Wessington Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Wessington Primary School The Green, Wessington, Alfreton, Derbyshire DE55 6DQ

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Outcome

Wessington Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud of their ‘amazing’ school where everyone is known and welcomed. Pupils say that ‘everyone gets along’ and staff are kind. Staff help them to feel confident and resilient. Pupils respect each other and their teachers.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy learning. They read a range of books, including those that help them learn about the past. They relish challenges, particularly in mathematics. Pupils say that when they do not understand something, teachers help them by explaining in different ways.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy and behave well. Classrooms are calm and pupils work hard. Pupils value awards, such as ‘Star of the Week’. They say bullying rarely happens. They trust adults to help them resolve any issues quickly and fairly. The school council has a range of responsibilities, including charity work and looking after the environment. Pupils enjoy the variety of clubs and other opportunities that the school offers. They learn about what is happening in the wider world, such as current events in Ukraine.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents and carers speak positively about the school. They appreciate the support that staff give to pupils. They make comments such as: ‘I could not wish for a more caring, personal and family-orientated school.’

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

Leaders have set out an ambitious and diverse curriculum for pupils. They include opportunities for pupils to learn about local cultural heritage, such as links to Florence Nightingale, whenever possible.

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

Subject leaders have made a good start in deciding the precise subject knowledge and vocabulary that they want pupils to learn. However, this work is not finished. In a few subjects, such as history and art and design, it is not clear exactly what pupils should learn, and when, so that they can build their knowledge over time. 21 June 2022

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Leaders have placed reading at the centre of the curriculum. They make sure that the recently-introduced phonics programme is taught well from the start. The books pupils take home are well matched to the sounds they are learning. This means they can practise these sounds at home as well as at school. Teachers make sure that pupils who struggle to read well get support to help them keep up. They read to pupils every day to nurture a love of reading. Pupils talk with enthusiasm about the books they read and listen to.

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The mathematics curriculum is well structured and sequenced. This helps pupils build their knowledge of the subject step by step. Teachers have good subject knowledge. They use this to explain new learning clearly. They provide useful models to help pupils understand important concepts, such as when pupils learn about telling the time. Pupils use their knowledge to solve increasingly complex problems. Teachers check what pupils remember and understand during lessons. This helps them to plan the next steps and identify any extra support that pupils may need. Pupils enjoy mathematics because they feel successful.

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Leaders have high expectations for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). These pupils are fully included in all aspects of school life. Staff are skilled at adapting the curriculum to meet these pupils’ needs. Pupils with SEND receive effective help and achieve well in a wide range of subjects.

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Children get off to a good start in the early years. They benefit from well-planned learning activities. Adults use stories to introduce children to new and ambitious vocabulary. Children then use these words, such as crustacean, in their talk and writing. Relationships between adults and children are warm and positive. Staff foster children’s curiosity through their questions and comments. Children play cooperatively, sharing and taking turns. They are well prepared for key stage 1.

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Pupils’ personal development is a strength. There are opportunities for residential trips and educational visits. Pupils in key stage 2 recently appeared on television singing for Her Majesty The Queen’s jubilee. Leaders effectively support pupils’ mental health and well-being. All pupils take part in forest school activities and learn about the outdoors. Leaders ensure that pupils have an excellent understanding of what it means to be British. Pupils are thoughtful and reflective. They celebrate people’s differences. Pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain.

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Staff are proud to work at the school. They value the collaboration with staff from the other school in the federation. They work well together as a team. Staff say leaders listen to them and are considerate of their well-being. The governing body is well-organised and knowledgeable. Governors provide effective challenge and support to leaders.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff are well trained. They are alert to any signs that pupils may be at risk of potential harm. They share any concerns with leaders. Leaders keep detailed records. They act 21 June 2022

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quickly when concerns are reported. They seek advice from external agencies when necessary.

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Pupils are taught how to stay safe, for example, when crossing roads, riding their bikes or playing outside on a hot day. They have a strong understanding of how to stay safe online. They know not to share personal information. Pupils know that any worries they share with staff will be dealt with sensitively.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The school’s curriculum is not yet sufficiently well planned and sequenced in all subjects. Leaders have not precisely identified the exact knowledge that they want pupils to learn, and when, in a few subjects, including history and art and design. This means that pupils cannot always successfully build on what they have learned before so that they know and remember more over time. Leaders must ensure that the knowledge pupils need to know is clearly identified and sequenced for all subjects. For this reason, the transitional arrangements have been applied.

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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 January 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 . 21 June 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. 21 June 2022

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Chair of governing body

Lindsey Henning and Natalie Slater (Co- chairs) Headteacher Karen Maycock (Executive headteacher)

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Chair of governing body

Website www.wessingtonprimaryschool.co.uk

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Date of previous inspection

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

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Information about this school

 The school became part of Framework Federation with another school in September 2018. The executive headteacher was appointed the same time.  The co-chairs of the governing body took up their posts in September 2020.  The school does not use 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. The 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 headteacher, curriculum leaders and groups of staff.  The lead inspector spoke with three members of the governing body, including one of the co-chairs. A discussion was held with a representative from the local authority.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in the following subjects: early reading, mathematics and history. For each deep dive, the inspectors visited lessons, discussed the 21 June 2022

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curriculum with leaders, reviewed pupils’ work and spoke with pupils and teachers about their lessons.  The lead inspector listened to pupils in Reception and Years 1 and 2 read to a familiar adult.  Inspectors met with groups of pupils and spoke to other pupils during social times.  A wide range of documents was scrutinised, including those relating to safeguarding, attendance and behaviour. The lead inspector also scrutinised the school’s single central record.  Inspectors reviewed responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Ofsted Parent View, including free-text responses. They spoke with parents at the end of the school day. Inspectors also considered responses to the staff survey.

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Inspection team

Joanne Sanchez-Thompson, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Sarah Fielding Ofsted Inspector 21 June 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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