Westwood Farm Junior School

Inspection of a good school: Westwood Farm Junior School Fullbrook Crescent, Tilehurst, Reading, Berkshire RG31 6RY

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Outcome

Westwood Farm Junior School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy to come to school. Those who spoke to the inspector described how staff at the school create a caring atmosphere where everyone is valued equally.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are aware of the high expectations that staff set for their behaviour. As a result, they behave well. Pupils feel safe at school. They trust adults in the school to take swift and decisive action to address any bullying or matters concerning their well-being.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils respond well to the high aspirations that leaders have for their learning. All pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), achieve well in subjects across the curriculum.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy the opportunities they get to extend their learning through trips and other activities. Although in recent times some activities have been curtailed, pupils have enjoyed alternative events. These have included a visit by an inspirational British explorer. As a result, one pupil reflected: ‘Always believe, because if you believe, you have a strong chance of doing it.’

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

In most subjects, leaders have identified what pupils are expected to know and remember. However, the design of the curriculum for some subjects is not as clear. Leaders are in the process of addressing this. Additionally, in a small number of subjects, the curriculum sets out the subject-specific skills that pupils are expected to develop. However, leaders have not identified clearly enough the underpinning knowledge that pupils need to be able to master these skills.

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

Teachers ensure that the curriculum is presented in an engaging way. They continually check what pupils know and can do. They use this information well to inform future lessons. However, because some of the key learning in some subjects is not clear, 17 and 18 May 2022

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teachers are less able to make sure that pupils know and remember the essential knowledge they require.

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The reading programme is well considered. Teachers use leaders’ curriculum plans to good effect. Pupils experience a wide range of texts. These include non-fiction and poetry texts that complement pupils’ learning in the wider curriculum. Well-trained teaching assistants provide helpful guidance for those pupils who find reading difficult.

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Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) get the support they need. This enables them to access the same curriculum as their peers. The leader of the specially resourced provision for pupils with SEND (specially resourced provision) makes sure that its pupils are included in all aspects of school life. Additional training for staff enables these pupils to access learning successfully. As a result, these pupils achieve as well as others in the school.

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Pupils are well prepared for life in Britain and beyond. The school’s wider curriculum is designed to nurture pupils as global citizens. The programmes for personal, social and health education and religious education help pupils to learn about a wide range of people, cultures, religions and beliefs.

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The school offers a wide range of extra-curricular clubs and activities. All pupils can participate in these. Leaders and staff actively encourage disadvantaged pupils and pupils with SEND to attend.

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The school provides a nurturing, welcoming and caring environment. High-quality, bespoke support is available for pupils when needed. Pupils receive help to recognise and talk about their feelings as well as recognise different emotions in others. They understand the importance of respect and care for each other, their school and their community.

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Leaders and governors evaluate the school’s effectiveness accurately. They are aware of what is working well and what must improve. Staff think that leaders support them well and are mindful of their well-being, workload and professional development needs.

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The vast majority of parents and carers who responded to Ofsted’s parent survey are very positive about the school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The culture to safeguard pupils is strong. Pupils benefit from a good range of opportunities to learn to keep themselves safe. They know about the potential dangers when working online.

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Safeguarding

Leaders work well with other agencies to ensure that vulnerable pupils get the help that they need. Checks are in place to ensure that adults in school are suitable to work with 17 and 18 May 2022

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pupils. Staff are able to spot potential problems because of the effective training they receive. They are vigilant and know what to do if they think a pupil may be at risk.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some subjects, including geography, art and science, leaders have not defined clearly enough some of the essential subject knowledge that they want pupils to learn. Because of this, teachers are not placing enough importance on what they want pupils to understand and remember for their future learning. Subject leaders should ensure that they refine curriculum plans in these subjects to be clearer about the key knowledge that they want pupils to know and remember.  In some subjects, teachers’ checks on pupils’ learning do not focus on how well key content has been remembered over time. As a result, pupils cannot recall some subject knowledge as well as they should. Teachers should ensure that they check on pupils’ learning more often. This will help them understand what aspects of the curriculum need to be revisited more often so that pupils have a better recall of their learnings.

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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 first section 8 inspection since we judged the school to be good in March 2017.

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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 . 17 and 18 May 2022

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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. 17 and 18 May 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10227655 Type of school Junior

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Website www.westwoodfarmschools.w-berks.sch.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 14 and 15 March 2017, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The headteacher took up post in September 2021. She is also the headteacher of the Westwood Farm Infant School.  The school does not use any alternative provision.  The school hosts a specially resourced provision for the local authority. This is known locally as the hearing resource provision, which is currently catering for eight pupils from the junior school.

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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 school leaders and has taken that into account in her evaluation.  The inspector held a wide range of meetings with the headteacher and other leaders, including subject leads. She also met with governors and held a telephone conversation with the school’s local authority adviser.  The inspector carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics and geography. For each deep dive, the inspector discussed the curriculum with subject 17 and 18 May 2022

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leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. The inspector also listened to a sample of pupils read to a familiar adult.  The lead inspector also reviewed curriculum planning in some other subjects with the headteacher.  To inspect safeguarding, the inspector met with the headteacher, who is the designated safeguarding lead. The inspector also reviewed the single central record and other safeguarding documentation.  The inspector reviewed a range of school documentation and policies, including the school development plan, school self-evaluation plan and governing body minutes.  The inspector considered the views of parents shared through Ofsted Parent View, Ofsted’s online survey, and at the school gates. She gathered the views of pupils and staff through surveys, interviews and discussions conducted throughout the inspection.

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Inspection team

Mineza Maher, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 17 and 18 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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