Watergall Primary School

Watergall Primary School Watergall, Bretton, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire PE3 8NX

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement

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Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

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Early years provision Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a school that requires improvement

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Actions taken by leaders have not been effective in addressing fully the weaknesses highlighted at the previous inspection. Although rising, pupils’ attainment is too low.  The quality of leadership is not consistently strong. Some leaders are relatively new to post and have not had the time to make a significant impact on school improvement. Others are not as clear as they need to be about the role they play in improving the school.  Teaching is not consistently good from early years to Year 6. Although improvements have been made for older pupils, there remain weaknesses in key stage 1, and in the development of writing and mathematics.  Assessment of pupils is not regular enough to quickly identify pupils who are falling behind in their learning. As a result, not all pupils make the best progress they can, especially boys.  Not enough teachers are skilled at checking on how well pupils are doing in lessons. As a

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

result, planning does not always take account of where pupils are in their learning. Some lower-attaining pupils are not able to keep up with the work that is provided, and some more-able pupils are not sufficiently challenged. As a further consequence, attention wanes and behaviour sometimes deteriorates.  All teachers consistently implement the school’s marking and feedback policy. Pupils are mostly well informed about what they need to do to improve their work. In upper school, pupils respond well to this guidance.  Since the previous inspection, governors have not effectively held leaders to account for the speed at which improvements have been made. Nor have they rigorously checked on the use of additional spending to improve the outcomes of the most vulnerable pupils.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 The school’s work to safeguard pupils is highly effective. All staff take responsibility for keeping pupils safe and work well with families.  Promotion of pupils’ social, moral, spiritual and cultural development is very effective.  The support given by leaders to improve teaching, and the work in pupils’ books, both indicate that the school has the capacity to continue to improve.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching and rates of progress in writing and mathematics across the school, particularly for disadvantaged pupils, and those who are most-able, by ensuring that teachers: – have the highest expectations of every pupil so that they make the best progress they can – provide effective challenge for all of the most-able pupils so that activities enable them to extend their thinking and learning – provide activities and support which enable the least able pupils to be more successful in their learning – share their subject knowledge of English and mathematics to develop others – consistently give pupils helpful guidance on what they need to do to improve their work – regularly check on how well pupils are doing in lessons and confidently adapt their teaching accordingly to suit the needs of all pupils – provide pupils with regular opportunities to use their skills in English and mathematics across other areas of the curriculum, including geography and science

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

– provide support to enable boys to make better progress, particularly in the early years and key stage 1 – expect high standards of presentation of pupils’ work in their books  Improve the effectiveness of leaders and governors by ensuring that: – leaders use assessment information more effectively to pinpoint and tackle any variation in the progress being made by different groups of pupils – leaders at all levels have an increased understanding of their roles and responsibilities and the part they play in whole school improvement – expertise is shared across the school to increase teachers’ subject knowledge and skills – middle leaders are provided with more regular opportunities to monitor and evaluate the areas for which they are responsible and take rapid action to remedy identified weaknesses – governors’ knowledge and skills are further developed in order to enable them to challenge leaders more effectively, particularly in relation to the progress of

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

different groups of pupils – governors rigorously evaluate the use of additional funding to support disadvantaged pupils to ensure that they make good progress from their varying starting points An external review of governance should be undertaken in order to assess how this aspect of leadership and management may be improved. An external review of the school’s use of the pupil premium should be undertaken in order to assess how this aspect of leadership and management may be improved.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

 Leaders have not secured sufficient improvement in pupils’ outcomes since the previous inspection. It is recognised that the leadership in its current guise is relatively new, but nevertheless, improvement has not been rapid enough where weaknesses have been identified.  Leaders have correctly highlighted the areas that need to be improved and have monitored many aspects of the school’s work. However, they have not concentrated enough on the impact that their actions have had on pupils’ outcomes. As a result, pupils’ progress has not been fast or consistent enough across the school.  Leaders have spent some time refining the school’s assessment system. Two new systems have been used in the last two years. This has resulted in a muddled picture which leaders and governors have struggled to accurately interpret. As a consequence, precise and accurate information about pupils’ progress is not yet readily available.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

