Morecambe and Heysham Westgate Primary School

Inspection of Morecambe and Heysham Westgate Primary School Langridge Way, Westgate, Morecambe, Lancashire LA4 4XF

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Requires improvement Leadership and management Requires improvement Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Good 21 and 22 May 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

This is a welcoming school that provides a caring and inclusive place for pupils to learn. Staff in the early years help children to develop their confidence and self- esteem. Pupils across the school value the positive relationships that they have with staff. They trust that staff will help them if they have any worries or concerns. This helps pupils to feel happy at school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils generally work hard in lessons and enjoy their learning. Many pupils meet the high standards of behaviour that the school has. The school is ambitious for all pupils to achieve well, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). However, a number of pupils have gaps in their knowledge that have not been addressed. This means that these pupils do not achieve as well as they should in a range of subjects.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils value the opportunities that they have to go on a range of trips. These include visiting the beach, wetland centres and museums. The school ensures that many pupils access the broad range of sports clubs that it offers. Nevertheless, a number of teachers are inconsistent in how they deliver the school’s programme for personal development. Pupils are not as well prepared for life in modern Britain as they should be.

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better?

Since the previous inspection, the school has taken decisive action to develop a broad and balanced curriculum. The important knowledge that pupils should learn has been carefully considered. Teachers have benefited from effective training in mathematics and deliver this curriculum consistently. In this subject, teachers check on what pupils know and remember. Furthermore, they use this information to design learning activities that help pupils build up a secure body of knowledge. In mathematics, many pupils, including those with SEND, leave Year 6 well prepared for the next stage of education.

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better?

In subjects other than mathematics, the school has taken steps to ensure that the curriculum is sufficiently ambitious and well-organised. However, use of this information is inconsistent across a number of year groups. Some of the key knowledge set out in the curriculum is not taught in sufficient detail. The reasons for this are varied. In some cases, the school has not ensured that a small number of teachers have the subject knowledge that they need to deliver the curriculum as intended. In other cases, some subject lessons are not taught with the regularity expected by the school. This has gone unnoticed. Consequently, in these subjects, some pupils do not build up a deep body of knowledge.

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better?

In the Reception Year, the ambitious curriculum is delivered effectively by staff. Children get off to a positive start in their education. Staff closely check on what children know and remember. They provide focused support that addresses any gaps in knowledge that children have. However, the school’s approach to 21 and 22 May 2024

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assessment in some subjects in key stage 1 and key stage 2 is not as effective. In these subjects, teachers do not check how well pupils have remembered and understood what they have been taught previously. Some pupils have gaps in their knowledge that have not been identified. These gaps hinder their ability to make sense of new learning and they do not achieve as well as they could.

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The school prioritises the teaching of early reading. Well-trained staff teach the phonics programme as the school intends. Pupils quickly learn the sounds that letters represent. Those pupils who need extra support promptly receive it. Pupils read books that are well matched to the sounds that they know. Many pupils become fluent and confident readers by the end of key stage 1.

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Previously, pupils in key stage 2 did not achieve as well as they should in reading. The school has taken urgent action to improve how reading is taught in this key stage. Most pupils, including those with SEND, are benefiting from these improvements. The school has identified the gaps in reading knowledge that some pupils have as a result of historic weaknesses. Progress is being made to address these gaps in knowledge, but this work is at a very early stage.

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The school has effective systems in place to identify the additional needs of pupils with SEND. Carefully considered support and resources ensure that pupils with SEND progress through the same curriculum as their peers.

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Children in the Reception Year follow established routines. They learn cooperatively alongside their classmates and treat one another with care. Behaviour across the school is generally positive and learning is rarely interrupted. Many pupils attend school regularly. The school quickly identify and support those families where a pupils’ attendance is of concern. The actions taken by the school have worked well to maintain positive rates of attendance.

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Pupils know how to keep themselves safe online. They also understand what foods they should eat to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Nevertheless, pupils do not experience a sufficient range of high-quality personal development opportunities. Many pupils have a limited understanding of fundamental British values and different cultures. Some aspects of the relationships and health education curriculum are not effectively taught. Pupils are not as well prepared to grow up in modern Britain as they should be.

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The governing body understand the weaknesses in pupils’ achievement. Governors have worked with the local authority to improve the school’s capacity to begin to improve the quality of education. However, many of these changes are at an early stage of development. Staff are positive about what the school has done recently to further support their workload and well-being. They state that the school has been considerate of their workload and well-being during recent times of change when putting in place new policies and procedures. 21 and 22 May 2024

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some subjects across the school, a small number of teachers do not have the subject knowledge that they need to teach the intended curriculum effectively. Consequently, in these subjects, some pupils do not build up a deep body of knowledge. The school should make sure that teachers have the knowledge that they need to effectively teach the curriculum, so that pupils achieve well.  In some subjects, teachers do not teach parts of the essential knowledge set out in the curriculum in sufficient depth. As a result, some pupils’ knowledge is insecure. The school should make certain that teachers deliver the curriculum as intended, so that pupils are well prepared for the next stage of education.  In some subjects, teachers do not check how well pupils have remembered and understood what they have been previously taught. Some pupils have gaps in their knowledge that have not been identified. These gaps hinder their ability to

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

make sense of new learning and they do not achieve as well as they could. The school should ensure that teachers are well equipped to check that pupils’ knowledge is secure before introducing new topics and concepts.  The delivery of the school’s programme for personal development is inconsistent. Some pupils do not learn all that they should to be ready for life in modern Britain. The school should ensure that pupils experience a range of high-quality personal development opportunities that prepare them well for modern day society.

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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 21 and 22 May 2024

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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). 21 and 22 May 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 18 and 19 January 2023, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Since the last inspection, there has been significant periods of time during which an acting headteacher and acting deputy headteacher have been in post. During these periods, the school received external support through the local authority.  The school recently appointed a substantive headteacher who took up post in April 2024.  The school does not use alternative provision.

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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.  Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the COVID-19 pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation. 21 and 22 May 2024

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 The inspectors completed deep dives in the following subjects: early reading, mathematics, physical education, history and science. As part of the deep dives, the inspectors met with subject leaders to discuss the curriculum, visited lessons, met with teachers and looked at pupils’ work. The inspectors also looked at the curriculum and pupils’ work in some other subjects. The lead inspector observed some pupils read to a familiar adult.  The inspectors spoke with the headteacher, other school leaders and members of staff.  The lead inspector spoke with members of the governing body, including the chair of governors. He also spoke with a representative of the local authority.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors reviewed the single central record and took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils. They also 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.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons. They spoke with groups of pupils about their experiences at school. They also considered the views of pupils shared through Ofsted’s online pupil survey.  Inspectors spoke with staff about their workload and well-being. They also considered the views of staff shared through Ofsted’s online staff survey.  Inspectors spoke with some parents and carers. They considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View. This included the free-text responses.

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Inspection team

David Robinson, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Nicky Parkinson Ofsted Inspector 21 and 22 May 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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