Welsh House Farm Community School and Special Needs Resources Base

Inspection of Welsh House Farm Community School and Special Needs Resources Base Welsh House Farm Road, Quinton, Birmingham, West Midlands B32 2NG

p.1

Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Good Resources Base, 23 and 24 April 2024

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Everyone is welcome at Welsh House Farm school. There is a real sense of community. Relationships between school, the pupils and their parents are highly positive. The school ensures that all pupils receive a high level of pastoral support so they can feel safe and happy in school. This helps them to settle quickly, regardless of when they join the school.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well at all points of the day. They know the three key rules very well and love to chant them to show how well they know them. Pupils look out for each other on the playground so nobody feels lonely by being a friend to pupils who sit on the ‘buddy stop’. Staff are kind and caring. Pupils know there is always an adult to help them in variety of ways. Pupils replicate this example in how they treat each other.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high ambitions for all pupils. This includes pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). This ambition is realised effectively for many pupils, who are supported to achieve as well as they can.

p.2

better?

While published data at the end of key stage 2 is below national expectations, the school provides an effective education for pupils. Many pupils leave and join the school at different times throughout key stage 1 and key stage 2. There is also a very high proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language. This presents the school with challenges in terms of ensuring that all pupils receive an education that is matched closely to their very varying needs. Current teaching is helping pupils to make strong progress from their different starting points. A new approach to the teaching of phonics, mathematics and writing are all supporting this.

p.2

better?

The recently introduced phonics programme is helping pupils to make good progress in learning the skills of early reading. Teachers deliver the programme very well. They identify pupils who find it harder to keep up with their peers very quickly. These children receive highly targeted and expert support in helping them to close the gaps they might have. The school has identified an interesting and varied list of stories and books that pupils will enjoy and learn in each year group. This starts exceptionally well in Nursery. Children are immersed in arrange of high-quality activities to support them to understand these stories and to be able to retell them with ease.

p.2

better?

Pupils take great pride in their work and books are presented to a very high standard. The new approach to the teaching of writing is having a positive impact. It supports pupils to develop a wide vocabulary and they apply this to their writing well. This is also effective for pupils with SEND. However, in some subjects, the impact on pupils’ progress is not yet as positive. This is because some activities do not ensure pupils gain a deep understanding of the intended learning. Due to some Resources Base, 23 and 24 April 2024

p.2

3

plans being new, pupils have gaps in their learning and these gaps prevent them from having the secure understanding needed to make the progress of which they are capable.

p.3

3

The school is beautifully calm and enables pupils to learn without disruption. Pupils show very good attitudes to learning. They concentrate well and books reflect the good level of effort they put into their work. The school has introduced an approach to managing the behaviour of pupils, particularly those who find this more difficult. However, the school does not yet analyse how effective this is for all pupils.

p.3

3

The school is a truly inclusive environment. The diversity of the pupils and the community are celebrated. Pupils are taught to respect differences, and they do. The school’s support for supporting pupils with emotional needs is of a high quality. The pastoral team, supported by ‘Ted’ the therapy dog, are highly effective in helping pupils to be emotionally ready so they can learn to the best of their ability.

p.3

3

Pupils appreciate the variety of trips and experiences on offer to help bring the curriculum to life and to widen their experiences of the world. These are all funded by the school so that no pupil misses out. The many areas to promote pupils to lead healthy lifestyles are welcome by the pupils. Many visitors to school support this and inspire the pupils to take part in a variety of different sports.

p.3

3

The school is led with compassion and with a desire to inspire pupils to ‘grow and flourish’. It is held in extremely high regard in the community. Parents are appreciative of the many ways they are supported and for the care, kindness and education their children receive. All staff members work in the best interest of the children and are a cohesive and dedicated team. All pupils and staff agree that ‘once a Welsh House farmer, always a Welsh House farmer’.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Some activities pupils complete do not support them well enough in securing important learning. This limits their ability to have a deep understanding of key aspects in some curriculum areas. The school should ensure that the work teachers give to pupils is precisely meeting their needs and enables them to build on their learning.  The school does not analyse the information they collect about behaviour incidents to identify any trends in pupils’ behaviour. Consequently, they are unable to identify if additional support and actions they put in place leads to improved behaviour for some pupils. Leaders should use information about behaviour Resources Base, 23 and 24 April 2024

p.3

4

incidents to better detect any patterns or trends and understand if their actions and policies are having the intended impact.

p.4

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.

p.4

How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

p.4

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

p.4

Further information

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). Resources Base, 23 and 24 April 2024

p.4

School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

p.5

School details

Dates of previous inspection 13 to 28 November 2018, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

p.5

Information about this school

 This is a smaller-than-average primary school.  The school has a SEND resource base for twelve pupils.  A significant number of pupils join the school other than at the normal points of transfer. Many of these pupils speak English as an additional language.  The school does not provide a breakfast club or wraparound care.  The school does not make use of any alternative provision.

p.5

Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

p.5

Information about this inspection

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

p.5

Information about this inspection

 Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school. Resources Base, 23 and 24 April 2024

p.5

6

 Inspectors held meetings with the headteacher, senior leaders, the special educational needs coordinator and subject leaders.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, physical education and computing. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors also looked at samples of pupils’ work in a range of subjects, including writing, history, geography, religious education and design and technology.  The lead inspector spoke with three governors, including the chair of governors.  The lead inspector listened to a sample of pupils read to a familiar adult.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons at different times of the day and at breaktimes and lunchtimes. They spoke formally with groups of pupils, as well

p.6

6

as talking to pupils in lessons and around school.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the lead 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 lead inspector reviewed a wide range of documents, including the school’s self-evaluation and improvement plans and information on the school’s website.  Inspectors talked informally with pupils and staff to gather general information about school life. In addition, they took account of the responses to Ofsted’s surveys of staff’s, pupils’ and parents’ views.

p.6

Inspection team

Keri Baylis, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

p.6

Inspection team

Gary Richards Ofsted Inspector Resources Base, 23 and 24 April 2024

p.6

7

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.

p.7

7

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.7

7

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

7

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

7

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7