Warwick Academy

Warwick Primary School Dudley Avenue, Wellingborough, Northamptonshire NN8 2PS

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Early years provision Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Requires improvement

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This is a school that requires improvement

 The pace of improvement since the last inspection has, until recently, been too slow. As a result, teaching, learning and assessment across the school are not consistently good.  In 2015, the proportion of pupils attaining expected levels in reading, writing and mathematics was significantly below average at key stage 2.  Progress overall is still not good, though it is improving.  The school’s information on the progress pupils make does not give an accurate enough picture of how pupils are doing.  Some teachers’ expectations of what pupils can achieve are too low.  The school’s curriculum does not engage pupils sufficiently.  Teachers do not consistently use what they know about pupils to set work at the right level. Planned activities are sometimes insufficiently demanding and do not challenge pupils in their learning. Other tasks are too difficult for lower-ability pupils to understand.  The use of targets to encourage and engage

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This is a school that requires improvement

pupils in their learning is not consistently applied across the school.  The school’s new behaviour system is not consistently used, and learning is occasionally disrupted.  The school’s communication methods, including the school’s website, do not allow parents to be fully engaged in their children’s learning.  In early years, the learning resources do not sufficiently support children’s interests, especially the boys.

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The school has the following strengths

 Recent changes have improved the quality of teaching and behaviour in a short period of time. New leaders have an accurate picture of the school’s strengths and weaknesses and action plans are in place to improve the school further.  The school’s marking policy is used effectively to help pupils improve their work.  Gaps in achievement between boys and girls have reduced.  Pupils who have special educational needs or disability are well supported and make good progress.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve leadership and management by: implementing an assessment system to track and monitor pupil progress accurately and reflect how well pupils are doing further developing and embedding the new behaviour protocols to ensure that all staff are consistent in their approach carrying out a review of the curriculum to evaluate its impact and identify more opportunities for engagement and motivation improving communication with parents to help them better understand the work of the school and to enable them to contribute more to their children’s learning ensuring that the school’s website meets the requirements for the publication of information.  Improve pupil achievement by: making sure that pupils who are not working at expected levels are better supported to ensure they make accelerated progress and catch up quickly ensuring that teachers use assessment information effectively to plan learning that meets the needs

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

of pupils raising teachers’ expectations of what pupils can achieve providing pupils with a clear understanding of what they are aiming for.  Improve the early years provision by: further developing the learning environment and resource provision to promote learning, especially for boys.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

 Leaders and governors have not secured sufficient improvement since the last inspection. As a consequence, the progress pupils make is not yet good, especially in key stage 2.  Leaders have reviewed the school’s systems which check pupils’ progress. New systems have yet to be implemented to ensure that all staff provide accurate performance information for leaders to use to maintain an overview of pupil achievement.  Teachers are now more confident in their own subject knowledge and in the skills required to teach mathematics. However, there is more to do to ensure that improvement is consistent across the school.  The curriculum provides a wide variety of subjects but the emphasis is on literacy and mathematics. The curriculum requires a review to ensure that it is demanding, well defined and meets the needs of all pupils. The school monitors effectively the small number of pupils who attend alternative learning

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

provision. The school maintains good communication to ensure that the work pupils do is appropriate to their needs.  The performance management of teachers is in place but leaders are not yet holding teachers to account for any lack of progress their pupils make. Actions are not always focused enough to move teachers forward at an individual level.  During this academic year, the academy trust has strengthened the leadership of the school. Several new leaders are now in place and there is a strong commitment to improving the work of the school.  New senior leaders are accurate in their checks on the school’s work and action plans are focused on moving the school forward.  Middle leaders are able to explain what needs to be done to improve their areas of responsibility and are taking effective action to make this happen. The clear action plans and regular reviews ensure accountability. Middle leaders are actively involved in their own development and in checking the work of

