Wellington Eagles Primary Academy

Inspection of Wellington Eagles Primary Academy Wellesley Road, Ludgershall, Andover SP11 9LT

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Requires improvement Personal development Good Leadership and management Requires improvement Early years provision Good

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The school is part of Ascend Learning Trust. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Jane Coley, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Simon Williams. 5 and 6 March 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is emerging from a turbulent time. The trust, the governors and the school have an ambitious vision for all pupils, but this is yet to be fully realised in practice. Expectations have not been high enough, so pupils do not receive a good quality of education. The school has made some improvements to the curriculum, but many aspects remain underdeveloped.

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What is it like to attend this school?

There is a renewed focus on attendance, so most pupils attend well. Pupils know that if they have any worries or concerns, staff will help them sort these out. Pupils learn about life beyond their immediate environment. They enjoy finding out about other cultures. The school has a high proportion of pupils who come from the families of service personnel. Therefore, pupils sometimes join the school mid-year. They are welcomed by all and settle into the school quickly.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils socialise happily. However, within the classroom, staff do not establish behaviour expectations that are commonly understood. As a result, some pupils do not have positive attitudes towards their education.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are enthusiastic about the clubs available to them, such as Lego and football club. Such opportunities help them to develop their skills and talents. Pupils take part in wider experiences to build leadership responsibilities, such as being a member of the school council.

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better?

The school has begun to make improvements to the curriculum. For example, the school has introduced a strengthened curriculum in mathematics. Pupils are beginning to benefit from this. However, this work is in its early stages. In many subjects, the curriculum is not yet fully developed.

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better?

In some subjects, the curriculum is not taught in a way that supports pupils to build up their knowledge securely. Some staff do not have sufficient knowledge to meet the needs of pupils. Consequently, this hinders the learning of some pupils. Staff do not have high enough expectations of pupils’ behaviour. They do not ensure pupils follow appropriate routines. Therefore, some pupils do not engage well with their learning.

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better?

Children in Nursery make a strong start. The curriculum maps out the important knowledge children need. This builds progressively over time. There is a sharp focus on developing children’s oracy skills. Children enjoy listening to stories and joining in with rhymes. Staff hold high-quality conversations with children which supports them to broaden their vocabulary. Staff encourage children to take managed risks and strengthen their physical development. For example, children use space hoppers to build their core strength. Children develop mathematical knowledge at an appropriate level. Some of the youngest children know the value of a small set of 5 and 6 March 2024

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numbers without counting them. This helps prepare them for mathematics in Year 1 and beyond.

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The school has taken steps to prioritise reading. Pupils begin to learn to read as soon as they start school. Pupils read books that are matched well to the sounds they know. However, some staff do not have the knowledge they need to teach reading well. They do not routinely check that pupils understand what they are taught. Consequently, some pupils move through the curriculum with ongoing gaps in their reading ability. This means that they struggle to read in other curriculum areas.

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The school identifies the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils’ targets are precise and targeted. Staff make suitable adaptations which support pupils to follow the curriculum. A small number of pupils with SEND follow a curriculum which is tailored to their needs.

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The personal development of pupils is a strength of the school. The curriculum is carefully planned. It begins in the early years and continues at an age-appropriate level as pupils get older. Pupils have a secure understanding of how to keep themselves safe, including when online. They understand the importance of not sharing personal information.

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Pupils make visits to places of interest, such as the science museum and the theatre. Through such opportunities, they learn about the wider world. Pupils appreciate the focus placed on their mental health and the introduction of the mental health ambassadors. They have opportunities to reflect in ‘the place to be.’ This helps prepare them for further learning.

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The trust understands the school’s context. The improvements that have been introduced are beginning to make a difference to pupils. Staff appreciate the attention paid to their workload and wellbeing. The trust has taken steps to strengthen governors’ skills and knowledge, so that they can challenge and support leaders effectively. However, this work is at an early stage.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The school has not ensured that the curriculum is fully developed or implemented as they intend in all subjects. Consequently, pupils are not supported well enough to build up their subject knowledge. The school needs to ensure that the curriculum and the way in which it is taught supports pupils to build a depth of understanding in all subjects. 5 and 6 March 2024

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 The use of assessment is not fully developed. As a result, gaps in pupils’ knowledge of important curriculum content are not identified and rectified. The school needs to ensure that it accurately highlights gaps in pupils’ understanding, so that these can be remedied.  Some staff do not have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour. As a result, some pupils do not display positive attitudes to their learning. The school needs to ensure that all staff insist that pupils demonstrate a positive commitment to their learning.

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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). 5 and 6 March 2024

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 The headteacher who was formally in post at the time of the inspection had been on leave from the school since February 2024. The headteacher was not present at the school when the inspection occurred and did not participate in the inspection.  The school has a nursey school for two-, three- and four-year-old children.  The school does not use an alternative provision.  The breakfast club and after-school club are provided externally.

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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. 5 and 6 March 2024

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 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.  The inspectors carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics and geography. For each deep dive, the inspectors discussed the curriculum with teachers, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  The inspectors held discussions with trust leaders, the special educational needs and/or disabilities coordinator, subject leaders, a member of the local governing body and trustees.  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

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culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  The inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school site.  The inspectors gathered parents’ views by considering the responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Parent View, and by talking to parents before and after school. The inspectors also evaluated responses to Ofsted’s staff and pupil surveys.

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Inspection team

Liz Geller, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Spencer Allen Ofsted Inspector 5 and 6 March 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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