Henry Whipple Primary School

Henry Whipple Primary School Padstow Road, Bestwood, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire NG5 5GH

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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

 Leaders, other staff and governors have high expectations of what pupils can achieve. They have a shared vision in which pupils are at the centre of all they do.  Leaders have been effective in bringing about improvements, particularly in reading, writing mathematics and in rates of attendance.  Senior leaders are developing leadership roles at all levels. Middle leaders are increasingly effective at supporting and leading improvements.  Teachers have good subject knowledge. They plan interesting lessons which motivate pupils. Pupils have positive attitudes to learning.  Current pupils, including those who are disadvantaged, make good progress from their different starting points, particularly in reading, writing and mathematics.  Children in the early years make a strong start to their school life. They make good progress from their starting points.  The school provides a broad and balanced curriculum that is based on the needs of the

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

pupils.  Pupils’ personal development is a strength. Leaders and other staff help to prepare pupils well for their lives beyond school. They encourage pupils to have high aspirations.  Pupil leadership roles are extensive. Pupils have a say in how the school is run. Pupils are taught to be responsible.  Relationships are positive. There is an ethos of mutual respect. Staff promote pupils’ personal development, welfare and well-being very well.  Pupils are friendly and polite and behave well at all times of the school day.  Leaders have not checked carefully enough that the impact of their work is consistent. Some variations in the quality of teaching and in pupils’ outcomes remain.  Leaders’ use of the pupil premium is not as refined as it could be to further improve outcomes for disadvantaged pupils.  The teaching of phonics and helping pupils to learn and use important vocabulary are sometimes not as focused as they could be.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Partnership with parents and carers is not as strong as it could be to support pupils’ learning and development.  Sometimes, teachers’ expectations of the quality and depth of pupils’ learning and work vary in different subjects.  Teachers’ expectations of the accuracy of pupils’ spelling, grammar and punctuation vary in different classes and subjects.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Leaders and the governing body should: – check more carefully that the positive impact of their work to improve the quality of teaching and pupils’ outcomes is consistent throughout the school – ensure that strategies to improve standards in reading are secure and sustained and all pupils, including those who are disadvantaged, make fully the progress of which they are capable – continue to develop their work to establish positive partnerships with parents to further support pupils’ learning and development – refine their use of the pupil premium to further improve the progress and raise the attainment of disadvantaged pupils.  Improve further the quality of teaching and learning by ensuring that all teaching staff: – are equally skilled and effective at helping pupils to acquire, understand and use accurately important vocabulary in different subjects – have high expectations of pupils’ spelling, grammar and punctuation in their writing

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

– have high expectations of the quality and depth of pupils’ learning and work in all subjects across the national curriculum.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

 Leaders, other staff and governors have high expectations of what pupils can achieve. They have a shared vision in which improving pupils’ outcomes, raising their aspirations and promoting their well-being are at the centre of all they do. The positive ethos, encapsulated in the school’s motto ‘Believe, belong, achieve’, is shared by all.  Leaders have brought about considerable improvements to the quality of teaching of reading, writing and mathematics and to rates of attendance, as well as improving the personal development of pupils. Pupils’ progress from their often low starting points is good and improving.  Senior leaders are strengthening leadership roles at all levels. Middle leaders are increasingly effective in their roles to bring about improvements. They know their subjects or areas of responsibility well. They lead training and work alongside, and support, staff. They are closely involved in reviewing pupils’ progress and create

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

focused plans for improvement.  Leaders’ assessments of the quality of teaching and learning are accurate. Leaders and other staff meet to review carefully the learning and progress of pupils. They consider the progress of different groups of pupils and decide if extra support or other actions are needed for pupils who may be falling behind.  Leaders make effective use of the additional funding for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) to support pupils’ learning. Staff review pupils’ learning carefully. Pupils make good progress from their starting points.  Leaders use the additional funding for physical education (PE) and sport effectively to support the development of teachers’ expertise in teaching PE, as well as widening pupils’ opportunities to engage in sporting activities. Leaders are increasingly rigorous in checking the impact of the funding on improving pupils’ participation in sporting

