Wylde Green Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Wylde Green Primary School Green Lanes, Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands B73 5JL

p.1

Outcome

Wylde Green Primary School continues to be a good school.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils speak warmly of Wylde Green. They are proud to represent their school and enjoy their learning. They recognise that the school is a safe and welcoming environment for them and their families.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils appreciate how school leaders and staff care for them. Staff help pupils to secure strong academic results and develop into good citizens. Parents express very positive views about their school. They see how the school’s values help their children develop, both socially and academically.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Staff have high expectations of pupils. Pupils step up to these expectations. Pupils are attentive in lessons, listening carefully to adults and their classmates. Staff teach pupils well.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils conduct themselves extremely well throughout the day. In lessons, pupils learn free from unwanted distractions. At other times of the day, such as break times, pupils look out for each other and play well together. Pupils know what bullying is. They are confident that should any incidents arise, that staff would deal with them appropriately.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders prioritise reading. They know if pupils become good readers they will be able to learn better across a range of different subjects. This is why leaders ensure that children secure early reading skills as soon as they enter the early years.

p.1

What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Leaders and governors are passionate about school improvement. They are determined that pupils attending Wylde Green should have the best education. Their drive has led to the implementation of an effective curriculum. This well-thought-out curriculum, together with effective teaching, ensures that pupils deepen their learning over time.

p.1

What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

The school curriculum has developed well since the previous inspection. Leaders support 16–17 October 2019

p.1

2

subject leaders well. The shared approach has led to staff agreeing clear purposes for their curriculum. In the early years, for example, staff understand how outdoor areas can be used to support children in their learning of different topics. As a result, the outdoor areas encourage children to be curious.

p.2

2

Subject leaders are ambitious. They work with teachers to ensure that pupils can deepen their understanding well in their subjects. Subject leaders have written documents which identify what skills and knowledge pupils should be taught in each year group. The history subject leader has identified specific vocabulary which pupils need to learn when studying different topics. When completing units of work in history, some pupils are not able to recall specific knowledge that has been taught.

p.2

2

In the early years, children learn about a wide range of topics. Through their discussion with children and parents, staff pick up information about what interests children. They use this information to plan activities. Consequently, children are keen to learn.

p.2

2

Reading is a priority in all year groups. Children get off to a good start in the early years. Here, children learn phonic skills quickly and securely. This means that they are able to read a range of books fluently. Pupils make good progress in their reading through the rest of the school.

p.2

2

The teaching of mathematics is effective. Pupils learn well through sequences of lessons. Pupils consolidate arithmetic skills and apply these when tackling tricky problems. Leaders have made changes. For example, pupils now spend more time on work which requires them to reason their ideas. Teachers do not always use correct mathematical words in their teaching.

p.2

2

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) learn well. They receive effective support from staff. Pupils use resources, such as classroom boards with useful words displayed, to help them be successful in their work. Staff keep an eye on the early reading progress of pupils with SEND, notably in the early years. Changes are made if a pupil with SEND is not making the progress they need to. Pupils with SEND use their reading skills to learn well across a range of different subjects.

p.2

2

Staff provide a wide range of extra-curricular activities. Pupils talk about how this helps them develop different skills, such as how to work together. Disadvantaged pupils and pupils with SEND take part in many activities, including the debating club. Pupils experience the full range of their studies at all times of the year.

p.2

2

A strong work ethic is evident. Pupils conduct themselves extremely well. They often show very positive attitudes to learning. Occasionally, pupils are not challenged in their learning as well as they could be. This is when they become distracted. They do not disturb the learning of their classmates.

p.2

2

Pupils learn in a harmonious community. There are very few examples of pupils displaying bullying behaviour. Should any incidents occur, staff deal with these promptly and effectively. Records show that repeat behaviour does not occur. 16–17 October 2019

p.2

3

Leaders embrace staff views. They are mindful of how any changes affect staff workload. Staff appreciate this. The approach to school improvement that fully involves staff ensures that Wylde Green is a warm and caring place in which to work.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

Safeguarding

The whole school community understands the importance of safeguarding. School leaders ensure that there is a watchful culture at Wylde Green. Staff look out for pupils. Staff take action should they become concerned. Leaders responsible for specific safeguarding aspects carry out their roles effectively. Staff communicate well with parents. Staff hold difficult conversations with parents if these are needed to ensure that pupils are kept safe. Staff supervise pupils well at all times of the school day. Parents and pupils know what the school does to ensure that safeguarding is effective.

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Much has improved since the previous inspection. There remains a small degree of variability in the delivery of the curriculum. This means that pupils do not always remember skills and knowledge that are taught in different subjects. Senior and subject leaders should continue their rigorous monitoring work. This should identify where the delivery could be strengthened further. Combined with training and support this should lead to pupils learning consistently well across all subjects in each year group.

p.3

Background

When we have judged a school to be good we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good. This is called a section 8 inspection of a good school or non-exempt outstanding school. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find some evidence that the school could now be better than good or that standards may be declining, then the next inspection will be a section 5 inspection. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the section 8 inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will convert the section 8 inspection to a section 5 inspection immediately.

p.3

Background

This is the first section 8 inspection since we judged the school to be good on 10–11 June 2015.

p.3

4

find out what other parents and carers think. We use Ofsted Parent View information when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection.

p.4

4

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

p.4

4

If you’re not happy with the inspection or the report, you can complain to Ofsted .

p.4

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

p.4

Further information

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. 16–17 October 2019

p.4

School details

Inspection number 10088565 Type of school Primary

p.5

School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

p.5

School details

Website www.wyldegreenprimaryschool.org.uk

p.5

School details

Date of previous inspection 10–11 June 2015

p.5

Information about this school

 The early years is made up of two Reception classes. There are two classes for each year group in Years 1 to 6.

p.5

Information about this inspection

 The inspector held meetings with the headteacher, the deputy headteacher and the assistant headteacher. These senior leaders accompanied the inspector in most inspection activities.  The inspector met with the chair of the governing body and seven other governors.  The inspector held telephone discussions with a representative from the local authority and an external consultant.  The inspector listened to pupils read and observed the teaching of phonics.  The inspector considered a range of documentation provided by the school. He looked at curriculum documents, published information about pupils’ performance, attendance information and minutes of governing body meetings.  The inspector met with designated safeguarding leaders. He spoke with staff, pupils and parents and checked documents relating to safeguarding. 16–17 October 2019

p.5

6

 Other inspection activities focused on pupils’ behaviour, staff workload, the wider curriculum (beyond the academic) and considering if any pupils do not engage fully in the curriculum.  The inspector did deep dives in reading, mathematics and history as part of this inspection. This entailed talking with leaders, teachers and pupils as well as visiting lessons and looking at pupils’ work.

p.6

Inspection team

Jeremy Bird, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 16–17 October 2019

p.6

7

regulates and inspects to 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.

p.7

7

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 .

p.7

7

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

7

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

7

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7