Welburn Community Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Welburn Community Primary School Welburn, York, North Yorkshire YO60 7DX

p.1

Outcome

Welburn Community Primary School continues to be a good school.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at this school exemplify ‘The Welburn Way’. They embody the school’s core values, which include learn, belong and respect. The positive and nurturing relationships that pupils develop with adults are at the heart of all that happens in this small and welcoming school. Pupils are happy and safe. There is ambition and expectation for all at Welburn. Pupils achieve well across the curriculum. They talk with enthusiasm about their learning.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Behaviour across the school is very positive. Pupils aspire to meet the school’s high expectations. They show kindness and respect to each other. There is a noticeable calm and studious atmosphere that runs through the school. Pupils readily identify trusted adults across the school. These adults quickly resolve any issues that pupils might have. Attendance is not an issue at this school. Leaders take effective action to reduce the levels of persistent absence for pupils.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud to attend Welburn. Older pupils appreciate the opportunities for leadership that the school offers. Pupils on the school council are proud of the work they do. For example, improving resources at break times. Parents and carers are positive about the school. One parent summed up the thoughts of many others by saying, ‘the school is a community where my child feels they belong and are nurtured.’

p.1

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

From children’s first days in Reception, there is a clear focus on children learning the phonics skills needed for further learning. Adults encourage children to develop their phonics knowledge. Children gain the knowledge and skills that they need to become fluent and confident readers. Adults skilfully interact with children. This helps children to develop their language and vocabulary. Staff encourage children to become increasingly independent and resilient learners. Children persevere in learning activities with high levels of concentration. 25 June 2024

p.1

2

In this small school, staff are very aware of pupils as individuals. Curriculums are planned to meet the needs of all pupils. This includes those pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Identification of needs is swift. This allows staff to make adaptations to teaching so that pupils with SEND can access an age-appropriate curriculum alongside their peers. Pupils who may experience difficulties with their learning receive appropriate support. This has a marked impact on pupils’ ability to access and achieve within the curriculum. As a result, pupils (including those with SEND) achieve well.

p.2

2

Well-planned curriculums identify the important knowledge, skills and concepts that leaders want pupils to learn. Leaders have carefully planned common learning threads that weave through different subject areas. For example, pupils in Years 5 and 6 link their learning about the historic Islamic civilisation in history to work about Islam in religious education lessons. They make clear and considered comparisons of the early Islamic civilisation with that of Ancient Greece. Pupils in Years 3 and 4 make informed comparisons of Chinese dynasties with Ancient Egypt. As part of a science investigation to demonstrate the formation of craters on the moon, pupils drop golf balls into flour. They then use their mathematical knowledge to measure the crater’s diameter and calculate its circumference. However, opportunities for pupils to develop their mathematical problem solving and reasoning skills more widely across the school are not provided consistently.

p.2

2

Pupils’ wider development has been a clear priority for school leaders. The provision for pupil’s spiritual, moral, social and cultural education has noticeable impact. Pupils have a clearly defined moral compass. Pupils talk with knowledge and understanding of a wide range of faiths, beliefs and religions. Educational visits and visitors into school supplement the school’s wider curriculum. A visit from a rabbi from York synagogue helped to bring to life pupils’ understanding of Judaism, for example. Pupils know how to stay safe physically and on-line. Pupils talk with pride about the contributions they make to the local and global communities. They raise funds for the restoration of the local church organ or to sponsor a desk for a pupil in a school in Nepal, for example. Although pupils have a sense of equality, their understanding of fundamental British values and the protected characteristics is not sufficiently well embedded.

p.2

2

Governors have clear oversight of the school’s key development priorities. They offer challenge and support to school leaders. The local authority also has an effective understanding of the school. It offers appropriate support where necessary. Staff compliment the headteacher’s awareness of the pressures that staff in a small school can experience. They feel well supported around their workload and well-being.

p.2

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 25 June 2024

p.2

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Pupils are not consistently given sufficient opportunity to apply their mathematical knowledge to problem solving and reasoning activities. This impacts negatively on the depth of their mathematical understanding. The school should ensure that opportunities for pupils to develop their problem solving and reasoning skills are planned into the curriculum.  Pupils’ understanding of fundamental British values and the protected characteristics is not sufficiently well developed. This limits pupils’ understanding about why these values and characteristics are important in everyday life. The school should ensure that planned improvements to the curriculum give pupils the opportunities to further develop their understanding of British values and the protected characteristics.

p.3

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.

p.3

Background

This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in January 2019.

p.3

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.

p.3

How can I feed back my views?

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

p.3

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

p.3

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 25 June 2024

p.3

4

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). 25 June 2024

p.4

School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

p.5

School details

Website http://www.welburn.n-yorks.sch.uk/

p.5

School details

Date(s) of previous inspection 23 and 24 January 2019, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

p.5

Information about this school

 The school has a funding agreement in place with the Department for Education and is in the process of converting to academy status. The school will be joining the Pathfinder Multi Academy Trust in autumn 2024.  The number of pupils on roll at the school is well below average. This number has decreased by 39% since the previous inspection.  The school does not use any alternative providers.  The school operates an on-site wraparound care, before and after school. This is managed by the governing body.

p.5

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. 25 June 2024

p.5

6

 The inspectors met with the headteacher, other school staff, the chair of the governing body and a representative from the local authority.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics 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.  An inspector listened to some pupils from Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 reading to a familiar adult.  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 culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  The inspectors considered the responses to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View,

p.6

6

including the free-text comments. An inspector also spoke with some parents.

p.6

Inspection team

Richard Beadnall, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

p.6

Inspection team

Lindsay Lomas Ofsted Inspector 25 June 2024

p.6

7

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.

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