Wyndham Primary School

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

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Miss Kim Coulter Acting Headteacher Wyndham Primary School Wyndsail Place Gosforth Newcastle-upon-Tyne Tyne and Wear NE3 4QP

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Short inspection of Wyndham Primary School

Following my visit to the school on 18 June 2019, 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 your predecessor school was judged to be good in October 2014.

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Short inspection of Wyndham Primary School

The leadership team has maintained the good quality of education in the school since the last inspection. Since recently becoming acting headteacher, you have continued the good work of the substantive headteacher, sharing the same drive and high expectations for pupils. Alongside the headteacher, you have successfully shared these high expectations with all your staff, who say they are proud to work at the school and reflect your determination to do the very best for pupils in the school.

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Short inspection of Wyndham Primary School

Parents, carers, staff and pupils are extremely positive about the school and its leaders. The parents I spoke to at the beginning of the school day said that the school was ‘fantastic’ and that they ‘don’t want anything to change’. They say that there are plenty of opportunities for children through enrichment in the project- based curriculum. Parents also say the staff are lovely and do everything they can for their children. Parents and carers of children in the early years enjoy coming into school, and they fully participate in events such as ‘Tea at Two’, where they find out how to support their children at home.

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Short inspection of Wyndham Primary School

Pupils are polite and well behaved. They reflect the values and ethos of the school, saying that everyone is welcomed. They told me that everyone just gets along. Pupils say that the school is accepting of everyone, regardless of anyone’s background. They all said they feel happy and safe in school and that everyone is well supported when they have a problem. The pupils I spoke to said that they enjoy coming to school to learn. They said that teachers help them to get better in lessons.

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Short inspection of Wyndham Primary School

Governors and the wider trust are incredibly proud and supportive of the school. They know the school well and have a secure knowledge and understanding of its strengths and areas for improvement. Leaders and governors work well together to ensure that everything they do benefits pupils. They understand the context of the school and are driven to meet the needs of all learners. The shared positivity of leaders and staff is supporting improvement.

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Short inspection of Wyndham Primary School

Following a dip in progress for reading and mathematics at the end of key stage 2 last year, you have acted to improve the quality of teaching. Teaching across the school, at all levels, is characterised by strong relationships. I heard teachers asking questions to probe pupils’ understanding and deepen their thinking. As a result, pupils edit and improve their work effectively. They are gaining confidence in reasoning skills.

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Short inspection of Wyndham Primary School

You recognise that raising attainment for disadvantaged pupils is a key area for action. You also understand that increased attendance for all disadvantaged pupils will help to ensure that these pupils make better progress. As a result of actions taken, attendance for disadvantaged pupils is improving.

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Short inspection of Wyndham Primary School

There is a clear plan for professional development. This is supported by the trust and linked to key areas for improvement. It is improving the quality of teaching across the school. Staff welcome the opportunity to further develop their practice. They are fully committed to sharing good practice and improving their teaching. This was seen in a lesson reflecting training in reading skills, where pupils were required to explore a text and demonstrate their understanding of plot and characters. Pupils were able to reason and demonstrate a deeper understanding of the vocabulary used. A robust system for induction ensures that new members of staff understand policies, procedures and expectations, right from the start. As a result, I could see consistency in approach to expectations for behaviour, across the school.

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Short inspection of Wyndham Primary School

Leaders are diligent in maintaining a culture where all staff are vigilant in making sure pupils keep safe. Safeguarding is a strength of the school. Staff training is up to date and staff are aware of their responsibilities. They have a thorough understanding of the risks to children. There is a high level of trust between adults and pupils, which has been nurtured through the support given, particularly to vulnerable pupils. Safeguarding arrangements are robust and fit for purpose, and the recording and reporting of information is detailed. Staff and governors are well trained and kept up to date by the lead professional, who tests their knowledge through regular quizzes. As a result, staff have a detailed understanding of current child protection issues and how to support pupils.

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Short inspection of Wyndham Primary School

Pupils know how to keep themselves safe online. They are aware of road safety. They demonstrated knowledge of fire safety and procedures to lock down the school should a serious incident occur. Pupils say that bullying rarely happens but, when it does, they know that incidents between pupils will be resolved quickly.

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Short inspection of Wyndham Primary School

Leaders have built effective links with appropriate external agencies to keep children safe, such as the police and the local authority. As a result, leaders are kept up to date with the latest advice and guidance. Staff know how to spot signs of abuse or neglect. They know how to report concerns and make referrals if they need to. As a result, every parent said their child feels safe in this school.

