Wormholt Park Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Wormholt Park Primary School Bryony Road, London W12 0SR

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Outcome

There has been no change to this school’s overall judgement of good as a result of this initial (section 8) inspection. However, the evidence gathered suggests that the inspection grade might not be as high if a full inspection were carried out now. The next inspection will therefore be a full (section 5) inspection.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy here. They are kept safe. They know that they are listened to and trust adults in school to help them when they need it.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils work and play well together. They are usually kind to each other. There is little if any bullying. All pupils spoken to were adamant that bullying is not tolerated.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The right of everyone to be respected is part of the whole-school ethos and is interwoven throughout school life. The whole school community is incredibly proud of this. Pupils are mature, confident and articulate when talking about this area. Ambassadors represent each class to ensure that the values are upheld. They also help with school decisions.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders want all pupils to achieve well. The curriculum is well planned and sequenced to promote this in reading and mathematics. As a result, pupils make good progress in these areas. In wider curriculum subjects, however, this is not the case. Planning for each subject area does not clearly identify what pupils need to know. Learning, therefore, is fragmented and is not helping pupils to learn more over time.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils appreciate the range of clubs on offer. These are available for all, and they are fully funded by the school to assist the local community and provide pupils with additional opportunities.

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

Since September 2020, the headteacher and other leaders have made significant improvements to early reading and mathematics. A new phonics programme has been introduced, and learning begins as soon as children start in Reception. Teachers are well trained and deliver this programme consistently. Teaching is targeted to each pupil’s 8 and 9 March 2022

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starting point. Consequently, they get the help they need. Those at risk of falling behind are identified and additional daily interventions are in place to make sure that they are catching up. Books are closely matched to the sounds pupils know. These are used to practise reading both at home and in school. Pupils are making progress towards being fluent, independent readers. Pupils say that they enjoy teachers reading to them, and the opportunity to relax, listen and learn new vocabulary. They particularly like the different voices that teachers use to add character to the stories they read.

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A new scheme has also been introduced for mathematics. Staff have received training and continue to be supported so that teaching is consistent. The mathematics curriculum is well planned, with key knowledge identified and clearly sequenced from early years through to Year 6. As a result, pupils are building on prior knowledge and making progress. In Nursery and Reception, children are given opportunities to develop and practise early number. Carefully selected resources and activities help children revisit and practise these concepts both indoors and out.

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The wider curriculum is not well planned. Leaders have started the journey to move away from a topic-based approach and to teach each subject separately. Planning, while identifying activities for each topic, does not always consider the way in which subject knowledge develops as pupils move through the school. This includes in early years. This makes it hard for teachers to plan lessons that build on what pupils already know. As a result, implementation of the curriculum is inconsistent, and pupils are not building sufficient knowledge over time. Art and design, computing, history, geography and modern foreign languages are not as well developed or established as they should be, notwithstanding the difficulties caused by the pandemic. Pupils’ work in these subjects since September 2021 is limited and does not always meet the ambition of the national curriculum.

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Adults are used strategically to help pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Some of these pupils receive a bespoke, one-to-one offer and others receive small-group interventions. The vast majority access the same learning as their peers. In early reading and mathematics, where the curriculum and implementation are secure, pupils with SEND make good progress from their starting points.

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Behaviour is a strength. A calm, purposeful atmosphere is evident in lessons, and pupils demonstrate positive learning behaviours. Clear expectations are implemented so that pupils know what is expected, and they rise to that. They said that everyone knows how to behave.

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Pupils’ wider development is prioritised. They learn about important topics, such as equality and diversity. This includes different kinds of families. One Year 5 pupil said, ‘It’s about respect. You respect people no matter what, that is everyone’s right.’ In this regard, pupils are well prepared for their future lives in modern Britain.

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Staff are overwhelmingly positive about the consideration given to their workload. Teachers new to the school state that leaders’ support has been instrumental in keeping them in the profession. They appreciate the time given for planning and preparation. 8 and 9 March 2022

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders and staff are well trained, and as a result, have the knowledge that enables them to identify concerns. This, alongside the rigorous reporting and recording system, ensures that families get the help they need as quickly as possible.

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Safeguarding

Leaders work well with external agencies and do not give up in securing assistance for those in need. For example, an art therapist is brought in to promote positive mental health.

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Safeguarding

The personal development curriculum is reflective of needs in the school’s community. Pupils are taught to make safe decisions. They know how to stay safe online.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Reading and mathematics are well planned and well sequenced. This is not the case for the wider curriculum. For each subject, leaders must first identify the key knowledge they want pupils to learn and ensure that it is well sequenced from early years up to Year 6. This will enable pupils to know and remember more over time, deepening their subject-specific understanding.  Lack of identified knowledge for wider curriculum subjects makes it hard for teachers to plan lessons that build on what pupils already know. As a result, there is inconsistent implementation. Leaders must work on this implementation to ensure that it is consistent across the school, and that work in books matches the ambition of the national curriculum. This will also enable pupils to make connections and deepen their understanding.

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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 or outstanding school, because it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, 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 deem the section 8 inspection a section 5 inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the second section 8 inspection since we judged the school to be good in May 2013. 8 and 9 March 2022

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How can I feed back my views?

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.

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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. 8 and 9 March 2022

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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Date of previous inspection

21 February 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The headteacher and deputy headteacher took up their current posts in September 2020.  The school is an average-sized primary school.  The school runs a breakfast and after-school club.

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Information about this inspection

This was the first routine inspection the school had received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders, and has taken that into account in her evaluation of the school.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector met with the headteacher, deputy headteacher, assistant headteachers and members of staff. She also spoke with a representative of the local authority, and met with three governors, including the chair of governors.  The inspector carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and art and design. For each deep dive, the inspector met with subject leaders, looked at 8 and 9 March 2022

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curriculum plans, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  The inspector also looked at curriculum plans and samples of pupils’ work and spoke to pupils for history, geography, computing and modern foreign languages (French).  The inspector considered early mathematics in the Nursery and Reception classes.  The inspector looked at a range of documents, including leaders’ priorities for improvement.  The inspector reviewed the arrangements for safeguarding by scrutinising records and through discussions with leaders, staff and pupils.  The views of pupils, parents and carers and staff were gathered through discussions, and responses to Ofsted’s surveys were considered.

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Inspection team

Samantha Ingram, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector 8 and 9 March 2022

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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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