Waycroft Academy

Inspection of Waycroft Academy Selden Road, Stockwood, Bristol BS14 8PS

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Inspection dates: 23 and 24 November 2021

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Requires improvement Personal development Good Leadership and management Requires improvement Early years provision Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Ofsted has not previously inspected Waycroft Academy under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. However, Ofsted previously judged Waycroft Primary School to be outstanding, before it opened as an academy. From then until November 2020, the school was exempted by law from routine inspection, so there has been a longer gap than usual between inspections.

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Judgements in this report are based on the current inspection framework and also reflect changes that may have happened in Waycroft Academy’s effectiveness before and after it converted to academy status. 23 and 24 November 2021

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What is it like to attend this school?

Most pupils are respectful and follow the ‘school charter’. They look out for their classmates. Pupils are safe. Most enjoy school and attend well. However, the many unavoidable staff changes have been unsettling for pupils, staff, parents and carers.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff ensure that pupils learn about big ideas through the ‘rights respecting’ curriculum and a full range of academic subjects. However, there are some weaknesses in the education pupils receive. Some staff do not expect enough of pupils. Pupils do not gain all the knowledge they should in reading and mathematics. A minority of staff accept low-level disruptions in learning time.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils usually behave well at lunchtimes. They enjoy the many activities available to them. If bullying happens, pupils are confident that the many trusted adults sort it out quickly.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils have many opportunities to develop as leaders. For example, they can join the well-being group, the 'change it' team, the sports council or the ‘eco team’. There are many activities for pupils to develop wider talents and interests. For instance, in Years 5 and 6, pupils audition for and perform Shakespeare’s work and younger pupils get ‘stuck in’ at forest school.

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better?

In recent times, leaders have needed to resolve many complex problems as well as the national lockdowns. School leaders are working on the right things. The school is improving. Nevertheless, the quality of education is not good.

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better?

Nursery staff plan an appropriate curriculum. This is not built on effectively as children move into Reception. Here, the curriculum does not enable children to consolidate and deepen their knowledge and skills across the curriculum well enough. Conversely, leaders are ensuring that curriculum plans are well sequenced elsewhere in the school. These teaching plans break down the essential knowledge pupils need to learn into manageable chunks. This helps pupils to know more and remember more in some subjects, such as computing and physical education.

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better?

Some teaching is based on strong subject knowledge but in some subjects, this is not the case. In mathematics, teaching sequences do not consistently follow the school’s plans. This hinders pupils’ ability to apply number facts and complete calculations with confidence. Assessment in mathematics is not used sharply. Some sequences of work do not build on what pupils already know. Pupils who find mathematics hard do not always get the precise teaching they need. These pupils have gaps in their knowledge. Pupils who already know the core content do not use and apply the knowledge they need to shine as mathematical experts. 23 and 24 November 2021

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Leaders are tackling the weaknesses in the reading curriculum head on. Pupils who are at the early stages of reading have books that match the sounds they know. Leaders are revamping how staff teach phonics. Even so, staff need to develop their craft of teaching phonics more effectively. Staff who have expert subject knowledge are playing a central role in upskilling the workforce. Some staff are trialling new approaches to help pupils to read and spell well. However, it is too early to see the full impact of these new approaches across the school.

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In Reception, there is not a sharp enough focus on children’s speaking and early language development. The learning environment does not support widening children’s vocabulary sufficiently. Adult and child interactions do not get children talking well enough. Further up the school, the emphasis on extending pupils’ vocabulary is proving more positive.

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Leaders are identifying the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) accurately. However, leaders do not understand how well pupils with SEND learn alongside their classmates. Consequently, weaknesses in the curriculum for these pupils remain.

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Staff provide extensive pastoral support. Pupils have wide-ranging experiences to develop their character. Staff champion pupils’ physical and mental well-being. Fundamental British values are woven into the curriculum. Pupils learn about democracy when they discuss parliament. Older pupils gain an understanding of individual liberty through their work on the suffragettes.

