Wicor Primary School

Wicor Primary School Hatherley Crescent, Portchester, Fareham, Hampshire PO16 9DL

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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 Good

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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

 Leaders’ ambition for all pupils to achieve their potential is not sufficiently reflected in practice. As a result, pupils do not make as much progress as they could.  At the point of inspection Governors had not ensured that school procedures and documentation were statutorily compliant.  Teaching is not consistently good throughout the school. Teachers do not routinely use information about pupils’ progress to plan activities at the right level of challenge for all groups of pupils. Disadvantaged pupils, those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities, the most able and lower-ability pupils are not achieving their potential consistently.  Pupils’ progress, currently and over time, is variable in reading and mathematics. Too few pupils are attaining the higher levels.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

The school has the following strengths  Pupils do not make as much progress as they could because the many exciting first-hand experiences provided by the school are not consistently linked to the pupils’ learning needs.  Teachers do not address misunderstandings habitually. There are insufficient opportunities for pupils to think more deeply. Consequently, pupils are not making as much progress as they could.   Children do not make consistently strong progress during the Reception Year, and not all children are fully prepared for Year 1 as a consequence.  Governors have not monitored school developments thoroughly to ensure that they have an impact on pupils’ progress. As a result, some pupils are not achieving as well as they could.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Pupils behave well in lessons and around the school. Staff know pupils individually and good relationships are the norm. Pupils are kept safe.  Phonics is taught effectively and pupils achieve well.  Pupils enjoy the many first-hand experiences provided by the school. These opportunities are also appreciated by their parents.  Pupils are prepared effectively, as young citizens, for life in modern Britain. The school provides successfully for their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.  Support staff are deployed effectively and make a positive contribution to pupils’ progress.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 School leaders, including governors, need to ensure that: – school self-evaluation and plans for improvement are used stringently to improve pupils’ progress – the school website meets statutory requirements – performance management is implemented rigorously.  Improve the quality of teaching, learning and assessment so that they are consistently good, in order to improve pupils’ progress in reading, mathematics and in early years, by: – using assessment information rigorously to ensure that all pupils are challenged appropriately across the school, including in the early years – closely linking the rich curriculum experiences provided by the school to improve learning outcomes. An external review of governance should be undertaken to assess how this aspect of leadership and management may be improved. An external review of the use of pupil premium funding should be undertaken to assess how this aspect of leadership and management may be improved.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

 Leaders’ ambition for all pupils to achieve their potential is not realised in practice. Expectations in classrooms are not high enough. Some pupils become bored and lose concentration when asked to complete tasks that are too easy. As a consequence, too few of the most able pupils achieve the higher levels of which they are capable.  Leaders are reflective and have identified priorities for the school. However, school self- evaluation and development initiatives are not tracked thoroughly. Staff training does not have a consistently positive impact on learning in the classroom. Teachers’ performance is not managed effectively. As a result, some pupils do not achieve their full potential.  The curriculum is broad with a wide range of first-hand experiences and extra-curricular activities. However, school leaders have not routinely ensured that the curriculum is linked closely enough to improve pupils’ learning or deepen their understanding.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

Consequently, pupils do not make as much progress as they could.  School leaders know the pupils well and provide additional support in the classroom. As a result, some of the disadvantaged pupils are achieving well. However, this is not consistent and too few are attaining the higher levels, especially in reading and mathematics. Additional pupil premium funding is used to support enrichment activities for disadvantaged pupils and also to provide a home–school link assistant to work with families. However, it is not clear how leaders plan to systematically evaluate the impact of this expenditure on pupils’ progress.  Although leaders track the progress of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities, and know these pupils well, they do not use the information well enough to plan for learning. Pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities are not consistently achieving their potential. Leaders do not use additional

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

funding for these pupils effectively enough.  Leaders have provided a range of additional opportunities funded by the primary physical education and sports premium, including events involving other schools. The impact of these initiatives has not been rigorously evaluated, and, therefore, pupils have not benefited as much as they could.  The local authority representative makes annual visits to the school. These visits have been used by leaders to confirm the school’s priorities and the planned improvement activities. However, evidence of the impact of such visits on pupils’ progress is limited.  Leaders organise opportunities for pupils to take part in environmental initiatives and activities involving the local and wider communities. For example; Earth Hour events, litter picks and supplying organic vegetable boxes to the public. As a result, pupils are prepared well to be young citizens, and for life in modern Britain. The school provides

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development effectively.

