Waterwells Primary Academy

Inspection of Waterwells Primary Academy Boulmer Avenue, Kingsway, Quedgeley, Gloucester, Gloucestershire GL2 2FX

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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 Previous inspection grade Requires improvement 5 and 6 October 2022

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have built a positive, inclusive culture at Waterwells. The school’s core values to be kind, honest, responsible and respectful are central to learning and pupils’ personal development. Staff model positive relationships and have high expectations of pupils. There is mutual respect between all members of the school community.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils adhere to the school’s core values and ‘learning attitudes’ to demonstrate good learning. They work hard and try their best, taking pride in their work.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well, which means learning is rarely disrupted. They say bullying hardly ever happens. If it does, pupils are confident that adults will deal with it quickly and effectively. Pupils feel safe. They trust adults to listen to them if they have a worry.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils develop a strong sense of citizenship. They are enthusiastic about how the changes to the school council mean that everyone’s voice is heard. They feel empowered by their contributions to decision-making within the school.

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better?

Leaders have carefully designed the curriculum. The knowledge they want pupils to learn is well sequenced. Pupils progress through the curriculum knowing more and remembering more. Subject leaders in mathematics and English regularly check the quality of teaching and the implementation of the curriculum. In these subjects, leaders support teachers to develop their subject knowledge. However, some subjects are more recently developed. Where this is the case, teachers do not have the same strength of subject knowledge to deliver the curriculum as well as in mathematics and reading.

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better?

Leaders ensure that pupils learn to read well. Staff have secure knowledge of phonics. This means that they are confident to teach pupils how to segment sounds and blend words. Teachers deliver phonics lessons in a consistent way. Pupils enjoy the wide range of high-quality texts they read. They like choosing books to read for pleasure and listen with enjoyment to teachers reading stories to them.

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better?

Across the school pupils gain a strong understanding of number. This enables them to use and apply their number facts to solving problems and reasoning. Teaching ensures that children in the early years have lots of opportunities to practise their mathematical understanding. This sets them up well for what comes next.

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better?

Leaders are ambitious for all pupils, including those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Leaders and teachers identify pupils’ needs and barriers to learning accurately. For example, leaders provide detailed information 5 and 6 October 2022

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about gaps that need closing for pupils with SEND. However, sometimes teachers do not use the information well to help pupils with SEND to keep up or catch up.

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The school provides lots of experiences to help pupils to develop personally. Leaders have made sure there is a well-thought-out programme over the school year. Pupils learn about personal relationships and how these can be positive or negative. They know how their bodies change as they get older and how to live healthy lifestyles. Diversity is celebrated at the school. Pupils have a good understanding of discrimination and learn how to respect different faiths and cultures. They are well prepared for life in modern Britain.

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The trust and governors know the school well. They provide effective challenge and support. Governors receive accurate information from leaders which helps them to carry out their roles successfully. Staff find the collaborative working with other trust schools helpful. They appreciate leaders’ support to manage workload. Staff are proud to work at the school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders ensure a culture of vigilance in keeping pupils safe. They prioritise training. This means all staff have a secure understanding of how to report and record any concerns. This enables leaders to act swiftly where required. Leaders work well with external agencies to get the right help at the right time for pupils and families.

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Safeguarding

Leaders complete all relevant checks before staff are employed. Governors have a good oversight of safeguarding policy and procedures.

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Safeguarding

Pupils say they feel safe. They learn about ways to stay safe, including when they are using the internet.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Some subject curriculums are relatively new. The delivery of these subjects is less secure than English and mathematics. Leaders must ensure teachers have the requisite subject knowledge and pedagogical understanding to implement all subject curriculums well.  There is variability in the provision for some pupils with SEND. Teachers do not consistently use information about pupils’ needs to adapt the curriculum effectively. This means some pupils with SEND do not learn as well as they could. Leaders need to ensure that all teaching helps all pupils with SEND learn consistently well. 5 and 6 October 2022

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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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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. 5 and 6 October 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10241226 Type of school Primary

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School details

Website www.waterwellsprimaryacademy.org.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 15 and 16 January 2019, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is larger than the average primary school with provision for three and four-year-olds on site.  The school does not use any alternative providers.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded 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. The inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, science, physical education and art and design. 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. 5 and 6 October 2022

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 The inspectors held meetings with the head of school, assistant headteachers, the special educational needs coordinator, curriculum leaders, teaching and support staff and members of the local standards committee, including the chief executive officer.  The lead inspector met with the designated safeguarding leaders to discuss how they keep pupils safe in school. Inspectors considered the school’s recruitment procedures, staff induction and training, records of concerns and their engagement with external agencies. The inspectors also spoke with staff and pupils throughout the inspection.  The lead inspector listened to pupils read to an adult.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school site. In addition, they met with pupils informally and formally to hear their views.  Inspectors considered responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Ofsted Parent View, including free-text responses. Inspectors also took into consideration

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responses to the staff and pupil surveys.  Inspectors examined a range of documentation provided by the school, including the school’s improvement plan and documentation relating to safeguarding.

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Inspection team

Angela Folland, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Lindsay Nash Ofsted Inspector 5 and 6 October 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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