Donnington Wood Infant School and Nursery Centre

Donnington Wood Infant School and Nursery Centre Baldwin Webb Avenue, Donnington, Telford, Shropshire TF2 8EP

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

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Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

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Early years provision Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Requires improvement

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a school that requires improvement

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Leaders’ planning for improvement is not matched closely enough to the weaknesses in the school. At times, the actions taken have not been sufficiently focused on the most important areas for improvement or have not been taken quickly enough.  The quality of teaching is not yet consistently good. Pupils’ outcomes remain uneven across different year groups, particularly for disadvantaged pupils.  Some teachers accept work which is not the pupils’ best. In writing, teachers do not always address pupils’ misconceptions and errors.  Assessment is not used precisely enough to plan tasks that are well matched to pupils’ needs, including the most able.  Provision in the early years is not consistently good.  Despite improvements in attendance, some pupils do not attend school regularly enough.  Governors do not challenge leaders enough, particularly about the use and impact of pupil premium funding.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Where teaching is most effective, activities are well planned. Teachers use questioning well to check the understanding of pupils’ learning.  The curriculum provides engaging activities for pupils. Pupils benefit from a range of interesting enrichment opportunities such as trips and visits.  Teaching assistants support pupils well, particularly those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).  Personal development is good. Pupils are happy and are kept safe. Pupils new to the school settle well and quickly make friends. Parents and carers are positive about the school.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve leadership and management by: – making sure that action plans are tightly focused on the key priorities for improvement, and strategies to improve outcomes for pupils are quickly implemented – improving the skills of governors so that they can hold leaders to account for all aspects of the school’s performance, especially around the use and impact of pupil premium funding.  Improve the quality of teaching, learning and assessment by: – making certain that tasks are purposeful and well matched to the needs of pupils to ensure good or better progress for all, including disadvantaged pupils and the most able – ensuring that teachers deal with misconceptions and errors swiftly, including inaccuracies in pupils’ spelling and grammar in their writing – raising teachers’ expectations, especially of presentation and handwriting.  Improve the quality of teaching, learning and assessment in the early years so that

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

more children, particularly boys, achieve a good level of development.  Continue to improve attendance to ensure that pupils’ attendance matches or exceeds the national average.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

An external review of governance should be undertaken to assess how this aspect of leadership and management may be improved.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

 Senior leaders have created a welcoming school where every child is valued and relationships are strong. The headteacher and senior leaders have the support of staff, parents and pupils. However, leaders acknowledge there is still more to be done to improve the school. Staff morale is positive, and most staff are becoming more involved in driving improvements across the school.  Leaders have a picture of the school’s strengths and weaknesses because of their frequent and focused monitoring activities. These include regular observations of the quality of teaching, frequent ‘book tracking’ to scrutinise pupils’ work, and the analysis of assessment information. However, leaders and governors have not ensured that development plans are tightly focused on the most important priorities for improvement. As a result, some priorities, such as improving outcomes for disadvantaged pupils and provision in the early years, have not been swiftly focused on

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

since the start of the academic year. This has slowed developments and progress for pupils.  Many pupils enter the school at different times of the year, some having never been in a school before. Many who join at short notice speak little English or have complex needs. These factors have a marked effect on standards and many pupils do not manage to reach age-related expectations in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of key stage 1. However, even allowing for these factors, progress in reading, writing and mathematics for some pupils, particularly disadvantaged pupils, is not good enough.  Over the past 12 months, staffing has been turbulent in school. Leaders have dealt with this appropriately and action has been taken to address some of the less effective teaching in school. That said, at times the actions taken have not been rapid enough and progress for some pupils has slowed.  The improved systems for managing teachers’ performance place more demanding