Leaders are acutely aware of this and have sought external advice to ensure that they have an informed view from other sources, for example in the moderation of writing or by observing how well reading is taught in lessons.  The programme for checking on how well the school is doing in various areas, for example the teaching of reading or mathematics, is considerable. The headteacher, two deputy headteachers and the inclusion manager regularly review books, talk with pupils and visit lessons. However, there is not yet an effective system in place to enable all of the information they gather to feed into precise actions to remedy identified weaknesses. As a result, leaders’ actions have not had the required impact on pupils’ progress, and the way in which the impact is measured has not been sufficiently precise.  The headteacher has ensured that responsibility for pupils’ outcomes rests with the new phase leaders of lower, middle and upper school. These leaders are all very

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

effective teachers, are keen to improve their leadership skills, and welcome the challenge ahead. However, they are not given sufficient time or guidance to be able to fully carry out their roles. Nor do they have the opportunity to work with other colleagues who have conducted monitoring in, for example, mathematics. As a result, they do not have an accurate picture of what needs to be done to improve standards in their individual phase.  The curriculum is broad and balanced, and contributes well to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Pupils enjoy trips and visitors which enhance the curriculum. There are some interesting displays of pupils’ work around the school in, for example, art, which show their skills in using different media. Pupils come from a variety of countries; Lithuania, Poland, Iraq and Brazil to name but a few. There is little reference to or work around the school that appears to acknowledge or celebrate this

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

cultural mix.  The school offers a variety of extra-curricular clubs which pupils say they enjoy being a part of, including hockey, football and multi-skills. The breakfast club is well run and is a great start to the day. Leaders ensure that the most vulnerable families are well supported and encouraged to attend. Pupils leave the breakfast provision well prepared for the start of the school day and settle quickly into their classes.  Leaders have not charted well the impact of the additional funding the school receives to support disadvantaged pupils. Pupils’ outcomes vary across the school and their progress is not good enough. The primary sports funding is used well to promote participation in sport and encourage children to develop healthy lifestyles. Staff have worked alongside a professional games coach and so have been able to increase their own expertise. As a result, teachers are more able to develop pupils’ skills and abilities,

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

as evidenced in leaders’ lesson observations.  The work that the school does with parents and families is considerable. The school is undoubtedly the hub of the local community and parents view it as such. Leaders have put in place a school partnership agreement which clearly sets out the expectations of the school, parents and pupils. Parents are very happy with the work that the school does to support them. One parent said ‘The school works hard to keep parents and families involved in all aspects of the school, and I feel pretty well informed as a parent.’  The school works closely with a variety of local schools and the on-site pre-school. Leaders have recently employed two independent school improvement consultants and continue to work with the local authority and regional schools commissioner. Although the local authority has supported the school over a period of time, the impact of this work has been minimal. However, through their support, the development of the skills

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

of the governing body is beginning to be seen.

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Governance of the school

 Governors have not held the leaders of the school to account sufficiently well to maintain the standards from the previous inspection.  The majority of the governing body, including the chair and vice-chair, are relatively new to their roles. They have worked closely with the local authority during recent months to gain a better understanding of the role they play in holding leaders to account. This is beginning to be evidenced but is still at an early stage.  Governors bring a range of expertise and experiences to the school. The full governing body has had some involvement in evaluating the school’s effectiveness. As a result, governors recognise that the school has not remained a good school, and that there is still much work to be done.  Governors are committed to the school and some visit regularly. However, there has not been enough of an emphasis on the progress that pupils make, especially those

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Governance of the school

who are disadvantaged and are supported by additional funding. As a result, governors have not held leaders to account for the impact of this funding on pupils’ outcomes.

