Weston Hills CofE Primary School

Inspection of Weston Hills C of E Primary School Learning Lane, Weston Hills, Spalding, Lincolnshire PE12 6DL

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Inspection dates: 22 and 23 November 2023

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Good Leadership and management Outstanding Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Requires Improvement 22 and 23 November 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Weston Hills is an ambitious and inclusive school. Pupils are happy and feel safe. The school has gone through a period of transformation. This has included the introduction of a completely new curriculum design. The new revised curriculum is ambitious for all pupils, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those who are disadvantaged.

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What is it like to attend this school?

There are high expectations of all pupils and, as a result, pupils achieve well. Pupils’ attitudes to their learning are exceptional. Pupils show high levels of engagement in lessons. They talk and interact with excitement about their learning. Pupils show high levels of independence and take great pride in their achievements. Relationships between pupils and staff are nurturing and strong. One pupil commented: ‘I don’t think any other primary school could beat this school. We are like one big, happy family - a family that learns but also has fun.’

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils take great pride in the extra responsibilities they can take on. They enjoy playing a proactive part in school events and also have a strong voice in some decisions. For example, they choose which charities the school will support. Pupils also have access to a range of carefully chosen clubs, trips and experiences.

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better?

Children in the early years get off to a strong start. Relationships between staff and children are warm and nurturing. The quality of spoken interaction between adults and children is high. Adults model language clearly and complement this with the use of signing to encourage and praise communication. Children have the opportunity to learn through play and to take risks. Adults skilfully ‘interact’ during these child-led learning moments but do not ‘interfere’. Children show high levels of independence and resilience. They are well prepared for key stage 1.

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better?

Reading is prioritised at the school. The phonics programme is well sequenced and planned. Pupils’ reading books are closely matched to the sounds they know. This helps them to practise and improve blending sounds together to decode new words. All staff are well trained in the phonics programme and have strong subject knowledge. Pupils enjoy reading and develop well as fluent, confident readers.

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better?

Mathematics lessons provide pupils with opportunities to develop their fluency, reasoning and problem-solving skills. Purposeful and regular cross-curricular links give mathematics learning real-life context for pupils. For example, pupils use ratio to calculate how much water to use with casting powder in design and technology. Pupils revisit prior learning in every lesson. This supports them in building and strengthening their mathematical knowledge. Pupils enjoy mathematics and can talk about their learning with confidence. 22 and 23 November 2023

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Other curriculum subjects are carefully planned and sequenced. Lessons have been organised to make sure that there is clear progression of knowledge and skills from the Reception Year through to Year 6. The methods the school uses to check pupils’ progress are effective and are also considerate of staff workload. Pupils can talk about their learning with confidence in the majority of subjects. However, in a small number of foundation subjects, pupils do not recall their knowledge as securely as they do in others. The school identifies and meets the needs of pupils with SEND.

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Pupils’ personal development is well considered and prioritised. The personal, social and health education curriculum prepares pupils well for life in modern Britain. Pupils understand the importance of respect. They learn about a range of different world faiths and cultures. Pupils understand the meaning of diversity. They can talk about a need to ‘accept and celebrate’ difference. Pupils understand that there are different types of relationships and families. Pupils demonstrate a real sense of belonging. One pupil commented: ‘Even though we are a small school, we have a big heart.’ Pupils enjoy having the opportunity to engage with the local community, for example at coffee mornings.

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Leadership of the school is aspirational and highly effective. In a relatively short amount of time, leaders have completely redesigned the curriculum. Decisions have been strategically ambitious and have led to improved outcomes for pupils. Governance of the school is a real strength. Governors offer appropriate support and challenge to school leaders. The school ensures that staff receive focused and highly effective professional development. This consistently translates into improvements in the teaching of the curriculum. Staff also value the opportunity to work collaboratively across the federation. Staff feel they are also genuinely cared about as people, not just as employees.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

■ In a small number of foundation subjects, there are inconsistencies in what pupils can recall about their learning. Pupils do not yet reliably remember what they have been taught in these subjects. Leaders should ensure that the curriculum enables all pupils, including pupils with SEND, to know more and remember more in all subject areas. 22 and 23 November 2023

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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’ is used to mean pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (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). 22 and 23 November 2023

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Headteacher Sonya Ely (Executive headteacher) Vikki Parker (Head of school) Website www.westonhills.lincs.sch.uk

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 5 and 6 November 2019, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

■ The school is part of the Tydd St Mary & Weston Hills Church Schools Federation. ■ The school does not currently 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

■ Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision. ■ This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school. ■ Inspectors carried out deep dives in reading, mathematics, physical education, and art and design. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum 22 and 23 November 2023

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with leaders, visited lessons, spoke with teachers and pupils and looked at samples of pupils’ work. ■ The lead inspector listened to some pupils read to a familiar adult. ■ Inspectors checked the work pupils had produced, looked at subject plans and spoke with pupils and subject leaders for several other subjects. ■ Inspectors met with leaders responsible for behaviour, personal development, the early years and the provision for pupils with SEND. ■ To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: 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. ■ Inspectors spoke with parents at the end of the school day. ■ Inspectors reviewed a range of documents, including the school’s self- evaluation and improvement plan. The lead inspector met with members of the

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governing body. ■ The lead inspector spoke with representatives from the local authority school improvement team. ■ Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Ofsted Parent View, including any free-text comments, as well as the results of Ofsted’s survey for school staff.

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Inspection team

Luella Manssen, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Jackie Thornalley Ofsted Inspector 22 and 23 November 2023

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T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted 22 and 23 November 2023

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