Walkington Primary School

Walkington Primary School Crake Wells, Walkington, Beverley HU17 8SB

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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 Outstanding

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Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 The passionate and effective leadership of senior leaders and the commitment of the staff have sustained the good quality of education at the school.  Governors are ambitious for the school. They challenge and support leaders effectively.  Leaders have accurately identified areas for improvement. Sometimes, however, leaders do not act quickly enough to make improvements or do not thoroughly check the impact of their work.  In all key stages, pupils are now making good progress from their starting points in reading, writing and mathematics.  Despite this good overall progress, teachers occasionally set work that is less well matched to some pupils’ needs and do not check sufficiently on understanding within lessons.  Improvements in the teaching of mathematics have helped to increase pupils’ progress and improve pupils’ ability to solve mathematical problems. Nevertheless, the most able pupils would still benefit from further challenge.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 By the end of Year 6, outcomes are high in reading and writing. In reading, they are particularly high. Sometimes, however, pupils do not use their phonics skills fully enough to spell words accurately.  Pupils behave well and are polite, articulate and respectful. The school is a calm, orderly and purposeful place for pupils to make the most of their learning.  As a result of well-targeted support and effective use of additional funding, disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) make good progress.  Achievement in subjects beyond English and mathematics is more variable. Leaders are yet to ensure that pupils learn in sufficient depth in some subjects and build upon their previous learning.  The development of subject leadership is now under way. Subject leaders have hitherto not carried out sufficient evaluative checks on the quality of learning and so their influence on

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

standards has been limited.  Learning in early years gets off to a good start. As a result of effective teaching and provision, children progress well from their starting points.  Effective safeguarding procedures are in place. All staff have a clear understanding of how to keep pupils safe.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Further improve the quality of teaching to strengthen pupils’ outcomes, by: – carrying out close checks on pupils’ progress during lessons so teachers can adjust work quickly for those pupils who need extra challenge or more support – consistently setting work that is well matched to the needs of pupils, particularly the most able, in all subjects, including English and mathematics – ensuring that pupils apply their phonics skills to their spelling when producing written work.  Strengthen the quality of leadership and management further, by: – ensuring that whole-school improvement priorities receive swift and precise attention and that checks are made against measurable targets to evaluate the impact of this work – developing the evaluation skills and practice of subject leaders so they are able to exert a greater influence on the quality of learning in their subjects – making sure that plans in subjects other than English and mathematics are

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

carefully organised so that pupils are able to build upon learning from previous years.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

 Leaders are ambitious. The headteacher, who is supported well by senior leaders and governors, has a clear vision of how the school should support pupils. He has developed a culture where the needs of the pupils come first. The development of strong social skills and emotional well-being lies at the heart of the school. Pupils are well-rounded individuals who enjoy a broad range of experiences.  Leaders and governors have established effective teamwork. All staff are reflective and eager to improve. The whole school community is committed to supporting leaders in achieving their aims. Staff welcome the professional development they receive and say that this makes a real difference to the quality of their teaching. Staff feel trusted and are appreciative of leaders’ efforts to consider their workload when introducing new initiatives. Parents and carers who offered their views to inspectors were overwhelmingly positive about the experiences of their children.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

 Although leaders’ own evaluation of the school is broadly accurate, systems to check on the quality of teaching are not sufficiently precise or timely. This means that some key aspects of the school improvement plan are less far forward than they might be. Leaders do not always use time well enough to focus upon those areas of the school that they have identified as priorities. This means that there are still inconsistencies in the quality of teaching and learning. Key aspects of the school’s improvement plan have not been addressed. Nevertheless, pupils continue to make good progress in English and mathematics.  Support for pupils with SEND is effective. Leaders are well trained and use their knowledge of special educational needs to identify specific requirements at an early stage and provide timely support. Funding for SEND is used well to provide the right help for individuals and, as a result, these pupils make good progress.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

 Funding used to support disadvantaged pupils is used effectively. Individual pupil profiles identify the needs of these pupils, and leaders carefully target funding to ensure that pupils make good academic progress and improve their attendance. Governors make regular checks on the impact of leaders’ work with these pupils.  The broad curriculum provides a wide range of enriching experiences for pupils. However, work in pupils’ books shows that in some aspects the learning lacks depth. This is because pupils do not build sufficiently on skills and knowledge as they move on through the school. Work in science and history, for example, is not routinely planned to extend or challenge the most able pupils.  Curriculum leadership is at an early stage of development. Subject teams have been established but to date have not carried out close evaluation checks on the quality of teaching. This means that there has been limited impact on the way subjects beyond

