William Levick Primary School

William Levick Primary School Smithy Croft, Dronfield Woodhouse, Dronfield, Derbyshire S18 8YB

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Overall effectiveness Good

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

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Overall effectiveness Good

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

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Overall effectiveness Good

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

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Overall effectiveness Good

Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Requires improvement

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This is a good school

 The headteacher, governors and staff have high expectations of all the pupils in the school. They work hard to make sure that pupils meet these high expectations, and as a result standards have improved.  Pupils’ achievement is good. Pupils make good progress in reading, writing and mathematics and are prepared well for the next stage in their education.  Reception children make good progress. The proportion reaching a good level of development has risen and is above the national average.  The small number of disadvantaged pupils and pupils who have special educational needs or disability achieve as well as other pupils within the school and better than all pupils nationally.  Pupils are taught that they should behave in an exemplary manner, and they do. They respect and look after each other and thrive within this caring school community.  Teaching is good. Teachers have good subject knowledge and carefully plan pupils’ learning.

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This is a good school

Assessment is used well by teachers to check that pupils have understood what they need to do and can make progress.  Communication with parents is good. They are encouraged, in a wide variety of ways, to come into school and share in their child’s learning.  The governing body provides good support. Governors have changed their ways of working and have recruited new members. Their challenge to the school’s leadership is effective.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Not enough pupils make more than the expected progress for their age.  Not enough teaching challenges the most able pupils.  The talents of the senior and subject leaders have not been fully developed. They are not as effective at planning strategically as they could be.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of leadership and management further by making sure that senior and subject leaders have the high-quality training, development and mentoring they require in order that they can carry out their strategic roles effectively.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Continue to improve the quality of teaching and learning and ensure that more pupils make faster progress than that expected of their age by: – ensuring that the most able pupils are appropriately challenged and are learning at the high levels of which they are capable – making sure that all pupils tackle work that has the right amount of difficulty for them.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

 The leadership of the headteacher has made a significant difference. His high expectations, enthusiasm and commitment have accelerated the rate of improvement of the school. Staff, parents and pupils are enthusiastic about his leadership because they can see it is making a difference. Pupils told inspectors that the school was now, ‘more colourful, organised and fair – a good place to be!’  The quality of teaching and subject leadership has improved. The headteacher has put in place an effective system to monitor teachers’ performance. This system is well understood. As a result, teachers and other leaders within the school have a better understanding of their roles and what is expected of them.  Senior leaders and governors have made sure that every opportunity is taken to provide professional development opportunities for teachers. The partnership working with other Dronfield primary schools has

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

been a particularly effective way of providing useful networks where teachers can improve the accuracy of their assessment and share good practice. These training opportunities have been instrumental in bringing about improvement in the classroom.  Pupils exhibit an enthusiasm for learning and a thirst to learn more because leaders have made sure that the curriculum is broad, balanced and responsive to their needs and interests. There is a vast range of opportunities for extended learning in after-school clubs and trips outside of school. Pupils are consulted regularly about the kinds of activities and clubs they want. Every effort is made to make sure that all pupils have the opportunity to get involved.  The headteacher ensures that the curriculum develops pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural understanding and experience. Pupils celebrate a range of cultural festivals and learn about the different

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

faiths practised within the United Kingdom and across the world. This helps them to widen their experience of other cultures and helps them to understand and respect the beliefs of others.  Parents said that they valued highly the changes that have been implemented by the headteacher. All of the 67 parents who completed Parent View, Ofsted’s online questionnaire, said that they would recommend the school to other parents. One parent told inspectors that the school was, ‘a well-run school that is inclusive and caters for the needs for all pupils’. Another commented that the school was, ‘simply brilliant, thoroughly enjoyed by my daughter who is thriving educationally’.  The use of the primary sports funding is effective. Pupils enjoy a range of physical activities and take part in many different inter-school competitions and tournaments.  The pupil premium is used well to make a difference for disadvantaged pupils. They make the same

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

progress as others within the school and are helped and encouraged to take part in all that the school has to offer.  The leadership of pupils who have special educational needs or disability is good. Regular assessment informs precise intervention which leads to these pupils making good progress.  The headteacher has implemented a rigorous process of quality assurance to make sure that the quality of teaching and learning is effective. Teaching in all classes is regularly assessed. Pupils’ work is scrutinised very regularly. However, not enough of this work is carried out by senior and subject leaders.  Subject and senior leaders within the school are talented and enthusiastic. They have not yet had the training, development and mentoring that would enable them to carry out their roles more strategically.  Leaders’ self-assessment is accurate, and development planning is in place. Some elements of this

