South Wingfield Primary School

Inspection of a good school: South Wingfield Primary School Church Lane, South Wingfield, Alfreton, Derbyshire DE55 7NJ

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Outcome

There has been no change to this school’s overall judgement of good as a result of this initial (section 8) inspection. However, the evidence gathered suggests that the inspection grade might not be as high if a full inspection were carried out now. The next inspection will therefore be a full (section 5) inspection.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud of their school and enjoy learning. One child said, ‘School is a safe and fun environment.’ This comment was typical of pupils’ views. School is calm and orderly. Pupils are polite and considerate towards their peers. At lunchtime, pupils cooperate well when playing a variety of games on the school field.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents are highly complimentary about the improvements made by the new senior leadership team. They feel children’s and parents’ views are sought and valued. This was typified in the recent consultation about the school’s behaviour policy. Pupils could recite the three rules from the new behaviour policy: ‘Be respectful, safe and ready’. Pupils follow these rules and they say that behaviour is good around school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils know the difference between people falling out and bullying. Pupils said that bullying did not happen. They also said that if they did have a problem, they all had a member of staff that they would go to who would resolve the issue.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The curriculum is not planned well enough in subjects such as history, geography and science to ensure all aspects of the national curriculum are taught. Pupils do not achieve as well as they should in these subjects.

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

The school is a happy place to be. The new headteacher has focused the school’s efforts to improve pupils’ well-being. This has involved listening to pupils’ views. As a result, the prizes earned for good behaviour have helped to motivate pupils. Low-level disruption is rare. Pupils have enjoyed enhanced curriculum activities to develop their resilience. The ‘Tough Runner’ event on the school field involved all pupils overcoming several challenges. One parent wrote: ‘Senior leaders have transformed the atmosphere and provision. There 23 June 2022

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are so many new opportunities for additional personal growth and learning outside the classroom.’

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Pupils are keen to read. The English leader has planned key texts for classes to enjoy to promote reading. New books have been purchased by the PTA for the library. Leaders have devised the school’s phonics programme. Teachers know which sounds pupils should learn each week, as well as ‘tricky’ words which cannot be pronounced using phonics. Leaders regularly check whether pupils are remembering the sounds. Most pupils learn the sounds well. If pupils are at risk of falling behind, then extra tuition is provided.

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Most reading books are matched to the sounds that pupils know. Occasionally, some books are too challenging for pupils to read. Adults in school do not consistently promote pupils to read fluently. They do not read back sentences that pupils have just read to show pupils how they can be read fluently. Adults do not ask children to re-read sentences to see if they can be read more fluently. Pupils who are struggling to learn to read do not make enough progress with their fluency.

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The curriculum for subjects such as history, geography and science is not well planned. Teachers choose which lessons they want to teach in the topics. Leaders have not checked whether all aspects of the national curriculum are covered. In addition, leaders have not identified the key knowledge or skills they want pupils in each year group to remember. Therefore, assessments are not checking whether pupils are remembering key knowledge. As a result, subject leaders do not know how much progress pupils are making. Leaders have recognised the weaknesses in the planning of the curriculum. They have recently started to address the issue and realise more work is needed.

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The mathematics curriculum is well planned, and most pupils make good progress. Teachers regularly check whether pupils have remembered mathematical knowledge. They also adapt learning well to meet the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities. However, there are inconsistencies in how well the curriculum is implemented across key stage 1. This means that for some pupils in this part of the school, the curriculum is not ambitious enough.

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Pupils’ personal development is a high priority. Pupils are taught about different cultures and learn to respect all. One pupil said: ‘Everyone is unique. It would be boring if we were all the same.’ All pupils have the opportunity to learn a musical instrument and perform in a concert. Most pupils take part in extra-curricular activities.

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Staff are very appreciative of leaders’ efforts to manage their workload. Morale is high.

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Senior leaders accurately identify that designing and implementing an ambitious and well- sequenced curriculum, as well as developing pupils’ reading fluency and ability in early mathematics are the aspects of provision that they are focusing on to improve the school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 23 June 2022

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Leaders are proactive in supporting pupils and families. They identify needs quickly. Leaders work closely with external agencies to provide support in a timely manner. School staff regularly check the welfare of vulnerable pupils to ensure their needs are being met.

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Staff are well trained in safeguarding. The curriculum supports children to stay safe. Pupils know not to give their personal details online.

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Leaders have reviewed personal files to ensure the right documentation is kept in school when staff are recruited.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Leaders have not ensured that the curriculum in some foundation subjects, such as history, geography and science, is ambitious enough. As teachers choose the lessons they want to teach in the topics, leaders do not know whether all the elements of the national curriculum have been covered. Leaders do not know how well pupils are achieving in these subjects. Leaders need to ensure that the curriculum is well designed and identifies the key knowledge that they want pupils to remember. Leaders should ensure that teachers check whether pupils are remembering the key knowledge taught and address any gaps in pupils’ knowledge.  Pupils are eager to read and most learn the phonics sounds well. However, some pupils struggle to read fluently. Adults must provide more opportunities for pupils to hear how sentences can be read fluently. They should ask pupils to re-read some sentences to help them become more fluent.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 All pupils in key stage 1 do not have access to the same high-quality mathematics curriculum. As a result, some pupils in Year 1 are not making the progress that they are capable of. Leaders need to ensure that the mathematics curriculum is ambitious for all pupils in key stage 1.

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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 April 2013. 23 June 2022

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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. 23 June 2022

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Website www.southwingfieldprimary.com/ Date of previous inspection 8 March 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The headteacher was appointed as an interim headteacher in September 2021. He was appointed as the substantive headteacher in January 2022.  The pupils are taught in five mixed-aged classes.  Most pupils are of White British backgrounds.  The governing body manages a breakfast and an after-school club.

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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 headteacher, the English leader, the mathematics leader and the leader for history and geography. Inspectors met with teaching and support staff.  Inspectors met with three governors, including the chair and vice-chair, and reviewed the headteacher’s reports to governors.  Inspectors held a phone call with the local authority school improvement adviser. 23 June 2022

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 Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and history. 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. They reviewed curriculum planning and leaders’ monitoring of the curriculum.  Inspectors spoke with leaders and staff about safeguarding arrangements in school. They reviewed documentation and spoke with staff to ask about their safeguarding training. Inspectors looked at the school’s single central record of staff to check that the appropriate checks had been carried out on adults and volunteers who work in the school.

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Inspection team

Martin Finch, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Peter Stonier Her Majesty’s Inspector 23 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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