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

activities and events.  Leaders have a well-thought-out rationale for the curriculum, which meets the needs of the pupils in the school. Staff promote pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural education well. Staff ensure that pupils understand the importance of knowledge and that they should ‘dig deeper’ when they are learning. This is particularly effective in reading, writing and mathematics. Pupils value enrichment opportunities and the carefully planned opportunities for learning outside of school.  Leaders are outward-looking. They work in partnership with local schools and draw upon external support, for example to support improvements for specific subject areas. Their work within the Nottingham Schools Trust, in conjunction with the local authority, has particularly supported improvements to leadership and teachers’ expertise in assessing pupils’ learning.  The pupil premium is used well and disadvantaged pupils are making improving

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

progress. Leaders have a secure overview of this and check the impact of the funding carefully. They have put into place a range of carefully considered and relevant actions to support pupils’ personal development, well-being and academic progress. However, some inconsistencies in pupils’ attainment and progress remain.  Leaders have an accurate understanding of the school. Their plans for improvement are focused and identify relevant priorities for improvement, as well as carefully considered actions to achieve them. However, they have not checked carefully enough that the positive impact of their work is consistently strong in all classes.  Senior leaders have made improving standards in reading a central priority. They have put into place a range of carefully considered training, systems, approaches and resources which have improved the quality of teaching. For example, pupils know and understand how the reading toolkits help them with their reading. Leaders ensure that

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

pupils are given their own copies of important class books, which pupils greatly value. However, some inconsistencies in the teaching of phonics and ensuring that pupils understand and use new vocabulary remain.  Leaders and governors are increasingly working to build positive relationships with parents. Staff offer information events and opportunities for parents to visit classrooms so that they can understand better how aspects of the curriculum, such as reading or mathematics, are taught. Events such as the fathers’ day breakfast and ‘stay and learn’ sessions are giving more parents insight into school life. However, partnership between the school and parents is still not as well developed as it could be to further support pupils’ learning and development.  The very large majority of parents who spoke with the inspectors were positive in all respects. They said their children enjoyed coming to school and are making good

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Governance of the school

 The governing body is effective. Governors know the school and the community which it serves very well. Governors share leaders’ vision to create a culture in which pupils have high expectations for themselves. Governors recognise and value the commitment and work of leaders and other staff in, as they put it, ‘helping the children to see life from different angles’.  Governors review the impact of additional funding, including the pupil premium, and check the school is meeting safeguarding requirements. Governors have received a range of relevant training, including in relation to safer recruitment practices.  The governing body is very clear on its role to both support and hold leaders to account. Governors undertake focused visits to meet with leaders and review standards. This provides the governing body with detailed insight into the school’s work, particularly in regard to the priorities identified in school improvement plans.

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Governance of the school

However, the minutes of their meetings show that, sometimes, their questions are not as challenging as they could be.

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Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. There is a strong culture of safeguarding. Leaders and other staff have created a culture of care and an ethos of mutual respect.  Leaders ensure that all employment checks are completed for people working in the school. Records are well organised and thorough.  All staff know the procedures if they have a concern about a pupil’s welfare. Leaders follow up all safeguarding concerns in accordance with the school’s policy. They record carefully the prompt actions they take. Leaders are tenacious in involving external agencies where this is relevant.  Staff receive relevant training so that they are kept up to date with safeguarding requirements and guidance. This includes, for example, training on the government’s ‘Prevent’ duty.  Parents who spoke with the inspectors said their children are safe. Pupils say they are safe and that bullying is rare. Nearly all parents and pupils are confident that leaders

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Safeguarding

and staff will resolve any concerns that they have.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

 Teachers have good subject knowledge, which they use to plan interesting and usually challenging lessons. Teachers’ questioning is often effective in encouraging pupils to explain their thinking. Teachers often plan sequences of lessons that build pupils’ knowledge and understanding well. This is particularly strong in writing. When this happens, pupils make strong progress.  Teachers have increasingly high expectations of what pupils can achieve. They usually match work well to pupils’ needs and abilities, including for the least able and the most able pupils. This is evident in pupils’ work over time.  Teachers and other staff encourage pupils to appreciate and value learning. Relationships are positive. Staff are enthusiastic and engage and motivate pupils. Pupils have positive attitudes to learning.  Teachers teach pupils to be confident readers who have a range of strategies for reading words they are not sure of. The introduction of initiatives such as the ‘reading

