Werrington Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Werrington Primary School Washerwall Lane, Werrington, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire ST9 0JU

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Inspection dates: 27 and 28 February 2024

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Outcome

Werrington Primary School continues to be a good school.

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Outcome

The headteacher of this school is Mrs Caroline Prince. This school is part of the Potteries Educational Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Mrs Heather McLachlan, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Mr Martin Jones.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils, parents and staff are rightly proud of their school. The ‘Together we succeed’ motto ensures that the whole school community works together and aims high. The comment of one parent reflects the thoughts of many: ‘The school has such a welcoming environment where my children have been able to thrive.’

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupil behaviour is exceptional. Pupils support each other to behave well. For example, they can be heard singing the ‘Werrington Way’ song in and around school when pupils need a friendly reminder about how they are expected to behave at the school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school prepares pupils well for life in modern Britain. It ensures that pupils learn about different cultures, religions and relationships. Pupils are very knowledgeable about these. The ‘golden strands’ of migration, innovation, conflict, sustainability, equality and community are used very effectively to promote equality and diversity.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils have worked with leaders to identify leadership roles for them to carry out. Every pupil in Year 6 has a responsibility, which they take seriously. These responsibilities include roles such as headteacher helpers, librarians and playtime activity leaders. Pupils benefit from a wide range of clubs, such as choir, mindfulness, various sports clubs, baking and bug club. 27 and 28 February 2024

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

The school has designed a very rich, ambitious and well-thought-out curriculum. Subject leaders have identified the most important knowledge that they want pupils to learn and remember over time. The curriculum is planned to deliberately make links across subjects. In geography, for example, pupils are able to use information they have learned in history about the Vikings to talk about the geography of countries in Scandinavia.

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

In the majority of subjects, teachers deliver the intended curriculum well. They have received effective training to do so. For example, in mathematics, children in Nursery learn about numbers securely. They are then able to use this knowledge well to make, for instance, their own charts of class pets. Pupils in key stage 1 become confident in their knowledge of how to add and take away. In key stage 2, pupils successfully build on this secure knowledge when carrying out more complex calculations. This means that current pupils are working at the standard they should be. However, in a small number of subjects, teachers do not always focus on the important knowledge that the school wants the pupils to learn. This means that, on occasion, pupils do not always learn what they need to in order to prepare them well for future learning.

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

All staff use assessment well. They make notes of pupils’ learning using ‘feedforward’ forms. They then use this information to address and close any gaps or misconceptions in learning that may occur.

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

Reading is at the heart of learning at this school. Pupils develop into avid readers and read across the curriculum. They often choose books to read, which deepens their understanding of other subjects they study. From the early years, children learn about phonics. They quickly develop into fluent readers because the well-structured lessons are taught well. Pupils read books that are carefully matched to their stage of learning.

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

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are well supported to learn the same curriculum as other pupils. Adults make appropriate adaptations to the curriculum, such as adapting resources. The needs of pupils with SEND are identified early, and a range of suitable support is put in place. Pupils with SEND achieve well.

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

Pupils behave extremely well, and they have a thirst for learning. Teachers plan interesting lessons using resources effectively. Pupils attend school well because they want to learn.

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

The focus on pupils’ wider development is a strength of the school. Pupils learn about and discuss fundamental British values regularly in class and assemblies. The school uses national and international news events in order to do this. In addition, the school’s curriculum provides pupils with a wealth of well-planned experiences. Pupils visit places of worship and museums. They learn through special events such as ‘Greek Day.’ Pupils are able to learn life skills in forest school, and they benefit from the many links with secondary schools in the trust. All these experiences help to prepare pupils very well for life in modern Britain. 27 and 28 February 2024

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Staff are proud to work at Werrington. They say that leaders take account of their workload and support their mental well-being. Changes made to marking and assessment have not only impacted positively on workload but also have improved pupils’ learning.

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Trustees and governors have a wealth of experience and skills that enable them to understand the school. They provide appropriate challenge and support. The trust is rightly proud of its primary school and the way it contributes to all aspects of the trust’s work.

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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 subjects, staff do not always ensure that learning is focused on the key knowledge the school intends pupils to learn. This slows pupils learning. The school should ensure that all staff make sure pupils learn the knowledge that is intended.

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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 predecessor school, Werrington Primary School, good in October 2012.

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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. 27 and 28 February 2024

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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). 27 and 28 February 2024

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 The school does not use any alternative providers.  Since the previous inspection, the school has joined the Potteries Educational Trust, which consists of four schools.  There has been a change of headteacher since the previous inspection.

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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. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and has taken that into account in his evaluation of the school.  During the inspection, the inspector held meetings with the headteacher, deputy headteacher and trust strategic leader. He also met three members of the governing body, including the chair of governors. He met three trustees, including the chair of the trust. The inspector also held meetings with the CEO of the trust. 27 and 28 February 2024

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 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 carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics and history. He met with subject leaders, visited lessons, spoke with teachers and pupils and viewed examples of pupils’ work. The inspector also spoke to pupils about geography, art and computing.  The inspector observed children in the early years, and pupils in key stages 1 and 2 read to a trusted adult.  The inspector spoke with members of staff about their workload and well-being.  The inspector observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around school.  The inspector considered the responses, including the free-text comments, to Ofsted

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Parent View. He also considered the responses to the staff and pupil surveys. The inspector spoke to parents at the end of the school day.  The inspector looked at a range of documentation provided by the school. This included the school’s self-evaluation, school improvement priorities, school policies, curriculum documents, SEND records, behaviour records, attendance records and minutes of meetings held by the governing body and trust.

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Inspection team

Barry Yeardsley His Majesty’s Inspector 27 and 28 February 2024

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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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