Webheath Academy Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Webheath Academy Primary School Downsell Road, Webheath, Redditch, Worcestershire B97 5RJ

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Outcome

Webheath Academy Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy their learning and its variety. They are articulate and self-assured, and concentrate well in lessons. They look smart, and present their work neatly. Pupils show a good degree of independence and cooperate effectively when asked to do so. For example, in a physical education lesson, Year 6 pupils helped to refine their partners’ movements. Bullying is very rare, and pupils have the confidence to report any problems.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Subject leaders have identified clearly the knowledge and skills that pupils should acquire at each stage in their learning. Teachers understand well how to choose tasks that engage pupils’ interest. They set work that builds upon what pupils have already done. Teachers and pupils use the terms associated with each subject accurately. They make sure that they deepen the understanding of the most able pupils. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those that are in danger of falling behind receive effective help. In part, this is because the school has trained some teaching assistants to provide specialist support.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders understand the school well, and are taking effective actions to improve it. They have forged a useful link with a local high school.

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

Learning in the early years is well organised to interest children and develop their knowledge and skills. For example, several different activities both in the classrooms and in the outdoor area help children to recognise numbers and the relationships between them. Leaders are establishing a greater consistency across the school. Where appropriate, children in the early years now use equivalent mathematical equipment and similar techniques to those used with older pupils. This consistency will help them as they move up the school.

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

Leaders prioritise the teaching of reading, and children take their first informal steps in phonics during the Nursery Year. Teachers follow a programme that introduces children to 5–6 February 2020

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letters and sounds in a structured way. They make sure that children read books that are well matched to their developing reading skills. Some teaching does not identify misconceptions as quickly as it should do. However, staff effectively help weaker readers to catch up. Most younger pupils read at home frequently and willingly, although few show a great passion for books. Teachers know what skills older pupils need in order to become successful readers.

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Leaders have used a structured scheme as the spine of the mathematics curriculum. They have introduced a range of practical equipment that pupils use well to support their understanding. Pupils learn a full range of mathematical topics. When they revisit a topic, staff ensure that pupils add to their previous understanding. Pupils learn how to perform calculations accurately, and how to apply their learning to practical situations. Pupils of all abilities learn to think about how to solve problems. They understand that there are often different approaches to a question that can be successful. Pupils present their work in mathematics neatly. However, more attention to the way it is laid out would help them to see and remember the steps they have completed.

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Physical education is a real strength of the school. Leaders identify clearly the necessary skills in movement and control. Teachers ensure that pupils build up these skills progressively through taking part in a variety of different sports and activities. One girl described this as ‘changing it up’. Pupils appreciate the school’s positive approach and said that those of all abilities are encouraged to improve. Staff provide additional coaching for those who might struggle. The school puts those who shine in contact with relevant community sports clubs.

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During the inspection, pupils behaved very well in the classroom and the playground. They said this was typical and that teachers deal effectively with any poor conduct and we agree. This allows everyone to learn. Although the school continues to use fixed-term exclusion in appropriate circumstances, records show that the frequency of behavioural incidents has fallen over time.

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The school pays good attention to pupils’ wider personal development. Pupils can demonstrate responsibility as team leaders or eco warriors. Some Year 6 pupils act as leaders of learning, a role that requires them to investigate learning across the school. They can then help leaders to understand the pupils’ perspective. Pupils gain a good understanding of a range of other societies and cultures. For example, Year 6 pupils were able to explain in detail about those who travelled to Britain from the Caribbean after the Second World War. Pupils raise money for charity, for example by singing at community events.

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The school’s published outcomes have been stronger for the younger years than at key stage 2. Results for Year 6 do not yet reflect the better practice now in evidence across the school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 5–6 February 2020

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Leaders make sure that staff are well trained, so that they are vigilant and can identify any risks to particular pupils. When an issue arises, leaders take the right steps to involve other agencies that work with children. They persist until they are sure that any welfare or safety matters have been dealt with properly. Leaders keep careful records. They have a good knowledge of the local community.

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Leaders make the necessary checks on the staff who join the school. The governing body plays an effective part in keeping children safe.

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Pupils feel overwhelmingly safe in school.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Sometimes those staff who teach phonics do not check well enough whether pupils have grasped the new sounds and letters. As a result, they allow some pupils’ misconceptions to persist until a more formal assessment takes place. Leaders should work with staff to ensure a greater degree of consistency in the implementation of the phonics curriculum. Those staff who teach phonics should check pupils’ understanding more rigorously, especially how well they are able to read and pronounce written text. This will enable them to provide the most effective feedback and to take any necessary action.  Pupils enjoy reading, and most younger pupils read at home every night or several times a week. Reading records show that most parents and carers provide encouragement and support. However, few pupils demonstrated any great passion for books. Leaders should review how the school promotes a love of reading and how it

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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 Webheath Academy Primary School to be good on 9 February 2011. 5–6 February 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. 5–6 February 2020

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School details

Inspection number 10132694 Type of school Primary

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School details

Date of previous inspection 22 March 2016

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Information about this school

 Shortly before the last inspection, the school gained approval to change the age range of its pupils. From September 2016, the school has admitted pupils aged 3 to 11. At the time of the previous inspection, the school was known as Webheath Academy First School.  The school runs a breakfast club and an after-school club.  The headteacher joined the school in September 2017.  A very few pupils benefit from full-time alternative provision at The Beacon Pupil Referral Unit, Redditch.

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Information about this inspection

 Before the inspection, I reviewed the information on the school’s website and spoke to the headteacher on the telephone about the school and its curriculum.  I conducted deep dives into reading, mathematics and physical education. I held discussions with leaders, visited lessons, held meetings with staff, looked at examples of pupils’ work and had discussions with pupils. 5–6 February 2020

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 I took account of the 125 responses to Parent View, Ofsted’s questionnaire for parents. I also considered 71 free-text comments. I spoke with parents at the start of the second day of the inspection.  I considered 27 responses to the staff survey. I also spoke to staff about their professional development and their support from leaders.  I spoke to pupils in lessons and at social times about their experiences at school.  I checked the school’s employment records and met with those who lead safeguarding. I met with the special educational needs coordinator.  I listened to pupils in the Reception Year, Year 1 and Year 2 reading.  I met with the chair and two other members of the governing body. These governors are also trustees of the single-academy trust.

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Inspection team

Martin Spoor, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 5–6 February 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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