Winwick CofE Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Winwick C of E Primary School Myddleton Lane, Winwick, Warrington, Cheshire WA2 8LQ

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Inspection dates: 24 and 25 October 2023

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Outcome

Winwick C of E Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy attending this friendly, caring school. They are proud to be part of its community. This is reflected in the work that pupils produce and how keen they are to talk about what they have learned.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The core values of love, perseverance and respect thread through all aspects of school life. These values encourage pupils to rise to the school’s high expectations for their achievement. Pupils, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), achieve well. They are well prepared for the next stage of their education.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils know and follow the school rules. They are polite and respectful to adults and each other. Staff do their best to ensure that pupils develop and grow in an environment where they feel happy and safe. Pupils know that the staff are there to help them if they have any worries or concerns.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils have many opportunities to develop their interests. These include a wide range of extra-curricular activities, including sports, music, art and cookery clubs. Pupils are keen to take part as these experiences help them to discover and strengthen new talents.

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

The curriculum is ambitious and well thought out. In all subjects, the school has carefully ordered the important knowledge that pupils need to learn and remember, starting from the early years to the end of Year 6. New curriculum content builds securely on pupils’ previous learning. Teachers check that pupils have understood and remembered their learning over time. This helps pupils, including those with SEND, to make links in their learning and to deepen their understanding of important concepts. 24 and 25 October 2023

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In most subjects, teachers are given clear guidance and regular training to strengthen their subject-specific knowledge. This supports teachers to design learning that enables pupils to build on what they know and can do. However, in a few subjects, some teachers do not have secure enough subject knowledge to teach some of the year group curriculum content. This hinders how well pupils build their knowledge.

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Reading is at the heart of the school’s curriculum. Children start to learn about sounds and letters as soon as they begin in the Reception Year. Staff keep a close eye on how well pupils are learning to read and they make sure that any pupils who are struggling get effective extra help quickly. As a result, most pupils become confident and fluent readers before the end of Year 2. However, a small number of pupils find reading too difficult. This is because the books that they read do not match the sounds that they know.

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The school forges positive relationships with parents and carers. It provides a wide range of information to keep parents abreast of what their children are learning in the curriculum and how well they are achieving. This helps parents to support their children’s learning at home, especially their reading. Parents typically commented that staff go above and beyond to ensure that school is a happy and safe place for their children to learn and flourish.

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The school has ensured that there are clear systems in place to identify the individual needs of pupils with SEND. Teachers adapt their delivery of the curriculum so that pupils with SEND can learn successfully alongside their peers. For example, teachers use additional resources and appropriately modified tasks.

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The school places a high priority on pupils’ mental health and well-being. Older pupils skilfully support younger pupils if they are unhappy or worried. This helps all pupils to feel part of the Winwick family. Pupils are polite and respectful. They behave well, which means that everyone can learn free from distractions.

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The school provides a varied range of opportunities for pupils’ wider development. Pupils think of others by raising money for charitable causes. They consider how their choices and actions may impact the environment. For example, the eco warriors have worked hard to promote a range of activities to help save energy at the school. This has resulted in a reduction in recent utility bills.

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Pupils develop their knowledge of fundamental British values well. They have a secure understanding of different families, backgrounds, cultures and beliefs. Pupils know that it is important to treat everyone equally. They are well prepared for life in modern Britain.

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Governors provide valuable support and challenge to the school. They understand their statutory duties, and they work effectively with the school. The school and governors work well together to balance staff’s workload and well-being. Staff are highly positive about the support and consideration that they receive from school leaders who consider staff’s workload when making decisions. There is a strong culture of teamwork among the staff. 24 and 25 October 2023

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Occasionally, the reading books that a small number of pupils read are not well matched to the sounds that they know. This has a negative effect on pupils’ confidence and it delays how quickly they become fluent readers. The school should make sure that the books children read are well matched to their phonics knowledge.  In a small number of subjects, some teachers do not have secure enough subject knowledge to deliver subject content. This hinders some pupils from building their knowledge. The school should make sure that all staff have the subject knowledge and expertise that they need to deliver the curriculum effectively for the age group that they teach.

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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 second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in October 2014.

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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.

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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school. 24 and 25 October 2023

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In the report, ‘disadvantaged pupils’ is used to mean pupils with SEND; pupils who meet the definition of children in need of help and protection ; pupils receiving statutory local authority support from a social worker; and pupils who otherwise meet the criteria used for deciding the school’s pupil premium funding (this includes pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years, looked after children (children in local authority care) and/or children who left care through adoption or another formal route). 24 and 25 October 2023

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 9 December 2020, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school does not make use of any alternative provision for pupils.  A new headteacher has been appointed since the previous inspection.  The governing body operates a breakfast club and after-school provision.  The school is part of the Diocese of Liverpool. Its last section 48 inspection, for schools of a religious character, took place in October 2023. The next inspection is scheduled to take place in 2029.

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Information about this inspection

Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision.

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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 the school and has taken that into account in her evaluation.  The inspector carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics and history. For each deep dive, she met with the subject leader, discussed curriculums, visited a 24 and 25 October 2023

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sample of lessons, met with teachers, spoke with pupils about their learning and reviewed samples of pupils’ work. She also observed pupils from Years 1 to 3 reading to a familiar adult.  The inspector considered other subjects in the school’s curriculum. She talked to the leaders of these subjects. She also spoke to pupils about their learning in these subjects.  The inspector held discussions with the headteacher, other leaders and staff.  The inspector met with governors, including the chair of the governing body. She also spoke with representatives of the local authority and the diocese.  The inspector spoke with different groups of pupils to gather their views of the school and talked to them about their behaviour and learning. She also observed pupils’ behaviour during lessons and around the school.  The inspector considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text responses. She also considered the responses to Ofsted’s online surveys for staff and

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pupils.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspector: reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  The inspector considered a range of documentation provided by the school. This included the school development plan, records of governing body meetings, headteacher reports and the leaders’ self-evaluation document.

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Inspection team

Julie Barlow, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 24 and 25 October 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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