Wrockwardine Wood Infant School and Nursery

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T 0300 123 4234 www.gov.uk/ofsted

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Mrs Denise Garner Executive Headteacher Wrockwardine Wood Infant School and Nursery Church Road Wrockwardine Wood Telford Shropshire TF2 7AH

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Short inspection of Wrockwardine Wood Infant School and Nursery

Following my visit to the school on 11 July 2018, I write on behalf of Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills to report the inspection findings. The visit was the first short inspection carried out since the school was judged to be good in April 2014.

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Short inspection of Wrockwardine Wood Infant School and Nursery

The leadership team has maintained the good quality of education in the school since the last inspection. Based on the evidence gathered during this short inspection, I am of the opinion that the school has demonstrated strong practice and marked improvement in specific areas. This may indicate that the school has improved significantly overall. Therefore, I am recommending that the school’s next inspection be a section 5 inspection.

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Short inspection of Wrockwardine Wood Infant School and Nursery

Since the last inspection, Wrockwardine Wood Infant School has federated with Oakengates Nursery. You are now the executive headteacher over both schools. Wrockwardine Wood was asked by Telford and Wrekin local authority to provide support to Oakengates Nursery. With the full support of governors, you accepted this challenge, because you saw it as an opportunity to share best practice for the benefit of local children. Despite some initial disruption, Wrockwardine Wood Infant School and Nursery has benefited from the opportunities the partnership offers for leaders and teachers to develop their practice and share their expertise.

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Short inspection of Wrockwardine Wood Infant School and Nursery

You have established an ambitious culture, underpinned by high expectations that are shared by all staff and governors. Middle leaders have been supported very effectively to develop their skills. There is now a coherent and comprehensive approach to leadership across core subjects and phases. As a result, leaders are making an increasingly valuable contribution to continuous school improvement. They analyse assessment information, identify priorities and provide support and training for teachers to improve their practice. In 2017, attainment overall at the end of key stage 1, in early years and in phonics, compared favourably with the national averages for reading, writing and mathematics. However, attainment was not as strong for disadvantaged pupils and for boys in 2017. You ensured that this was addressed swiftly so that attainment improved again in 2018.

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Short inspection of Wrockwardine Wood Infant School and Nursery

Leadership of subjects other than English and mathematics is developing well. In science, for example, leadership is equally effective. The science curriculum has been revised so that it is more engaging. Half-termly topics have graduated learning objectives. Clear assessment criteria help teachers to capture pupils’ skills, knowledge and understanding through each unit. As a result of these changes, outcomes for all pupils in science improved dramatically at the end of key stage 1 in 2017, compared with 2016. A much higher proportion of pupils, including disadvantaged pupils, achieved the standard expected for their age in science than the national average in 2017. A comprehensive programme of support for middle leaders ensures that they constantly refine and develop their skills. Leadership of subjects other than English, mathematics and science is still developing.

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Short inspection of Wrockwardine Wood Infant School and Nursery

Governors have a thorough understanding of the strengths of the school and the priorities for development. They receive detailed updates from leaders at all levels. They do not accept at face value what leaders tell them. They interrogate the data shared with them and challenge leaders to ensure that pupils achieve the best possible outcomes. They meet regularly with leaders at all levels and carry out fact- finding visits to school to see for themselves the impact of initiatives. The governing body oversees both schools in the federation. Governors have a strategic vision for the federation and constantly review arrangements to ensure that leadership capacity is maintained.

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Short inspection of Wrockwardine Wood Infant School and Nursery

Pupils behave very well in lessons and at breaktimes. They know and understand the importance of the ‘golden rules’ of the behaviour code. As one girl described, ‘Most of the people are nice and kind.’ Older pupils take on additional responsibilities such as playground buddies. Activities at breaktimes and lunchtimes are varied and well supervised. Pupils play hoopla and ball games or climb on the adventure playground. The school’s ‘Safety Squad’ helps all pupils to learn about keeping safe. For example, members carry out their own risk assessments for trips and visits, which helps pupils to understand why it is important to stay with an adult and not wander off from the group.

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Short inspection of Wrockwardine Wood Infant School and Nursery

The vast majority of parents would recommend the school to other parents. They appreciate the support provided for their children. Many parents say that their children have made good progress. A small minority of parents say that communication with parents could be improved.

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Short inspection of Wrockwardine Wood Infant School and Nursery

You have addressed the areas for improvement from the last inspection effectively. Pupils in all year groups now have more opportunities to write at length appropriately for their age. Pupils now have a wide range of opportunities to prepare for life in modern Britain through trips and visits to places of worship, such as mosques and churches. Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural education is strategically mapped across the whole curriculum, linking into weekly themed assemblies. Pupils have a well-developed understanding of fundamental British values. They know about fairness and right and wrong. The school actively celebrates diversity. A prominent display shows photographs of children with their families under the title, ‘Many different families, one love’.

