St Wilfrid's CofE Junior and Infant School

Inspection of St Wilfrid’s CofE Junior and Infant School Mabel Street, Newton Heath, Manchester M40 1GB

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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 Requires improvement Previous inspection grade Good 11–12 February 2020

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What is it like to attend this school?

The pupils who spoke to us said that they enjoy coming to school. They told us that their teachers help them to get on well with each other. They said that any disagreements are sorted out quickly. They feel that the new behaviour code reminds them how to behave well. Pupils said that they are safe in school. They told us that bullying is rare, but when they fall out all staff take it seriously.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils appreciate the many clubs and activities that are on offer. Pupils’ talents and interests are nurtured both within and beyond the curriculum. Pupils enjoy the clubs that they can join such as the choir, the mathematics club and a wide range of sports clubs.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders and staff have high expectations of all pupils. Pupils listen to teachers and try their best. They are eager to learn. However, pupils do not have the chance to achieve as well as they should. This is because in the past leaders have not thought carefully enough about how to organise pupils’ learning. Sometimes, the work that pupils do does not help them know and remember more.

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better?

Standards over time in reading, writing and mathematics have been variable by the end of key stage 1 and key stage 2. Leaders and governors have identified what needs to be done. Since the appointment of the headteacher in September 2019, leaders have taken the appropriate actions to improve many areas of the curriculum. The headteacher and governors are clear about the priorities for improvement. However, these improvements are still fairly new. They have not become embedded across the school; nor have they had enough impact on current pupils’ learning.

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better?

Pupils, including those who are disadvantaged and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), receive effective support. However, in some subjects, curriculum plans are not clear. They do not help teachers to know what they should do to build on what pupils already know and can do.

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better?

Leaders have made reading and phonics a priority. Pupils learn phonics in a logical order. Pupils read books that match the sounds that they have learned in school. In 2019, the proportion of Year 1 pupils achieving the expected standard in the phonics screening check was in line with the national average. Pupils apply their phonics skills well to read new words. However, some older pupils have a limited experience of stories and authors. Teachers do not deepen this knowledge through the texts that they read to them or the books that pupils read independently.

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better?

Leaders have changed their approach to the teaching of writing. Teachers are trained well to deliver the writing curriculum. This is having an early positive effect. Pupils are successfully developing their writing skills, especially their knowledge of spelling, grammar and punctuation. 11–12 February 2020

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Some subjects are well led. Leaders have been in post for several years and are clear on the aims of the curriculum. They regularly monitor how well the curriculum is delivered in different classes. They have also thought about how pupils’ learning should be organised to help them to remember more. Subject leaders are enthusiastic about their role. However, some have not developed their subjects well enough across the school. As a result, pupils do not know and remember all that they should in these subjects.

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Children settle well into the early years. They enjoy the wide range of activities both indoors and outside. Children learn the sounds that letters make quickly. Staff’s expectations of what children can do have been raised. However, as in the rest of the school, the planned curriculum does not always build on what children already know. This hinders their achievement in different areas of learning.

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Leaders ensure that pupils are well prepared for the future. In assemblies and activities in class, pupils have the opportunity to learn and reflect on important aspects of life in modern Britain. Pupils listen carefully to all adults in the school. They are respectful and enjoy helping each other. Older pupils act as good role models. For example, the older pupils help to serve meals to the younger pupils.

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Teachers manage pupils’ behaviour well. Disruption in lessons is rare. Pupils concentrate and work well together. Pupils manage their own behaviour well.

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The parents and carers who spoke to us said that the school has improved since the new headteacher joined. They believe it is more settled. Staff who spoke to us appreciate the support that they receive from leaders.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders’ work to support vulnerable pupils is strong. They work well with external agencies to make sure that these pupils, and their families, receive the support that they need. Staff are well trained to spot signs that pupils may be at risk of harm. Leaders have a good understanding of the specific safeguarding issues in the locality.

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Safeguarding

Pupils know who to go to if they are worried about anything. Pupils are taught to keep safe in a range of situations. There is a clear programme to support pupils’ understanding of e-safety learning. Assemblies and visitors to the school also develop pupils’ awareness of how to keep themselves safe. 11–12 February 2020

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Over time, the proportion of Year 2 and Year 6 pupils who reach the expected standards in reading, writing and mathematics has been below the national average. Leaders have taken steps to implement a well-sequenced curriculum to tackle this historic weakness. However, it is still early days. The new curriculum is not having a big enough impact on pupils’ learning at this point in time. Leaders should ensure that their revised curriculum is embedded in all classrooms and for all subjects. This will enable teachers to plan learning that builds on what pupils already know so that they can achieve well and are well equipped for the next stage of their education.  Some older pupils do not develop and extend their understanding and knowledge of stories and authors. This limits the breadth and depth of their reading. Leaders need to ensure that older pupils experience a rich diet of reading and that pupils’

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

independent reading materials are sufficiently challenging. This will ensure that pupils become confident and fluent readers by the time they leave the school.  Some subject leaders do not ensure that the curriculum is well planned and sequenced. Leaders should ensure that these new subject leaders are fully supported to develop in their role. Senior leaders need to ensure that subject leaders have a greater influence over the quality of education in their areas of responsibility.

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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.

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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. 11–12 February 2020

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School details

Inspection number 10122037 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 23–24 February 2016, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The headteacher took up post in September 2019.  The last section 48 inspection took place on 26 January 2017.

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Information about this inspection

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

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Information about this inspection

 We held meetings with the senior leadership team. Meetings were also held with five governors. We also met a representative from the local authority. We spoke to pupils to find out their views about school life. We also spoke to parents before school started.  We considered eight responses to Parent View, Ofsted’s online questionnaire. We also considered 16 responses to the staff survey. There were no responses to the online pupils’ questionnaire.  We spoke to staff, governors and pupils about how the school keeps pupils safe. Inspectors examined the single central record. We also reviewed the checks 11–12 February 2020

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undertaken to make sure that staff are suitable to work in a school and other documentation relating to safeguarding.  As part of this inspection, we did deep dives in these subjects: reading, writing science and history. For each of these subjects, we undertook the following activities: discussions with senior leaders and subject leaders; visits to lessons; discussions with pupils about their experience of learning; discussions with teachers from the lessons visited and scrutiny of the work in pupils’ books.  We heard pupils read and talked with pupils about how the school teaches reading.

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Inspection team

Simon Hunter, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Jackie Stillings Her Majesty’s Inspector 11–12 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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