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Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.  Leaders take this aspect of the school’s work very seriously and pride themselves on the nurture and care of their pupils. All staff in the school know the pupils and their families extremely well, and recognise that they each play a very important role in the safeguarding of all pupils.  All staff are given regular, up-to-date training and are vigilant in spotting any concerns. Procedures and processes are extremely rigorous. The headteacher engages well with a range of external agencies and will leave no stone unturned in the pursuit of pupils’ safety and well-being.  The governor with the responsibility for safeguarding works closely with leaders to check on the quality of this aspect of the school’s work. For example, during a recent audit of the checks that leaders do on staff’s suitability to work with children, the safeguarding governor highlighted some areas that could be improved to reflect best

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Safeguarding

practice. The school business manager has already addressed these areas.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

 Teaching is not consistently good and expectations of what pupils are capable of achieving are not high enough.  Poorer teaching in some classes historically has slowed the progress made by pupils. Despite leaders’ strategic placing of teachers in specific year groups this year to address this concern, many pupils are still catching up.  The pairing of a stronger teacher with a less experienced teacher in each year group is beginning to pay dividends. It is evident in pupils’ books that teaching has improved even since September. However, there are still some aspects of teaching that are not yet good enough, particularly in the use of assessment to ensure that work is pitched at the right level for individuals and groups of pupils. As a result, some less able pupils found the work too difficult and some more able pupils found the work too easy. Progress is therefore, not as good as it should be.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

 The quality of learning is better for older pupils than it is for other pupils across the school, particularly those in key stage 1. Some teachers challenge pupils to ensure that they think about what they are learning. In one Year 6 class, pupils were about to write a factual report and were given an example of a report on the interactive whiteboard. ‘Is this report good enough? Does it do what a report should do?’ Pupils responded immediately, referring to what they had already learned about the features of a good report.  Some teachers’ subject knowledge is limited, especially in mathematics. Sometimes, therefore, pupils’ misconceptions are not quickly picked up, or teachers do not extend pupils’ learning further. As a result, there are limited opportunities for pupils to deepen their understanding or apply their knowledge or skills. In one Year 2 class, for example, pupils were solving simple algebraic problems. However, the teacher did not check that

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

pupils knew to use the opposite of the operation they were using to check their answers. As a result, much of the work was incorrect and was left unchallenged.  In some classes, teachers have a good understanding of what the most able pupils can achieve. This results in them being much more engaged in their learning because they are constantly challenged and have to think carefully about what they are learning. In these classes, the less able pupils are also very well supported. The work they are given is pitched correctly so that they build on their previous learning and, as a result, not only experience success but are able to do so independently.  The teaching of phonics is improving and has resulted in an increase in pupil outcomes in Year 1. The impact of the additional teachers who have supported the teaching of phonics and reading is evident. Pupils use their phonic skills well when reading

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

unfamiliar words. Pupils in key stage 1 are often keen to write on whiteboards or in their books, but few of these pupils use their phonic knowledge when writing with any accuracy. As a result, much of what they write, even in Year 2, is unintelligible.  Pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities receive some effective support, and in particular, those who have emotional or behavioural needs. Pupils in the ‘nurture room’ receive good-quality support which helps pupils to return to learning in their classes smoothly. However, pupils are often withdrawn from classes to take part in activities. While this is helping them to improve in some areas, it also means that they are not in class as much as they might be.  All teachers consistently follow the school’s marking and feedback policy. However, because some teachers’ subject knowledge is not as developed as others, some pupils are not given the help they need to improve their work. Some teachers do not pick up

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

on pupils’ misconceptions or their inaccurate work. As a consequence, basic errors in mathematics and spelling are repeated. Teachers do not ensure that pupils produce their best and neatest work in their books in all areas of the curriculum.  The school sets homework for pupils. According to the school’s own survey, most parents say that the amount and quality of homework is sufficient. Some who responded to Parent View, however, say that the homework that some teachers give pupils does not extend the child’s learning because it is too easy.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school's work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.  Pupils enjoy their school and consider it to be an ‘amazing, wonderful school’. They arrive at school, many having attended the school’s popular breakfast club, eager to take an active part in the lessons, particularly when they are encouraged them to discuss their ideas.  Leaders promote pupils’ confidence, physical and emotional well-being in a variety of ways. For example, on residential trips, pupils are encouraged to try out new activities. One pupil said, ‘I didn’t think I would be able to climb to the top of there, but I did it!’ Good use is also made of the school’s extensive and well-developed grounds. Pupils develop life skills, for example in the work they do in the forest school area.  Generally pupils work hard doing whatever an adult asks them to do. In many classes, pupils settle quickly to activities and are keen to explain what they are learning.

