Weddington Primary School

Weddington Primary School Winchester Avenue, Weddington, Nuneaton, Warwickshire CV10 0DR

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

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Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Requires improvement

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 The headteacher and deputy have led improvements with a clear and thoughtful vision. They balance high expectations and challenge with support. As a result, the quality of teaching has improved, and pupils make good progress.  Governors have an accurate overview of the school’s strengths and areas for improvement. They provide effective support and challenge for leaders.  The number of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) attending the mainstream school has increased. Leaders fully integrate pupils with SEND into the daily life of the school. Pupils value and respect each and every individual.  Pupils’ additional needs are identified. However, leaders’ monitoring does not clearly identify how well support is helping pupils to meet their targets.  The personal needs of pupils with SEND, who attend the specially resourced provision for speech, language and communication, are well-

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

supported so that they can access mainstream provision whenever possible.  Leaders provide a well-planned, broad and engaging curriculum. This helps pupils to develop skills, knowledge and understanding across a wide range of subjects in an exciting and meaningful way.  Leaders have brought consistency to the quality of teaching so that most teaching is now good. For example, an improvement in the teaching of phonics has ensured that all groups of pupils are progressing well with their phonic skills.  Teachers value the training and support they receive. They appreciate the clarity of what leaders expect to see in their teaching. Teachers understand how a range of teaching strategies support pupils to make progress. Some teachers are not as effective as others in challenging the most-able pupils to work at greater depth.  Subject leaders gain from targeted and specific training. The leaders of English know their subject

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

area well and are effective across all key stages. The leadership of mathematics is less developed. This contributes to inconsistent opportunities for pupils to develop reasoning and application of mathematics in a range of contexts.  Children in the early years get off to a good start. They benefit from good quality teaching in an inspiring environment, and as a result make strong progress in all areas of learning.  There is a well-developed culture of safeguarding. Pupils understand how to keep themselves safe in school, when using the internet and on trips and visits.  Pupils behave well. They are polite, well- mannered and welcoming to visitors.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Further improve the quality of teaching, learning and assessment, by ensuring that teachers: – expertly challenge the most able pupils so that they achieve the higher standards of which they are capable.  Leaders of mathematics develop teachers’ mathematical subject knowledge so that: – they plan work that matches pupils’ needs – they provide opportunities for pupils to develop reasoning and apply their understanding in a range of contexts.  Develop strategic monitoring and evaluation of provision for pupils with SEND, within both mainstream school and the specialist resource provision, so that the targets set for their progress match their academic, personal and social needs more closely.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

 Leaders have a shrewd knowledge and understanding of the strengths of the school and areas for improvement. Their detailed and succinct improvement plans, which focus on clearly identified priorities, support a well-managed and systematic implementation of actions and improvements.  The headteacher and deputy headteacher lead with determination to bring about improvement. They have shown strength and sensitivity in overcoming the challenges that the school has faced.  The headteacher and deputy headteacher’s commitment to establishing positive partnerships with families has built trust and respect. Parents recognise the improvements. Some said they have seen an improvement in the overall management of the school, and the way leaders have worked hard to create improved communication and interaction with the school and its community. Parents acknowledge that ‘The culture has changed into one that makes the parents feel so

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

welcomed and appreciated.’  Many parents have a very positive view of the work of the school. Most agree that their children are safe and happy and make good progress. A few parents of pupils with SEND raised some well-founded concerns about the monitoring of the progress of their children.  Staff appreciate the stability and clarity that the new leadership has brought to the school. Most staff responding to Ofsted’s online survey said that the school has improved since the last inspection and that they are proud to be a member of staff at the school. They feel valued and morale is high. One member of staff, summing up the views of others, said that ‘Everyone is important. The headteacher would not expect you to do anything that she would not do herself.’  The headteacher and deputy headteacher know where teaching is strongest across the school. They use ‘side-by-side coaching’ to good effect in developing the teaching of

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

phonics. They have encouraged an open and honest culture where teachers learn from each other and share best practice. More recently, the discussion and evaluation of teaching practice using video demonstrated the level of trust and respect that teachers hold for each other. This has contributed to pupils making good progress in a range of subjects.  The headteacher is clear on recognising when staff become ready to take on extra responsibility. She demonstrates skill and patience in choosing the right moment to distribute leadership. As a result, leadership of some subjects and some areas are more developed than others. However, the headteacher’s rationale is strong. This is ensuring that improvements are managed and embedded at each stage before moving to the next area for improvement. The leadership of mathematics is yet to be fully developed.  Leaders have maintained a broad and balanced curriculum while leading improvements