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

English and mathematics are taught.  The physical education (PE) and sport premium is used effectively. Teachers have a programme of support from specialist PE teachers and this has improved their practice. The profile of sport has been raised and more pupils now compete in sporting activities. Pupils enjoy participating in outdoor pursuits and adventurous activities, including the use of the ‘forest schools’ area.  Leaders ensure that pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural education is promoted well across the school through a wide range of activities. Assemblies promote ‘human values’ and emphasise the need for pupils to be good citizens and to contribute positively to society. Leaders and teachers encourage pupils to have high aspirations and to be resilient when faced with difficult situations.  Relationships with parents are strong. Good links have been formed with families and there is a range of opportunities for parents to share in their child’s achievements.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

Class assemblies allow parents to share the experiences of their children. Parents feel that their children are safe and happy in school and would recommend the school to other parents.

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Governance of the school

 Governors have a good understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses and are clear about priorities and plans for improvement. They offer an appropriate balance of support and challenge to leaders and are fully committed to improving the school.  Governors are fully conversant with their statutory duties for safeguarding and ensure that their systems and processes comply with government regulations. The safeguarding governor visits school each term to check safeguarding procedures.  Governors are clear about the impact of additional funding for disadvantaged pupils and know how this funding is used and the difference it makes to outcomes. Regular visits to school enable governors to check on the progress that these pupils are making.  Governors visit the school regularly. They are able to identify the impact of their support and challenge around the school and are proud of the inclusive ethos that the

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Governance of the school

school promotes. They provide a good link to the local community.

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Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.  All necessary checks are undertaken in the recruitment of staff and induction processes provide relevant information and training. Staff receive regular updates throughout the year and all staff are familiar with the most recent guidance about keeping children safe. The culture of safeguarding in school is strong.  An effective system is in place for staff to refer their concerns about safety, welfare or behaviour to designated safeguarding leaders. Comprehensive records are kept and checked regularly so that safeguarding issues are dealt with effectively.  Pupils say that they feel safe and know whom to talk to should they have any worries. They are confident that if they ever have a problem, staff would help them to resolve it.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

 The quality of teaching at Walkington Primary is underpinned by warm and caring relationships between staff and pupils. As a result, pupils are eager to learn and focus well on their activities. Teachers plan interesting activities that motivate the pupils. Staff ensure that all pupils are valued and included in learning. Adults give pupils opportunities to share ideas and challenge their own thinking and this helps them to articulate their opinions with confidence. Adults’ questioning prompts pupils to think for themselves and extend their responses so that they continually improve their answers.  Teachers use their good subject knowledge to plan interesting tasks that engage pupils. Exciting activities, such as visits to places of worship, generate high levels of interest and curiosity about the themes that pupils are studying. Teachers use these as a context for pupils to apply writing skills and to generate discussion. Expectations of

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

pupils’ participation are high and pupils are very eager to contribute.  Teaching assistants usually make an effective contribution to pupils’ learning. They have a clear understanding of learning tasks and the needs of the pupils. Teaching assistants are a core part of the teaching team and benefit from involvement with whole-staff training. Occasionally, during the teacher’s input, teaching assistants are not directed well enough and do not provide effective challenge or support for pupils.  The teaching of reading is good. There is a consistent approach to the teaching of phonics. Good teaching through early years and in key stage 1 ensures that the proportion of pupils passing the Year 1 phonics screening check is consistently above average.  Despite pupils’ confidence in using phonic skills to read, their spelling is less accurate. Evidence of work in books shows that sometimes pupils do not use their phonics skills

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

effectively to spell familiar words. Simple errors are made and these are not identified by adults. Older pupils develop a good understanding of what they read. Leaders promote a love of reading and pupils say the school provides them with high-quality texts. As a result, pupils achieve well.  The teaching of mathematics has been strengthened. Progress in mathematics is improving as a result. In mathematics lessons, resources are used well to enable pupils to visualise abstract ideas and to get a more secure understanding of number. Problem solving is now a central part of learning and so pupils’ problem-solving skills are developing at a good rate. Pupils are now given more opportunities to discuss their thinking and to test their ideas in their mathematics lessons. Even so, there remains scope to further develop pupils’ reasoning skills.  Overall, teachers make good use of assessment information to plan and provide

