Walton Primary Academy

Inspection of a good school: Walton Primary Academy The Grove, Walton, Wakefield, West Yorkshire WF2 6LD

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Outcome

Walton Primary Academy continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

This is a school where staff and pupils are ‘moving forward together’. Pupils and staff show mutual respect in the way they speak to each other. Staff have high expectations about how pupils should behave. Staff encourage pupils to make positive choices about their learning and behaviour. Pupils rise to this challenge and work hard in their lessons.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils say they feel safe in school and are very clear about how to report any worries they might have. They trust that they could go to any of the adults in school to help them. They talk about how bullying does not happen but that if it did, staff would make sure it was stopped. Staff know the pupils well, and this has created a strong sense of community and togetherness within the school. Pupils show independence and resilience in their learning and around school, and in lessons, they look for opportunities to help and guide each other.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils have opportunities to read books that support their learning in different subjects. In mathematics, pupils are supported well to develop a strong understanding of numbers. Leaders are ambitious for all pupils. They are aspirational about the variety of opportunities all pupils have during their time at the school.

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

Leaders have a clear vision for the curriculum they want pupils to experience. There has been a focus on delivering the knowledge that pupils need in ways that excite pupils. Across the curriculum, staff have prioritised high-quality vocabulary for pupils to use in their written and spoken work. In some wider curriculum subjects, the knowledge leaders want pupils to be taught is not clear enough.

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

Pupils behave well in lessons and there is a calm and orderly atmosphere. Pupils show respect to each other as they move around school. For example, in the dining hall, pupils show independence by taking their empty plates away and show consideration to others by making space for other pupils to sit down. 10 and 11 May 2022

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Leaders have made significant improvements to the teaching of reading. A phonics curriculum is taught on a daily basis, and this is done with consistency and precision by staff. Phonics teaching starts in Reception. Staff understand the importance of helping pupils to become fluent readers as quickly as possible. Pupils who need extra help with their reading are identified and given small-group or individual sessions to make sure they do not fall behind. Some older pupils who need help with their reading get extra support, but this is not always precisely matched to their needs. Leaders are aware of this and are taking action to improve it. A love of reading is promoted around school through book corners and story time. Pupils talk with enthusiasm about their reading.

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There are systems in place to identify pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Leaders are working to build a culture where all staff have a strong understanding of how to support these pupils. Intervention and extra support are put in place for pupils with SEND, but these are not always matched precisely enough to their needs. For some pupils with SEND, gaps in learning are not closed as quickly as they could be.

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There are a range of opportunities and experiences for pupils to develop their character. Respectful interactions between staff and pupils are fundamental to pupils’ personal development. Pupils know they are respected and cared for and, because of this, they are able to help others to feel the same. Pupils are taught how to keep themselves safe. For example, they understand that some groups of people in the world may face discrimination and prejudice. Older pupils in particular have a strong understanding of issues such as homophobia and bullying.

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Leaders support staff’s workload and well-being. Leaders make decisions which have a positive impact on workload without a negative impact on the experiences of pupils.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

There are systems in place for identifying pupils who are at risk of being harmed, and there is an understanding from staff that some pupils and families need extra support. Leaders work with other agencies to get pupils and families the help they need. Staff have a strong understanding of what to look for when they are concerned that pupils may be at risk, and they report concerns quickly. Pupils are taught how to keep themselves safe online and offline. They have a strong understanding of issues such as consent and privacy.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The additional support and interventions for pupils working just below age-related expectations, including pupils with SEND, are not matched precisely enough to pupils’ needs. As a result, the learning gap between pupils and their peers is not closed as 10 and 11 May 2022

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quickly as it could be. Leaders should ensure that interventions are closely matched to gaps in pupils’ learning to ensure it has maximum impact.  Within some wider curriculum subjects, the precise knowledge leaders want pupils to know is not identified clearly enough. Consequently, pupils do not build up a depth of subject- specific knowledge over time. Leaders should ensure that the knowledge pupils need in each subject area is clearly defined.

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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 predecessor school, Walton Primary School, to be good in December 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.

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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. 10 and 11 May 2022

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School details

Website www.waltonprimary.org/ Date of previous inspection 21 February 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of Waterton Academy Trust.  The school does not use any alternative provision for pupils.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and has taken that into account in his evaluation of the school.  The lead inspector spoke to senior leaders, including the chair of the academy standards committee, the chair of trustees and the chief executive officer.  The inspector also spoke to the leaders about the curriculum in other subject areas.  The inspector met with the safeguarding team and spoke to pupils and staff about the safeguarding practices in the school.  The inspector met with the special educational needs coordinator to discuss the provision for pupils with SEND. 10 and 11 May 2022

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 The inspector carried out deep dives in mathematics, early reading and history. For each deep dive, the lead inspector discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to pupils about their learning and looked at samples of work.  The inspector evaluated 92 responses from parents to Ofsted’s online survey.

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Inspection team

Liam Colclough, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector 10 and 11 May 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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