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

in core subjects. They have ensured the curriculum provides opportunities for pupils to deepen their subject-specific skills and knowledge. Prior contextual knowledge, including visits and visitors, support the development of powerful vocabulary.  Leaders ensure that the additional pupil premium funding is targeted effectively to ensure that disadvantaged pupils make similar progress to other pupils nationally.  Leaders plan, organise and manage transitions into school in the morning and at home time for pupils with SEND safely and sensitively. They have an accurate and detailed knowledge of these pupils’ personal and medical needs. Support plans are in place. However, leaders’ oversight of the academic achievement of pupils with SEND is patchy. Targets set to support individual pupils do not match their needs closely enough. Consequently, some of them are not making enough progress in their learning

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

and their personal and social development.  Leaders target the use of the physical education and sports premium funding well. They provide pupils with opportunities to take part in a range of competitive sporting activities; to experience varied extra-curricular clubs as well as promoting health and well-being for all pupils. This includes seeking out opportunities and activities for disabled pupils to develop the skills to become independently mobile. They can then enjoy the same activities as their able-bodied peers, for example wheelchair skills workshops.

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Governance of the school

 Governors are deeply knowledgeable about the strengths and areas for improvement. They provide challenge through well-targeted questions and through their roles as link governors, working alongside individual school leaders. Governors use a wide range of strategies to check the information they receive from leaders.  Governors regularly review their skills and undertake a wide range of training to ensure that they are effective in their roles. Nominated governors are trained to ensure that staff are recruited safely and that the school meets statutory health and safety requirements. All governors receive training about child-protection procedures.

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Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.  Relevant checks on staff and visitors are carried out correctly. Record-keeping is organised well, and all information is kept securely.  Leaders have established a safeguarding culture which ensures that everyone understands their responsibility for keeping pupils safe and promoting their welfare. Staff receive effective training in safeguarding matters. As a result, they know the signs of different types of abuse and are clear about how to report any concerns they have using the school’s agreed procedures.  Leaders have improved the safety on the driveway approaching the school and the security on entry to the school building. They have clear procedures in place to ensure a safe and positive handover for pupils with SEND. Staff have received specific training that ensures that pupils’ personal and medical needs are met throughout the day.  Most of the parents who completed Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View, agreed

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Safeguarding

that their children are well looked after, feel safe and are happy in school. Pupils said that they feel safe in school and could explain how the curriculum helps them to learn how to stay safe. For example, pupils know how to use the internet safely and they learn about e-safety from their teachers and the ‘Weddington web warriors’. A ‘health and safety week’ deepens understanding on a range of issues such as fire safety and how the police help people. Pupils learn about road safety throughout the school, from Reception, where children enjoy pre-pedal balance bikes, right through to Year 6, where older pupils ride bikes in control and safely on the roads.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

 Staff and pupils form strong and positive relationships. Pupils work cooperatively together and enjoy sharing their ideas.  Teachers consistently use the approach implemented by leaders to develop phonics skills in key stage 1. Pupils are clear on what is expected of them because staff apply a school-wide approach to terminology, actions and behaviour management strategies. Pupils in key stage 1 apply their knowledge of the sounds that letters make when they are reading and become confident and fluent readers. Teachers ensure that pupils in key stage 2 develop comprehension skills. Pupils enjoy reading, read with expression and appreciate hearing classic stories that their teachers read to them. They understand how reading can improve their writing. One pupil, echoing the views of others, said ‘We always read to get ideas for what we want to write.’  Most teaching is strong and effective across year groups in subjects. Many teachers

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

have secure subject knowledge. This allows them to provide appropriate support to lower-attaining pupils and targeted challenge for the most-able pupils. Work is usually adapted and well-matched to meet pupils’ needs and different groups of pupils make good progress.  There are some occasions, however, when teaching is less effective and subject knowledge is less secure. Where this is the case, teachers do not intervene at just the right moment to move pupils’ learning on or, in their attempts to challenge, teachers miss out important conceptual steps. This limits pupils’ progress, including for some with SEND, because work does not meet pupils’ needs sufficiently.  Pupils in key stage 2 have a wide range of opportunities to practise their writing skills in English lessons and in many subjects, including history, geography and religious education. Pupils in key stage 1 apply their writing skills through carefully and well-