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

others. However, it is too soon to see the impact of some of the actions they have taken.  Monitoring of teaching is rigorous. The academy trust works closely with the leadership team. Leaders have a clear understanding of what constitutes effective teaching and they monitor and evaluate teaching effectively. Leaders are well informed about teaching practices through close and regular checks on teachers’ planning and the work in pupils’ books. However, this recent monitoring activity has yet to bring about good progress.  Leaders ensure that teachers and teaching assistants receive training and support to improve the work they do. Staff receive high-quality feedback and guidance on how to improve. Teachers are appreciative of the guidance and training they receive and have responded well to the issues identified.  Newly qualified teachers say that they are well supported by leaders and that they receive good training

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

from the school and other external providers.  Leaders have ensured that feedback provided to pupils to help them improve their work has been improved since the last inspection. The school’s marking policy is used consistently in all classes and pupils are responding well to the guidance provided.  Senior leaders identify pupils, according to their needs, to provide targeted support using the pupil premium funding. As a result, the needs of disadvantaged pupils are met more effectively than in the past and their progress is improving. Leaders track the impact of their interventions to make certain that the most effective approaches are given priority.  The development of pupils’ social, moral, spiritual and cultural development is integral to the curriculum. Pupils learn about other countries, support charities and consider the impact of environmental issues. They have the chance to visit cultural centres and religious establishments to increase their spiritual and

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

cultural understanding. In an assembly, the pupils were highly motivated when discussing their feelings about social change.  British values are reinforced through the curriculum and explored in a range of ways, such as the democratic election of the school council and a celebration of the Queen’s birthday. Pupils are adequately prepared for life in modern Britain.  Pupils benefit from a wide range of extra-curricular opportunities, such as a garden club, music clubs and a variety of sporting activities. These activities are well attended.  Leaders ensure that the sport premium funding is used effectively. There is a clear action plan, which focuses on the development of teachers’ skills and knowledge, to sustain the impact of the funding. Positive outcomes include increased participation in competitive sports and a greater awareness of healthy lifestyles among pupils.  Leadership of special educational needs and disability is good. Clear identification systems and robust

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

tracking have a direct impact on individual support. Links with other providers ensure that pupils are fully integrated into the school. However, policies need reviewing to ensure that they are fully compliant with current guidelines.  Parents who spoke to inspectors or completed the online survey, Parent View, raised communication from the school as a concern.  The governance of the school The academy trust and governors did not challenge leaders robustly or quickly enough for the first year after the school’s last inspection. The governing body carried out a review of their own performance at the beginning of this academic year and many governors have since left. The remaining governors are committed to improving the school, especially in the area of pupil achievement. Arrangements to strengthen the governing body are being addressed by the academy trust. Academy trust and governors’ minutes have become detailed more recently, and reflect a sharper

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

focus on the need for meaningful and accurate information which directly links to pupil progress, teaching and learning.  The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Checks to ensure the suitability of staff have been carried out correctly. Staff are effectively trained so that they understand the correct procedures to follow and know who to speak to should they have a concern for the safety and well-being of pupils. However, the lack of robust systems and logs for recording referrals to external agencies prevents leaders being more pre-emptive in identifying trends and emerging patterns.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

 Over time, the quality of teaching has not been good enough. Consequently, too many pupils are working below the expected standards for their age.  Teaching is improving, but is not yet consistently good. Numerous changes of staff have hampered progress and presented leaders with the challenge of training new teachers. As a consequence, progress varies between classes and year groups.  Some teachers have yet to raise their expectations of what pupils can achieve. Teachers do not use assessment of pupils consistently to set work which is well matched to pupils’ needs. Often work is insufficiently demanding. For example, pupils are sometimes asked to complete work they already understand. At other times pupils wait too long for further, more demanding, work to be assigned. Sometimes the work set is too hard for pupils to understand and they find it difficult to make progress.  In some lessons, pupils are successful in taking responsibility for their own learning. For example, in a