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

strategic planning are not precise enough. More clarity is required about the impact of actions taken.  The governance of the school – Governance is good. The way that governance operates has improved. New members with suitable skills have been recruited. The school’s leaders are effectively held to account and supported. – Governors keep a check on the progress that pupils make within the school, including disadvantaged pupils and those pupils who have special educational needs or disability. Governors make sure that any external funding is spent wisely. – Governors are keen for leaders and teachers to be ‘outward-facing’ and involved in a range of external improvement partnerships. To encourage this, governors are involved in a local governor network. The vice-chair of governors, in particular, is keen that the school benefits as much as possible from this collaborative working. All governors are well trained and working hard to ensure that they are kept up

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

to date. They take seriously the importance of their role, and consequently their support to leaders is of high quality.  The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. The headteacher has put in place efficient systems that are well understood by staff, children and parents. Records are kept conscientiously. Pupils told inspectors that they felt safe and that there were ‘lots of people’ they could speak with if they felt upset or unhappy. Impressively, pupils spoke at length about the importance they place on looking after each other and showing each other care. Leaders, governors and teachers have established a school culture where safeguarding is everyone’s business. Staff are well trained and regularly updated with the latest guidance. Leaders make this training available to governors and to parents in order that the whole community of the school benefits, and consequently teachers, parents and pupils are all well informed.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

The headteacher is clear that, ‘we need to keep awareness strong’.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

 Teachers have good subject knowledge and use this to good effect. Teachers’ use of technical vocabulary is good. Because of this, pupils’ use of technical terms to describe or improve their work is commonplace. During the inspection, Year 2 pupils were discussing extended noun phrases and then using these with confidence in their work.  Teachers mark conscientiously. Pupils receive effective and regular feedback about the quality of work they have produced.  Regular assessment informs teachers’ planning, leading to the provision of a variety of different activities that challenge pupils and help them to learn well through applying their knowledge.  Pupils have good attitudes to learning. During the inspection they worked constructively in groups and in pairs. In many classes, there is a positive hum of learning.  Teaching assistants are effective. Communication between teachers and teaching assistants is good and

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

this means that there is a shared understanding of roles and responsibilities within the class. Teaching assistants support pupils’ assessments and make a positive contribution to the progress that pupils make.  Teachers take part in professional development opportunities with the Dronfield cluster of schools. Assessment has been a key focus of this collaborative working and has included the moderation of work across schools. The accuracy of teachers’ assessments of pupils’ work has improved as a result.  In 2015, boys did not achieve as well as girls within early years, key stage 1 and key stage 2. The curriculum has been adapted in order to address this issue and to ‘excite and engage’ boys. For example, topics such as ‘bears’ within the early years, and ‘pirates’ within key stage 1, have been used successfully to help ensure that boys are enthused to write. The gap between the performance of boys and girls in

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

writing, reading and mathematics has narrowed in all classes.  Phonics (letters and the sounds that they make) is taught effectively. Pupils are confident readers because they are able to use phonics strategies to help them read and spell unfamiliar words.  Many pupils within the school are capable of making more than the expected progress for their age. The learning that is planned for some pupils is insufficiently challenging. Pupils told inspectors that they liked it when they were ‘pushed to the limit’. The occasions when pupils are waiting for others to catch up or when the work set is too easy are limiting the progress that some pupils could otherwise make.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.  Leaders and teachers within this small school know pupils and parents well, and a great deal of time and attention is taken so that pupils can feel safe and confident when they are learning.  Pupils take extremely seriously the care they have for each other. The ‘buddying system’ is used effectively to give older pupils the responsibility of taking care of younger pupils. It is also successful in providing younger children with positive role models within the school.  Pupils are taught about risk, including when they are using their computers. They have been taught a variety of skills to help them keep safe. They remember the learning and apply it.  The pupils’ attendance matches the national average. There is no significant difference between the attendance of different pupil groups. The number of pupils who are persistently absent has reduced

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Personal development and welfare

dramatically, each class proudly displaying their attendance figures on their classroom door. Leaders and teachers positively promote pupils’ good attendance. Increasingly, more pupils want to come to school regularly.  Pupils are actively involved in their school and their views are taken seriously. The pupil council makes decisions about their school. Their views are acted upon. Pupils said that it made a difference that they were listened to.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good.  There are many procedures in place to make sure that pupils’ behaviour is good. These procedures are working. Pupils behave in an exemplary fashion in the way they show care for their school and for each other.  Pupils are polite. They open doors for each other, dispose of their litter appropriately, and conduct themselves properly. They understand routines in class and around the school and play harmoniously together.  At lunchtime, pupils queue in an orderly manner, choose their food and eat with enjoyment. Great care is taken by the lunchtime supervisors to ensure that pupils have sufficient food to fuel them through the afternoon.  Instances of bullying are rare. Pupils said that any ‘falling out between friends’ was dealt with effectively by their teachers.  Teachers have high expectations of the pupils. Pupils take pride in their work, they know what their

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Behaviour

teachers expect and respond appropriately. Consequently, pupils’ work in their books is well cared for.  Exclusions are rare.  The behaviour of pupils is not so good in those classes where the teachers’ planning has not ensured that the work is challenging enough. Pupils who are waiting for others to catch up or who get through their work quickly begin to misbehave.

