate well with one another and show enthusiasm for learning.

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The early years provision

 Classrooms are often a hive of activity and there are some exciting activities, like the hospital role play in Reception. However, the Nursery classroom is not as stimulating as those for the Reception children and does not promote children’s learning as well as it could in terms of materials and displays for them to explore. The outdoor area, shared by all early years classes, is developing well, but, similarly, does not promote progress across all the different areas of learning.

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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 140044 Local authority Suffolk Inspection number 450256

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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 Academy sponsor-led Age range of pupils 3–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 382 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Ailie Wilkins Head of school Nicola Tyler Date of previous school inspection Not previously inspected as an academy Telephone number 01440 761697 Fax number 01440 710839 Email address admin@westfieldschool.co.uk guidance ‘raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted . 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.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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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.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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