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

toolkits’ and other approaches help pupils to be fluent readers. Dedicated time is given to the teaching of reading. There is a systematic and progressive approach to teaching comprehension skills. However, sometimes, the teaching of phonics is not as sharply focused and matched to pupils’ abilities as it could be.  Teachers often promote successfully pupils’ understanding and use of new and important vocabulary in different subjects. This was observed in many lessons. For example, in Year 3, pupils learning about Queen Victoria talked about the meaning of complex words such as ‘monarchy’, ‘reign’ and ‘formidable’. However, teachers’ expertise and rigour in helping pupils to acquire new vocabulary are inconsistent. The teaching of mathematics is effective. A ‘mastery’ teaching and learning approach is helping to improve pupils’ progress. Staff are effective in using visual imagery and physical apparatus. Teachers often encourage pupils to ‘go deeper’ by asking questions

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

such as ‘How can you prove it?’ Teachers are increasingly developing pupils’ problem- solving and reasoning skills. However, while there is evidence of this work in all classes, again the impact of this is variable.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good. Relationships are supportive and positive. Pupils are proud of their school and their learning. They like and respect their teachers. There is an ethos of mutual respect.  Staff are good role models who see all interactions as positive opportunities to help pupils to develop social and life skills. This was observed, for example, when older pupils responsibly supported younger pupils at lunchtime.  Staff ensure that pupils take increasing pride in their work. Pupils take pride in their smart school uniforms. Pupils told the inspectors that pupils in Year 6 wear yellow jerseys because ‘We are in Year 6 and are role models. We show younger children how to be responsible.’  Pupils relish the roles and responsibilities that the school offers them. These include school ambassadors, digital leaders, attendance and science leaders and junior

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Personal development and welfare

leadership and eco teams.  Pupils greatly value the ‘learning away’ experiences offered to every class. These enable pupils to broaden their understanding and horizons. Pupils told inspectors, ‘We get to visit lots of places we’ve not seen before.’ Pupils in Year 6 described what they had learned from a visit to the Houses of Parliament.  In an assembly, pupils learned about democracy. They explained how this linked to voting for pupil ambassadors. They also know how the rule of law relates to their school rules. Pupils were also able to describe in detail their concerns about pollution caused by plastic and how they were writing to the Secretary of State for Environment to voice these concerns. Pupils are prepared well for life in modern Britain.  Pupils are taught how to keep themselves safe, including when they are online or in relation to fire safety. Pupils say bullying is rare and are confident that staff will resolve

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Personal development and welfare

any concerns.  Leaders and other staff promote pupils’ well-being and mental health very well. The school environment provides many celebrations of pupils’ work and efforts, and positive messages that pupils know and understand. The daily ‘headspace’ sessions enable pupils to reflect and create a calm start to each afternoon’s learning.  Pupils speak maturely about what makes a good friend. Pupils understand and ‘live’ the school values. They understand the importance of respecting others who are different from themselves or who have different beliefs or family backgrounds. A typical comment from older pupils was: ‘We’re all equal. We’re all different! You should treat people the same way you want to be treated yourself.’ However, pupils’ depth of understanding about different religions is not as well developed as it could be.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good. Pupils get along with each other very well. They have very good manners and conduct themselves well at all times of the school day. Lunchtimes are calm, orderly and positive experiences. At playtimes, pupils play happily together and enjoy the range of activities on offer to them.  Staff manage pupils’ behaviour consistently well. School systems are applied fairly and pupils understand them. Pupils’ work and efforts are praised and rewarded. Pupils have a well-developed sense of what is right and what is wrong.  Pupils enjoy going to school. Pupils’ current attendance has improved and is above the national average for all groups of pupils, including those who are disadvantaged. Punctuality has also improved and the proportion of pupils who have persistent absence has declined. Leaders take attendance and punctuality seriously. They check pupils’ attendance carefully and emphasise the importance of regular attendance to

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Behaviour

parents. They work with the families of children who are persistently absent.

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Outcomes for pupils Good

 In 2018, at the end of key stage 2, pupils’ progress in reading was average and, for writing and mathematics, above average. Attainment in these subjects at the end of key stages 1 and 2 was below the national average, as was the proportion of pupils achieving a good level of development in the early years.  Many pupils join the school with skills and knowledge that are below those typical for their age. Current pupils’ work, observations of teaching and learning and school information show that the large majority of pupils, including the least able, the most able and those who are disadvantaged, make good progress in reading, writing and mathematics. Standards are improving.  The quality of teaching and the commitment of staff to pupils’ personal development and welfare ensure that pupils are well prepared for each new stage of their education.  Pupils make strong and improving progress in reading. The majority of pupils make