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Outcomes for pupils are good

 Pupils’ achievement is good. In 2015, the attainment of pupils was above the national average. All pupils made expected progress. Current school data suggests that this improvement is set to continue.  The small number of disadvantaged pupils make the same progress as other pupils within the school, and achieve above the national average.  Pupils who have special educational needs or disability receive effective support. As a result, they are making progress that is similar to their peers and better than the national average.  Current data suggests that leaders are successfully addressing the achievement gap between boys and girls. Boys are catching up and girls are still doing well.  Pupils are confident speakers. They develop good reading skills and are increasingly proficient writers. Skilled additional support for boys is ensuring their improvement in reading and writing.  Pupils are performing well in mathematics due to good assessment and suitably varied and challenging

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Outcomes for pupils are good

activities. In Year 4, for example, pupils carried out a variety of different activities showing that they could convert a measure of length, and extend and apply this knowledge in a ‘super challenge’.  Pupils are well prepared for the next stage in their education. Pupils in Year 6 move to their secondary school with the skills they need. A larger proportion of pupils should leave school at levels above those expected for their age.  The most able pupils do not make good enough progress. Current school data indicates an improvement, but pupils are still not making the progress that they could.

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Early years provision is good

 The early years leader has addressed the underperformance of previous years, and ensures that more children make a good level of development. This trend appears set to continue.  Children thrive within a well organised environment. Staff are clear and effective in their assessments of the progress children are making. Learning activities are skilfully planned in response to these assessments and the interests of the children. Children respond well to this bespoke approach and make progress as a result.  Teaching assistants are particularly effective in ensuring that children make good progress. They use questioning skilfully to extend children’s language, and check for understanding.  The teaching of phonics is good. Children develop good phonetical awareness because staff make every effort to ensure that they have the phonics strategies they need to read with confidence.  Extensive transition activities take place so that children entering Year 1 are able to settle well and make

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Early years provision is good

accelerated progress. These activities are effective, leading to rapid progress later in Year 1.  There are currently no disadvantaged children within this provision.  The importance placed on safeguarding within the school is replicated within the early years. For example, pupils are encouraged to talk and then write about who they would go to if they were worried.  Boys’ underperformance in writing is being addressed. There are signs of improvement. More boys want to write and are becoming successful at doing so. This is still an area to continue to improve.  Staff make the best possible use of the outdoors provision, but some of the current facilities are shabby.

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School details

Unique reference number 112541 Local authority Derbyshire Inspection number 431195

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School details

This inspection 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 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 169 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Richard Newton Headteacher Matthew Winson Telephone number 0114 2890670 Website williamlevick.derbyshire.sch.uk Email address info@williamlevick.derbyshire.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 5–6 February 2014

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Information about this school

 This is a smaller-than-average-sized primary school.  The headteacher joined the school in September 2015.  Most pupils are of White British heritage and speak English as their first language.  The proportion of pupils who are disadvantaged and, therefore, supported through pupil premium funding is well below average.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 6.  The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspectors observed teaching and learning in all classes and in all phases of the school. The headteacher accompanied the lead inspector during visits to two classes.  The inspectors held meetings with the headteacher, senior and subject leaders, the vice-chair of governors and members of the governing body. The inspectors spoke with members of the teaching staff, teaching assistants and lunchtime supervisors.  The inspectors held meetings with two groups of pupils. They also spoke with pupils while they were learning in class, and when they were enjoying social time in the playground and at lunchtime.  The inspectors reviewed a range of school documentation, including the school development plan, the school’s self-evaluation, the school’s policies and further documentation relating to safeguarding, attendance and behaviour.  Information about pupils’ progress within each class and all phases was looked at and discussed in detail

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Information about this inspection

with the headteacher and other leaders within the school.  The inspectors took into account the 67 responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View, and spoke with parents at the beginning of the school day.

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Inspection team

Jayne Ashman, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Heather Hawkes Ofsted Inspector guidance ‘Raising concerns and making a complaint about Ofsted’, which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.gov.uk/government/publications/complaints-about-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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Inspection team

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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Inspection team

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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Inspection team

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, further education and skills, 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. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team,

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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