East Wichel Primary School & Nursery

Inspection of East Wichel Primary School & Nursery Staldon Road, East Wichel, Swindon, Wiltshire SN1 7AG

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

The quality of education Outstanding Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding Early years provision Outstanding Previous inspection grade Good 6 and 7 December 2022

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils thrive here. Firm foundations for pupils’ personal and academic achievement begin in the early years. Pupils love to learn. Many join the school during the academic year. They feel welcome. Pupils care for and treat each other with tolerance and respect. They are safe and happy. Bullying is very rare. Pupils’ behaviour is impeccable.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils talk with passion and enthusiasm about all subject areas. They understand the importance of practise to help them improve. Whether this is their multiplication facts or to rehearse for a musical performance. Pupils are constantly and consistently encouraged to be the best they can be.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Extra-curricular activities are carefully planned, so that all pupils can take part. Pupils enjoy growing food for the school kitchen. Pupils’ talents and interests are nurtured successfully. Parents appreciate these opportunities. They say their children ‘flourish’.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils know they can make a difference in the world. As inclusive active citizens, they show honesty, kindness and responsibility. Pupils prepare care packages for those new to the school and those in need locally. Pupils leave the school as knowledgeable, compassionate and resilient young people. They are well prepared for the next stage in their education.

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better?

Staff's dedication, commitment and skill help to realise leaders' vision for excellence. Leaders ensure staff know how to plan and teach the curriculum exceptionally well. The well-sequenced curriculum identifies what pupils must know and remember, starting in the early years. As a result, pupils secure the knowledge they need to succeed.

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better?

Leaders, including governors, are ambitious for all pupils. Teachers check that pupils meet their high expectations for learning. Teachers identify ambitious content that pupils need to learn. Pupils are skilfully supported to gain new knowledge. This includes disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Staff use resources effectively, so that pupils secure knowledge, skills and vocabulary well. For example, staff work with external agencies, such as speech and language therapists, to successfully plan and deliver high-quality individual support.

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better?

In the early years, there is a sharp focus on children’s communication and language skills. The indoor and outdoor provision is carefully planned. Children practise and secure new words and phrases well. Staff promote children’s early language development effectively. Their love of books, reading and rhyme is nurtured and secured quickly. 6 and 7 December 2022

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Phonic teaching begins in Nursery. Staff’s subject knowledge is secure. They routinely check pupils’ phonic knowledge and quickly spot those who need help. Pupils’ reading books match their phonic knowledge accurately. This supports pupils to read with fluency. Teachers read and discuss high-quality texts with their classes. As a result, pupils develop their comprehension well. Carefully selected texts help pupils to deepen their subject knowledge. For example, pupils in Year 5 read stories about the universe before they study planets in science. Pupils are well read. They have a profound appreciation of people’s lives, cultures and places.

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Leaders and staff share high expectations for pupils’ behaviour. Children in the early years learn to cooperate with their peers and adults. Staff ably help pupils learn how to express and manage their feelings. Therefore, time in the classroom and playground is calm and positive for everyone.

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The well-being of pupils, parents and staff has a high profile at the school. Pupils know how to keep themselves physically and mentally healthy. For example, sports captains organise lunchtime football games. Leaders help parents to improve their children’s attendance when needed. Pupils attend school regularly. Staff appreciate leaders’ consideration and support to manage their workload.

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Pupils’ detailed knowledge of the school’s values means they treat everyone fairly and with care. They speak out if they believe something to be wrong. Pupils debate and discuss local, national and international issues with sensitivity and maturity. Pupils know and value the different cultures and religions that create modern Britain.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders of safeguarding are tenacious in their pursuit to keep pupils safe. Staff attend training and know how to report and record concerns accurately. Leaders quickly follow up on pupils' safety and welfare concerns. They work with external agencies successfully.

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Safeguarding

Appropriate safeguarding checks are completed before staff and volunteers begin working at the school. Leaders, including governors, check recruitment records regularly to assure themselves they are up to date and accurate.

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Safeguarding

Pupils know how to keep themselves safe in the local community and online.

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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. 6 and 7 December 2022

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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. 6 and 7 December 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10228005 Type of school Primary

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Chair of governing body Laura Parnham and Matthew Corps

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School details

Date of previous inspection 9 March 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 East Wichel Primary School and Nursery is a Swindon Local Authority, maintained school. It opened its 2-year-old provision in January 2022.  The current headteacher was appointed in January 2019.  The school does not use any alternative provision.

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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. Inspectors discussed the pandemic with leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school. 6 and 7 December 2022

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 The inspectors met with the headteacher, deputy headteacher, the senior teachers, staff, pupils, governors, including the co-chairs of the governing body and two local authority representatives.  The lead inspector listened to pupils from Years 1, 2, 3 and 6 read to a known adult.  The inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics, physical education and geography. For each deep dive, the inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, looked at curriculum plans, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  The inspectors also observed pupils during breakfast club and breaktimes, looked at pupils’ work and spoke with pupils and leaders about history, science, modern foreign languages, religious education, personal, social and health education and opportunities for pupils’ personal development.

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 The inspectors reviewed the school’s safeguarding documentation, including records of safeguarding checks carried out on staff working at the school. They considered how well the designated safeguarding lead acts on concerns about pupils’ safety and welfare. The inspectors spoke to pupils, staff and governors about safeguarding practices.  The lead inspector considered the responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Parent View. She also took into consideration the responses to the surveys for pupils and staff.

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Inspection team

Marie Thomas, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Wendy Hanrahan Ofsted Inspector 6 and 7 December 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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