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

activities that meet pupils’ varying needs and abilities. Disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND receive effective support and, as a result, generally make good progress. However, sometimes, during lessons, their work is not checked closely to allow tasks to be adjusted when pupils are finding work too difficult or too easy. There are occasions when work for the most able pupils still lacks challenge, particularly in mathematics.  The quality of teaching in subjects beyond English and mathematics is more variable. Teaching does not always enable pupils to develop their knowledge and understanding in sufficient depth as they move up through the classes. Curriculum planning does not consistently ensure that pupils build upon their learning from previous years and make links to what they already know and understand.  Parents are overwhelmingly supportive of the school. The vast majority believe that

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

their children are taught well and make good progress.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is outstanding.  The school’s welcoming and caring ethos is central to its work in raising standards for pupils. From the moment pupils enter the school each day, they are greeted with respect and a genuine sense of care from the adults in the building. Staff know the pupils well and pupils benefit from good pastoral care. Any issues that pupils face are dealt with sensitively. The inclusive culture that leaders have nurtured enables pupils to develop respect for others.  Pupils listen to the opinions of others and are keen to offer their views considerately and respectfully. Staff encourage pupils to be resilient and take risks. Pupils know it is all right to get things wrong and that this is part of the process of learning. As a result, pupils focus well in lessons and are happy at school.  Pupils are extremely supportive of one another. For example, they help those in need

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Personal development and welfare

and encourage those experiencing difficulties. Within lessons, they are keen to talk about their learning and share ideas when tackling problems. Older pupils are caring towards younger pupils and offer their support should it be needed.  Pupils are confident when talking about how to stay safe when using technology. They are clear about what they should do to stay safe online. A range of opportunities to teach pupils about aspects such as road and fire safety are planned into the curriculum.  Pupils say that bullying and unacceptable behaviour are rare, and if they do occur, they are dealt with swiftly. Pupils learn about different forms of bullying and are taught to respect others and the importance of tolerance. Pupils know whom to turn to should they have any problems.  There are good systems in place to identify when pupils may need additional help. Staff are trained to support these pupils and leaders maintain thorough records of the

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Personal development and welfare

guidance pupils have received and the impact of this work. The school has strong links with external agencies and draws upon their expertise to enhance support for pupils.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is outstanding.  Teachers have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour. The behaviour policy is applied consistently and pupils understand what is right and what is wrong. Pupils are committed to their work and stick at tasks even when they find them difficult.  Pupils show extremely positive attitudes to learning. They respond well to adults’ instructions and are quick to settle into learning as soon as they enter in the morning. They support each other very well and listen to ideas, helping each other with their work. Pupils are articulate and confident. They will happily engage adults in conversations, challenge ideas with respect and offer their own ideas.  Pupils’ conduct around school and in lessons is excellent. Adults model this standard of behaviour for pupils and this contributes to a calm, orderly atmosphere. Pupils move around the school sensibly and demonstrate good manners in the dinner hall. They

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Behaviour

open doors for others and are polite and courteous when talking to each other.  Leaders have established effective systems and procedures to check pupils’ attendance. Absences are followed up swiftly on the first day. As a result, attendance is above the national average. The proportion of pupils that are persistently absent is below the national average.

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Outcomes for pupils Good

 Achievement in reading is particularly strong. The proportion of pupils reaching the national standard in the phonics screening check at the end of Year 1 has been high over time.  Published results at the end of key stage 1 in 2018 show that the proportion of pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics declined and was just above the national average. Similarly, the proportion of pupils reaching the higher standards in writing and mathematics declined and was closer to the national average. An analysis of current pupils’ work in key stage 1 and their records of achievement indicate that pupils are making good progress in reading, writing and mathematics this year.  Over time, outcomes at the end of key stage 2 have been above the national average in reading and writing. However, the proportion of pupils reaching the higher standard in mathematics is just in line with the national average. Pupils made strong progress in

