Welton Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Welton Primary School Elloughtonthorpe Way, Welton, Brough HU15 1TJ

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Outcome

Welton Primary School continues to be a good school. However, inspectors have some concerns that standards may be declining, as set out below.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud of their school. They enjoy the leadership responsibilities that teachers give them. Older pupils look after the younger ones. They sit together in mixed-age groups in the dining room. Pupils who have taken packed lunches wait politely until everyone else on their table has received their dinner before anyone starts eating.

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What is it like to attend this school?

There are lots of educational visits at Welton Primary. Some parents and carers think that there are too many trips. Parents find this expensive. Some parents would prefer it if pupils had more opportunities to learn to play musical instruments. Many parents are disappointed that they are not invited to join pupils for the Christmas services in church. Some parents think that leaders do not listen carefully enough to parents’ views or respect parents’ opinions.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel safe. There is hardly any bullying. Teachers sort things out very quickly on the rare occasions that bullying does happen. Pupils are well mannered and generally behave well. Sometimes, some pupils misbehave in lessons. Teachers sometimes give pupils work that is too easy for them. When this happens, some pupils get bored and become distracted.

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

Children get off to a flying start in Reception Year. There are lots of children in a large space. However, leaders have thought carefully about the learning environment. Adults teach children in small phonics groups. Teachers and teaching assistants are equally skilful in each of these groups. They use language precisely and engage children’s interests. They make sure that all children keep up. Children learn to read exceptionally well in Reception Year.

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

In 2019, 90% of children met the reading standard expected for their age by the end of Reception. However, from Year 2 onwards, the progress pupils make in reading slows 12–13 December 2019

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down. By the time they reach Year 6, the number of pupils who achieve the nationally expected standard in reading is broadly average. Leaders know that this is not good enough, especially when pupils start so well in Reception.

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Leaders know that some pupils do not love reading. Leaders have tried to develop pupils’ interests by widening the choice of books available. In guided reading lessons, many pupils find the work too easy. Teachers ask pupils to retrieve information or retell stories. Most pupils get on with these simple tasks quietly, but some pupils disrupt learning because they are bored. This spoils things for others.

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Some pupils have additional social and emotional needs. The special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) has worked closely with specialist teachers from the local authority. They have assessed each pupil and come up with a personal plan for each pupil. This has reduced the number of times that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) get very upset in school.

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Leaders know that the curriculum lacks ambition. Leaders have correctly identified the need to improve the quality of the mathematics curriculum. Some teachers do not know what pupils need to learn to keep up with the national curriculum in this subject. The deputy headteacher plans to lead mathematics training for all staff in January 2020.

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Leaders are reviewing the wider curriculum. Since September, teachers have been thinking about the sequence of learning in all subjects. They have changed the way that they are teaching things. Subject leaders have thought carefully about the most important knowledge and skills that pupils need to learn in each subject. Leaders want this important knowledge to stick in pupils’ minds.

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Pupils cannot remember lots of things that they have learned in history. They remember experiences from going on trips, but they cannot remember important ideas from the periods they have studied. In art, pupils are enjoying learning new things, such as different drawing techniques. Leaders’ new plans will make sure that these skills are taught earlier in future. For now, pupils are catching up with new knowledge and skills in lots of subjects. Leaders know that pupils need to revisit the most important content in each subject. The new curriculum that subject leaders have designed is at a very early stage of implementation.

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Pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain. This inspection happened during the general election, and Year 6 pupils were very confident in talking about democracy and the parliamentary system. Pupils are confident and articulate. They told me that they thought teachers should make lessons more ‘spirited and happy’.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff are well trained. They report any concerns immediately. Leaders keep detailed records. Leaders also make sure that adults who work in or visit the school are carefully vetted. 12–13 December 2019

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Staff who look after pupils at breakfast club or lunchtime know which pupils have special dietary requirements. They make sure that pupils are kept safe. Pupils play well together at social times. Pupils know how to stay safe when they are outdoors at weekends or when they are online. All pupils left Year 6 able to swim at the national standard in 2019.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Leaders should ensure that the curriculum is suitably ambitious. Leaders should make sure that all teachers know the national curriculum expectations for mathematics. In all subjects, leaders should improve teachers’ subject knowledge and their use of assessment to ensure that all pupils achieve as well as they should.  Leaders should increase pupils’ love of reading by making sure that the teaching of reading engages pupils’ interests and further develops pupils’ reading skills. Leaders should make sure that teachers set work in guided reading that develops pupils’ inferential skills.  Leaders should improve communication with parents and carers. Leaders should engage more effectively with parents so that all parents feel respected and feel confident that leaders listen to and value their opinions.

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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.

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Background

This is the second section 8 inspection since we judged the school to be good in February 2011.

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How can I feed back my views?

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.

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How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school. 12–13 December 2019

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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

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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. 12–13 December 2019

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School details

Local authority East Riding of Yorkshire

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School details

Inspection number 10121841 Type of school Primary

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 14 July 2016

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Information about this school

 This school is larger than the average-sized primary school.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this inspection

 I met with the headteacher, the deputy headteacher, the SENCo and subject leaders for English, early reading and phonics, art and design, and history. I met three teachers following visits to their lessons and one recently qualified teacher. I met the school business manager, who maintains records of recruitment checks, and the designated leader for safeguarding.  I met a group of five governors that included the chair of the governing body.  I met the principal improvement adviser for the local authority.  I focused on the quality of the curriculum in art and design, reading and history. I met with the curriculum leaders for each subject, visited lessons with leaders, talked to pupils, scrutinised a sample of books and heard pupils read.  I also talked to pupils and scrutinised their work in mathematics. I discussed pupils’ 12–13 December 2019

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learning in mathematics with the headteacher and the deputy headteacher.  I met the subject leader for physical education as part of my discussion with leaders about the wider curriculum and pupils’ wider personal development, health and well- being.  I evaluated a range of documents, including the school improvement plan and records of exclusion and bullying.  I considered the 97 responses from parents to Ofsted’s Parent View survey and spoke to several parents on the playground before the start of the school day. I also considered the 128 responses from pupils and the 25 responses from staff to Ofsted’s pupil and staff surveys.

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Inspection team

Tracey Ralph, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector 12–13 December 2019

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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.

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