Wigmore Primary

Inspection of a good school: Wigmore Primary Twyford Drive, Wigmore Primary School, Luton, Bedfordshire LU2 9TB

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Inspection dates: 28 and 29 February 2024

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Outcome

Wigmore Primary continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are eager learners. They enjoy attending and try hard to live up to the school’s values. Pupils are respectful and well-mannered towards staff and their peers. Pupils who join the school during the year quickly become part of the school community.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well, both in lessons and around the school. Pupils are confident. They know their voice counts and are encouraged to contribute to the school community in positive and meaningful ways.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils learn a broad and balanced curriculum. They benefit from a range of interesting and engaging learning activities that cater well for their diverse needs and interests.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils particularly enjoy the range of sporting activities the school offers. They participate in many sports and understand the importance of exercise for maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school promotes pupils’ mental health in many ways. Pupils take part in activities that help them to understand their feelings. This helps pupils to feel positive about themselves. Pupils know that the adults in the school will help them with any worries or concerns.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils learn that we are all different and celebrate this. Pupils show kindness and compassion to each other. This prepares them well for their future lives.

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

The school has constructed a well-considered curriculum that starts in the Reception year and develops through to Year 6. The school has ensured that, in many subjects, teachers understand what to teach and how to do so effectively. This means that pupils learn the subject knowledge that leaders intend. The school has also made careful choices about the vocabulary that pupils need to learn. This means that pupils, including those whose 28 and 29 February 2024

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first language is not English, gain a secure understanding of important words, such as aristocracy.

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The school has identified that a few subjects need to be developed further to ensure that links between important knowledge are more precise. Some older pupils have not acquired all the prior knowledge they need in these subjects. The school has clear plans to address this through its changes to the curriculum.

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Reading is a high priority at this school. Pupils are rewarded for reading, which encourages many to read more. The school provides a diverse range of books to support this. In the early years, children read exciting books, which help them develop their language skills and understanding of the world. Younger pupils learn an effective phonics programme to develop their reading skills. The school conducts regular phonics checks and provides targeted support for those who need it. However, a few older pupils have gaps in their phonics knowledge. While they have lessons to recap the sounds they are not as secure with, phonics teaching is not as focused and carefully monitored as that received by pupils in the younger years and therefore not as effective. This means these pupils do not catch up as quickly as they could.

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The proportion of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is higher than in most schools. The school meets the needs of pupils with SEND well. The school, parents, and external agencies collaborate effectively to develop support plans for pupils who need them. These plans have specific targets that offer precise support strategies. Staff understand and use these targets well, which results in a well-rounded support system for all pupils. Consequently, pupils with SEND learn well.

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The published results for national tests and assessments do not reflect the quality of education that the school provides. A large number of pupils join the school other than at the start of the Reception year. They settle in well. Due to effective teaching, these pupils make strong progress in their learning, particularly in English and mathematics, from when they join the school. However, they do not always have the time to benefit fully from this and reach the standards expected for their age by the time they leave in Year 6.

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Children in their early years get along well and they learn to give and take well. Throughout the school, staff have high expectations for pupils' behaviour. Pupils respond well to this. When pupils struggle to manage their behaviour, staff provide sensitive and individualised support.

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The school takes pride in celebrating pupils’ talents. To achieve this, it creates opportunities for pupils to share their interests with others. For instance, pupils who enjoy reading can become library assistants and reading ambassadors to help others develop their love for reading.

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The governors have a good understanding of the school's strengths and areas for development. They work collaboratively with school leaders to make improvements. These improvements are raising pupils' achievement further.

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The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In reading, a small number of older pupils have gaps in their phonics knowledge. The extra support and teaching they receive is not as precise or as carefully monitored as the interventions younger pupils receive. This means these pupils do not develop their phonics knowledge as quickly as possible. The school should ensure that all pupils who struggle with reading receive effective support to develop their phonics knowledge.  In a few subjects, older pupils have some gaps in their prior knowledge. They have not been taught some important knowledge. The school should ensure that new curriculums, and the way these are implemented, address gaps in pupils’ knowledge.

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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 first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in May 2018.

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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.

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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 28 and 29 February 2024

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funding s (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). 28 and 29 February 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 1 May 2018, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school uses one registered alternative provision provider of education.  The school has a different headteacher and leadership team 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. 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 these subjects: early reading, mathematics, physical education and history. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  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 28 and 29 February 2024

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the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  The inspectors examined a range of documents provided by the school, including development plans.  Inspectors held meetings with the headteacher and senior leaders. The lead inspector also met with some members of the governing body including the chair of governors.  The lead inspector considered the 100 responses and the 52 free-text responses made by parents to the survey, Ofsted Parent View. Inspectors met with parents at the end of the school day. The inspectors also considered the 60 responses to Ofsted’s online staff questionnaire. Inspectors also spoke with pupils to gather their views of the school.

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Inspection team

Jessie Linsley, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Lesley Stevens Ofsted Inspector 28 and 29 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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