Wolvey CofE Primary School

Wolvey CofE Primary School Bulkington Road, Wolvey, Hinckley, Leicestershire LE10 3LA

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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

 Pupils do not make consistently good progress from their starting points.  Too few children reach a good level of development in the early years and are not prepared well enough for Year 1.  Recently appointed middle leaders are developing their skills but have not yet had time to have an impact on the quality of teaching.  Although the teaching of reading and writing has improved since the last inspection, it is not consistently good across the school.  The quality of teaching in mathematics has not been consistently strong over time. Pupils do not learn basic mathematical skills well enough.  Work set by teachers in mathematics is not always matched well to pupils’ needs and abilities, including for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). This limits their progress.  Teachers do not make consistent use of the school’s marking scheme in mathematics. Pupils do not always know how to improve

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 The proportion of pupils reaching the standard expected in the phonics check is above average.  Pupils make good progress in Years 5 and 6.  The skilled and determined leadership of the executive headteacher, ably supported by the head of school and governors, has led to rapid improvements, particularly in the teaching of phonics and writing.  Governors know the school well and provide good challenge and support for school leaders.  The curriculum is broad and balanced. It promotes pupils’ understanding of British values well.  Pupils behave well. Pupils from different backgrounds learn and play together harmoniously.  Attendance has risen since the last inspection and is now in line with the national average.  Pupils enjoy school and feel safe. Safeguarding procedures are effective.  Children make a good start in pre-school because staff create a nurturing environment.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the effectiveness of leadership and management by: – developing the leadership skills of those new to their roles so that identified priorities and actions lead to sustained improvement – ensuring that leaders’ monitoring of teaching leads to swift action to reduce inconsistencies in the quality of teaching.  Improve the quality of teaching, learning and assessment in mathematics by ensuring that: – basic skills in mathematics are taught well – adults have high expectations of what all groups of pupils, including those with SEND, can achieve – staff consistently apply the school’s marking scheme.  Improve outcomes in the early years foundation stage by increasing the range of learning opportunities available, especially outdoors, so that activities promote early reading, writing and mathematics skills well.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

 Since the previous inspection, inconsistencies in leadership and the quality of teaching have negatively affected standards. The executive headteacher, in post since September 2018, is rapidly addressing these weaknesses.  The executive headteacher and head of school understand the current strengths and weaknesses in teaching and have acted swiftly to put into place a structured programme of staff professional development. This has begun to raise teachers’ expectations of the quality and quantity of what pupils can do. As a result, standards in phonics and writing have risen. However, some inconsistences in teaching remain.  Although senior leaders have brought about rapid improvement in key areas, the quality of teaching is still too variable and pupils’ progress is inconsistent. This is because leaders have not been in post long enough to address all the areas for improvement which they have correctly identified. For example, leaders have not yet

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

ensured that all pupils with SEND consistently receive the support they need to make good progress in mathematics.  Changes to the middle leadership of the school mean that these roles are very new to staff. The new leaders are experienced and have identified priorities for action, but have not been in post long enough for their work to have had a consistent impact on the quality of teaching. For example, activities in the early years are not focused well enough on developing children’s early skills, so too few have reached a good level of development.  The leadership of mathematics has not been strong enough to bring about the necessary improvements. Leaders’ monitoring has not been effective in raising teachers’ expectations and ensuring that pupils achieve well.  The leadership of English is strong. Leaders have very good subject knowledge, are passionate about the subject and have high expectations of all staff and pupils. Leaders

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

have led effective training for staff in the teaching of writing and phonics.  Leaders use pupil premium funding to give the small number of disadvantaged pupils and their families additional support through the work of the home–school worker. As a result, pupils’ attendance has risen and they make progress similar to that of other pupils in the school. The service premium is also used appropriately to provide additional support for pupils experiencing change when parents in the armed forces are deployed overseas.  Leaders use effectively the physical education (PE) and sports premium funding. As a result, the number of pupils involved in regular sports exercise outside lessons has increased. Pupils are particularly proud of their recent success in local swimming galas and talk confidently about the benefits of a healthy diet and exercise.  Leaders carefully planned a broad and balanced curriculum to include experiences that

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

reflect pupils’ different backgrounds. For example, the school marks Remembrance Day, Armed Forces Day and Traveller History Month. Pupils’ creativity is promoted well, and music and art are often used as stimuli for writing.  School leaders ensure that pupils learn about the different communities from which pupils come, so that the school is a friendly, welcoming community where pupils of different backgrounds learn and play together harmoniously.  The school promotes British values well. Pupils vote for school council members and learn about the reason for laws and rules, for example through visits from the police and fire service. They are taught to consider one another, to listen to the views of different people and that their actions have consequences.  The school promotes pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development well. Pupils are given opportunities to reflect and be creative. They know right from wrong

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

and help and support one another well. They learn about different faiths and cultures.  Parents and carers have mixed views about the school. Some expressed concerns based on past experiences regarding pupils’ behaviour and provision for pupils with SEND. Leaders acknowledge that in the past parents were not always involved or informed well enough, but they have strengthened current procedures. Other parents recognise the improvements made by leaders in the past year. As one parent said: ‘Wolvey is a friendly, happy school with lots of positives and is oozing potential.’

