Westover Green Community School and Autism Centre

Inspection of Westover Green Community School and Autism Centre Westover Green, Bridgwater, Somerset TA6 7HB

p.1

Inspection dates: 15 and 16 February 2022

p.1

Overall effectiveness Good

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

p.1

Overall effectiveness Good

Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005 15 and 16 February 2022

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are well cared for at Westover Green. They told inspectors that they could go to any member of staff if they were worried about something. One child summed this up, when they said that adults in the school say their first job is keeping pupils safe and the second is helping them learn. Parents are happy with the school and positive about the range of support offered to them and their children.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

The school pays careful attention to pupils’ wider development. Pupils value the opportunities they have to learn about all aspects of being healthy, including the recent focus on good mental health. Many pupils can recall ways to help them feel calm and they know the importance of self-worth.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils, including those in the early years, like their lessons and work well together. They talk knowledgably about what they have learned. Pupils enjoy reading and like listening to stories in class.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils value opportunities to contribute to the school community and understand wider citizenship. They like taking on important roles, such as being in the ‘mini police’.

p.2

better?

Leaders want every pupil to do as well as they can. To achieve this, they are putting a curriculum in place that makes it clear what pupils should know in all subjects. As a result, teachers know what pupils need to learn from the moment they start in the early years until they reach Year 6.

p.2

better?

Leaders have reviewed and improved all areas of the curriculum. These developments are particularly noticeable in the teaching of mathematics and reading. In these subjects, teachers introduce pupils to new knowledge in small steps. Staff make sure that pupils get the time they need to practise and grasp important knowledge. Consequently, pupils make good progress in their learning.

p.2

better?

The strengths in reading and mathematics are beginning to be present in other subjects. This is because the teachers who lead curriculum subjects have a good understanding of their subjects. These teachers have been well supported by senior leaders. However, because subjects are at different stages of development, some elements are not yet consistent. In some subjects, the sequence of learning does not include learning in the Reception classroom. Because of these differences, improvements are not yet impacting on the achievement of all pupils.

p.2

better?

Teachers understand what pupils know and can do. Staff spot when pupils struggle with their work. They give pupils the extra practise they need in order to grasp important facts. Teachers are aware of any gaps in pupils’ knowledge that have 15 and 16 February 2022

p.2

3

arisen as a result of the disturbance to pupils’ education caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

p.3

3

Reading is given a high profile in the school. Pupils get the encouragement and support they need to develop an enthusiasm for reading. Staff teach phonics well and with much energy. Children often practise the letters and sounds that they learn. Sometimes, staff do not pay close enough attention to children’s pronunciation. This slows the learning for some pupils. Leaders are keen to further improve the teaching of reading, and have an accurate understanding of how to achieve this.

p.3

3

Across the school, pupils display highly positive attitudes to adults and each other. Right from Reception, teachers have clear, well-communicated expectations of learning behaviour. Children feel that good behaviour is rewarded, and that there are appropriate sanctions for poor behaviour. Pupils said that bullying is very rare. Pupils feel listened to and well supported by adults.

p.3

3

Pupils’ personal development is a long-standing strength of the school’s work. The curriculum for personal, social and health education is well sequenced. There are many well-thought-out opportunities for learning. For example, many pupils can confidently describe different types of families. Opportunities such as these enable pupils to develop respect for the rich diversity in their community.

p.3

3

Most pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) achieve well. In the school, adults provide pupils with SEND with suitable support. These pupils have the same curriculum opportunities as their classmates. Pupils in the autism base are well cared for, safe and happy. Individual programmes are in place for each pupil. However, leaders do not closely monitor the progress that each pupil in the autism base makes.

p.3

3

Governors know the school well, and understand its strengths and the areas that need to improve. They give the safety and well-being of pupils a high priority. Leaders and governors have adjusted their priorities for school improvement in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, for example in developing the school’s approach to positive mental health. Leaders, including those in the multi-academy trust, are working towards appropriate timescales, so that the curriculum is strong in all subjects.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

Safeguarding

There is a robust safeguarding culture in the school. Leaders have highly effective systems to identify risks and manage any concerns, which they use diligently. Governors and the multi-academy trust check that leaders fulfil their safeguarding obligations. 15 and 16 February 2022

p.3

4

Staff understand what they must do if they identify pupils who are vulnerable. They promptly report any concerns about a child’s safety or well-being. Pupils know they can tell staff if they have any worries.

p.4

4

Leaders know their school and its context well. They understand the issues that pupils and families need help with. Leaders work closely with other agencies to ensure that children get the help and support they need.

p.4

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The school’s curriculum is not yet sufficiently well planned and well sequenced in some subjects. Not all subjects are building effectively from children’s learning in the Reception Year. However, it is clear from leaders’ actions that they are in the process of bringing this about, and are making any necessary amendments in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Leaders should continue with this work.  While subject leaders are aware of the need to break learning into manageable steps for pupils, this is not yet a consistent feature of the delivery of the curriculum. In some subjects, activities do not ensure that all children develop the accurate knowledge that they need. In some lessons, staff do not have the subject knowledge that they need in order to achieve this focus. Leaders should ensure that staff have sufficient knowledge of all of the subjects they teach, so they can build pupils’ learning effectively, in manageable steps, over time.

p.4

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The effective curriculum thinking in the mainstream school has not yet been applied to the learning of pupils in the autism base. This makes it more difficult to ensure that each pupil achieves as well as they can. Leaders do not closely monitor the progress that these pupils make. Leaders should ensure that the curriculum for pupils in the autism base is developed effectively, and the achievement of these pupils is monitored suitably. 15 and 16 February 2022

p.4

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.

p.5

How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

p.5

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 .

p.5

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

p.5

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. 15 and 16 February 2022

p.5

School details

Inspection number 10212153 Type of school Primary

p.6

School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

p.6

Information about this school

 Westover Green Academy converted to become an academy school in August 2017. When its predecessor school, Westover Green Primary School, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be good overall.  The autism base is a specially resourced provision for 14 pupils with SEND. This is part of the school and is for children with an autism spectrum disorder.

p.6

Information about this inspection

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

p.6

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 leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  During the inspection, inspectors spoke with the headteacher and other members of the senior leadership team. Meetings were also held with the chair and vice- chair of the local governing body. Inspectors met with the chief executive officer and the director of primary school improvement from the multi-academy trust. 15 and 16 February 2022

p.6

7

One inspector also had a telephone conversation with a representative from the local authority, to discuss the autism base.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics, physical education and science. 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 looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Documents associated with safeguarding were reviewed, including the single central record and appointment procedures. Inspectors spoke to staff about their safeguarding training, and spoke to pupils about the support they have in understanding how to keep safe.  Inspectors took account of the views of parents expressed in the 78 responses received on Ofsted Parent View. Discussions were held with parents at the start of both days of the inspection.  Inspectors considered the views in the 49 responses to the staff survey and the

p.7

Inspection team

Phil Minns, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

p.7

Inspection team

Steve Wigley Ofsted Inspector 15 and 16 February 2022

p.7

8

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.

p.8

8

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.8

8

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.8

8

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.8

8

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.8