Winster CofE Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Winster C of E Primary School Wensley Road, Winster, Matlock, Derbyshire DE4 2DH

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Outcome

Winster C of E Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils thrive at this small village school. Positive relationships and the school’s nurturing ethos enable pupils to develop as well-rounded individuals.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Behaviour is good. Pupils have positive attitudes to learning. They listen attentively in lessons and discuss their learning in the ‘talking and thinking groups’. At playtimes, and around school, pupils conduct themselves sensibly.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils say that they feel safe. This is because everyone knows each other very well. Pupils understand that bullying is wrong. The school council organised an anti-bullying day to make sure everyone understands how to keep safe. Staff are alert to any issues and deal with them straight away.

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What is it like to attend this school?

There are plenty of clubs and activities for pupils to join. They regularly take part in inter- school sports competitions. At playtimes, pupils enjoy the well-equipped outdoor areas. They are especially proud of the willow arch in the nature area. These opportunities help pupils to develop well, both physically and socially.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff make the most of the local area when planning activities. For example, pupils take part in a field trip to the famous Eyam ‘plague village’ to study local history and geography. They also learn about contrasting places in the ‘Dehli to Derbyshire’ topic.

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

Since the last inspection, leaders and staff have worked together to review and rewrite the curriculum. They have mapped out the key knowledge and skills pupils should gain as they progress through the school. This includes rising to the challenge of applying the curriculum in mixed-age classes. Curriculum leaders have organised the curriculum into a four-year cycle, to ensure that all pupils cover the required content at the right time. This curriculum revision is almost complete. In music, French and physical education, leaders are still working to ensure that the curriculum is rewritten in line with all other subjects. 5 May 2022

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Curriculum leaders have recently become responsible for their subjects across both schools in the White Peak federation. The strong partnership between the two schools brings benefits of joint planning and staff training. This aspect of curriculum leadership is in the early stages of development. Some leaders lack experience, and some subjects do not yet have an appointed leader. There is a plan to strengthen subject leadership as the year progresses.

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In mathematics, pupils are keen, confident learners. Teachers have strong subject knowledge. They check pupils’ understanding and accuracy throughout the lesson. This means that pupils understand where they might have made errors and how to improve.

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Leaders say that reading is ‘at the heart of the curriculum’. They are in the process of reviewing the reading curriculum. They have recently purchased new reading books that match pupils’ phonics knowledge. Leaders plan to introduce a new, more systematic phonics programme from September. All staff will receive training in the new approach to phonics. Pupils begin learning phonics as soon as they join the school. Most progress well as fluent readers. Those who need more support receive extra help from trained staff.

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Leaders and staff understand the additional needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) very well. They liaise with parents and carers and outside agencies to provide the right support for each pupil. Teachers prioritise pupils with SEND so that they can access the full curriculum.

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Leaders promote pupils’ wider development well. In the weekly awards assembly, everyone celebrates pupils’ academic and personal achievements, such as kindness and helpfulness. Pupils are proud to receive their badges and certificates. Pupils understand and respect a range of beliefs and cultures. They speak enthusiastically about a forthcoming visit to a Hindu temple. Pupils know about the school’s values and wider values related to democracy and the law. They are developing as thoughtful young citizens.

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Staff speak highly of leaders’ regard for their workload and well-being. They say that ‘the door is always open’ in case of any concerns. Governors have a strong desire to support the well-being of pupils, staff and leaders.

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In discussion with the headteacher, the inspectors agreed that curriculum development and subject leadership may usefully serve as a focus for the next inspection.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders, staff and governors agree that safeguarding is ‘in everything’. Because everyone knows pupils and families very well, concerns are picked up straight away. Records show that leaders act quickly and tenaciously to ensure that pupils are safe. They liaise regularly with parents and external agencies to seek the right support when it is needed. Well-trained staff feel confident in how to handle any concern that arises. Staff follow up 5 May 2022

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any unexplained absences straight away. In a recent school survey, pupils said that they feel safe everywhere in school. They have received teaching about the dangers of peer- on-peer abuse and online bullying.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The school’s curriculum is not yet sufficiently well planned and sequenced in music, French and physical education. This hinders teachers’ ability to deliver the curriculum as well as they do in all other subjects. However, it is clear from leaders’ actions that they are in the process of bringing this about. For this reason, the transitional arrangements have been applied. Leaders should ensure that the curriculum is fully constructed and sequenced to enable pupils to know and remember more in all subjects.  Leaders’ plans to strengthen subject leadership across the federation are in the early stages. Some curriculum leaders lack experience. Some subjects are being temporarily led by the executive headteacher. This means that curriculum leadership is currently inconsistent. Leaders should ensure that subject leaders develop the necessary skills and experience to fulfil their roles and to monitor the impact of the curriculum on

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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 as 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 February 2013.

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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. 5 May 2022

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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. 5 May 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10211646 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 12 January 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school does not make use of any alternative provision.

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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 leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors met with the executive headteacher, curriculum leaders, a range of staff, and some members of the governing body, including the chair.  The lead inspector held a telephone discussion with a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in reading, mathematics, and geography. For each deep dive, the inspector met with subject leaders to discuss the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. The lead inspector observed pupils read to a familiar adult.  Inspectors also discussed the curriculum in some other subjects. 5 May 2022

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 Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and at other times around school.  Inspectors evaluated the effectiveness of safeguarding by reviewing the school’s record of pre-employment checks and holding discussions with leaders, staff and pupils.

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Inspection team

Christine Watkins, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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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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