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Governance of the school

 The federation governing body was formed a year ago, and many of the governors are new to the school. However, they know the school’s strengths and weaknesses well and are aware of recent improvements. They know what still needs to be done to ensure that pupils receive a consistently good quality of education.  Governors provide effective challenge and hold leaders to account well.  Governors know how leaders use additional funding. They check how the pupil premium and funding for service children is used and monitor its impact on the achievement and well-being of disadvantaged pupils and those from military families.  Governors bring to the school a range of appropriate professional skills and experience. They audit their skills and use their training well, so they have an up-to-date knowledge of safeguarding and health and safety matters.

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Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.  Staff know pupils well and ensure that the school is a safe environment. The majority of parents agree that their children are well looked after at school.  Leaders ensure that staff receive regular training and have up-to-date knowledge of safeguarding issues, including radicalisation and extremism. As a result, staff know what to do if they have any concerns.  Leaders consistently follow up concerns about pupils’ safety and welfare. They work effectively with external agencies to provide appropriate help and support for pupils and their families.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

 While the quality of teaching is improving, inconsistencies remain. For example, in some lessons, pupils are not taught to work independently and spend time waiting for the teacher’s attention. This slows pupils’ progress.  Weaknesses in the teaching of mathematics have not been addressed. Pupils are not taught basic mathematical skills well and do not have enough opportunities to use and apply their mathematics knowledge when solving problems. In some lessons, pupils choose the difficulty of their activity, but this is not always monitored closely enough by adults to ensure that pupils do not choose work that is too easy or too difficult.  In mathematics, teachers do not always check the level of support that pupils with SEND need, so they sometimes set work that is either too hard or too easy. Consequently, these pupils do not always make as much progress as they could.  Teachers do not consistently apply the school’s marking policy when correcting pupils’

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

work in mathematics. Consequently, pupils’ misconceptions are not always addressed, and pupils do not know how to correct their work.  As a result of teachers’ high expectations, pupils’ writing includes increasingly complex structures and language. Work in pupils’ writing books shows that pupils of all abilities, including the disadvantaged, those with SEND and those who join the school at times other than the beginning of the school year, make good progress. However, other than in Year 5 and Year 6, pupils do not use their reading and writing skills well enough in other subjects.  The teaching of reading and phonics is effective. Pupils use their good knowledge of letter sounds confidently to decode words. Pupils enjoy reading and talk about their favourite authors with enthusiasm.  Where the quality of teaching is stronger, teachers carefully align work to pupils’ needs. For example, in Year 5 and Year 6 literacy, pupils gave thoughtful and mature

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

responses to the teacher’s probing questions about the symbolism used by an author to illustrate a story. The teacher’s assessment ensured that the lesson provided appropriate levels of challenge and misconceptions were corrected quickly. As a result, pupils enjoyed success and made good progress.  Carefully planned approaches support disadvantaged pupils and those whose parents are in the armed forces in overcoming barriers to their learning. These approaches help to address any gaps in knowledge and skills the pupils have and meet their social and emotional needs. As a result, these pupils make progress that is similar to that of other pupils nationally.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.  Staff work effectively to ensure that pupils from different backgrounds work and play together well. In Communities Week, for example, pupils learn about the different cultures in the school, and this promotes their social development well.  In class, pupils are polite and listen thoughtfully and respectfully to the views and ideas of others. Pupils work and play together sensibly and respond appropriately if anyone is worried or upset.  Adults know pupils and their families well and take good care to meet the social and emotional needs of vulnerable pupils. The home–school worker in particular is instrumental in helping pupils new to the school to settle quickly.  Pupils know how to manage risks. They talk confidently about how to cross roads safely, fire safety and how to stay safe online.  Pupils are knowledgeable about different forms of bullying. They say that incidents do

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Personal development and welfare

happen in school, but they are rare and are dealt with effectively by staff.  The breakfast club enables pupils to start the day well. Pupils are able to engage in a variety of interesting activities and meet with their friends.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good.  Pupils are friendly, polite and welcoming. They say that they feel safe at school because adults care for them.  Pupils enjoy their learning and work conscientiously for the most part. Behaviour systems based on the school’s values encourage positive attitudes to learning. Teachers address swiftly any incidents of misbehaviour so that they do not disrupt pupils’ learning. Older pupils are confident that behaviour in school has improved in the last year.  Pupils behave well at breaktimes and lunchtime. Good levels of staff supervision ensure that behaviour is checked regularly. Pupils enjoy each other’s company, taking turns in games, playing in small groups or reading quietly together. They look out for one another, so no one is left out.  The home–school worker and attendance officer form a highly effective team. They are very skilled and have an excellent understanding of the communities served by the

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Behaviour

school. As a result of their work to engage families, attendance has risen since the previous inspection and is now in line with the national average.

