Wellhouse Junior and Infant School

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Mrs C Kenworthy Wellhouse Junior and Infant School Lower Wellhouse Golcar Huddersfield West Yorkshire HD7 4ES

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Short inspection of Wellhouse Junior and Infant School

Following my visit to the school on 1 December 2015, I write on behalf of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Education, Children's Services and Skills to report the inspection findings. The visit was the first short inspection carried out since the school was judged to be good in May 2012.

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Short inspection of Wellhouse Junior and Infant School

The leadership team has maintained the good quality of education in the school since the last inspection.

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Short inspection of Wellhouse Junior and Infant School

Your vision for the federation of small primary schools, working together to serve hillside communities, has led to positive outcomes for the pupils of Wellhouse Junior and Infant School. Pupils benefit from working on projects alongside a wider peer group and with a greater range of resources than could be provided by one stand- alone small school.

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Short inspection of Wellhouse Junior and Infant School

Pupils are keen to learn and are proud of what they can achieve. They confidently talk about what they are learning to do and understand and about the individual advice teachers give them. As a result, pupils are making strong progress in reading, writing and mathematics.

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Short inspection of Wellhouse Junior and Infant School

You have continued to develop the school. Since the last inspection, a significant proportion of teachers are new to the school, some of whom are eager to take up newly created leadership posts. This means that the school is building its potential to develop future leaders both within Wellhouse, and across the federation, to achieve your ambition for all pupils to enjoy outstanding outcomes.

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Short inspection of Wellhouse Junior and Infant School

Pupils now know and work towards their targets. The teaching of reading has improved and pupils’ achievement is better. The very small number of pupils in each year group means that comparisons between the progress made by groups of pupils and national information have limited value. Your approach to knowing and tracking the progress of each pupil provides you with accurate information about pupils’ outcomes.

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Short inspection of Wellhouse Junior and Infant School

The information you collect from parents and the very small number of responses to the online questionnaire, Parent View, indicates that parents appreciate the work of the school. In particular, they value your focus on the individuality of their children and the wider support you ensure is in place when they face life’s difficulties.

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Short inspection of Wellhouse Junior and Infant School

Governance is a strength of the school. Ably led by the Chair of the Governing Body, governors are developing even more effective ways of understanding the work of the school. Governors recognise that development plans are not detailed enough. Governors’ sound oversight of financial resources has contributed to secure staffing arrangements. You deploy staff effectively to ensure that the individual needs of the pupils are met.

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Short inspection of Wellhouse Junior and Infant School

The records you maintain for the pupils who need additional support are extensive and demonstrate your commitment to effective work with other agencies. Pupils say they feel safe in school and that bullying is not a feature of the school. A recent survey of parents during anti-bullying week is very positive about the school’s approach. Your records indicate that staff are well trained, so effectively support the very small number of pupils who need help to manage their feelings and behaviour. You regularly review the school’s safeguarding work to ensure that the welfare and safety of all pupils in your care is always a priority.

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Inspection findings

 You use your detailed knowledge of each pupil’s starting point, personal circumstances and progress to make sure that each pupil gets the right help to make good progress. Teachers understand the benefits of different ways of helping pupils and confidently manage timetables so that pupils get the benefit of bespoke support without missing out on what else the school has to offer. The positive results of this careful tracking and short bursts of targeted support can be seen in pupils’ books and work.  The teaching of reading and writing is effective. Pupils read with confidence, using a range of strategies to work out unfamiliar words. Pupils’ writing is extensive and the recently introduced spelling programme is beginning to have a positive impact. It was good to witness one pupil’s pride in producing three pages of a story in one sitting and a younger pupil’s excitement as she finished her story.

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Inspection findings

 Progress in mathematics remains a strength and teachers are developing ways of getting the pupils to use their knowledge to solve a wide range of different problems.  You and other leaders have a solid approach to checking the work of teachers through regular and varied activities. You use the information that you collect to support teachers who need help to raise their game and to make sure that the most effective teachers share their practice. The impact of the feedback given to teachers to help them improve their performance can be seen in the improving quality of work in pupils’ books.  Pupils’ personal development, behaviour and welfare are well supported throughout the school. Published attendance information varies because of a very small number of parents choose to take holidays in term time. You take a firm approach to stopping this practice and help pupils and their parents to appreciate the benefits of good attendance.

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Inspection findings

 Pupils behave well in lessons and around school. Their attitudes demonstrate a keenness to learn and a respect for others. Teachers use the school’s reward system consistently and pupils are motivated by the ‘star of the week’ award. Sometimes older pupils’ enthusiasm for chasing games in the very tight playground space can unintentionally disturb the play of younger children.  Governors have a good grasp of what the school does well and what needs further development. They challenge and support you and other leaders in equal measure. A particular strength governors bring is their skill and knowledge derived from governing three separate schools in one federation. The local authority appreciates the governors’ willingness to share their knowledge of governing a federation with other small schools.  Some of the school’s development plans do not describe exactly what will be achieved by initiatives designed to bring improvement. Governors

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Inspection findings

understand that precise details of what success will look like in relation to these new actions will help the governing body judge what is working well and what is not.  The local authority provides an appropriate level of support to this good school. The early years audit conducted earlier this year has helped the new phase leader to devise a clear plan to secure further development.

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Next steps for the school

Leaders and those responsible for governance should ensure that:

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Next steps for the school

 development plans are worded so that the governing body can confidently judge the outcomes of new developments in the school’s work  pupils and staff organise playtimes in the very small playground so that some pupils’ over-enthusiasm does not disrupt others’ activities.

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Next steps for the school

I am copying this letter to the Chair of the Governing Body, the Regional Schools Commissioner and the Director of Children's Services for Kirklees Metropolitan Council. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

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Information about the inspection

During the day of the inspection I spent time with you discussing the effectiveness of the school and reviewed documents and records that supported your view. I met with members of the governing body, including the Chair of the Governing Body, the special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) and the leaders for literacy and the early years provision. I also held a telephone conversation with a representative of the local authority.

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Information about the inspection

I made brief visits to all three classes and some of the intervention groups, as well as listening to a small number of pupils read. I talked with pupils during their morning playtime. I considered the four free text comments on Parent View and your own survey of parents’ views about the school.

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Information about the inspection

A significant part of the day was spent reviewing examples of pupils’ work and assessment information over the time they had been in school.

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