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Outcomes for pupils Good

strong progress in phonics from their starting points. In 2018, the proportion of pupils achieving the required standard in the Year 1 phonics screening check was close to the national average. However, teaching is not as consistently systematic and focused as it could be. Some pupils do not fully make the progress of which they are capable.  Pupils make good progress in developing increasingly sophisticated inference and deduction skills in reading. Pupils in many classes effectively acquire and use new or technical vocabulary. However, progress is stronger in some classes than in others.  In 2018, the attainment of disadvantaged pupils was often below that of other pupils and pupils nationally. The current progress and attainment of disadvantaged pupils are improving in all subjects. In some classes, disadvantaged pupils are making better progress than other pupils. However, again, this is inconsistent in different classes and

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Outcomes for pupils Good

subjects.  Pupils make strong progress in writing. Pupils of all abilities are able to write at length in different styles and in different subjects. Pupils take pride in their work. However, the quality of their work is sometimes reduced by inaccurate spelling, grammar and punctuation. Sometimes, the quality of pupils’ writing varies in different subjects.  Pupils make good progress in mathematics. Logical sequences of lessons ensure that pupils understand the important ideas in mathematics. Work is often challenging and staff are increasingly developing pupils’ problem-solving and reasoning skills.

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Early years provision Good

 The majority of children join the early years with knowledge and skills below those typical for their age. In 2018, the proportion of pupils achieving a good level of development was below the national average. However, children’s work and school information show that, from their different starting points, children make at least good progress in the Nursery and Reception classes.  The early years is well led. Leaders have identified precise areas for development and monitor these effectively. Children’s progress is checked carefully. Leaders are knowledgeable about the children’s learning and development and thoughtfully plan activities that tackle specific areas, such as improving children’s communication and language development.  Teaching in the early years is effective. Teachers are well supported by teaching assistants. Together, they plan lessons and experiences which the children both enjoy

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Early years provision Good

and benefit from. Leaders have a clear rationale for the organisation and planning of the indoor and outdoor classrooms. Basic skills of reading, writing and mathematics are taught well and tasks are often challenging. For example, in a mathematics lesson in the Nursery class, staff encouraged the children to respond to the question ‘What is the data telling you?’ In Reception, a teacher helped children move from using the word ‘fairly’ to ‘equally’. Staff help pupils to develop language skills and learn new and unfamiliar words.  Phonics is taught successfully and progressively from Nursery to the end of the Reception Year. Teaching strategies are well thought out.  Pupils behave very well in the early years. They share and cooperate. They are able to concentrate and persevere with tasks. They enjoy coming to school. Routines are well established and children acquire the essential skills that will support the transition into

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Early years provision Good

key stage 1.  In common with the school as a whole, staff place children’s safety and well-being at the centre of their work. The systems and procedures to safeguard children meet requirements.  Leaders are considering ways to improve the involvement of parents, for example by inviting them to come into the classrooms and share their children’s learning. They ensure that parents are invited to contribute to assessments of their children’s learning. However, this aspect of the early years is not as strong as it could be.

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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

Email address admin@henrywhipple.nottingham.sch.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 12 July 2017

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Information about this school

 Henry Whipple Primary School is smaller than the average-sized primary school.  The school is a member of the Nottingham Schools Trust, a group of maintained schools and academies.  The school has a breakfast club.  The proportions of pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds and of pupils who speak English as an additional language are above those seen nationally.  The proportion of disadvantaged pupils is above the national average.  The proportion of pupils with SEND is above the national average.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspectors visited 15 lessons, many jointly with senior leaders. During these visits, the inspectors looked at pupils’ work and spoke with them to evaluate the quality of their learning. The inspectors scrutinised pupils’ work with leaders, met with groups of pupils and listened to pupils read.  The inspectors spoke with parents informally at the start of the school day. There were only four responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View, and its free-text facility. There were four responses to the staff questionnaire and no responses to the pupil questionnaire.  The inspectors held meetings with the headteacher, the assistant and deputy headteachers, middle leaders and other staff. The inspectors also met with members of the governing body and a representative of the local authority.  A range of documents were scrutinised. These included those relating to safeguarding, behaviour, attendance, the quality of teaching, learning and assessment and pupils’

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Information about this inspection

attainment and progress. The inspectors looked at plans for improvement, as well as leaders’ evaluation of the school’s performance. The inspectors also considered the range and quality of information provided on the school’s website.

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Inspection team

John Lawson, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Chris Moodie 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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