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

emphasis on ensuring that pupils make at least good progress and achieve the standards that are appropriate for their age. Leaders ensure that teachers are provided with a range of professional development opportunities, including support to improve teachers’ subject knowledge. Leaders have begun to check the impact of this training to remove inconsistencies in teaching and progress for all groups. However, it is too early to see the impact as inconsistencies in teaching remain evident.  The curriculum is broad and balanced. The topics and themes that the pupils follow, such as ‘castles’ and ‘seaside’, engage pupils’ interest. Enrichment opportunities, including trips, help bring the curriculum to life. For many pupils, these trips offer first- time life experiences. Pupils have opportunities to extend their learning in science, history and geography. Leaders check the progress of pupils in all subjects not just in

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

reading, writing and mathematics.  The school grounds are used well to enhance the curriculum, through ‘Willow School’. Pupils are eager to attend this weekly activity. Pupils are encouraged, through practical activities, to take managed risks, use their imagination and develop teamwork and problem-solving skills.  Targets set to support individual pupils closely match their needs. As a result, the progress for most pupils with SEND is good.  The pupil premium funding strategy is prioritised on the needs of disadvantaged pupils. Funding is being used increasingly well to aid pupils’ social and emotional well-being. However, a sharper focus is required. Some disadvantaged pupils are not making enough progress in reading, writing and mathematics from their starting points, or attending school regularly. Leaders are now beginning to address this through interventions, but the impact is not yet evident. Governors are informed of how pupil

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

premium money will be spent but they are not holding leaders to account by rigorously monitoring the impact of this spending.  Leaders place a high emphasis on ensuring that pupils are healthy and have access to good-quality physical education (PE) and games teaching. They ensure that the PE and sport premium funding for primary schools is used effectively to broaden the range of sporting opportunities available to the pupils and to support their well-being. Pupils have experienced many sporting experiences with other local schools such as an annual ‘Mini Olympics’. All pupils in school take part in twice-weekly games and PE lessons. Teachers have received training to develop their skills in teaching specific activities, such as tennis, cricket and dance.  Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural (SMSC) development is supported in school. Pupils are encouraged to develop an understanding of other people’s beliefs and to

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

take part in celebrations of different religious festivals, including Diwali, Eid and Christmas. Pupils from across the school were observed enthusiastically taking part in an assembly about Eid. They showed curiosity by asking questions to learn new facts about different cultures. This aspect of the school’s work is successful in developing pupils’ understanding of key British values, including respect and tolerance.  Parents express confidence in the work of the school. They are happy that their children attend Donnington Wood School and that they are safe. Parents support learning by helping their children with homework and attending workshops in school. They know that the school is still improving.

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Governance of the school

 Since the last inspection, governance has seen many changes. The leaders of school have frequently attempted to recruit new governors, with limited success. Those governors who are new are currently undergoing training to support their roles.  The governing body’s support for senior leaders is improving. They are clear about their safeguarding responsibilities. However, leaders and governors acknowledge that there is further work to be done in evaluating the impact of the strategies used to raise pupils’ achievement, including that of disadvantaged pupils. Governors’ challenge to school leaders is not yet sharp enough to ensure that pupils achieve as well as they should.  Although governors are beginning to ask more challenging questions of leaders and the impact of their actions, governors are sometimes over-reliant on the information and training the headteacher or school leaders present them with. This limits the ability of

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Governance of the school

governors to hold school leaders to account fully, particularly in relation to attendance and outcomes for disadvantaged pupils.  The governing body is knowledgeable about how the PE and sport premium for primary schools funding is spent. They also understand the positive impact of the safeguarding provision the school offers through the ‘rainbow provision’.