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Personal development and welfare

 Pupils’ welfare is given a very high priority. The school provides two very effective family support workers who pupils know they can go to if they have any concerns. Pupils know how to keep themselves safe, including when using the internet, and say that they feel safe.  Pupils understand that there are different types of bullying and that bullying is ‘nasty behaviour that is repeated’. The school’s ‘bullying charter’ is given pride of place for all to see opposite the entrance to the school’s office. Pupils say there is no bullying at the school, but should they have any worries or concerns they know whom to go to and their worries will be dealt with.  Through the work the school does to promote British values, pupils have a good understanding of their responsibilities towards society, their community and each other. The school council elections mirror those of the government, and pupils visited

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Personal development and welfare

the Houses of Parliament to see the democratic process in action. The school community very much reflects a multicultural Britain. Pupils readily accept ‘difference’ at Watergall, where ‘including all’ is part of the school’s motto.  The school’s ‘social action project’ involving pupils, parents and staff, encourages pupils to have a sense of social responsibility. Packing boxes for the local food bank and helping pupils to read in a local school are but a couple of examples of how pupils are involved with their local community.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils requires improvement.  The ‘golden rules scroll’ is everywhere in the school, displaying such values as being kind, gentle and helpful. Pupils readily speak about these rules and, as one put it, ‘Helping others is technically everyone’s role.’  Pupils are polite and respectful of other pupils and adults. During the inspection pupils regularly spoke to inspectors and were keen to tell them about their school and the work they were doing.  The majority of pupils behave very well. However, in some classes where activities do not match well with pupils’ needs, pupils become disengaged and their attention dwindles. Adults in these classes do not always refocus pupils’ attention quickly enough and, as a result, some low-level disruption occurs.  Pupils respond well to routines such as lining up or going from their classroom to the hall. They follow instructions well and, where needed, respond quickly to adult

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Behaviour

correction.  Leaders have worked hard to improve overall attendance, which is given a high priority in the school. For example, leaders give awards for 100% attendance and ‘class of the week’, rigorously follow up poor attendance with individual families, issue penalty notices, and support families to ensure that all pupils come to school regularly. Despite this, there stubbornly remains a proportion of pupils who are absent or persistently absent. Leaders are adamant that they will continue to address this important area of the school’s work with parents.

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Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

 The proportion of pupils attaining the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of key stage 2 in 2016 was well below the national average. However, current school information indicates that pupils’ attainment is improving throughout key stage 2, although there remains room for further improvement.  Pupils’ progress at the end of key stage 2 in 2016 was in line with the national average. In 2015, progress, although below the national average in reading and mathematics, was not significantly so. However, in 2015 and 2016, too few pupils exceeded the expected rates of progress. This is because work has not always been challenging enough, particularly for the most able. Tasks and activities for older pupils are now more targeted to pupils’ needs, and pupils have a very positive attitude to their learning. As a result, these pupils are progressing at a faster rate and are on track to

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Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

achieve better results in 2017.  Attainment at the end of key stage 1 in 2016 remained very low because teaching is not consistently secure in Years 1 and 2. Pupils’ progress over time has been variable. Although there are some improvements in 2016, for example in the proportion of pupils who achieved the required standard in the phonics screening check, pupils’ outcomes are not improving as quickly as they should.  From low starting points, the proportion of children who achieve a good level of development at the end of their time in Reception has continued to improve since the previous inspection. The majority of children, except some boys, make at least expected progress in readiness for their transition into Year 1.  Scrutiny of pupils’ work in their books throughout the school undertaken during the inspection shows that the majority of pupils make at least expected progress, and some pupils’ progress is accelerated. However, there are pockets of underachievement,

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Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

for example in key stage 1 in writing, and for some lower- and higher-ability pupils in mathematics.  Progress in reading is improving. Leaders were very disappointed with the achievement in reading at the end of Year 6 in 2016. Training has taken place to ensure that there is better teaching of reading, and the profile of reading has been raised within the school. This is clearly bearing fruit and pupils’ progress in reading across the school is more even than in writing and mathematics. Pupils say they love reading, ‘because you can imagine somewhere other than where you are’. They take every opportunity to read, using their phonics skills well. All classes now have a class novel which helps to develop the curriculum theme for a term. Pupils say they like teachers reading stories to them like ‘The iron man’.  The progress of disadvantaged pupils and those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is also varied across the school. The majority make the progress that

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Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

is expected of them from their varying starting points, but few exceed this progress and therefore are not achieving as well as they might. In some classes all groups of pupils progress well and a growing proportion of disadvantaged pupils and those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities make better than expected progress.

