Westlea Primary School

Inspection of Westlea Primary School Langstone Way, Westlea, Swindon Wiltshire SN5 7BT

p.1

Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good

p.1

Overall effectiveness Good

Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005 20–21 June 2023

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Inclusivity is at the very core of Westlea Primary School. Everyone is welcome here. Leaders have created a safe and happy place to learn. Pupils are highly respectful and there is a strong culture of celebrating diversity. They say staff encourage and support them.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have constructed a broad and balanced curriculum. They have high expectations for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils work hard in lessons and have positive attitudes towards their learning.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders expect pupils to behave well. They do. Pupils are caring and well-mannered. Their good behaviour reflects the ethos of the school.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy an array of activities to nurture their interests, such as drumming and forest sessions. They benefit from a range of activities that are on offer at social times. Pupils’ roles as prefects and school councillors help them to build confidence. Leaders raise pupils’ awareness of current events. This was demonstrated by pupils’ work to fundraise following the earthquakes in Turkey. Pupils develop a strong understanding of the world they live in.

p.2

better?

Leaders, governors and trust leaders place a sharp focus on curriculum planning and sequencing. The curriculum states the precise knowledge they want pupils to know. Leaders have thought about how to make the sequence of learning clear to pupils and use a ‘prior, now and next’ approach. As a result, pupils remember important information. In mathematics, for example, pupils used their knowledge of shape to identify three-dimensional shapes from nets.

p.2

better?

In many subjects, learning builds on children’s starting points in early years. However, this is not the case in all subjects. Some wider curriculum subject leaders are not clear about the knowledge learned in early years. This means curriculum thinking does not build from the early years in all subjects.

p.2

better?

Despite published outcomes for mathematics and reading being below the national average in 2022, pupils now develop a firm understanding of mathematical concepts and reading skills. For example, leaders have set out the comprehension skills that pupils should learn and in what order. They have selected texts that suit the skill being taught. As a result, pupils use skills such as inference and prediction effectively.

p.2

better?

Staff teach pupils how to read with precision. This starts in nursery, where children learn how to share books and pronounce sounds correctly. All staff have had training on how to deliver the phonics programme. Reading books are matched to pupils’ phonic ability. Staff regularly check how well pupils learn their sounds and put extra 20–21 June 2023

p.2

3

support in place if needed. Children and pupils develop early reading skills successfully.

p.3

3

Teachers break learning down into small steps. This helps pupils to learn well. Staff check pupils’ understanding by assessing them regularly. They adapt learning based on this information. Pupils recall their learning with enthusiasm and pride, but this is not yet reflected in pupils’ work. Work in pupils’ books is not consistently neat and the quality of handwriting is variable.

p.3

3

Pupils with SEND are fully included in all aspects of school life. Teachers put in place well-thought-out plans so that pupils with SEND are supported successfully in class. Those in the complex needs unit receive help that suits their needs. Pupils with SEND make strong progress from their starting points. Parents of pupils with SEND praise the school’s work.

p.3

3

Children in Reception Year have positive relationships with each other and with adults. Staff effectively model how they expect children to behave and act, including when speaking and listening. Children know the routines and expectations staff have of them. This extends further up the school, where there is a warm and nurturing environment that allows pupils to learn.

p.3

3

Leaders ensure that pupils learn about the world beyond Westlea. Pupils understand democracy and individual liberty. They recognise the importance of diet and exercise to their physical health. Pupils know about the protected characteristics. For example, they recognise that although people might be different, everyone is accepted here.

p.3

3

Since the previous inspection, leaders have placed high importance on developing all staff. As a result, they have driven curriculum development. Staff support one another and say that leaders listen and consider their well-being. Staff feel valued.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

Safeguarding

All staff support the culture that safeguarding is the school’s number one priority. Leaders are vigilant to the local area and knowledgeable about current safeguarding issues. They train staff to know the processes to follow if they have a safeguarding concern. Pupils say they feel safe at school. They know they can report any worries and that staff will follow them up quickly. Leaders ensure that pupils receive support when they need it, including from outside agencies.

p.3

Safeguarding

Staff teach pupils how to keep themselves safe in their local area and when online. They have an age-appropriate understanding of risk. 20–21 June 2023

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some wider curriculum subjects, leaders have not considered early years within their curriculum thinking. This means learning does not build from the early years in all subjects. Leaders must identify the knowledge that pupils need to know in each subject from early years to Year 6.  Some staff do not have high enough expectations of pupils’ handwriting and presentation skills. Consequently, they accept work that is poorly presented. Leaders must ensure that all staff have consistently high expectations of pupils’ written work and handwriting in all subjects.

p.4

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.

p.4

How can I feed back my views?

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

p.4

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

p.4

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. 20–21 June 2023

p.4

School details

Date of previous inspection 15 and 16 March 2022, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

p.5

Information about this school

 The school is part of Brunel Academies Trust, a multi-academy trust. It joined the trust in September 2022.  The school has a specially resourced provision for pupils with physical disability as their primary need. These pupils integrate into the mainstream school. All pupils within this provision have an education, health and care plan (EHCP).  The school opened a complex needs unit for pupils with SEND in September 2022.  The school uses one registered alternative provider.

p.5

Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

p.5

Information about this inspection

 This was the second routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school. 20–21 June 2023

p.5

6

 Inspectors met with school leaders, staff and pupils.  The lead inspector met with the chair of governors, trust leaders including the chief executive officer and the chair of trustees.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, science 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.  The lead inspector listened to pupils from Years 1, 2 and 3 read to a known adult.  Inspectors evaluated the effectiveness of safeguarding. They looked at the school’s single central record and records of concerns and at how staff work to keep pupils safe. Inspectors spoke to pupils, staff and governors about safeguarding practices.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school, including

p.6

6

at lunch and break times. They met with pupils formally and informally to hear their views.  Inspectors considered responses to the survey, Ofsted Parent View, including free-text responses. They also looked at responses to the pupil survey and responses to the staff survey.

p.6

Inspection team

Lakmini Harkus, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

p.6

Inspection team

Helen Springett Ofsted Inspector 20–21 June 2023

p.6

7

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.7

7

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.7

7

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.7

7

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

p.7

7

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

p.7