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Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.  A secure culture of safeguarding runs through all aspects of school life. The headteacher ensures that all staff are appropriately trained in safeguarding, including county lines and radicalisation and extremism. Staff know that they have a duty to be vigilant and understand the different forms of abuse.  Inspection findings show that leaders maintain detailed and effective record-keeping, so that they can keep track and review the support that they give to families. Staff report and record any concerns about pupils’ welfare promptly. When necessary, leaders are quick to act, and information is passed on to the right people in a timely manner to ensure that the needs of pupils are being met.  The school works effectively with outside agencies to safeguard pupils. Leaders respond promptly to ensure that there is early support in place for potentially

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Safeguarding

vulnerable pupils and their families. The action is prompt and is highly effective in minimising or eliminating potential further risks.  Leaders ensure that appropriate checks are undertaken to ensure that staff and volunteers are suitable people to work with children. Record-keeping is robust and suitably detailed.  Pupils feel safe in school. Pupils are well supported in understanding how to keep themselves safe. Pupils’ use of the internet is closely monitored to make sure that they cannot access inappropriate material. Supervision is good and makes sure that pupils are safe. Parents agree that pupils are safe in school.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

 The quality of teaching and learning requires improvement because there are inconsistencies in teaching across the school. Staffing changes have had an impact on the rate of improvement in teaching. Earlier weaker teaching has left some pupils with gaps in their knowledge. These pupils consequently need greater support. Leaders know where support is required and have begun to act to improve the quality of teaching.  Where teaching is less effective, assessment information is not used reliably to ensure that it clearly identifies the starting point of pupils’ learning. This results in teachers not setting work to match pupils’ ability. Pupils find tasks too easy, or on occasions too difficult, and this affects pupils’ learning in some classes. Not all pupils can explain how they will be successful in their learning as teachers’ expectations are not always clear.  Where teaching is effective, tasks build on prior learning. Pupils are encouraged to

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

share their ideas, which gives them more confidence to respond to teachers’ questions. Most teachers use questioning well to develop pupils’ knowledge and understanding. Pupils are keen to complete their learning and enjoy moving on to more challenging tasks. Pupils respond well to the modelling of expectations from teachers resulting in strong progress.  Wherever possible, teachers link subjects together so that pupils gain a broader understanding of what they are learning. Often there is an engaging text to interest pupils, linking to the wider curriculum. This also supports the promotion of pupils’ SMSC development effectively.  The work in pupils’ books is of a variable quality. Sometimes pupils produce work that is well presented, neat and accurate. On other occasions, pupils’ work lacks a sense of pride and is untidy and careless. Teachers do not consistently hold pupils to account for work of poor quality.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

 Pupils are beginning to reason well in mathematics, but opportunities are not consistent across all year groups. Tasks are generally well matched but the most able pupils could be further challenged. For these pupils, learning was not progressive and too much time was spent repeating learning that was already secure.  The teaching of writing is improving, with a focus on developing pupils’ vocabulary. Pupils are now using more ambitious language in their work. However, some teaching does not routinely remind pupils about the need to use capital letters and full stops. Teachers do not consistently insist that work is spelled and presented carefully enough. Pupils do not focus enough on these basic skills, particularly in Reception and Year 1, including when writing in topic books.  Most pupils with SEND are provided with helpful support in classrooms. This is often led by trained teaching assistants who work alongside these pupils. They help pupils by

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

explaining clearly what they need to do, thereby keeping these pupils engaged in learning.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.  Pupils enjoy school and like their teachers and teaching assistants. They say that they feel safe in school because all adults care for them and help them in class or in the playground. As a result, pupils are well supported personally, socially and emotionally.  Pupils get on very well together, helping and cooperating with each other. They are kind, polite and friendly. They say that adults treat them equally and fairly and that they have equal opportunities to take part in what the school offers. They know it is unkind to call each other names or to hurt each other. Pupils new to the school, including international new arrivals and those new to speaking English, are made very welcome and settle quickly.  Pupils show high levels of respect for each other and the adults who care for them. They make a good contribution to the life of the school and enjoy taking on responsible