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Trustees and academy board members receive detailed information from leaders. However, they do not assure themselves well enough of the quality of education that pupils receive.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders, including trustees, are tenacious in their oversight of safeguarding systems in the school. The appropriate checks are carried out before staff and volunteers begin working at the school. Staff are trained in the most recent guidance and legislation to keep pupils safe. They are vigilant in spotting the signs of pupils being at risk. Leaders make swift referrals to ensure that pupils and families get the support they need. Pupils are well informed of the risks around them. They know how to keep safe online.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Teachers do not use their assessments well enough in reading and mathematics. Sequences of work do not always build on what pupils already know. This hinders pupils’ learning. Leaders need to ensure that all staff confidently adapt their 23 and 24 November 2021

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teaching plans to meet pupils’ needs consistently well, so that all pupils gain all the knowledge they should.  The phonics curriculum is not implemented well enough. Some pupils struggle to read and spell accurately. Leaders must ensure that staff gain strong subject knowledge and implement the early reading curriculum consistently so that all pupils become fluent readers.  The curriculum is not coherently planned in Reception. This slows children’s progress. Leaders must ensure that the early years curriculum enables all children to develop and consolidate their learning across the curriculum.  Staff do not have a sharp enough focus on children’s early language development. Children do not have rich experiences to develop their talking. Leaders must ensure that the early years curriculum enables children to develop their vocabulary and apply their speaking skills.  There are inconsistencies in teachers’ expectations of pupils’ behaviour. Some

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pupils do not concentrate when sequences of work do not match their needs. Leaders must ensure that staff expectations of pupils’ behaviour are consistently positive in every class.  Leaders do not have full oversight of how well pupils with SEND are learning the curriculum. Pupils with SEND do not always get the precise support they need to learn well. Leaders must assure themselves that all pupils with SEND learn well and receive an ambitious curriculum.  Trustees do not hold leaders to account well enough for the quality of education that pupils receive. They do not receive a full and accurate picture of the school’s overall effectiveness. Trustees must ensure that they seek assurances that the quality of education pupils receive is good and pupils are well prepared for their next stage.

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How can I feed back my views?

or to find out what other parents and carers think. We use information from Ofsted Parent View 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. 23 and 24 November 2021

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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. 23 and 24 November 2021

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School details

Inspection number 10199351 Type of school Primary

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 The school is part of Waycroft Multi Academy Trust. This is a group of three primary schools in the locality.  There is a head of school who leads the school on a day-to-day basis. There is also an executive headteacher who oversees the work of the school.  Early years comprises four classes. One takes children who are two years old. Another Nursery class caters for three- and four-year-olds. There are two Reception classes.  There have been considerable staff changes in recent times.  The school uses one alternative provider. 23 and 24 November 2021

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Information about this inspection

The inspector(s) carried out this inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation.  Inspectors held discussions with the head of school, the executive headteacher, the parent support adviser, trustees and members of the local academy board.  Inspectors also talked to other school staff.  The inspection team carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics, science, computing and physical education. For each deep dive, inspectors met with subject leaders, looked at curriculum plans, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning, and considered samples of pupils’ work.  An inspector listened to Year 1, 2 and 3 pupils read to an adult.  Inspectors also looked more widely at subject plans and pupils’ work. Inspectors

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Information about this inspection

talked to the music, art, history and personal, social and health education subject leaders to review their roles and responsibilities and their current work.  Inspectors met with the special educational needs coordinator to consider the quality of provision for pupils with SEND.  Inspectors considered how well the school protects pupils and keeps them safe.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school site. They also visited the breakfast club.  Inspectors considered responses to the Ofsted staff survey alongside 64 responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View, including 40 free-text responses from parents and carers.

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Inspection team

Julie Carrington, lead inspector Her Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Faye Bertham Ofsted Inspector 23 and 24 November 2021

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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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