Wild Bank Community School

Inspection of Wild Bank Community School Demesne Drive, Stalybridge, Cheshire SK15 2PG

p.1

Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Requires improvement Early years provision Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good 19–20 November 2019

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders make sure that pupils are safe. Staff provide strong pastoral and emotional support for all pupils. This is especially true for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils know that adults will sort out problems if they happen. Staff deal effectively with any bullying.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have not focused enough on how well pupils attain across key stages 1 and 2. They do not have high enough expectations of pupils. Leaders do not make sure that pupils learn what they should in some subjects. Although leaders have started a journey of improvement, there is much more to do before the quality of education is good. This is particularly true in reading.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Conversely, children achieve well in the early years. They develop a good understanding of phonics. However, teachers in key stage 1 do not build on what pupils have learned in the early years.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well. They enjoy coming to school. Pupils take part in lots of activities that help them to keep healthy. They love playing and learning outdoors, especially in the forest areas. Pupils get on well with each other. They treat each other with respect.

p.2

better?

Leaders make sure that staff and pupil well-being have a high priority at the school. Pupils use ‘nurture nooks’ in classrooms to reflect and take time out. They use wooden shelters for quiet play outside. Pupils access a wide range of physical and creative activities which develop their social and cultural skills. These activities also support pupils in developing healthy lifestyles. The effective emotional support that pupils receive from staff helps them not to give up in lessons. Pupils keep trying, even when they struggle to complete the work that teachers set for them.

p.2

better?

In contrast, senior leaders do not place the same strong focus on pupils’ academic achievement as they do on pastoral support. Leaders do not routinely identify pupils, including disadvantaged pupils, who need extra support with their work. As a result, pupils have not achieved as well as they should in reading, writing or mathematics at the end of key stages 1 and 2. Attainment in reading continues to be weak for current pupils. As a result of poor outcomes in reading, some pupils are likely to struggle at secondary school.

p.2

better?

Leaders now have clear plans in place to improve pupils’ achievement. However, senior leaders do not focus sufficiently on the key priorities that will improve the school. For example, they are not acting quickly enough to improve reading across key stages 1 and 2. Some subject leadership is also variable in quality.

p.2

better?

At the Wild Bank Community School, children in the early years start to learn to read as soon as they begin in the Nursery class. Skilled staff also make sure that children 19–20 November 2019

p.2

3

have strong phonic knowledge in the Reception class. However, teachers in key stage 1 do not build on this. Pupils who fall behind in their reading do not receive the help that they need to catch up quickly enough. In key stage 2, teachers have recently changed how they deliver comprehension lessons. That said, it is too early to say whether this is improving how well older pupils understand what they read.

p.3

3

The mathematics leader has strengthened the curriculum in key stage 2. Problem- solving is now incorporated into lessons. Current pupils in key stage 2 apply and practise the facts that they have learned. They are developing their recall of times tables facts. Pupils know that quicker recall helps them to complete calculations more effectively. Children in the early years also develop their mathematical knowledge well. Adults challenge and support children to recognise and use numbers in real-life problems. However, some pupils in key stage 1 continue to struggle with mathematics.

p.3

3

Pupils can remember little of what teachers have taught them in Spanish. Senior leaders do not have an effective curriculum plan in place for this subject. Furthermore, some leaders and teachers do not have the required subject knowledge that they need. Pupils are not able to pronounce Spanish words accurately. They learn unconnected vocabulary that is unlikely to help them in everyday conversations. Pupils know very little about what life is like in Spain. Some pupils have developed misconceptions about Spanish culture.

p.3

3

In science, leaders’ curriculum plans focus well on developing pupils’ investigation skills. Most teachers make sure that pupils build on their scientific knowledge. For example, children in the early years are curious to find out why the ice that they find outside melts. Pupils in Year 2 plan their own investigations about different materials with confidence. In Year 1, however, teachers do not plan learning activities effectively enough. As a result, pupils are not challenged and they lose interest in their learning.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

Safeguarding

Safeguarding is a high priority at the school. Pupils know how to keep themselves and others safe. They know how important this is when they are online. Staff and governors are well trained. Leaders have made sure that there are clear systems in place to record any concerns. However, some of these systems are not used as effectively as they should be. Staff take swift action to get pupils support when they need it. Leaders make sure that the most vulnerable pupils are in school and safe. Vulnerable pupils are well supported by trained staff. Leaders ensure that pupils who suffer from anxiety are ready to learn.

p.3

4

 Leadership lacks rigour. Over time, leaders have not challenged staff to make sure that pupils achieve as well as they should in reading, writing and mathematics. Outcomes have not been good enough. Although pupils’ attainment is now improving in some subjects, further improvements are still required, particularly in key stage 1. This is especially true for disadvantaged pupils. Leaders need to ensure that all pupils, including those who are disadvantaged, achieve as well as they can right across the school.  Leaders do not make sure that all teachers plan activities that build on what pupils already know. This is especially true in reading. Too many pupils do not reach the expected standard in the Year 1 phonics screening check. Attainment in reading is also low by the end of Year 2 and by the end of Year 6. This means that some pupils will struggle to access the curriculum in the next stages of their

p.4

4

education. Leaders need to make sure that pupils read accurately and fluently.  Curriculum leadership is not equally developed in all subject areas. Some subject leaders, for example the leader of mathematics, ensure that pupils can remember what they have learned. In other subjects, pupils do not learn and acquire new knowledge well enough. Some of what pupils learn is incorrect in Spanish. Senior leaders need to provide the support and training that subject leaders need so that they can improve their curriculums.

p.4

How can I feed back my views?

or to 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

How can I feed back my views?

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

p.4

How can I feed back my views?

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. 19–20 November 2019

p.4

School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

p.5

School details

Date of previous inspection 18 December 2018

p.5

Information about this school

 There have been no significant changes at the school since the previous inspection.

p.5

Information about this inspection

We carried out this inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

p.5

Information about this inspection

 We spoke with the headteacher, the special needs coordinator, a group of governors, including the chair of the governing body, and a representative from the local authority.  We looked at a range of documentation for safeguarding, including the record of required checks carried out on school staff, staff training logs and case files. We met with the person responsible for safeguarding to discuss how the school keeps pupils safe.  We observed pupils’ behaviour at breaktimes and lunchtimes. We observed them in the school’s breakfast club and as they moved around the school.  We spoke to pupils about their experiences at school.  We looked at the 15 responses to Ofsted’s parental questionnaire, Parent View. 19–20 November 2019

p.5

6

We also reviewed the 10 free-text responses from parents to find out their views. We spoke with parents as they dropped off their children at school.  We focused closely on reading, mathematics, science and Spanish. We talked to the leaders of these subjects. We visited lessons. We looked at examples of pupils’ work. We talked with teachers and pupils about what pupils were learning.  We also looked at pupils’ workbooks in writing, history, geography, religious education, art and design and technology.

p.6

Inspection team

Claire Cropper, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

p.6

Inspection team

Michelle Joyce Ofsted Inspector 19–20 November 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