Wallington Primary Academy

Inspection of Wallington Primary Academy Mollison Drive, Roundshaw, Wallington SM6 9JN

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Overall effectiveness Good

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

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Overall effectiveness Good

Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005 6 and 7 July 2022

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders are focused on supporting pupils and their families. For example, leaders recently arranged for local general practitioners to speak with parents and carers about healthcare. Opportunities are also provided for parents to visit phonics sessions and read with children.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy the responsibilities they have. These include becoming house captains and joining the school council. Pupils said they like making important decisions about the school, for example deciding on rules and conduct for the class charter and dining room.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders work with pupils to decide what behaviour is acceptable in different areas of the school. Pupils support each other to behave well. For example, pupils politely remind each other of the rules and expectations. Behaviour in lessons is focused and calm. Pupils trust school staff. They said that adults help them sort out any problems that may arise. Bullying is rare. If bullying occurs, leaders deal with it swiftly and appropriately. Pupils are happy and safe.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders are ambitious for pupils. They aim for all pupils to do well and most typically do. However, leaders need to make some changes to the curriculum so that pupils remember even more.

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better?

Pupils enjoy reading. Leaders use different ways to motivate pupils to read. This includes visits to the local library and bedtime stories at school. Leaders have embedded the phonics approach from the early years. Teachers and teaching assistants are trained to teach phonics well. Leaders regularly work with teachers to ensure that phonics teaching is consistent across the different groups. Leaders provide appropriate extra reading and phonics teaching for those pupils who need it. This support helps these pupils to catch up quickly.

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better?

Leaders work well with a range of external professionals and parents to identify whether a pupil may have a special educational need and/or disability. If necessary, a range of providers offer pupils tailored support. For example, leaders work closely with therapists and mental health professionals to support pupils. Leaders also provide specialist training for school staff so that pupils with SEND can learn the same curriculum as their peers.

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better?

Leaders have the necessary knowledge to lead subjects well. They ensure that the curriculum in each subject matches the ambition of the national curriculum. In some subjects, important knowledge is identified in the curriculum and sequenced appropriately. For example, in mathematics, leaders set out clearly how pupils build their knowledge of number from the early years to Year 6. Leaders have started to make changes to the curriculum in other subjects. This is because they know that 6 and 7 July 2022

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the key knowledge is not consistently identified and sequenced appropriately. As a result, some pupils have not developed secure knowledge of previously taught content. For example, pupils in Year 5 spoke confidently about their current geography work on economic activity. However, they struggled to connect this knowledge with what they learned before.

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Teachers use assessment well to find out what pupils know. They use this information well to decide next steps for teaching. Pupils are attentive and enthusiastic in lessons. They are proud of the praise and acknowledgement they receive for showing positive behaviour.

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Leaders have developed a well-sequenced personal, social and health education curriculum. This begins in the early years. Pupils are taught to respect others and to be aware of their feelings. They learn about healthy relationships in an age- appropriate way. Leaders aim for pupils to learn about different types of bullying, including bullying online, so that pupils know what to do, should it happen to them. Leaders organise for external speakers to talk to pupils about safety. These include the police and representatives from the NSPCC.

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Pupils enjoy the range of extra-curricular clubs on offer. For example, they take part in athletics and drawing and can join a rock band. Leaders provide a range of educational trips. This includes opportunities to take part in sports competitions with other schools. Pupils in Year 6 said that they are excited about an upcoming residential trip.

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Leaders within the multi-academy trust make sure that school leaders meet their responsibilities. Trust leaders work with school leaders so that they prioritise the right things. For example, they provide opportunities for subject leaders to work with experts across the trust to develop strong subject knowledge.

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Leaders seek the views of staff to check that their workload is manageable. They have made changes to the way teachers assess pupils’ knowledge so that it is less time consuming for staff. School staff are supportive of leaders’ efforts to protect their well-being.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have the appropriate knowledge and skills to lead safeguarding. They work effectively with a wide range of professionals to support pupils and their families.

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Safeguarding

Staff receive regular safeguarding training. They know about issues in the local area that may affect pupils. Staff know the signs that a pupil may need help or support. They report concerns to leaders, who act swiftly to safeguard pupils’ welfare. Leaders keep detailed records and check that the help provided is appropriate. 6 and 7 July 2022

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The school’s curriculum is not yet sufficiently well planned and sequenced in some subjects. However, it is clear from leaders’ actions that they are in the process of bringing this about. Leaders need to complete the process of reviewing the curriculum in all subjects within their identified timescale. This will involve leaders identifying what knowledge pupils need to learn and when, ensuring that the curriculum starts in the early years. For this reason, the transitional arrangements have been applied.

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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.

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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. 6 and 7 July 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10241342 Type of school Primary

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School details

Headteacher Sharon Roberts (Executive headteacher) Joanne Guerin (headteacher) Website www.wallingtonprimary.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 Wallington Primary Academy converted to become an academy school in April 2018. When its predecessor school, Amy Johnson Primary School, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be inadequate overall.  The school is part of Cirrus Primary Academy Trust.  There is an executive headteacher at the school. She is the executive headteacher for Wallington Primary and Stanley Park Infants School.  The headteacher joined the school in February 2020.  The school uses three alternative providers. Two providers are registered and one provider is unregistered. 6 and 7 July 2022

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Information about this inspection

The inspector(s) carried out this inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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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 carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, computing and geography. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors also spoke to leaders about the curriculum in some other subjects.  Inspectors met with the executive headteacher, headteacher, deputy headteacher, assistant headteacher and members of the local governing body.  Inspectors spoke with leaders, staff and pupils about safeguarding. Inspectors also checked safeguarding records and documentation.  Inspectors spoke with leaders of alternative provision that the school uses.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted’s Parent View survey and spoke to a number of parents at the gate.  Inspectors also considered staff survey responses.  Leaders observed pupils’ behaviour in the playground and the dining room at breaktimes.

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Inspection team

Andrea Bedeau, lead inspector Her Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Sue Brooks Ofsted Inspector 6 and 7 July 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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