Wansdyke Primary School

Inspection of Wansdyke Primary School School Close, Whitchurch, Bristol BS14 0DU

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Inspection dates: 18 and 19 January 2023

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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 Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005 18 and 19 January 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy learning at this school. They feel well looked after and safe. Leaders are ambitious for pupils. They have high expectations of them all. Staff encourage pupils to be physically and mentally fit and healthy. Pupils relish opportunities to support and improve the school as play leaders, members of young minds and in the garden of hope.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils show respect for others. They are guided by the school values of ‘respect, opportunities, collaboration and aspiration’. Pupils have a clear sense of right from wrong.

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What is it like to attend this school?

From the start, pupils learn to behave well in and around the school. They are polite, well-mannered and care for one another. Pupils know what bullying is. They say it is rare at their school. Pupils know they can turn to an adult if they have any worries, at any time.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy and want to do well. They can concentrate on learning in class with little distraction. Pupils play a full part in the life of the school and enjoy helping each other.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Most parents are happy with the school. One parent, with comments that were typical of many, said, ‘The staff are approachable. I am happy with the school for my children.’

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better?

The curriculum is ambitious. It clearly sets out the steps toward ongoing learning in each subject. Starting from the early years, leaders have identified the knowledge pupils need to become successful learners. In most subjects, pupils build learning progressively year-on-year. Pupils confidently recall their understanding and knowledge in a range of subjects.

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better?

Leaders continue to make improvements to the curriculum. From Reception Year to Year 6, they have broken down important knowledge into small steps. Teachers check what pupils know, can do and remember. This helps pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), learn well. In mathematics, the focus on numbers gives pupils a strong foundation for future learning. As a result, pupils solve problems competently and deepen their knowledge and understanding.

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better?

However, in a few subjects, staff expectations are not high enough. Some pupils do not present their work neatly. Additionally, teachers do not identify pupils’ mistakes quickly enough. In these subjects, the checks leaders make on how well pupils learn the curriculum are not sufficiently precise. As a result, pupils do not achieve as well as they should. 18 and 19 January 2023 Leaders prioritise reading. They foster a love of reading in pupils. Phonics teaching starts when children join the school in the early years. Pupils have regular phonics and reading lessons. This helps them secure the knowledge they need to read well. For example, pupils sound out and blend letters correctly. They enjoy listening to their teachers read novels in class, such as ‘Cosmic’ and ‘Darwin’s Dragon’. This inspires them to read books for pleasure in the school library.

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better?

Staff use assessment systems effectively, to spot pupils who fall behind. They ensure that pupils receive appropriate additional help, or specific classroom support, to catch up. This helps them to develop the skills to become fluent, confident readers.

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better?

Leaders provide effective additional support for pupils with SEND. Their needs are considered carefully by the special educational needs coordinator and school staff. Staff regularly review pupils’ individual support plans to ensure that the right provision is in place. Teachers adapt the curriculum well to meet the needs of pupils with SEND.

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better?

Pupils’ positive attitudes to school begin in the early years. Relationships between pupils and staff are supportive and caring. Pupils gain independence and confidence through secure routines. Their behaviour and conduct are orderly and respectful. Most pupils attend school regularly. Where attendance is low, leaders work with families to improve attendance.

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better?

Leaders create a range of opportunities for pupils’ personal development. Pupils know the importance of physical and mental health and what makes a positive relationship. They learn about different identities and cultures. Pupils talk with confidence that judging others by gender or race is wrong. They understand what it is to be different. Staff encourage pupils to be respectful and responsible citizens.

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better?

Governors and trust leaders have a clear, realistic vision for the future. All share the school leaders’ high ambitions. They know the school’s strengths and areas for development. Governors challenge and support leaders well.

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better?

Leaders carefully consider staff workload. Staff feel that their workload and well- being are taken into account. They are proud to work at the school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

There is a strong culture of safeguarding in the school. Staff are vigilant. All understand their role in keeping children safe. Staff receive appropriate training to help them recognise pupils at risk of harm. Record-keeping is detailed. Leaders’ checks to ensure that staff are suitable to work with pupils are thorough. They are quick to work with other agencies when pupils and families need help. 18 and 19 January 2023 Pupils are well informed through the curriculum about ways to stay safe, including online safety.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a few subjects, curriculum leaders do not know how well their subjects are implemented. As a result, some pupils do not achieve as well as they could. Senior leaders should ensure that curriculum leaders have the expertise to make checks on improving provision in their subject areas.  In some subjects, staff expectations about what pupils can achieve are not high enough. Some pupils do not take enough pride in their work and mistakes are not always addressed. Leaders should ensure that staff understand the school’s expectations for pupils’ work and these are applied consistently well.

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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. 18 and 19 January 2023

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School details

Inspection number 10256730 Type of school Primary

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 The school is part of the Futura Learning Partnership multi-academy trust. It joined the trust on 1 September 2018.  The school uses one unregistered alternative provider.

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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 impact of the pandemic with school leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors held discussions with the headteacher, other school staff, school governors, the trust’s chief executive officer and director of education.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and geography. 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. 18 and 19 January 2023  An inspector met with the special educational needs coordinator to consider the quality of education for pupils with SEND.  An inspector listened to pupils in Years 1 to 3 read to an adult.  An inspector reviewed the school’s safeguarding records and checked the school’s

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Information about this inspection

single central record. They discussed safeguarding arrangements with designated safeguarding leads. Inspectors spoke to pupils and adults about safety.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour at various times of the day, including breaktime and lunchtime, and visited the breakfast club.  Inspectors considered the responses to the online survey for parents, Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text responses. Inspectors met with parents at the start of the school day. The findings of Ofsted’s online staff and pupil survey were considered.

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Inspection team

Richard Vaughan, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Ross Newman Ofsted Inspector 18 and 19 January 2023 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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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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