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

chosen themes within the wider curriculum. These build upon types of texts that pupils meet during their phonics sessions. For example, in Year 2 the theme is ‘magical journeys’. Pupils studied the history of transport and located America on a map in geography before studying information books on the Empire State Building. This prior learning provided the stimulus for a sequence of pieces of writing including information texts, leaflets, stories and debates. Current books show that pupils make good progress. They develop confidence as writers and increasing sophistication in their sentences and vocabulary.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.  Pupils enjoy many opportunities to take on responsibilities and develop leadership skills. These include Year 6 pupils being librarians, training to be playleaders and delivering registers, milk and fruit to the classrooms.  Pupils are also keen to join one of the school’s councils. Pupils proudly shared with inspectors the difference they make. For example, school councillors developed stickers to help improve self-confidence and carefully considered where to place them so all pupils would see them. ‘Weddington web warriors’ (WWW) write regular newsletters to share information and advice on e-safety, lead assemblies and have created displays which they share with parents on parents’ evening.  Provision to promote pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is excellent. Leaders place a high importance on valuing all pupils and recognising that

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Personal development and welfare

everyone has something to offer. Displays throughout the school are vibrant and thought-provoking. They chart the journey of pupils developing as active citizens who positively contribute to their community. As one parent stated, reflecting the views of others, ‘I think we should be proud of the fact that they have put the children at the centre, and strive to make our children well educated, and well-balanced members of society for the future.’  Staff, parents and pupils are deeply attached to the ‘clucky mascots’ which are four live chickens named after the house teams – Neverland, Narnia, Oz and Hogwarts. Pupils willingly take on responsibility to feed them, look after them and collect the eggs. Further to developing responsibility, the chickens are an important feature for many pupils with SEND. They have been instrumental in helping some pupils to come to school every day as well as providing space and comfort that is soothing for some

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Personal development and welfare

pupils.  Leaders have thoughtfully and sensitively deepened pupils’ understanding of a range of disabilities. Pupils respect each other and have welcomed new pupils to the school. Deep friendships are evident, and pupils are keen to keep their friends in their thoughts at times when their friends are unable to attend school.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good.  Pupils are polite, friendly and well mannered. They confidently welcome visitors and willingly engage in conversations. During visits to classrooms, around the school and in the playground, pupils were proud of their work and of what they achieve in school.  In lessons, most pupils behave well. They work hard and are keen to complete their work to the best of their ability. Where teaching is not pitched accurately to meet pupils’ needs, a few pupils are less focused on their learning.  Parents who spoke to inspectors felt that behaviour was good. Most parents and carers who responded to Ofsted’s online survey, Parent View, agreed. Staff share achievements and reward good behaviour on a mobile application. Parents value this information.  Leaders monitor any incidents of misbehaviour carefully. They have developed staff’s ability to understand possible reasons for the small number of pupils who present

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Behaviour

challenging behaviour and how to positively manage behaviour.  Pupils understand different types of bullying. They say bullying is rare but that if it does happen they know that adults will help them, and it stops.  Pupils want to be in school and are actively involved in celebrating good attendance. Attendance is broadly in line with the national average and persistent absence is low.

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Outcomes for pupils Good

 The proportion of pupils who reached the expected standard in phonics at the end of Year 1 rose significantly in 2018 and is now above the national average.  In 2018, the attainment of pupils meeting the expected standard in key stage 1 was broadly in line with the national average in mathematics but dipped below in reading and writing.  In 2018, the number of pupils in key stage 1 attaining greater depth was above national averages in reading, writing and mathematics. The work in the books of current key stage 1 pupils shows that they continue to make strong progress, with regular opportunities to develop learning at greater depth.  At the end of key stage 2 in 2018, pupils’ progress in reading, writing and mathematics was secure.  The school’s focus on the development of a wide vocabulary through experience is successful. Current pupils use subject-specific vocabulary with precision and purpose.

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Outcomes for pupils Good

They are aware of the listener or the reader when they are writing and clearly demonstrate their subject knowledge and understanding. For example, in Year 6, pupils were sharing their opinions on the work of Alaa Awad, an Egyptian artist. Pupils could explain the impact a piece of art had on themselves as an individual, using information from their history curriculum and very specific vocabulary, to good effect.  Work in mathematics books in some classes shows that there is occasionally a mismatch between the pupils’ ability and level of challenge in a task. Also, pupils do not always have opportunities to reason and apply their understanding in a range of contexts. This prevents some pupils from making the progress of which they are capable.  Plans for all pupils with SEND do not give specific enough targets to challenge them to ensure that enough of them make as much progress as they can from their starting

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Outcomes for pupils Good

points.  The work in current pupils’ books for writing, mathematics and other subjects across the curriculum shows that disadvantaged pupils progress well. They make the same good progress as other pupils in the school.  As a result of the quality of teaching in science, pupils’ attainment in this subject is above national average at the end of both key stages 1 and 2.  Pupils achieve well in a wide range of subjects. Subjects other than mathematics and English are linked together through themes so that pupils acquire and build on their knowledge and skills. Pupils make strong connections between their learning across a range of subjects. They are well prepared for their next stage of education.

