Setting

Miss Janette Wilkinson Headteacher Weaverthorpe Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School Back Lane Weaverthorpe Malton North Yorkshire YO17 8ES

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Primary School

Following my visit to the school on 26 April 2016 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 November 2010.

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Primary School

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

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Primary School

Since September 2013, the new headteacher has made improvements and raised standards following a two-year period of instability when the school did not have a substantive headteacher.

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Primary School

The headteacher took effective action to tackle a weakness in teaching and has set a good climate for learning across the school. High expectations result in good behaviour in classrooms and around the school. Good teamwork between staff and effective communication with parents provide a strong context for pupils’ learning and for their welfare and personal development. Parents say pupils of different abilities are pushed to make good progress. The leader of the early years has created a stimulating learning environment in which children make good progress. The leader of key stage 2, English and science ensures that the curriculum is practical and interesting and meets the needs of different ages and abilities. The recently introduced assessment system is not yet sufficiently secure or reliable. Following the last inspection, the school was asked to enliven the curriculum at key stage 2. This improvement has been made. Whole-school topics creatively link

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Primary School

subjects together, for example using ‘inventive invaders’. Pupils ask questions at the Ofsted

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Primary School

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T 0300 123 4234 www.gov.uk/ofsted beginning of topics and make suggestions about how to explore them. They regularly go on trips to gain wider experience and information. Pupils find out things for themselves through research on computers and iPads. They enjoy the practical experiments in science. Pupils take part in a wide range of sports activities, including jujitsu.

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Primary School

The school was also asked to strengthen the support provided by the governing body. The reconstituted governing body is well informed and has gained first-hand knowledge of teaching and learning through regular visits. Termly updates keep them well informed of pupils’ attainment and progress. Governors have a strong focus on the need to ensure that each pupil maximises their progress and achievement. Not all required information is on the website. Leaders have identified the website as an area for improvement and are making the necessary changes.

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Primary School

Pupils enjoy school and are keen to learn. They communicate and cooperate well with each other. Pupils of different ages work together with mutual care and respect. Pupils settle to work quickly, generally concentrate well and work hard. Pupils respond well to questions and actively contribute to class discussion.

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Primary School

Pupils say they feel safe. The headteacher and staff are approachable and accessible and they inspire the confidence of parents in securing the welfare of their children. Parents I spoke to praised the quality of communication with the school. Staff know individual pupils well and are alert to any emerging difficulties. Concerns about pupils are identified and followed up carefully. Records are kept appropriately. Leaders liaise effectively with parents and external agencies and appropriate referrals are made. Effective action is taken to investigate issues and to support children and families. The positive culture of safeguarding was endorsed by the pupils and staff who responded to the Ofsted online questionnaires.

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Inspection findings

 The headteacher’s clear expectations of staff and pupils result in a consistently good standard of teaching, learning and behaviour. Working relationships are positive and productive. Her two leaders work effectively in tandem with her. The early years leader has recently taken on a role to support improvement in other local authority schools.  As a result of well-planned provision and effective leadership, outcomes at the end of the early years have improved and were above average in 2014 and 2015. The outcomes for 2016 are also expected to be above average. Children are assessed accurately and they make at least typical progress from their starting points. In class, children were developing their fine motor skills with good concentration when building their own small skeleton with sticks and marshmallows. Adults carefully extend children’s speech and language through purposeful activities and thoughtful questioning.

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Inspection findings

 The proportion of Year 1 pupils reaching the required standard in letters and sounds (phonics) rose to broadly average in 2014 and 2015 and is likely to be similar in 2016. Children were enjoying the phonics activities and were able to methodically sound and blend letters and understand the meaning of words.  At key stage 1, pupils learn effectively through well-planned tasks. The teacher’s strong relationship with the pupils and her imaginative routines inspire their interest and enthusiasm. Effective questioning deepens their understanding of mathematics. Teachers use their good knowledge of each individual child to build on previous learning and set tasks that are well matched to different ages and abilities. Outcomes for the few pupils at the end of key stage 1 have been variable over time. In 2015, outcomes rose to above average.  At the end of key stage 2, pupils’ progress has been broadly in line with

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Inspection findings

national expectations. However, the relevance of national comparisons is weak because of the small number of pupils in Year 6, particularly in 2015. In 2016, the majority of pupils are predicted to meet the new national expected standard at the end of key stage 2.  The new assessment system shows that the great majority of current pupils are making or exceeding expected rates of progress. Teachers regularly check the accuracy of assessment with other schools. Leaders evaluate weakness accurately and take effective action. Weaknesses in spelling and grammar, identified in the autumn, led to improvements in the spring. Year 3 pupils in the key stage 2 class were making less progress and leaders are providing additional support. Progress in mathematics was not as strong in the autumn. This is partly because leaders are not sure how to match the range of classwork with the external assessment criteria for each term.

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Inspection findings

 Observed teaching in key stage 2 was well planned for different ability groups. Classroom questioning and dialogue was effective. Pupils enjoyed the different activities, well supported by the teaching assistant. The work in pupils’ books is well presented and marked constructively. Pupils develop their writing well in their literacy and topic work.

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Next steps for the school

Leaders and those responsible for governance should:

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Next steps for the school

 improve the reliability and accuracy of the new assessment system.

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Next steps for the school

I am copying this letter to the chair of the governing body, the director of education for the diocese of York and the director of children’s services for North Yorkshire. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

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Information about the inspection

During the inspection, I met with you, other leaders, a group of pupils and three members of the governing body. I spoke with several parents and with a representative of the local authority by telephone. I spoke to pupils during lessons and scrutinised the quality of work in English, mathematics and topic work.

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Information about the inspection

I observed teaching in all classes and we discussed our joint observations of teaching, learning and pupils’ work.

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Information about the inspection

A range of documents were examined, including records relating to the curriculum, assessment and safeguarding. I took account of six responses from staff and six responses from pupils to the Ofsted online questionnaires. There were too few online responses from parents to consider.

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