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Personal development and welfare

roles, such as membership of the student council. Pupils are happy to talk about their learning and the care and safety provided for them by school staff. Pupils told inspectors how proud they were of their school and how they were well looked after by adults.  Pupils know about different forms of bullying but are adamant that bullying does not occur in their school. They say that there are times when pupils fall out but that adults are always on hand to sort out any minor disagreements.  Pupils show a good understanding of how to keep themselves healthy through eating healthy foods and taking regular exercise. The playground is now well resourced with equipment that pupils enjoy. While pupils create their own games and activities, there are occasions when adults in the playground lead playtime games. Staff have recently received training to support this initiative, enabling pupils to play cooperatively.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good. Pupils behave well in classrooms and when moving around the school. Staff have consistent systems to manage pupils’ behaviour and so pupils understand how they are expected to behave.  While most pupils behave well in class, there are times when a few display low-level disruptive behaviour, particularly boys. This occurs when teaching is less engaging, and tasks do not meet pupils’ needs. As a result, a few pupils lose focus.  The systems that the school has put in place for monitoring behaviour are effective and thorough. School records indicate that, while there have been some incidents of inappropriate behaviour by a very small number of pupils, the actions that school leaders have taken to address these incidents have been swift, and effective. Pupils with extremely challenging behaviour are managed well through personalised plans. The school’s exclusion rates are significantly below national figures.

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Behaviour

 Attendance has slowly improved over the past year but is still well below the national average. The school works closely with parents to promote regular and punctual attendance. Leaders ensure that the rainbow team follow up and tackle issues of poor attendance but currently, this work is having a limited impact on improving attendance. There is still more to be done, as too many pupils, including disadvantaged pupils, are persistently absent.

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Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

 Some pupils leave the school with the skills and knowledge required for their next stage at junior school. However, assessment information shows that while pupils’ outcomes are improving, they are not yet consistently good enough across all year groups and subjects, particularly for disadvantaged pupils. This is because teaching is not yet of a consistently good quality.  Pupils’ attainment in 2018 for reading, writing and mathematics was in line with the national average. The proportion of pupils reaching the higher standard in reading and mathematics was also in line with the national average with the gap closing in writing. Leaders’ current checks of assessment information show that Year 2 pupils in 2019 are not on track to achieve the same outcomes in reading, writing and mathematics as in 2018. This is because pupils’ historic teaching has been inconsistent.  In Year 2, there are opportunities for pupils to use their mathematical skills to solve

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Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

word problems and to give reasons for their answers. By using their skills in this way, they are deepening their understanding of number and gaining a fluency in their mathematical development. However, pupils do not make consistently good progress across the school in mathematics. This is because they are not always provided with tasks that are matched to their needs. Work in pupils’ books shows that they are often repeating previously secured learning and there is a lack of progression.  Although there are some signs of improvement in writing, outcomes vary across different year groups, particularly for disadvantaged pupils. There have been more opportunities for pupils to write extensively to build their stamina for writing. For some pupils, writing at length has had a negative impact on pupils’ accuracy of the use of basic grammatical skills, punctuation and handwriting. Teachers do not always correct

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Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

these errors.  Over time, the proportion of pupils meeting the required standards in the phonics screening checks in Year 1 has been below average. However, leaders have placed a high priority on the teaching of phonics. Progress in developing phonic skills has improved in Year 1 but not as much in the Reception Year. Leaders have ensured that standards are rising by putting interventions in place for key stage 1 pupils. As a result, pupils are now developing secure early reading skills, so they can decode unfamiliar words and apply these skills to their writing.  Pupils clearly enjoy reading. Key stage 1 pupils tackle words using their phonic skills, anticipate what is coming next in a story and become fluent early readers. They read at home.  Pupils work hard in other subjects in the curriculum. They develop knowledge and skills in a range of subjects including science, history, geography and sport. The quality of

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Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

art on display around the school is good.  Donnington Wood is an inclusive school. Pupils with SEND receive effective support, and this helps them make good progress towards achieving their individual targets. Pupils who join the school at differing times of the year, including those for whom English is an additional language, are well supported.