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Short inspection of Wyndham Primary School

Pupils’ well-being is well supported by trained staff. The wider trust has evolved a system whereby pupils on a trajectory to exclusion remain within another school in the trust. They receive appropriate support before transitioning back into school. As a result, the school has had no exclusions.

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Inspection findings

 In recent years, disadvantaged pupils have not achieved as well as others. This is largely due to poor attendance. Because of the decisive steps you have taken, the attendance of disadvantaged pupils has improved, compared with the same point last year. Actions taken include the lead professional working with families to meet the needs of pupils with social, emotional and mental health issues. As a result, parents say that their children are well supported.  In the early years, disadvantaged children make good progress. When they start in Nursery and Reception, many children have language and communication skills below the level typical for their age. This is being well supported through the morning activities which children engage in. As a result, a higher proportion of disadvantaged children, compared to their non-disadvantaged peers, reach the level expected for their age by the end of Reception class.

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Inspection findings

 At the end of key stage 1, a high proportion of disadvantaged pupils achieved the expected standard in writing. This is because they have plenty of opportunities to write and they are introduced to mark making and letter formation at an early age. One of the ways in which teachers achieve this is to make learning fun, for example by providing children with note pads in their role play.  While you have been effective in improving many areas of pupils’ outcomes, you are not complacent and recognise there is still work to do. For instance, improving attainment for disadvantaged pupils at the end of key stage 1 in reading, and improving outcomes for disadvantaged pupils in key stage 2 in reading, writing and mathematics. However, there are signs of improvement. For example, in key stage 1 there was improved attainment for disadvantaged pupils in writing and mathematics in 2018.  Since September, you have monitored the progress of disadvantaged pupils on a

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Inspection findings

weekly basis. Progress is discussed regularly with teachers, and additional support is put in place. Actions, which are put into place after a period of monitoring, have resulted in more disadvantaged pupils attending school on a regular basis so that they can engage in lessons. However, as this is a recently introduced system, it has yet to bear fruit in outcomes.  To further improve rates of pupils’ attendance, the lead professional is vigilant and takes effective action, including visiting homes to bring pupils into school. Attendance is high profile throughout the school, with ‘scores on the doors’ and good attendance being celebrated in newsletters and assemblies. Leaders are strong, and reluctantly enforce fines for holidays taken in term time. Parents are informed of the negative impact on progress. As a result, attendance, overall, is at least in line with the national average. Attendance for disadvantaged pupils

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Inspection findings

has increased, compared to the same time last year. However, this continues to be a high priority for continued action.  Transition arrangements for pupils moving from Reception to Year 1 and pupils moving from Year 2 to Year 3 have been carefully managed by experienced teachers, sharing their expertise and supporting the process. This has ensured continuity in learning.  Subject leaders are supported effectively by the wider trust in the leadership of their subjects. They share in the culture of determination and urgency to improve. Some of those leaders are new to their role, but they have acted swiftly to address whole-school priorities. For example, they have introduced reasoning lessons in mathematics and reading skills in English lessons. The effect of these changes can be seen in pupils’ work, although it has yet to be seen in outcomes as it has been recently introduced. Development of subject leaders, to be able to

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Inspection findings

articulate their monitoring and impact across the school, is rightly acknowledged by leaders as a key area for development.

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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

 all pupils, especially those who are disadvantaged, make good or better progress in their learning across the curriculum, particularly in writing and mathematics  they continue to work with parents and carers to reduce disadvantaged pupils’ persistent absence  they continue to support subject leaders to effectively monitor the quality of teaching and learning so that they take swift action to address any issues that may arise.

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Next steps for the school

I am copying this letter to the chair of the governing body and the acting chief executive officer of the multi-academy trust, the regional schools commissioner and the director of children’s services for Newcastle-upon-Tyne. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

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Information about the inspection

During this inspection I held discussions with you and other leaders about the school’s self-evaluation and plans for future development. I also met with your school business manager to look at safer recruitment checks. I held meetings with the acting chief executive officer of the trust and the chair of the board of trustees. I also met with five governors, including the chair of governors and vice-chair. I met with the leaders for English and mathematics and we jointly looked at pupils’ work. I met with the lead professional to discuss attendance and child protection records.

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Information about the inspection

I visited every class with you. We observed pupils’ learning, looked at their books and talked to them about their work. I met with six pupils from Years 4, 5 and 6. I listened to pupils read.

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Information about the inspection

I spoke with parents at the start of the day, and considered 86 responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire for parents, Parent View. I also took account of the 25 views from Ofsted’s online questionnaire for staff.

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Information about the inspection

I considered the schools analysis of teaching and information about pupils’ progress. I scrutinised safeguarding documents. I also viewed attendance information and studied governors’ minutes.

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