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Early years provision Requires improvement

 When children start at the school, a significant proportion are working at levels below those typical for their age. Leaders have developed the liaison with pre-school providers and parents so that the proportion of children who enter the school with skills that are more in line with what is typical is slowly increasing.  Children settle well in the Reception Year. All adults help them to learn clear and simple routines from the very beginning of their time at Watergall. Children arrive at the school from a variety of other settings and some have had little or no pre-school experience. Developing liaison with the on-site but independently managed pre-school, and the Children and Family Centre, has supported better links with parents and families.  Outcomes for children have improved for the last three years. In 2016 the proportion of children who achieved a good level of development was nearer to the national

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Early years provision Requires improvement

average but still lags behind, particularly for boys. Current school information indicates that there will be a further improvement this year because teaching is improving.  Leadership of the early years is developing. Teachers and adults work well together and know the children and families well. Sometimes, however, activities do not extend children’s learning as much as they could.  Work in children’s learning journals show that they make steady progress in early writing and number work. Information from parents and from previous settings is used to plan for the needs of individual children. This is reflected in the many photographs taken of children undertaking the activities teachers plan for them.  Children are taught phonics well in the Reception classes, often split into many groups to accommodate the needs of individual children. Sometimes, however, adults do not spot when children are not listening as well as they might. As a result, sometimes

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Early years provision Requires improvement

children’s progress is not as good as it could be, particularly that of boys.  Child protection and safeguarding arrangements are thorough, reflecting the emphasis that leaders put on this important area across the school. There are no breaches of welfare requirements and children are kept safe both inside and outside of the classrooms.

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School details

This inspection was carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. The inspection was also deemed a section 5 inspection under the same Act.

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Website www.watergall.peterborough.sch.uk

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School details

Email address office@watergall.peterborough.sch.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 10–11 July 2012

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Information about this school

 The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website.  The school is larger than the average-sized primary school and is on the same site as the children’ centre and pre-school.  A large proportion of pupils are from White British backgrounds and speak English as their first language. However, the proportion of pupils from other cultures has increased considerably and is now above the national average.  The proportion of disadvantaged pupils supported by the pupil premium is above the national average. The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is above the national average.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards for 2016, which are the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in English and mathematics by the end of Year 6.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed learning in 22 lessons or parts of lessons across all classes, many of which were with the headteacher or deputy headteachers.  Inspectors met with the headteacher and other senior leaders, middle leaders and those responsible for child protection and safeguarding. Meetings were also held with four members of the governing body, and a group of pupils from across the school. The lead inspector spoke with representatives of the local authority by telephone.  A thorough scrutiny was undertaken of a range of documents, including the school’s own self-evaluation, school improvement plan, minutes of meetings and records relating to child protection, behaviour and attendance.  Inspectors talked to pupils about their learning and their views about school. Inspectors listened to some pupils read and observed them at playtime and during lunchtime.  Seven responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Parent View, and five texts were

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Information about this inspection

considered, as well as the school’s own parent survey. An inspector spoke with parents during the inspection. The inspector took account of the 11 responses from Ofsted’s staff survey.

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Inspection team

Ruth Brock, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Lesley Stevens 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

In the report, ‘disadvantaged pupils’ refers to those pupils who attract government pupil premium funding: pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years and pupils in care or who left care through adoption or another formal route. www.gov.uk/pupil-premium-information-for-schools-and- alternative-provision-settings .

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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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspection team

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 .

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Inspection team

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

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Inspection team

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

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Inspection team

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

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