Weobley Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Weobley Primary School Burton Wood, Weobley, Herefordshire HR4 8ST

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Outcome

Weobley Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

‘A safe, happy learning environment where everyone is valued’ is at the heart of Weobley Primary school. Pupils speak positively about the support they receive from staff. Pupils want to come to school because they enjoy learning, feel safe and are happy in school. A typical parent comment was that this is a ‘brilliant school, with brilliant staff!’. Pupils’ behaviour and attitudes to learning are generally respectful and positive. When pupils need extra support to focus on learning, staff manage this calmly and consistently.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have high expectations for all pupils. They have designed a curriculum that enables pupils to achieve well, and they do. Most pupils are very enthusiastic about reading. They enjoy the many opportunities to read to an adult or to themselves. Leaders place literacy and numeracy at the centre of pupils’ learning, which enables pupils to develop these skills securely.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders place a strong emphasis on pupils’ wider development. Pupils learn about their health and well-being. Pupils develop their understanding of equality and diversity. They take part in a wide range of extra-curricular activities, including sports, musical theatre and cooking. House captains and sports leaders are proud to support other pupils. These roles help pupils understand how to be responsible.

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

Leaders are ambitious for all pupils. Most pupils successfully achieve their academic potential. They also develop their emotional well-being and cultural knowledge. Most pupils are enthusiastic about their learning. In the early years, positive relationships between staff, children and parents help children to be confident and happy.

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

Leaders have set out the key knowledge and skills that pupils should learn in all subjects. Pupils confidently talk about what they know and understand in a range of subjects. For example, Year 4 and Year 5 pupils explained how their knowledge of fractions, decimals 16 and 17 May 2023

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and percentages has developed. They also explained how they use this knowledge in other subject areas.

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Teachers have secure subject knowledge. Most teachers regularly check that pupils understand what they have to do in lessons. This means pupils avoid gaps in their knowledge or making mistakes. For example, pupils in Year 4 mathematics added decimal numbers together. The teacher checked for understanding around the place value of ‘tenths’. However, some teachers do not check that pupils understand their work as regularly. When this happens, pupils struggle to start or complete their work when they should.

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Leaders quickly identify any pupil who may need additional support, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). All pupils follow the same curriculum. Teachers use ‘pupil passports’ effectively to adapt their teaching so that pupils with SEND can access learning. Staff then provide pupils with effective, targeted support to help them successfully improve their learning.

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Leaders identify any pupil with weak literacy skills as soon as they join the school. The precise sequencing of phonics teaching ensures that pupils learn the right sounds at the right time. Staff make sure that books match the sounds that pupils learn. Those pupils who need help to catch up receive support quickly. This helps pupils to read with confidence and enthusiasm.

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Most pupils focus on their learning and talk enthusiastically about their work. Excellent relationships between pupils and staff create a calm environment.

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Leaders talk with pupils and parents about the importance of high attendance. Pupils know they must be in school every day and understand why. This is helping to improve attendance. However, some pupils still do not attend regularly enough. Leaders try to ensure that pupils catch up with learning quickly when they are absent. However, irregular attendance holds back the achievement of some pupils.

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Leaders’ work to promote pupils’ personal development is highly effective. Pupils have a clear understanding of healthy relationships and respecting the views of others. Pupils voice their opinions about the school. This encourages a strong sense of belonging. Pupils take part in a wide range of clubs, such as rounders and origami. Pupils appreciate trips and visits to places such as a butterfly farm and residential trips to the Isle of Wight.

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Leaders know their school very well and have developed a rich, broad and ambitious education for all pupils. Leaders act swiftly to improve any aspect of the provision that does not meet their high expectations. Leaders carefully consider staff workload and staff welcome this. Governors know the school’s strengths and areas for development. They are well informed about the curriculum and hold leaders to account for the decisions taken.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 16 and 17 May 2023

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Leaders have made safeguarding everyone’s responsibility. Leaders make sure that all staff receive regular training to identify pupils who are at risk of harm. The leaders ensure that all concerns are dealt with swiftly and appropriate support is given to pupils where needed. Where leaders identify that pupils and families need early help, they quickly contact external agencies to get support for them.

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Pupils know how to report any concerns they have. Pupils learn about how to keep themselves safe, including online.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Some teachers do not check regularly enough if pupils understand what they have to do in lessons. This means that pupils do not always start or complete their work, which can lead to gaps in their knowledge. Leaders should ensure that all teachers regularly check that all pupils know what they have to do and address any gaps in their knowledge.  Some pupils miss too much school. This holds back their achievement. Leaders should work closely with parents and external agencies to secure more regular attendance for pupils.

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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.

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Background

This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in February 2018.

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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.

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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. 16 and 17 May 2023

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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. 16 and 17 May 2023

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School details

Inspection number 10269116 Type of school Primary

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School details

Date of previous inspection 27 February 2018, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of Weobley Schools’ Federation, which contains two schools.  The school does not make use of any alternative providers.

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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 his evaluation of the school.  The inspector focused on the following deep dives: early reading, mathematics and music. The inspector looked at leaders’ curriculum planning, visited lessons, heard pupils read to a familiar adult, looked at pupils’ work and talked with pupils about their learning. The inspector also looked at the curriculum in other subjects.  The inspector reviewed a range of school documents. These included information about pupils’ behaviour, attendance, the school’s curriculum and improvement planning. The school’s website was also checked.  The inspector talked to staff and leaders about safeguarding arrangements. He examined how leaders make employment checks on staff and scrutinised further

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safeguarding records. He also looked at how incidents that are reported by pupils are recorded and analysed.  The inspector observed informal times of the day to evaluate safeguarding and pupils’ behaviour.  The inspector held meetings with a representative of the local authority, governors, including the executive headteacher, the head of school, lead teacher, teachers, including early careers teachers, teaching assistants and pupils. The inspector also talked informally to pupils and staff to gather information about school life.  The inspector considered responses to Ofsted Parent View, and the free-text comments. The inspector also considered the responses to Ofsted’s staff survey and pupil questionnaires.

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Inspection team

Stuart Clarkson, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 16 and 17 May 2023

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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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