Wellgate Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Wellgate Primary School George Street, Mapplewell, Barnsley, South Yorkshire S75 6HR

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Outcome

Wellgate Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel safe and happy and parents agree. Behaviour is strong, allowing pupils to learn and make progress. The behaviour policy is well understood and is fairly applied. Bullying is rare. Effective provision is in place to help pupils who struggle to manage their behaviour. Pupils achieve well in the school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are very well supported. This is a strength of the school’s work. Parents of pupils with SEND have a very positive view of the school’s work in this area. Leaders and other staff regularly review pupils’ needs. They use information to plan appropriate and engaging activities for pupils with SEND.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils have opportunities to take on leadership roles which they enjoy. They have good careers advice. Many special events are held to let them know about employment. Pupils regularly go on trips and welcome visitors into school to make their learning tangible. These experiences also teach them about the wider world.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The curriculum in most subjects is taught well. However, in science there is still some work to do. Pupils learn about different faiths and cultures. They have a detailed knowledge of Christianity. However, pupils’ understanding of other faiths is less strong. They have far fewer experiences around other faiths.

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

Pupils learn to read from the start of school. From the early years, the phonics teaching is strong. All adults are well trained. They support pupils in developing their phonics skills and knowledge well. Adults also regularly check what pupils can do and remember. They use this to provide bespoke support. When pupils struggle, adults help. They fill any gaps in pupils’ learning effectively. There is a strong emphasis on reading for pleasure. This is the case from the early years. Adults read to pupils every day in all classes. Pupils choose books to read with their parents. Parents are also encouraged to come in to choose and 21–22 January 2020

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borrow books. There are prominent reading stations that each class has created. These show the books pupils read and the work they have done when studying the text.

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In early years, the provision reinforces a love of reading. It provides children with the chance to practise their phonics. There are clear routines in place for learning about phonics. Children recall previous sounds and practise new sounds frequently. This reinforces their learning. Children’s books match the sounds that they know well. Children understand the importance of reading on a daily basis. Many parents read with their children regularly. Where necessary, adults provide extra reading opportunities for pupils in school.

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Mathematics is well taught. There is a clear routine in the way pupils learn. This helps pupils understand the expectations around how to behave and how to learn. Learning is calm and purposeful. Pupils are challenged well. Teachers plan activities to build pupils’ skills and knowledge coherently. Teachers have strong subject knowledge because of the training they receive and the ongoing support from leaders. The focus on mathematical language is strong. This helps pupils to know the most important vocabulary securely. Teachers plan appropriate activities to ensure the curriculum is ambitious and accessible for different ability groups, including the disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND. This has led to pupils achieving well in mathematics in each key stage. Pupils are well prepared for their next stage of learning. Pupils’ work shows they work hard, taking pride in their learning.

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The curriculum in science is improving. There is a strong emphasis on developing pupils’ understanding and use of key terminology. Middle leaders receive strong support from trust colleagues. This is helping them to improve the curriculum. However, teaching is not yet consistently strong. Subject knowledge is not good enough at times. In particular, the provision for the most able pupils is not appropriate. Some pupils do not get the chance to move their learning on quickly. This stops them from deepening their knowledge and understanding. Teachers’ assessment of pupils’ knowledge varies in quality. Teachers do not use information well to plan suitably challenging activities for the most able pupils.

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Attendance is below the national average. The proportion of pupils who are regularly absent is above average. Leaders are tackling the right things to improve this. As a result, attendance is improving.

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Staff feel valued. This is because leaders work closely with all staff to ensure they are well supported. Leaders ensure that the training needs of staff are met. However, governors do not have a good understanding of how staff feel about their workload. They have not checked this.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

There are robust systems in place to check that all adults who work with pupils are suitable to do so. Leaders also ensure that regular child protection training takes place for all staff. More intense training is in place for leaders who have particular responsibility for 21–22 January 2020

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pupils’ safety. Leaders undertake quizzes with staff to check they know their responsibilities around safeguarding. Governors also understand their responsibilities. They receive safeguarding training with staff as well as specific governor training. Governors hold half-termly updates with leaders around safeguarding matters. The school works well with agencies to seek specialist support when necessary.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 There are some inconsistencies in the teaching of the science curriculum. Although the curriculum planning is in place and appropriate, there is variability in how well it is implemented. Leaders must make sure that teachers have the appropriate subject knowledge, so they can plan activities to support the most able pupils. Leaders should also ensure that assessment provides teachers with a clear understanding of how to challenge the most able pupils.  Although pupils learn about different faiths and cultures, their experiences of faiths other than Christianity are few. As a result, pupils do not have a detailed knowledge of different religions. Leaders must ensure that all pupils have a good knowledge and understanding of different religions and cultures.  Leaders in school have worked well to ensure that staff are valued. Leaders have reduced staff workload, and ensured that training is appropriate. However, governors

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

do not know how staff feel or how well supported they are. Governors must ensure that there is a mechanism in place to gauge the views of staff.  Although leaders work hard to improve attendance, rates of absence and persistent absence are above national averages. Leaders must continue to work effectively in improving the attendance of all pupils.

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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 first section 8 inspection since we judged the predecessor school, Wellgate Primary School, to be good on 6–7 July 2016. 21–22 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. 21–22 January 2020

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School details

Inspection number 10119931 Type of school Primary

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected as an academy

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Information about this school

 The school is larger than the average-sized primary school.  The proportion of pupils with SEND is below the national average. The proportion of pupils with an education, health and care plan is above average.  The proportion of disadvantaged pupils is above average.  The school is part of the Every Child Matters multi-academy trust.

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Information about this inspection

 I met with the headteacher and several senior and middle leaders throughout the inspection. I met with several teaching staff, office staff and kitchen staff. I also met with the chief executive officer and governors.  A meeting was held with leaders who have responsibility for safeguarding. Documents around processes and policies relating to pupils’ safety were also checked. I also checked records of staff recruitment and staff training.  I agreed with the headteacher to carry out a review of: mathematics, reading and science as part of the inspection. Together with curriculum leaders, we completed 21–22 January 2020

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connected inspection activities that included lesson visits, work scrutiny and discussion with leaders, pupils and teachers.  I spoke to nine parents at the start of the school day. I considered the 41 free-text responses from parents. I considered the views of 41 parents who responded to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View. I also reviewed responses from staff and pupil surveys.

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Inspection team

Fiona McNally, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 21–22 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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