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Early years provision Good

 The headteacher and deputy headteacher, alongside staff, have addressed previously identified areas for improvement. A clear plan is developing leadership roles in the early years.  They have made significant improvements to the early years environment, both indoors and outdoors. It is a well-organised, welcoming and inspiring space with every centimetre utilised to promote good-quality teaching and learning across all areas of the curriculum. The focus on improving the provision is clearly seen in children’s outcomes. Over the last two years, the proportion of children leaving the Reception Year achieving a good level of development has been above the national average. Pupils leaving the Reception class are well equipped for key stage 1.  Leaders implement a well-structured transition programme which supports children to quickly adapt to the setting and be happy, motivated and eager to learn. Children have

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Early years provision Good

good relationships with adults as well as with each other. Parents say their children settle in quickly and parents enjoy contributing to their children’s learning during Reception.  Observations during the inspection and scrutiny of learning journals, alongside English and mathematics books, show that children make strong progress in all areas of learning. There is clear evidence of children exceeding expectations. For example, some children chose to spend a sustained period of time writing at a table. They are proud to show their writing to adults. One example included several sentences about a ‘wobbly tooth and a visit from the tooth fairy’, punctuated with capital letters and full stops. Many tricky words were spelled correctly. Children are clearly applying their phonics learning in their writing, including in two- and three-syllable words. The writing is legible, with accurate letter formation.

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Early years provision Good

 Skilled practitioners plan with care and attention to detail. Adults promote reading, writing and mathematics at every opportunity throughout every area. This practice is clearly extremely well-established and part of everyday learning. In lessons observed there were children reading books, recipes, and their own writing out loud. They were writing about various activities including making lists, instructions, labels, letters and stories. Children were using mathematics for many purposes. This included finding one more than a number as they made fruit kebabs, counting the pieces on a model they had made to record instructions and comparing heights on the climbing frame.  Phonics is taught well. Children are encouraged to use their knowledge of sounds when they are reading and writing. Children’s books show the strong progress they make in writing.  Children completely immerse themselves in their chosen activity and are not easily

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Early years provision Good

distracted. They move around the setting sensibly and with respect for other children. They show care and consideration for children who use equipment to be mobile.  Teaching in the early years is effective. Adults know the needs and interests of each child in detail. They use assessment information to plan tasks that are interesting, exciting and stimulating. They successfully balance supporting children at just the right moment to move their learning forward, knowing when to stand back and let them be independent. This contributes to children making strong progress.  Safeguarding in the early years is effective.

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School details

This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 29–30 November 2016

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Information about this school

 Weddington Primary School is larger than the average-sized primary school.  There have been significant staff changes since the school’s last inspection in 2016. The headteacher, the deputy headteacher and the special educational needs coordinator joined the school in September 2017. There has been a turnover of staff in the past.  The majority of pupils are White British.  The proportion of pupils who are disadvantaged and eligible for the pupil premium is lower than the national average.  The number of pupils with SEND attending the mainstream school has significantly increased very recently. The proportion of pupils with support for their SEND and those who have education, health and care plans is above the national average. The school has a resourced provision for pupils with speech, language and communication needs. This is due to close in July 2019.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed learning across all year groups. Some of the observations were carried out jointly with the headteacher and deputy headteacher. They also undertook learning walks jointly with leaders as well as a detailed scrutiny of pupils’ work across a range of subjects.  Inspectors held meetings with the headteacher and senior and middle leaders. The lead inspector met with the chair of the governing body, three other governors and the school’s improvement adviser.  Inspectors talked with pupils informally at playtimes, visited the dining hall at lunchtime and observed pupils’ movements around the school. A formal meeting also took place with pupils.  Inspectors looked at behaviour at the start of the school day, during lessons and during breaktimes and lunchtimes.  Inspectors listened to pupils read and talked to them about the books they enjoyed and those that they are currently reading.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors spoke with parents at the start of the school day. They took account of the 62 responses to Ofsted’s online parental questionnaire, Parent View, and the 54 free- text responses. Additionally, they took account of the 27 responses to Ofsted’s staff survey.  A range of documents were scrutinised by inspectors, including information about pupils’ attendance, self-evaluation information, improvement plans, safeguarding records, pupil premium and sports strategies, minutes of governing body meetings and staff development records.

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Inspection team

Kirsty Foulkes, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Johanne Clifton 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

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