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

Year 3 lesson pupils displayed high levels of communication and self-discipline as they analysed a piece of work on tides.  Where teachers use accurate pupil assessment to plan resources they ensure that pupils move forward at a rapid pace. For example, in a Year 2 class pupils used a selection of teaching materials to learn about division in a variety of different ways. All the pupils in the group were clearly stimulated and challenged, and their understanding deepened as a result.  Some teaching, through the use of skilled questioning to challenge pupils, makes them think harder and deepens their understanding. For instance, pupils were able to justify their answers when discussing different styles of newspaper, showing that they were thinking more deeply about their responses.  Where teachers are confident in the subject they are teaching, they motivate and engage pupils successfully. Some teachers’ subject knowledge is less well developed, and pupils make more limited

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

progress because of a lack of clarity in teaching.  The school’s approach to teaching mathematics has been changed. Pupils now experience opportunities to explain their thinking and justify solutions to problems. This provides teachers with valuable information on how well pupils understand the mathematical concepts they are being taught.  The quality of handwriting, spelling and grammar has improved since the last inspection. Pupils’ books show clear progress in the formation of letters. In a Year 2 lesson, inspectors observed a successful transition to joined-up writing and sophisticated use of punctuation. Spelling corrections are regular features in pupils’ work.  The effective teaching of phonics has led to good progress over time. Pupils who read to the inspectors were at age-related expectations. Pupils say that they enjoy reading and that they read frequently.  Teaching assistants usually support learning well and provide pupils with ways to help them learn more

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

independently. This is not, however, consistent across the school and, on some occasions, teaching assistants are not using appropriate resources to engage the pupils and help them take ownership of their work.  Pupils benefit from homework which is relevant and appropriate.  Although the quality of teaching is not yet consistently good, pupils’ books show that quality has improved over time and pupils across the school are now making progress. Many are making good progress.  Pupils who have special educational needs or disability are well supported. Pupils are integrated into the full learning provision and they are tracked effectively. However, teacher planning needs further development to fully include this group of pupils.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare requires improvement. The school’s administrative systems around pupils’ welfare and teachers’ use of them are inconsistent. This makes it difficult for teachers and leaders to accurately monitor issues that arise. A small proportion of pupils say that there are occasions when they believe they are less safe.  Pupils understand how to keep themselves safe and have a good understanding of e-safety, anti-bullying and road safety. They know how to keep healthy and are taught about the positive effects of different foods and exercise. However, pupils told inspectors that sometimes derogatory language is used by pupils in the school.  Positive relationships between adults and pupils create a supportive learning environment. Pupils work cooperatively together, share resources sensibly and provide feedback on each other’s work in a mature

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Personal development and welfare

and considered manner.  Pupils are safe and well cared for by the school. Most parents reinforce this and say that the school places a high priority on their children’s safety and welfare. The school responds swiftly to any concerns regarding the safety and well-being of pupils.  Lunchtime activities provide pupils with a variety of opportunities to participate in active learning. However, the school misses opportunities to further support social and moral learning because of a lack of adult-led activities.  Pupils are given some opportunities to experience leadership roles and positions of responsibility, which they value. For example, school council members are elected and eco-volunteers take responsibility for tidying up their environment.  A breakfast club is well attended and pupils benefit from this. Independence skills are developed during these sessions and pupils are well prepared for the day ahead.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils requires improvement.  The school’s system for managing behaviour has recently changed and is not being implemented consistently by staff. Logs to record behaviour incidents are not systematic and cannot be used to bring about further improvements.  Incident logs show that bullying and racist incidents are rare. However, records are hard to access and do not identify trends easily. Parents and pupils say that there are some instances of bullying but they are confident that staff will deal effectively with any such occurrences.  Attendance has declined to below average. The school has clearly identified the reason for the decline and leaders are beginning to take appropriate action to address it.  Pupils’ conduct in lessons is positive. They work collaboratively in their learning. Sometimes, pupils become distracted or frustrated because work is not set at the right level or set quickly enough.