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Early years provision Requires improvement

 Provision in the early years requires improvement. Too few children are well prepared for the next stage of education in Year 1 because of inconsistencies in teaching in the early years.  Children join the school with low starting points. Too few children reach or exceed the expected standard for their age by the end of Reception. Children’s skills, particularly in reading and writing, have not been developed well enough. Over a three-year period, improvements are evident but the proportion of children reaching a good level of development has remained stubbornly below the national average.  In the early years, from low starting points, most children make steady progress. However, boys do not make the same progress as girls and have the potential to achieve more. Therefore, the number of children entering Year 1 with a good level of development could be higher.  Leaders of the early years have a clear view of the strengths of the setting and areas

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Early years provision Requires improvement

requiring development. They have acted quickly on some of the key priorities but not all. Leaders are aware of the gender gap throughout the early years and have swiftly put interventions in place to close the gap. As a result, the gender gap in attainment is closing.  Leaders acknowledge that the quality of teaching is not consistent across the early years, but this has not been addressed quickly enough. In Nursery, children flourish and settle well to routines, making rapid gains in their learning. In contrast, in Reception, teaching does not match the children’s specific needs. As a result, children in the Reception classes are making slow progress in their learning.  Learning in the two-year-old and Nursery provision is well supported by knowledgeable staff. They effectively model language, learning and behaviour for children who attend this provision. As a result, children make good progress from their individual starting

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Early years provision Requires improvement

points.  Children in the two-year-old and Nursery classes take delight in exploring and investigating. They have access to well-planned activities, such as comparing different shapes and sizes of sandcastles using different spades and containers. Activities also build on children’s interests, creating awe and wonder. For example, children enjoyed experimenting with how bubbles of different sizes can be made using various hoops.  In the Reception classes, staff are not accurately collecting assessments of what children understand, know and can do. This results in learning tasks not being well matched to children’s needs. Where staff do not maintain high expectations, children lose interest in their activities and their progress slows. For example, in writing, poor presentation and letter formation are not always addressed so children repeat errors.  Children enjoy playing together in the large outdoor areas and they are eager to learn.

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Early years provision Requires improvement

However, the quality of indoor provision for different age groups is variable. In Reception, few opportunities are provided to enable children to build on their prior learning. In addition, at times, adults stand back and supervise children’s play rather than engaging with them to make sure that learning is purposeful.  Staff in the early years are vigilant about keeping children safe and have a good awareness of safeguarding issues. They make sure that the early years statutory welfare requirements are met. Partnerships with external agencies are well developed to enable staff to access further support for children when necessary.  Parents hold positive views of the provision for the early years. Children new to the school, including those at an early stage of speaking English, are helped to settle quickly.

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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

Headteacher/Principal/Teacher in charge Caroline Boddy

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School details

Date of previous inspection 24–25 January 2017

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Information about this school

 This school is similar to the average-sized infant school.  The proportion of disadvantaged pupils is above the national average.  The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is broadly in line with the national average.  The proportion of pupils with SEND is below the national average.  A before-school club operates on the school site. It is managed by the governors.  The school continues to change rapidly. Many pupils enter the school at various points in a school year, some having never been in a school before.  The school makes provision for two-year-old children.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed learning, including carrying out some joint observations with senior leaders. In addition, breaks and lunchtimes were observed.  Inspectors scrutinised the quality of work in pupils’ books both within lessons and alongside senior leaders.  Inspectors talked with groups of pupils to seek their views about the school and listened to the views of many other pupils during lessons, breaks and lunchtimes.  Meetings were held with the headteacher, the curriculum leader, the leader of SEND, the attendance leader, the English leader, staff, governors and a teaching school representative.  Inspectors took account of five responses to the Ofsted online questionnaire, Parent View. Informal discussions were held with several parents. There were no responses to the online pupil questionnaire. Leaders provided inspectors with recent parent surveys.  Inspectors reviewed 12 responses to an inspection questionnaire returned by staff.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors scrutinised a wide range of documentation, including the school development plan, the school’s view of its own performance and data relating to pupils’ attainment and progress. They also looked at governors’ minutes, school policies, records about behaviour and safeguarding, and records of the school’s use of additional funding.

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Inspection team

Joanne Knowles, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Collette Higgins 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

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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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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