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Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

 Typically, by the end of key stage 2, pupils’ progress from their starting points is average when compared with the national picture.  In 2018, standards at the end of key stage 2 improved to well above the national average in reading and above average in other subjects. However, because these pupils reached high standards at the end of key stage 1, their progress was average. The progress of current pupils, although improving, is not yet consistently good.  Work in pupils’ books shows that current pupils do not achieve as well in mathematics as they do in other subjects because they do not learn basic mathematical skills well enough. Pupils with SEND do not make good progress in mathematics because learning is not tailored sufficiently well to their individual needs to help them overcome their difficulties.  Pupils are beginning to make stronger progress in reading as a result of improved phonics teaching. Pupils enjoy reading, and the majority of pupils read with confidence

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Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

and expression.  As a result of high-quality staff training, standards in writing have risen and handwriting has improved. Work in pupils’ books shows that pupils of all abilities, including the disadvantaged, those with SEND, pupils from military families and those new to the school, are making good progress in writing.  Scrutiny of work in pupils’ books and leaders’ own assessments show that attainment at the end of key stage 1 is in line with that found nationally.  As a result of leaders’ work to improve the teaching of phonics, the number of pupils achieving the expected level in the Year 1 phonics screening check has risen to above the national average.

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Early years provision Requires improvement

 Leaders in charge of the early years are new to the school but experienced in the role. Leaders have quickly evaluated the strengths and weaknesses of the early years provision and have appropriate plans for improvement in place. However, it is too early to measure the impact of the planned actions.  Phonics is taught well. However, in other areas of learning, tasks set for Reception children often lack purpose and are not challenging enough. At times, staff do not provide enough help for children and leave them undirected for too long. The outdoor area is not used well enough to promote children’s communication, language and literacy skills. This limits children’s progress.  Too few children reach a good level of development because the expectations of staff are not high enough. Consequently, children are not sufficiently prepared for Year 1.  Children are well cared for by adults who know them well. Children are encouraged to

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Early years provision Requires improvement

be kind to each other, share resources and play well together.  Children’s safety and welfare are high priorities. Children are taught how to manage risks, and the effective safeguarding culture found across the school is equally apparent in the early years. Consequently, children are safe and well supported.  Provision for the youngest children in the pre-school meets their needs well. They enjoy a wide range of activities appropriate for their age, so they make good progress.

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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

Headteacher Andrew Edwards (Executive Headteacher), Katie Taylor (Head of School) Telephone number 01455 220279

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School details

Date of previous inspection 7–8 February 2017

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Information about this school

 The school is smaller than the average-sized primary school.  The school has a pre-school for children aged two and three. These children attend part time.  There is a Reception class and one class in each year group in key stage 1. Pupils in key stage 2 are taught in mixed-age classes.  The school operates a before-school club.  Around half of the pupils are White British, just over a quarter are of White Romany or Gypsy heritage and a fifth are from Asian backgrounds.  The proportion who speak English as an additional language is average.  The proportion of disadvantaged pupils is well below average.  The proportion of pupils who have SEND is above average. The number of pupils who have an education, health and care plan is below the national average.  The proportion of pupils who join the school at times other than the beginning of the school year is above the national average.  Since the last inspection, the school has federated with The Revel Primary School. The

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Information about this school

executive headteacher was appointed a year ago at the time of the federation and there is a federation governing body. The head of school was appointed from February 2019. The leaders of special needs and the early years joined the school in April 2019.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed pupils’ learning in parts of 10 lessons. Some observations took place accompanied by the executive headteacher and the head of school.  Inspectors listened to pupils read and talked to them about their reading. They scrutinised examples of pupils’ work and met with a group of pupils.  Inspectors examined a range of documents, including leaders’ information on how well the school is doing; school improvement plans; information about pupils’ attainment and progress; records relating to behaviour, attendance and safeguarding; and those on the school’s website.  Pupils’ behaviour was observed in lessons, during break and at lunchtimes.  Meetings were held with the executive headteacher, head of school, senior leaders, the home–school worker, attendance officer and governors.  Inspectors took account of the 27 responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire for staff.  The lead inspector spoke to a local authority representative on the telephone.

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Information about this inspection

 An inspector spoke to parents at the start of the school day. Inspectors also took account of 15 responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire for parents and looked at the free-text comments submitted by parents.

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Inspection team

Helen Morrison, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Gill Turner 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

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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