Wheatlands Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Wheatlands Primary School Hundale Crescent, Redcar, North Yorkshire TS10 2PU

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Outcome

Wheatlands Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils thrive at this inclusive and welcoming school. They are polite, hardworking and wear their uniform with pride. They have positive attitudes to learning. Pupils know how they are expected to behave. This is because the staff set high expectations and make the rules clear. Pupils say that teachers are fair and treat them with respect.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils learn about why being good friends to one another is important. They learn about what constitutes healthy and unhealthy relationships. They have a secure understanding of, and show respect for, the different groups of people who are protected by law.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel safe. They say that bullying or unacceptable behaviour does not happen often. If it does, adults deal with it immediately and successfully. Pupils take the ‘Wheatlands Promise’ seriously, which includes being kind, caring, resilient and respectful.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils excel in their roles and responsibilities. They are enthusiastic about being librarians, science ambassadors, school councillors or breaktime buddies. Pupils participate in extra- curricular activities, such as choir practice, dancing or craft club. They enjoy educational visits, such as trips to a Roman fort or a residential experience at an adventure centre. Most parents and carers appreciate the education that their child receives.

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

Leaders, staff and governors want this school to be the best that it can be for all pupils. Subject leaders have designed an interesting curriculum that meets the needs of all learners. Teachers enthuse and inspire pupils to learn through creative and exciting lesson content. Leaders identify the curriculum knowledge that they want pupils to learn. ‘However, this knowledge is not broken down enough to help pupils to remember what they have learned. This is particularly evident in foundation subjects, such as design and technology or music. 13 and 14 July 2022

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Leaders have identified what they expect pupils to learn across each year group and key stage for all curriculum subjects. Teachers check regularly on how well pupils are learning. They adjust their lesson content to make it more challenging for pupils where necessary. However, every teacher does this differently. The curriculum does not provide sufficient ambition for the most able pupils .

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Subject leaders know how their curriculum subjects link with the early years curriculum. They work with the early years leader to ensure that children make a strong start to understanding the world around them. Most children are ready for the challenge of the national curriculum when they join key stage 1. In history, children in early years learn about the differences between their local seaside town today and in the past. Pupils in Year 2 can explain how Nelson Mandela’s fight against apartheid relates to action against discrimination towards race today. In key stage 2, pupils can describe different civilisations in history. They explore the importance of historical themes such as ‘empire’, ‘invasion’ and ‘monarchy’.

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In mathematics, children leave Reception with secure knowledge in number, simple calculation and understanding mathematical patterns. Leaders ensure that the curriculum builds on this knowledge across key stages 1 and 2. Pupils use their reasoning and investigative skills to solve mathematical problems or work out multi-step calculations.

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Children develop secure language and communication skills in nursery. This supports them to be ready to learn phonics in Reception. Staff deliver the phonics programme consistently well. Reading books match the phonics knowledge of the pupils. Pupils read with enthusiasm and confidence. Staff instil a love of reading through access to high- quality books and storytime sessions. Pupils in key stage 2 are confident and fluent readers.

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Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) access the same curriculum as their peers. The special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) ensures that pupils receive the right help through specialist adult support or resources. This helps many pupils with SEND overcome barriers to learning.

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Pupils benefit from a wealth of experiences outside of their academic lessons. Pupils on the eco committee are proud of their work to reduce the use of plastic in school. Play leaders are trained to organise high-quality and safe games for pupils at breaktimes. Pupils are prepared well for secondary education and life in modern Britain. Pupils talk knowledgeably about, and show respect for, different faiths, various types of families and people with disabilities.

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Trustees and governors know the school well. They bring relevant skills to their role. The chief executive officer (CEO) supports the headteacher in her drive for continuous school improvement. Staff morale is high. Curriculum subject leaders share best practice through networking opportunities with leaders across the multi-academy trust. Senior leaders have opportunities to share their expertise within the trust. 13 and 14 July 2022

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

There is a strong culture of safeguarding children across the school. Leaders and staff receive regular and up-to-date safeguarding training. All staff act swiftly and appropriately if they are concerned about a child. The designated safeguarding leader (DSL) and the deputy DSL are vigilant in identifying pupils who may need help. They work closely with external agencies to ensure timely support is provided where needed.

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Safeguarding

The curriculum includes opportunities to raise awareness of risks to pupils’ safety. Pupils have lessons on peer-on-peer abuse and know how to report any concerns.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The essential knowledge that subjects leaders want pupils to learn in foundation subjects is not mapped out precisely enough. This means that pupils do not consistently remember the most crucial knowledge. Leaders should refine their curriculum plans so that all curriculum subjects identify the core components that they want pupils to learn and remember so that teachers can build on this at each stage of pupils’ learning.  The curriculum is not sufficiently stretching for all pupils, particularly the most-able pupils. This can limit their learning. Leaders should make sure that the curriculum, including the work set for pupils, enables all pupils to acquire the knowledge and skills they need.

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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 predecessor school, Wheatlands Primary School, to be good in April 2018 13 and 14 July 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. 13 and 14 July 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10241353 Type of school Primary

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School details

Chair of trust Graeme McGregor Headteacher Samantha Pyle

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 Wheatlands Primary School joined the Galileo Multi-Academy Trust in April 2018. When its predecessor school, Wheatlands Primary School, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be good overall.  The school does not use any alternative education providers.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The lead inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and has taken that into account in the evaluation of the school.  The lead inspector met with the headteacher, assistant headteacher, SENCo and curriculum subject leaders.  The lead inspector held virtual meetings with the chairperson and a member of the local governing board, two trustees and the school improvement consultant for the trust. The lead inspector also met with the CEO of the trust.  The lead inspector carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics and history. For each deep dive, the lead inspector discussed the school’s curriculum with 13 and 14 July 2022

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subject leaders, visited lessons, spoke to teachers and teaching assistants, met with some pupils about their learning, listened to some pupils read to a familiar adult and looked at samples of pupils’ work. The lead inspector also considered long-term design of all other curriculum subjects.  To inspect safeguarding, the lead inspector met with the DSL, examined school safeguarding records and incident logs, checked related policies and discussed safeguarding cases.  The lead inspector considered responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Ofsted Parent View, and free-text responses from parents. They also considered the views of staff and pupils in Ofsted’s online surveys.

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Inspection team

Alison Aitchison, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector 13 and 14 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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