Westfield Primary Community School

Inspection of Westfield Primary Community School Askham Lane, Acomb, York, North Yorkshire YO24 3HP

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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 3 and 4 July 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy at Westfield Primary Community School. The relationships between pupils and teachers are caring and respectful. Pupils benefit from an ambitious curriculum and rich cultural experiences. Reading is important in this school. Most pupils learn to read quickly and fluently. Pupils speak enthusiastically about the ‘cracking good reads’ read to them by teachers.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour. Pupils are motivated to learn. They are encouraged to develop resilience when facing challenges in their work. Staff are trained to support pupils with social emotional and mental health needs. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are included in all aspects of school life.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils have a clear understanding of what bullying is. Bullying rarely happens in the school, when it does, staff act quickly to stop it. Pupils feel confident to speak to teachers about any worries they might have.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders are committed to doing ‘What’s in our gift to increase opportunities to develop pupils’ character. For example, pupils enjoy a daily ‘fitness 15’ of outdoor physical activities, residential trips and performing at multigenerational community events. Pupils can attend a range of extracurricular activities after school to develop their talents and interests.

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better?

Leaders have recently made instrumental changes to the ambition and sequencing of the curriculum. They have ensured that staff are trained to teach the curriculum well. The implementation of these new curriculums and additional focus on revisiting prior knowledge has increased opportunities for pupils to deepen their knowledge. As a result, pupils’ achievement is improving.

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better?

Reading is an important part of school life. Leaders have prioritised early reading and a love of sharing stories. Leaders have introduced a new curriculum for teaching early reading. Leaders have provided training and check to make sure that reading is well taught. There is now consistency in the teaching of phonics across early years and key stage 1. As a result, most pupils learn to read quickly and confidently. Staff regularly check to ensure that pupils are building their reading knowledge. Pupils that need more help learning to read are given regular additional support.

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better?

Leaders have recently improved the curriculum for mathematics. They have provided training for staff to ensure that they understand how to teach mathematics well. In lessons, teachers use carefully chosen activities and resources to help pupils deepen their knowledge. Pupils are given regular opportunities to use concrete objects to develop a secure understanding of number. For example, pupils in Year 1 use 3 and 4 July 2023

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apparatus in practical tasks to help them count numbers up to 100. In mathematics, teachers regularly check pupils’ understanding. They use this information to address misconceptions and revisit topics where needed. As a result, pupils are building fluency and using mathematical vocabulary with confidence.

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In most subjects, teachers have identified the important knowledge and vocabulary that pupils need to know at key points. However, in some foundation subjects, leaders have not identified the specific knowledge that pupils must know in each year group. As a result, teachers are not clear about how to build pupils’ knowledge over time. Some pupils struggle to recall their learning in a small number of foundation subjects.

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In most subjects, teachers regularly check how well pupils remember essential knowledge before moving onto new learning. For example, in physical education (PE), Year 4 pupils revisit how to run with control before moving on to how to jump with control. However, in some subjects, teachers do not consistently check how well pupils have remembered and learned important knowledge. As a result, teachers do not consistently identify when pupils have gaps in their knowledge.

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Leaders identify pupils with SEND early and accurately. Well-trained staff ensure that support plans help pupils to be included and learn well. Leaders work with outside agencies to make sure that pupils receive the extra support that they need.

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In the early years, leaders have created an engaging environment for children. Adults are well trained to meet the communication and language needs of pupils. Children are given regular opportunities to understand and talk about their feelings. Adults use visual timetables to support independence. In Nursery, children talk confidently about creating numerical patterns. Children were seen independently engaging in number activities that developed fine motor skills at the same time, using tweezers and pom poms to count out numbers.

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The school’s curriculum for personal, social and health education develops pupils’ independence and character. Pupils understand what makes relationships safe. They learn how to stay healthy, both physically and mentally. Pupils understand the protected characteristics.

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Leaders are committed to meeting the needs of children and their families. The pastoral support offered by the school is of a high quality. Workload is not a concern for staff. Teachers at the start of their career are well supported. Governors know the school well and what actions are needed to make further improvements. Governors are supportive but still provide challenge to improve attendance and outcomes.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 3 and 4 July 2023

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Leaders have ensured that all staff have received training to help them to understand the indicators that a child might be at risk of harm. Leaders provide regular safeguarding updates to staff and governors. Staff understand the risks that pupils might face. Procedures for reporting concerns are well understood. Leaders work well with external agencies to get timely support for pupils and families.

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Leaders have introduced strategies to improve pupil’s e-safety knowledge.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a small number of subjects, leaders have not identified the specific knowledge that they want pupils to learn in each year group. In these subjects, teachers do not know precisely what pupils should know and remember in order to build their knowledge over time. Leaders should ensure that teachers know the exact content that pupils should learn.  In some foundation subjects, teachers’ checks of what pupils should know are not precise. Sometimes, teachers do not identify when pupils have gaps in their knowledge. Leaders should ensure that assessment arrangements are refined to help teachers identify where pupils have gaps in their knowledge.

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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. 3 and 4 July 2023

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School details

Inspection number 10255690 Type of school Primary

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 23 January 2018, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school runs breakfast- and after-school clubs.  The school uses one registered and one unregistered alternative provision.  The proportion of pupils in receipt of pupil premium funding is above the national average.

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Information about this inspection

The inspector(s) 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 leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors spoke to senior leaders, including members of the local governing body, representatives from the local authority and the school improvement partner. 3 and 4 July 2023

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 Inspectors carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics, art, PE and history. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to staff, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.

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 Inspectors also spoke to leaders about the curriculum in some other subjects.

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 Inspectors listened to a range of pupils read from different year groups.

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 Inspectors checked the arrangements for safeguarding, including looking at the single central record, behaviour logs, attendance, and safeguarding records. Inspectors also spoke to leaders, teachers, governors, and pupils about safeguarding.

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 Inspectors met the special educational needs and disabilities coordinator, spoke to pupils with SEND and reviewed plans to support these pupils. They visited lessons to see how pupils with SEND are supported.

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 Inspectors visited the early years provision to check safeguarding arrangements and discuss the learning with children and leaders.

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 Inspectors observed behaviour at the start of the day and lunchtimes, as well as in lessons.

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 Inspectors analysed the responses to Ofsted’s pupil survey, and staff survey. They reviewed answers from the online questionnaire, Ofsted Parent View, including free-text responses.

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Inspection team

Georgina Chinaka, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Emily McCullagh Ofsted Inspector 3 and 4 July 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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