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Short inspection of Wrockwardine Wood Infant School and Nursery

Safeguarding is effective. The leadership team has ensured that all safeguarding arrangements are fit for purpose. Teachers report their concerns, however small. Leaders record and analyse all incidents to ensure the picture of the whole child is captured. Referrals to external agencies are followed up tenaciously to ensure that children receive the support they need. Leaders know the community and families well. They work effectively in partnership with other professionals and parents to minimise the impact on children of any family disruptions or challenges. Many parents value highly the support they receive from school staff for themselves and their children through difficult times. Parents appreciate that staff devote their lives to the school and the well-being of the children. The overwhelming majority of parents say their children are happy and safe in school.

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Inspection findings

 Outcomes for disadvantaged pupils in 2017 were not as strong as for other pupils across the school. This was identified as an area for improvement in the school development plan. From observations and analysis of assessment information, leaders identified that many disadvantaged pupils come into school with weak language skills. Consequently, targeted interventions were introduced to support pupils’ language development, including pre-teaching vocabulary, reading groups and access to online resources. Pupil premium funding was also used to subsidise the cost of trips and other activities such as the breakfast club for disadvantaged pupils.  As a result, in 2018 a much higher proportion of disadvantaged pupils attained at the expected standard for their age in reading, writing and mathematics than in 2017. This is also the case in reading and writing at greater depth. Disadvantaged pupils’ attainment is now broadly in line with and, in some cases,

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Inspection findings

exceeds the national averages for reading, writing and mathematics. Governors are fully involved in monitoring and evaluating the impact of pupil premium funding. The leader with responsibility for pupil premium funding meets with the link governor on a regular basis to discuss interventions and the impact on pupils’ progress.  In the past, some disadvantaged pupils had low attendance, which had an impact on their achievement. The attendance of current disadvantaged pupils is now in line with the national average.  At the end Year 1 in 2017, fewer boys than girls were working at the expected standard for their age in writing. By the end of Year 2 in 2018, the gap between boys and girls had been reduced considerably. Work in pupils’ books seen during the inspection demonstrates the good progress pupils have made in their writing skills.  Once identified, leaders acted quickly to address the gap between boys’ and girls’

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Inspection findings

achievements. They adapted the curriculum and changed the reading books and topics to appeal more to boys’ interests, such as pirates and minibeasts. More non-fiction texts are now included, such as football and other sports reports. Teachers also now ensure that pupils have real experiences to inspire their writing. For example, some pupils went on a ‘bear hunt’ around the school grounds. In Year 2, pupils were writing a guide to the school for new parents. They studied the features of an information text and discussed the appropriate vocabulary to use for their audience.  The learning environment in early years includes frequent opportunities for writing, such as writing lists and instructions on flipcharts or writing receipts for purchases in the play shop. In early years, children wrote lists for holiday packing. They used their phonics skills well to write complex words and phrases such as ‘sun cream’ and ‘sandals’. As a result, the gap between the proportion of

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Inspection findings

boys and girls achieving a good level of development by the end of Reception has halved and is now below the average gap nationally.  The quality of teaching is consistently good, with increasing elements of outstanding practice, particularly in early years. Teachers receive regular, detailed feedback on their practice and say they feel well supported. They are encouraged by leaders to reflect on their teaching and develop their expertise.  Pupils enjoy learning because teachers design tasks that actively engage them. Children in early years enjoyed various role-playing activities around the theme of holidays. Some children packed clothes in a suitcase, writing a list of items to remember. Other pupils explored being on holiday in a caravan. Adults’ questions helped them to think about organising themselves in a small space. Others were buying ice creams from an ice cream stall, learning to count as they paid for their

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Inspection findings

purchases.  There is clear evidence of the impact of strong leadership development on improving the quality of teaching and learning. As a result of effective training and development, all adults support children’s learning well by asking questions that prompt children to think and explain such as: ‘Why do you think we need a bowl?’ and ‘What do you think would happen if…?’  The culture of continuous improvement pervades all aspects of the school. Staff at all levels are equally supported to develop their skills. For example, teaching assistants have received training in assessing pupils’ work. Some teachers are trained to act as moderators for the local authority, which gives leaders and governors confidence that teachers’ assessments are accurate.

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Next steps for the school

Leaders and those responsible for governance should ensure that:

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Next steps for the school

 leadership continues to develop so that progress and attainment in all areas of the curriculum match that achieved in the core subjects  all communication with parents is clear and timely. I am copying this letter to the chair of the governing body, the regional schools commissioner and the director of children’s services for Telford and Wrekin. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

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Information about the inspection

We visited lessons together in Nursery, Reception and key stage 1. I met with you and the deputy headteacher to discuss the school’s development plan and self- evaluation. I also held meetings with middle leaders, governors, parents and the school improvement adviser.

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Information about the inspection

I spoke to parents as they dropped off their children in the morning and took account of 197 responses and seven free-text responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View.

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Information about the inspection

I observed pupils playing at lunchtime and had a tour of the school with pupils. There were no responses to Ofsted’s pupil questionnaire. I spoke to pupils at lunchtime and in lessons about how they learn to stay safe.

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Information about the inspection

I scrutinised attendance, behaviour and exclusion records, checked the school’s single central record and reviewed safeguarding documents. In addition, I looked at the school’s monitoring records.

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Information about the inspection

I took account of 24 responses to Ofsted’s staff questionnaire.

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