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Behaviour

 Records, since their introduction, do show reductions in behavioural incidents compared to the same period last year. Pupils told inspectors that behaviour has improved. Pupils are polite, friendly and courteous, take pride in their work and present it neatly. There is a calm atmosphere around the school and most pupils respond quickly to staff requests.  Pupils are cooperative and play well together, with little direction from duty staff, at playtimes.  The number of exclusions continues to be low.

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Outcomes for pupils require improvement

 Outcomes for pupils require improvement because their progress is not consistently good. Some areas of underachievement remain, particularly at key stage 2.  Leaders are working hard to reverse the effects on standards that have resulted from poor teaching in the past, especially at key stage 2. They are currently taking the necessary actions to secure more effective teaching. These actions are yet to have a full impact on pupil progress and the proportion of pupils working at age-related expectations.  The percentage of children in the early years who achieve a good level of development is improving. The school’s information indicates that for current Reception children attainment will be broadly average this year.  In 2014 and 2015, attainment in key stage 1 was average. Current information indicates that this level of attainment will continue in reading and writing, but attainment in mathematics will decline for current

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Outcomes for pupils require improvement

Year 2 pupils. Early information shows that more Year 1 pupils are working towards age-related expectations in reading, writing and mathematics.  Phonics teaching is strong. Attainment in the phonics screening check has been above the national average for the past two years. This trend is set to continue for the current Year 1 pupils.  Standards at the end of key stage 2 have been below average since the academy opened two years ago. This reflects the weak teaching pupils have experienced in the past. Although some pupils are making accelerated progress to catch up to where they should be, this is not consistent for all pupils.  Current pupils in key stage 2 are making more rapid progress than in recent years. However, the gains made are still variable across different year groups and different subjects. For example, current Year 4 pupils are making good progress in reading, writing and mathematics, whereas Year 6 pupils have not

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Outcomes for pupils require improvement

made sufficient progress to catch up to where they should be. This is confirmed in the quality of work evidenced in pupils’ books, where most pupils are working within age-related expectations and some are working above. This is less notable in Year 6.  Current information indicates that the most able pupils are making better progress than they have previously made, especially in reading and writing.  As a result of a review of the use of pupil premium funding, disadvantaged pupils are now better placed to make similar progress to others in the school, and gaps in attainment are closing compared with other pupils nationally.  In the early years disadvantaged children are making the same progress as others in the school, and in some areas of learning they exceed their peers.  Disadvantaged pupils at key stage 1 make similar progress to others in the school and this trend looks set to continue.  At key stage 2 in 2015 gaps in attainment between disadvantaged pupils in the school and other pupils

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Outcomes for pupils require improvement

nationally in reading were closing. For current pupils, gaps in attainment compared with others in the school are closing in reading and writing but remain variable in mathematics across different years. A review of work in pupils’ books, carried out by inspectors, shows that the rate of progress for disadvantaged pupils is increasing as the quality of teaching improves.  The school’s own performance information shows that the historical gap in achievement between boys and girls is now closing for current pupils in the school.  Pupils who have special educational needs or disability make good progress. This is because of the effective support they receive.  Parents who spoke with inspectors agree that their children’s progress has speeded up this year.

