Wollescote Primary School

Inspection of Wollescote Primary School Drummond Road, Wollescote, Stourbridge, West Midlands DY9 8YA

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Inspection dates: 14 and 15 February 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 Good 14 and 15 February 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Wollescote Primary School is a friendly, caring and respectful place. Staff and pupils are quick to welcome new pupils and help them settle in. The school’s motto highlights the importance of being polite and staff demonstrate this in their own behaviour. This rubs off on the pupils, who routinely greet one another with warm words and cheery smiles. They remember to say please and thank you and rarely fall out with others. If any behaviour slips below the expected standard, then staff support pupils to improve. If anyone thinks that bullying may be happening, then staff find out the truth and act fairly. The school’s rules are clear and fair, and staff apply them with consistency.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Lessons are well organised and a joy of learning is evident. English and mathematics are taught every day and staff ensure that pupils are well prepared for learning at secondary school. There are strengths in other subjects too. However, some are stronger than others.

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What is it like to attend this school?

A notable aspect of the school’s work is the support and guidance provided for parents and carers. Parents value this very much. Leaders and staff are also very attentive to pupils’ safety. Their systems for checking on pupils’ whereabouts and following up any concerns are robust.

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better?

The school has a good track record in teaching pupils to read. Whether pupils are new to English or speak English as their first language, the school’s approach works equally well. In the Nursery, staff share lots of stories, rhymes and songs that get children used to the patterns of language. Formal phonics teaching starts straight away in Reception and, by the time pupils reach the end of key stage 1, most are reading fluently. For those who still need help with phonics, staff provide targeted support in school. However, the school’s routines for providing home reading books could be better. Currently, leaders’ expectations do not ensure that those pupils who need the most practice read regularly enough at home.

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better?

The approach to teaching mathematics is strong. From the early years onwards, new learning builds securely on what has gone before. In addition, in both English and mathematics, staff provide catch-up sessions after school. There are other after- school activities too. These include a well-attended Young Rotarians club, which steers pupils to take a constructive interest in community matters. This extra- curricular activity dovetails well with the school’s wider work to support pupils’ personal development. For example, staff take pupils on trips to places of learning and culture, which helps to lift aspirations and shape their ambitions.

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better?

The headteacher leads by example, even if this means giving swimming instruction from in the water. She is supported well by the senior team and, together, they share out work in manageable ways. Staff appreciate how leaders consider their 14 and 15 February 2023

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workload and agree that the school is an orderly place. There is a positive culture that allows learning to proceed without disruption.

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The school has effective systems for identifying and supporting pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities. In most cases, these pupils are taught alongside their peers and access the same curriculum. When necessary, staff make suitable adjustments or provide additional adult support, so that pupils make the most of lessons and learn well.

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Across the wider curriculum, some subjects are better developed than others. For instance, in religious education, leaders have thought carefully about important concepts to teach, revisit and develop over time. However, in a small number of subjects, leaders have not thought carefully enough about the crucial knowledge that all pupils need to know. Pupils do a lot of work and remember what they have covered, but it is not necessarily the most useful content that will help them with future learning.

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Where staff are clear about what pupils need to know, such as in English and mathematics, assessment works well. Where the curriculum is less well developed, assessment varies in its usefulness.

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For a long time, school leaders have tried different strategies to improve attendance. This work has had a marked impact on some individuals. Even so, some pupils continue to miss school or arrive late, and without good reason. This means they miss learning, which hinders their progress.

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Governors show a high level of strategic thinking. They are informed about the school’s work and committed to its continued improvement and work to support the community. Indeed, the school’s work to support parents through workshops and information sessions is a notable strength.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders and staff are very attentive to safeguarding matters. They know what to watch out for and respond promptly to concerns. They are informed about local risks and work with other organisations to support families and pupils. Leaders keep detailed records of safeguarding and behaviour incidents. They routinely analyse these to check for any patterns.

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Safeguarding

Staff teach pupils about safe behaviour and relationships, and the importance of showing respect to others.

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Safeguarding

All the required checks on adults in school are completed, and access to the school building is controlled. 14 and 15 February 2023

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Leaders’ expectations for pupils’ reading at home are not high enough. Key stage 2 pupils who have gaps in their phonics knowledge do not take a phonetically decodable book home to read. Leaders should review the approach to reading at home so that all pupils get regular opportunities to practise reading at home.  In a small number of foundation subjects, leaders have not identified the crucial knowledge that all pupils should learn to help them with future learning. This means that teachers are not sure what all pupils need to know and remember to make meaningful progress. Leaders should continue to review and revise the curriculum to ensure that all pupils learn and remember the right things.  Some pupils miss too much school, or arrive late too often, without good reason. This means they miss lessons, which hinders their progress. Leaders should continue to work with families and other agencies to improve pupils’ attendance

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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. 14 and 15 February 2023

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School details

Inspection number 10256922 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 Christopher Fonteyn

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School details

Date of previous inspection 10 January 2018, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Leaders do 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. 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 the following subjects: reading, mathematics, physical education, design technology and history. In these subjects, inspectors carried out a range of activities. These included discussions with subject leaders, teachers and pupils, lesson visits, and looking at pupils’ work.  The inspectors also considered curriculum design and effectiveness in other subjects in less detail in order to check how they were organised and taught. The lead inspector observed some pupils reading. 14 and 15 February 2023

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 The inspectors looked at published performance data about the school and a range of school documents. These included information about pupils’ behaviour, attendance, the curriculum, extra-curricular activities and school improvement planning. They also checked information published on the school’s website.  Inspectors asked school leaders, pupils and parents about safeguarding arrangements and safety routines. They examined the record of employment checks on school staff and looked at other school records.  Inspectors talked informally with pupils, parents and staff to gather general information about school life. They took account of the responses to Ofsted’s surveys of staff’s, pupils’ and parents’ views. Inspectors spoke with some parents at the start of the school day.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in class, at lunchtime, on the playground, at clubs and at other times during the day.

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 During the inspection, inspectors had formal meetings with the headteacher, other leaders, school staff, pupils and governors.

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Inspection team

Martin Pye, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector Ed Masterson Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Lindsay Nash Ofsted Inspector 14 and 15 February 2023

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