Westdale Junior School

Inspection of Westdale Junior School Westdale Lane, Mapperley, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire NG3 6ET

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Inspection dates: 13 and 14 December 2023

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Previous inspection grade Good

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Overall effectiveness Good

The headteacher of this school is Ruth Kyle. This school is part of Nova Education Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Ashfaq Rahman, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Margaret Monckton. 13 and 14 December 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Westdale Junior School is a happy and vibrant school. The mantra ‘work hard, be kind’ sets the tone for pupils’ experiences. The curriculum provides many opportunities for pupils to learn the significance to them of working hard and being kind. As a consequence, pupils are motivated and reflective. Pupils speak positively of the school. One pupil typically stated: ‘The teachers have really high expectations for us. But they are not bossy with it. We want to live up to those expectations.’

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is ambitious for all pupils to achieve well, especially those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those who are disadvantaged. Pupils respond to this ambition. They are keen to play their part in improving their school. The ‘pupil parliament’ have well thought out views and are keen to share them with adults. Pupils talk proudly of their work for charity.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well. They are well mannered and courteous to adults and visitors. Relationships between adults and pupils are respectful. They not only learn to care about each other, they also learn how to look after themselves, including their own mental well-being. Pupils are highly respectful of difference.

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better?

There is a well-structured and systematic approach to teaching pupils to read. When studying texts, pupils take it in turns to be the leader, the questioner, the summariser and the predictor. They handle these roles maturely as they pick through the texts, deepening understanding. The school uses high-quality, ambitious books. It uses drama to enable pupils to understand Shakespeare. Pupils learn to form views of what they read. They think critically about their book choices. The school encourages pupils to read regularly. The new library is a place, ‘Where there are books for everyone.’

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better?

The school has made appropriate and significant changes recently to improve the curriculum. However, they have not yet looked closely enough and evaluated the impact of some of these changes. The school has identified the precise knowledge they want pupils to know and remember. Teachers present information clearly and build pupils’ knowledge over time. The ‘5 Ws’ enable pupils to make strong links between prior learning within subjects and across the curriculum. Carefully chosen role models provide relevance to learning. For instance, in art they learn about Grayson Perry and in science about Leonardo DaVinci.

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better?

This is an inclusive school. Pupils with SEND receive the support that they need. This is because the school clearly identifies these pupils' precise needs. There are regular reviews of how well pupils with SEND are progressing. Teachers receive regular training, so they can best provide for pupils with SEND. Where appropriate, teachers make adaptations to learning. This ensures that they succeed in lessons.

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better?

Pupils get on well with each other. They play well together at playtimes. 13 and 14 December 2023

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Pupils behave well in and around the school. Staff implement the recently changed behaviour policy consistently. However, some parents and carers do not know about, or understand, the reason for recent changes to the behaviour policy. They are not all aware of the improvements in pupils’ behaviour. There is a sense of order and purpose. Pupils say bullying is rare yet well dealt with should it occur. Pupils say that they feel safe.

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Pupils are caring and considerate of each other. They understand the importance of fundamental British values to themselves and the wider community. Pupils are highly tolerant of difference. They learn to keep themselves safe. Pastoral support is well considered and highly respected by pupils. Pupils regularly learn about keeping themselves safe online. They appreciate the timely way in which they learn about changes to their bodies.

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Senior leaders know the school well. They are quick to respond should there be a need to make improvements. The partnership between the multi-academy trust and the school is strong. Support, where needed, is timely. Staff feel their workload and well-being are considered.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Some parents and carers do not know about, or understand, the reason for recent changes to the behaviour policy. Not all parents and carers are aware of the improvements in pupils’ behaviour. As a consequence, a few parents are concerned about behaviour and do not feel connected with the school. Leaders should explore ways to further communicate and strengthen engagement with all parents and enable them to best understand how to support their child and the work of the school.  The school has made appropriate and significant changes recently to improve the curriculum. However, they have not yet looked closely enough and evaluated the impact of some of these changes. As a consequence, elements of their work, such as checking on what pupils know and remember, are not yet fully embedded and, therefore, wholly effective. In a few subjects, pupils are not remembering all that they have been taught. The school should check that any changes introduced

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

have the desired impact and pupils remember all that they have learned. 13 and 14 December 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). 13 and 14 December 2023

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School details

Local authority Nottinghamshire County Council

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 3 and 4 November 2021, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is a part of the Nova Education Trust.  The school makes use of one registered alternative provider and one unregistered alternative provider.  Since the last inspection, there has been a new headteacher and deputy headteacher.

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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. 13 and 14 December 2023

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 This was the second 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.  Inspectors held meetings with the headteacher and the special educational needs and disabilities coordinator.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in four subjects: reading, mathematics, history and science. To do this, they met with curriculum leaders, visited lessons, looked at pupils’ work, listened to pupils read and met with teachers and pupils. They also looked at curriculum documentation for computing, religious education and personal, social, health and economic education.  The lead inspector met with the chair of the local governing body and the vice- chair of the board of trustees.  The lead inspector met with the chief executive officer from the multi-academy trust.  Inspectors took account of the responses to the Parent View, including free-text

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responses and Ofsted’s survey for school staff. Inspectors spoke informally to parents at the beginning and end of the school day.  Inspectors considered records of attendance, behaviour and safeguarding, including the school’s single central record. Inspectors met with leaders to discuss the safeguarding of pupils.  Inspectors considered pupils’ behaviour at various times of day, including in lessons, around the school site and at lunchtime.

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Inspection team

Mark Anderson, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Mark Westmoreland Ofsted Inspector 13 and 14 December 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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