Wentworth Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Wentworth Primary School Viking Road, Maldon, Essex CM9 6JN

p.1

Outcome

Wentworth Primary School continues to be a good school.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are incredibly proud to attend Wentworth Primary School. They know and understand their school rules to ‘be kind, be safe and be responsible’. Pupils work hard in lessons to ensure they are ‘striving for excellence’. This attitude helps them to achieve well and reach the high expectations that staff have of them.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils appreciate the numerous learning opportunities they have within and outside the broad curriculum they learn in school. Trips, visitors and events, for example Viking Days, add to what pupils learn in lessons.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy the opportunities they have to learn musical instruments and represent the school in sporting events. They also value the chance to hold positions of responsibilities, for example as peer mediators or as members of the eco-council.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well during lessons and when on the school playground. They look after each other and include each other in the games they play. Older pupils are proud to act as ‘buddies’ for younger pupils in school. This helps to develop relationships and teaches older pupils how to be responsible role models. Bullying is very rare. Should it happen, staff are quick to deal with it. Pupils are happy and safe at school.

p.1

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

Leaders have constructed a broad curriculum that encourages pupils to aim high. They have identified the knowledge pupils will learn from Reception to Year 6. They have planned the curriculum in a logical order. Leaders provide support, guidance and training for staff on how to teach the curriculum.

p.1

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

Teachers break the important knowledge pupils learn into smaller steps. In all year groups, they plan sequences of lessons and activities that build on what pupils already know and can do. Pupils develop a secure understanding of what they have learned. Overall, pupils achieve well. There are some occasions where teachers do not identify 2 and 3 March 2023

p.1

2

misconceptions that pupils have. This means when pupils begin new learning they do not always have as deep an understanding of what they have previously learned as leaders would like or teachers expect.

p.2

2

Reading is a high priority across the school. As soon as children start in Reception, staff help pupils to use high-quality language. Children in Reception learn the sounds that letters make and quickly move on to blending sounds together to read and spell unfamiliar words. Leaders rigorously identify any pupil who finds reading hard. These pupils then receive the support they need to develop their fluency when reading. As pupils move through the school, they read, and listen to, a range of different books and stories.

p.2

2

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) learn the same curriculum as their peers. Leaders provide clear guidance to staff so that they know how to support pupils with SEND. Carefully chosen resources and specific adaptations to the curriculum helps to ensure pupils with SEND achieve well at school.

p.2

2

The personal development of pupils is developed through the curriculum and the opportunities leaders have carefully planned for all pupils. In the early years, staff provide opportunities for children to develop their independence and understanding of healthy lifestyles. Leaders have carefully planned the personal, social and health education (PSHE) curriculum. Pupils develop a secure understanding of why they should respect difference. This understanding is further enhanced through the diverse range of books which pupils read and have read to them. Trips to places of worship, such as a Sikh Temple, provide pupils with opportunities to learn about cultures and religions that are different to their own.

p.2

2

Leaders, including those responsible for governance, have created a culture where staff feel very well supported at school. Staff value the opportunities provided for their own professional development. They are grateful for the approaches leaders take to help them to manage staff workload. Staff are very proud to work at the school. Governors have the expertise to support and hold leaders to account. Governors understand what the school does well and hold leaders to account for the quality of education at the school.

p.2

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.2

Safeguarding

Leaders have created an environment where there is a rigorous approach towards keeping pupils safe. Staff understand the procedures for raising concerns about pupils due to the training they have received. Leaders have a clear understanding of potential safeguarding concerns raised by staff. They engage with external professionals where they need to. Leaders proactively review their procedures and identify ways to improve them. This helps them to provide pupils with the support they need, for example on how to keep safe online. 2 and 3 March 2023

p.2

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 There are some inconsistencies in how teachers check what pupils have learned. This means there are occasions when staff do not identify or address misconceptions. Leaders must ensure there is a consistent approach to checking what pupils know and have remembered so that pupils secure a deep understanding of the planned curriculum.

p.3

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 an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

p.3

Background

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in March 2013.

p.3

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.

p.3

How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

p.3

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

p.3

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. 2 and 3 March 2023

p.3

School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

p.4

School details

Date of previous inspection 19 September 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

p.4

Information about this school

 The school does not currently make use of alternative provision.  There is a nursery on site which is run by an external provider. The nursery also offers a breakfast and after-school club for pupils at the school.

p.4

Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspector carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and history. For each deep dive, the inspector discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke with teachers, spoke with pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. The inspector also listened to pupils read with a familiar member of staff. Curriculum plans in the early years, art, PSHE and design technology were also considered.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspector scrutinised safeguarding policies, the school’s record of background checks of adults at the school and a sample 2 and 3 March 2023

p.4

5

of child protection files. He also spoke with governors, the designated safeguarding lead, the deputy designated safeguarding leads and staff about safeguarding practices at the school.  The inspector held meetings with the headteacher, the special educational needs coordinator, subject leaders, staff, governors and pupils.  The inspector reviewed a range of documents, including behaviour logs, bullying records, attendance records, pupil records, minutes of governing body meetings, local authority visit notes, school development plans and school policies.  There were 58 responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Ofsted Parent View, which were considered.  The inspector considered 57 responses to Ofsted’s questionnaire for pupils. He also spoke with pupils throughout the inspection to gather their views.  There were 49 responses to Ofsted’s questionnaire for school staff. The inspector also spoke with staff throughout the inspection to gather their views.

p.5

Inspection team

Michael Williams, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 2 and 3 March 2023

p.5

6

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.

p.6

6

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.6

6

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.6

6

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.6

6

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.6