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Early years provision requires improvement

 Children enter the school with abilities that are a little below those typical for their age. Leaders’ assessment of children in the early years is accurate.  In 2014 and 2015, the number of children leaving Reception with a good level of development has been below average. Predictions indicate that attainment is likely to be closer to average this year as a result of the improvements made.  The lack of robust tracking of performance information makes it difficult to determine overall progress and to identify any discrepancies in the achievement of different groups. New assessment procedures are being introduced but are in their initial stages and their impact is not yet evident.  The curriculum takes account of children’s views and is structured around what they want to learn. As a consequence, many children are engaged in their learning for sustained periods of time. For example, a group of boys remained focused and interested in the construction of a tower. However, communication

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Early years provision requires improvement

and language development are not as well developed. Opportunities are often missed to extend children’s learning. As a result, some children do not make the progress they should.  The learning environment is well organised, bright and stimulating. Clearly designated areas encourage children to be independent. Children have easy access to a weatherproofed outdoor learning area. However, resources in the indoor and outdoor learning areas, especially to promote boys’ engagement, are not well established.  The children generally have positive attitudes to learning and take advantage of the variety of activities on offer. They cooperate and collaborate in their work and play. Clear routines promote good behaviour. However, when difficult concepts are not explained well, children become off-task in their behaviour. For example, during a discussion on creation children were off-task and unmotivated because the content of

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Early years provision requires improvement

the discussion was beyond their conceptual understanding and was poorly explained.  The structured groups are organised effectively to enable work to be matched to different abilities, particularly for less able children and for children who have special educational needs or disability. In these lessons, and where teachers and teaching assistants have a clear progression plan to follow, teaching is effective and children make good progress.  Some learning is less well structured. In some lessons work is too hard for the children to access, and difficult concepts are not explained well. As a consequence, children do not make the progress they should.  Pupil premium funding is spent appropriately in the early years. Disadvantaged children continue to perform as well as their peers in most areas, and outperform them in some instances.  Teachers model phonics learning effectively, which prepares children well for the transition to key stage

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Early years provision requires improvement

1. However, some children do not achieve as well as they should and start key stage 1 without the knowledge and skills they need.  The new leadership has reviewed the early years and has a good understanding of the areas in need of development.  The school is working towards further engaging parents in contributing to their children’s learning.  Statutory requirements in the early years are met and safeguarding is effective.

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School details

Unique reference number 138887 Local authority Northamptonshire Inspection number 10011765

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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 Academy sponsor-led Age range of pupils 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 364 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Irene Harris Principal Sarah Sears and Roger Grant (interim principals) Telephone number 01933 446 900 Website warwickprimary.net Email address principal@warwickprimary.net Date of previous inspection 24 June 2014

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Information about this school

 Warwick Primary is larger than the average-sized primary school. There are two classes in each year from Reception to Year 6.  The school is an academy, sponsored by the Education Fellowship Trust. New leadership has been in post since March 2016.  A large majority of pupils are White British. The school has a higher proportion of boys than most schools.  The proportion of disadvantaged pupils, supported by the pupil premium, is well above the national average. The pupil premium is additional government funding for pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and children looked after.  The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs or disability is well above average.  In 2015 the school did not meet the government’s floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 6.  The school does not meet the requirements on the publication of information about admission

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Information about this school

arrangements, curriculum content or the current spending of pupil premium and sports funding on its website.  A very small number of Year 6 pupils attend the Real project, which is an off-site alternative provision run by the local authority.  The school has its own breakfast club.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed pupils’ learning in 20 lessons, of which six were observed together with senior leaders and trust personnel.  Discussions took place with school staff, the governing body, and the chief executive and other representatives of the academy trust which sponsors the school.  The inspectors met with three groups of pupils, talked to pupils informally, attended an assembly and listened to pupils read.  The two questionnaires completed by staff and the seven responses submitted by parents to Ofsted’s online questionnaire (Parent View) were taken into account. Inspectors spoke informally with a few parents at the beginning of the school day.  Inspectors observed the work of the school and looked at a broad range of evidence, including: the school’s analysis of its strengths and weaknesses; planning and monitoring documentation; the work in pupils’ books; records relating to attendance and behaviour; and the schools’ own information on pupils’

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Information about this inspection

current attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics.  The school’s child protection and safeguarding procedures were scrutinised.

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Inspection team

Vondra Mays, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector Janis Warren Ofsted Inspector Stuart Williams 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

The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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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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