Worplesdon Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Worplesdon Primary School Envis Way, Worplesdon, Guildford, Surrey GU3 3NL

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Outcome

Worplesdon Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Learning excites pupils. Leaders have worked effectively to develop an ambitious curriculum. This well-considered curriculum stimulates pupils’ curiosity and enthusiasm. Expectations are high for every child. There is commitment from all to the school’s four ‘curriculum drivers’ which are: building resilience, inspiring curiosity, promoting teamwork and independence, and instilling empathy. Teachers plan lessons to help pupils successfully develop these skills.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders choose to promote a ‘creative’, ‘personalised’ approach to learning. They identify pupils’ individual talents and provide lots of opportunities for them to develop. A specialist teaches music to every pupil. Lots of pupils take up the opportunity to learn an instrument. Some play the hand bells and others sing in the choir. The 40-strong violin group perform enthusiastically.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders’ work to ensure that pupils have the best possible school experience is appreciated by parents and carers. There is a special atmosphere of care and respect. Staff feel well supported by leaders. They are proud to be part of the team.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy in school and feel safe. Their parents agree. Staff have high expectations of how pupils should behave. Staff are consistent in the way they manage any poor behaviour and pupils say that bullying is rare.

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

The quality of education has improved following leaders’ curriculum review. There are new plans for what pupils will learn in each subject. Leaders ensure that programmes of study are followed faithfully. All subjects are planned in line with leaders’ ambitions for an improved quality of education. As a result, pupils’ outcomes in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of key stage 2 are improving. 28–30 January 2020

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Lessons help pupils remember well what they have learned. For example, in mathematics, teachers increasingly check that pupils can apply what they already know before moving on to a more difficult task.

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Senior leaders have organised good support for subject leaders. However, some newer subject leaders would benefit from further training so they can better develop the implementation of the planned curriculum.

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Pupils enjoy reading and read frequently. The headteacher is clear that, ‘Reading is always a priority for us.’ Most pupils leave the school reading confidently. From Year 1, pupils enjoy a daily ‘carousel’ of activities to help them to become better readers and writers. Pupils’ reliable knowledge of letter sounds, spelling and grammar helps them to access the full curriculum with confidence.

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Leaders have worked hard to ensure that phonics teaching is effective. Every day, pupils practise their sounds. In Reception, children enjoy activities using the sounds they are learning. For instance, during inspection children focused on the ‘sh’ sound as they made and labelled a ‘ship’ and made ‘sheep’ out of playdough. Leaders ensure that there is extra support and resources for any of the younger readers who need it. This helps pupils to catch up.

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Leaders know that by the end of key stage 1, more pupils should be achieving the standard expected of them in mathematics. Leaders are helping staff to develop their mathematical skills and knowledge. They are providing high-quality training and support. The mathematics curriculum is now well planned and sequenced. This means that pupils are increasingly developing their skills and knowledge and remembering more. Pupils enjoy mathematics lessons and the challenges they are set.

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The curriculum is not limited to academic subjects. Every pupil takes part in a competitive sport. Music, art and drama are subjects that contribute to pupils’ learning and develop their evident love of the arts.

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Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) achieve well. Leaders make sure that adults know how to support pupils with SEND well. Daily sensory warm- ups before school, for example, get this group of pupils off to a good start. Teachers have a thorough understanding of the needs that pupils with SEND have. Teachers adapt lessons to ensure that these needs are well met.

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In the early years, children are well looked after. Staff make good use of the indoor and outdoor areas to develop children’s skills across their learning. Children enjoy the activities staff plan for them. For instance, on inspection children learned about ‘one more and one less’. They built a rocket, for example, counting the number of bricks while doing so and, skilfully, reducing and increasing them.

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Leaders’ expectations for behaviour are high. Lessons are engaging and pupils contribute well to their learning.

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Governors have firm ambitions for the school. They know what the school does well and 28–30 January 2020

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where improvements are needed. The chair of governors has ensured that, as a team, the governing body is purposeful in its work.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The culture of safeguarding is consistent with the caring ethos of the school. Staff receive regular training and are vigilant. Leaders follow up any safeguarding concerns rigorously. If they feel it is the best interest of a pupil, leaders will challenge the decision of other agencies to ensure that pupils and families get exactly the support they need. Pupils are taught to stay safe in a range of situations, including when using the internet and social media. Leaders’ informative newsletters for pupils and parents help keep the whole school community alert to any possible wider safeguarding concerns.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Senior leaders should provide further training for less-experienced leaders to further develop their subject knowledge and leadership skills so they can impact positively on improvements to the curriculum. This will ensure that pupils continue to extend their knowledge across a range of subjects and apply skills effectively.  Leaders should further embed the well-designed mathematics curriculum to ensure that more pupils achieve at least the expected standard in mathematics, particularly by the end of key stage 1.

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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 Worplesdon Primary School to be good on 2 July 2012. 28–30 January 2020

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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.

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How can I feed back my views?

If you are the school and you are not happy with the inspection or the report, you can complain to Ofsted .

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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. 28–30 January 2020

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School details

Inspection number 10122263 Type of school Primary

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Chair of governing body Mr Matt Woodruff

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School details

Website www.worplesdonprimaryschool.com/

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School details

Date of previous inspection 30 June 2016

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Information about this school

 The current headteacher took up her post in September 2017.  The chair of governors took up the role in September 2019.  The school provides childcare before and after school. This is managed by the governing body.

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Information about this inspection

 I met with the headteacher, the deputy headteacher, the special educational needs coordinator, the school business manager and the home school link worker.  I met with four governors including the chair of governors.  I held a meeting with the school improvement partner.  I did deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics and history. I met with subject leaders and visited lessons with them. I talked to pupils about their work and discussed the school’s approach to curriculum delivery with teachers.  I reviewed the single central record and attendance information, including exclusions. I met with the designated safeguarding lead to discuss systems and processes to keep pupils safe. 28–30 January 2020

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 I met with a range of staff to gather their views on the quality of education, on pupils’ behaviour and their work-life balance.  I gathered the views of parents at the beginning of the school day.  I considered 82 responses to Ofsted’s Parent View along with a number of written comments.  I considered the views of the 43 staff and 73 pupils who completed Ofsted’s online questionnaires.

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Inspection team

Sarah Varnom, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 28–30 January 2020

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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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