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Outcomes for pupils Good

reading and writing, but only average progress in mathematics. Leaders have begun to take action to improve the quality of teaching in this subject. This is beginning to pay off and evidence of pupils’ work shows better progress. However, leaders do not yet make thorough and timely checks on the quality of pupils’ learning in mathematics. This means that inconsistencies remain in the quality of learning and the level of challenge for the most able pupils.  Pupils with SEND make good progress. The support pupils receive is of consistently high quality. This means that these pupils are able to acquire the skills that they need to achieve well across the year groups.  Disadvantaged pupils also make good progress as a result of well-targeted funding. Leaders know pupils’ individual needs and ensure that funding is used to support this group, including the most able disadvantaged pupils. As a result, their achievement

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Outcomes for pupils Good

exceeds that of other pupils nationally.  In subjects beyond English and mathematics, pupils’ achievement is more variable. In some subjects, such as geography and modern foreign languages, pupils are achieving well. However, this is not the case in all subjects. Pupils’ skills and knowledge do not deepen at a good rate as they move up through the year groups. Evidence shows that although pupils study different topics, sometimes the content of these topics does not show increased demand as the years progress. Pupils’ presentation of their work is variable and is not always of the standard they demonstrate in their writing books.

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Early years provision Good

 Children settle quickly into life in early years. They learn routines and rules that allow them to develop independence at an early age. Good relationships between adults and children lead children to become confident, happy and keen to join in the range of activities on offer. Children are encouraged to develop independence, and to explore and take risks.  Information about the children shows that most enter school with skills and development at least typical for their age. In 2018, the proportion of children reaching a good level of development was below the national average and children’s progress was limited. Children are making better progress this year.  Teaching in early years is good. All staff are knowledgeable about the early years curriculum and adapt their activities to suit the changing needs of the children. Expectations of the children are high and adults model the behaviour they wish

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Early years provision Good

children to display.  The teacher plans interesting and meaningful activities that enthuse the children. Children join in activities enthusiastically and show perseverance, really concentrating on the tasks they are completing. They collaborate well and develop early skills of turn- taking, helping each other when necessary. For example, children helped each other to build tents in the outdoor area to make a home for the troll.  Teachers and teaching assistants work closely with groups of children. Their interactions help pupils to think more deeply and complete tasks. However, adults spend long periods of time working with small groups. This means that they are not aware of the needs of other children who are working independently. These children do not receive enough guidance or challenge when working on independent tasks. As a result, their learning slows.  Behaviour in early years is good. There is a calm, welcoming atmosphere where

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Early years provision Good

children feel safe and secure. Routines are well established and this allows children to access resources easily. The positive relationships that children form with staff and their peers help them to use the environment with confidence while moving around their activities sensibly.  There is a broad range of provision available throughout the indoor and outdoor environments. Children’s spiritual, moral, social and cultural awareness is developing well and support for their personal development, behaviour and welfare is good. Leaders ensure that the children are safe and checks are carried out to ensure that safeguarding procedures are kept up to date.  Leaders have worked hard to ensure that parents are involved in their child’s education. Parents have regular opportunities to talk to staff about their child’s learning and have access to children’s learning journey records. Arrangements are made for

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Early years provision Good

parents to join the children in a family picnic before their child starts at the school.

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School details

Local authority East Riding of Yorkshire

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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 walkington.primary@eastriding.gov.uk

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Information about this school

 The school is an average-sized primary school.  The proportion of disadvantaged pupils is below average.  Most pupils are from White British backgrounds.  The proportion of pupils with SEND is below average.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed learning in 19 lessons.  Discussions were held with senior and middle leaders, other staff, members of the governing body and representatives from the local authority.  Inspectors looked at pupils’ work in lessons and samples of pupils’ books.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour during lessons, around the school and during lunchtime.  Inspectors listened to pupils read and spoke with pupils in discussion groups and informally around the school.  Inspectors looked at a wide range of documents, including the school’s improvement plans, minutes of meetings of the governing body, information about the progress of pupils, records relating to behaviour and safeguarding, and information on the school’s website.  Inspectors considered the 81 responses to Parent View, Ofsted’s online survey, and the 82 free-text responses from parents.

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Inspection team

Jaimie Holbrook, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Rajinder Harrison 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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