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Governance of the school

 Governors share leaders’ vision for all pupils to achieve their potential. They undertake a range of monitoring activities, including reviews of pupils’ work and school visits. However, these activities are not sufficiently rigorous to ensure the accuracy of the information gathered, or to improve outcomes for pupils.  Teachers’ performance is not managed effectively enough. Current procedures do not meet statutory requirements. Targets for improvement are too broad and teachers are not held robustly to account. As a result, some teaching requires improvement.  Governors are not fulfilling some of their statutory responsibilities, for example the monitoring of pupil premium and primary physical education and sports premium expenditure, and in the maintenance of the required information on the school website.

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Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Leaders addressed quickly issues that arose during the inspection relating to safeguarding. All staff are familiar with safety procedures and training is provided regularly. Staff fulfil their responsibilities to keep pupils safe. Pupils are taught how to be safe and speak enthusiastically about their safety lessons. They are confident there is someone to talk to about their concerns, and know that any issues raised will be taken seriously by staff, and dealt with promptly.  Leaders are committed to keeping children safe and recognise the importance of keeping procedures under review. The vast majority of parents are happy that their children are safe, and any concerns raised are taken seriously.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

 Teaching is not consistently good throughout the school. Although staff know pupils well, information about pupils’ progress is not routinely used to plan activities matched to pupils’ abilities, or to help pupils improve their learning. Consequently, pupils often spend time completing low-level tasks and waiting for others to catch up, rather than tackling more demanding activities.  Teachers are not diligent enough about correcting pupils’ misunderstandings and there are insufficient opportunities for pupils to develop their reasoning and problem-solving skills. As a result, pupils do not learn as rapidly as they could.  Pupils benefit from a wide range of learning experiences, but these activities have insufficient impact on their progress because they are not closely linked to pupils’ next steps in learning. Pupils enjoyed learning about magnets, and retelling the story of David and Goliath. However, on these occasions, opportunities were not taken to

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

reinforce the correct use of tense or basic punctuation.  Staff have created a stimulating and orderly learning environment. The curriculum is rich and varied, and work is linked together in meaningful projects. Pupils in Year 2 have been learning about the Great Fire of London and Year 3 have studied ‘The iron man’ by Ted Hughes. Teachers’ strong subject knowledge has a positive impact on learning, strengthening pupils’ factual knowledge and their use of technical terms.  Additional adults are deployed well by leaders to support pupils with learning activities. This helps to deepen their understanding. Teachers and support staff provide feedback to pupils to help them understand what they need to do to improve their work. Pupils are positive about this feedback and the impact it has on their progress.   Phonics is taught effectively. Pupils use their phonic knowledge well when reading books chosen from one of the school’s attractive libraries.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

 Parents are informed regularly about their child’s progress. Parents support their children to complete homework in accordance with school policy and hear them read. This has a positive impact upon their learning.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.  Pupils talk happily and confidently about their school. They enjoy taking part in the wide range of activities offered, including helping to care for the bees, and collecting eggs from the school chickens.  Pupils are taught how to be safe, and they feel safe. Pupils speak confidently about how to use computers safely and how to stay safe near water. The vast majority of parents who completed the online survey, Parent View, are convinced that their children are safe.  Pupils are confident that any incidents of bullying and racism are dealt with promptly by staff. Pupils are happy to talk to staff about their concerns.  Staff know pupils well and relationships are good. Pupils are respectful of each other and they speak enthusiastically about their learning of other countries, faiths and cultures.  Pupils enjoy the wide range of first-hand experiences within the rich and varied

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Personal development and welfare

curriculum. As a result, pupils are confident learners and work well together. Parents appreciate the breadth and benefits of these learning experiences for their children.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good.  Pupils behave well in lessons and around the school.  Pupils arrive punctually and know that it is important to attend school. Leaders follow up absence quickly; attendance overall is above the national average. The attendance of disadvantaged pupils is improving.  Pupils enjoy many opportunities as young citizens such as growing and selling organic vegetables, and supporting local charities, including The Woodland Trust and the Stubbington Ark animal welfare centre.  Pupils have positive attitudes to learning and are keen to face new challenges. They enjoy being challenged. However, they get bored and lose interest when their work is too easy.

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Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

 Currently and over time, lower-attaining and the most able pupils make varying progress in reading and mathematics. This is due to inconsistencies in expectation, and lack of rigour in the use of progress information to plan future lessons. Too few lower-attaining and most- able pupils are achieving their potential and are, therefore, unable to take full advantage of the next stage in their education.  The progress of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities in reading and mathematics is similarly variable. Lower-attaining pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities are not achieving as well as they could. Progress information is not used routinely by teachers to plan the next steps in learning.  Many disadvantaged pupils achieve well. Too few, however, are attaining the higher levels, especially in reading and mathematics. Staff are not routinely using progress information to

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Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

plan future lessons, and there are inconsistencies in expectation.  Pupils make good progress in phonics. Pupils enjoy reading from a wide range of literature and are supported well at home. A structured programme of phonics teaching ensures that pupils make consistently strong progress. Pupils have the necessary decoding skills to read unknown words.  In the past, girls have generally achieved higher standards than boys, but the difference is diminishing. Leaders are aware of the variation and have put in place a number of effective strategies. For example, the purchase of books of interest to boys, a forthcoming science and literature fortnight, and the introduction of short, snappy writing sessions.  Pupils value the wide range of extra-curricular activities including the recent residential visit to the New Forest, violin lessons and an after-school karate club. Pupils take part in an annual rock challenge, leading to a musical performance for the local community.

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Early years provision Requires improvement

 Children start school with skills and abilities that are typical for their age. Overall, at the end of Reception the attainment of the children is similar to those of other children nationally. Currently, however, not all children are achieving their full potential. Expectations are not consistently high enough, and there are differences in expectation and provision between the two Reception classes.  Leaders do not ensure that the use of assessment information is consistent. This means some children are unchallenged, especially in mathematics, because teachers do not base their planning well enough on what they learned previously. For example, a child able to count independently to 18 in December was asked what comes after five, in February. When the work is not at the right level, children become less attentive and a little disruptive. As a result, children do not make as much progress as they could, and some are

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Early years provision Requires improvement

not prepared for the start of Year 1.  The early years environment is orderly and attractive with a range of indoor and outdoor activities. Children enjoy taking part in a range of activities including the vets’ surgery role play area, and writing Chinese numbers.  Parents are well informed and very supportive. They speak highly of the school’s procedures to support children when they start school. These include home visits and opportunities to stay and play with their child. Consequently, children settle into the Reception classes quickly.  Phonics is taught effectively. Children make good progress. Inspectors observed early years children identifying objects linked to the ‘ow’ phoneme successfully.  Behaviour is good overall. Children work well together. For example, during a weighing and estimating activity they took turns to use the equipment. They listen attentively to staff and are keen to take part in the activities provided. Children become less focused when

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Early years provision Requires improvement

activities are less purposeful.  Relationships are strong and staff know the children well. Staff are familiar with safety procedures and receive regular training. Children are safe and safeguarding is effective.

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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

Email address m.wildman@wicor.hants.sch.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 12–13 December 2012

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Information about this school

 The school does not meet requirements on the publication of information on its website about the curriculum, pupils’ outcomes for 2016, and reporting on the pupil premium and the primary physical education and sports premium.  The school is bigger than the average-sized primary school.  Pupils are taught in single-aged classes. There are two classes in each year group.  Most pupils are of White British heritage.  A below-average proportion of pupils are eligible for the pupil premium and few are disadvantaged.  The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is similar to the national average, although the proportion with an education, health and care plan is slightly below the national average.  The school provides a breakfast club and after-school club which are managed by the governing body and formed part of the inspection.  The school meets the government’s floor standards, which set the minimum standards

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Information about this school

for pupils’ attainment and progress.   The school does not use any alternative provision. Information about this inspection

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Information about this school

 Inspectors observed 16 lessons, and 12 of the 14 classes. Inspectors observed learning jointly with the headteacher and deputy headteacher in the Reception classes and in Years 2, 3, 5, and 6.  Inspectors talked to pupils, looked at a large sample of their work, and listened to two groups of pupils read.  Meetings were held with the headteacher and deputy headteacher, the chair of the governing body and two other governors, and with the school’s senior and middle leaders.  A telephone conversation was held with a representative of the local authority to discuss the extent and impact of support provided to the school.  Inspectors took account of the 110 responses to the online questionnaire, Parent View, and the 103 free-text responses. Inspectors also spoke to parents and carers during the inspection.   The inspectors observed the work of the school, including an assembly, playtimes and

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Information about this school

lunchtime.  I nspectors scrutinised documents, including minutes of governing body meetings, the school’s self-evaluation, the school development plan, monitoring and assessment information, school policies, behaviour and safety records, safeguarding policies and procedures, and the single central record.

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Inspection team

Rosemary Addison, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Neil Small 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

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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.gov.uk/ofsted

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