Walford Nursery & Primary School

Inspection of Walford Nursery & Primary School Walford, Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire HR9 5SA

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

The quality of education Outstanding Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding Early years provision Outstanding Previous inspection grade Good 10 and 11 July 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

The moment you step over the threshold at Walford Nursery & Primary School, you know this is a school that values education; a place where pupils are happy, confident and immersed in their learning. In lessons, pupils are highly engaged and have an evident thirst for knowledge, which they love sharing with visitors. The school’s motto is ‘every child, every opportunity, every day’, and this really matches what is seen here. Not a moment that can be spent learning and developing is wasted.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ behaviour is exemplary, and on the rare occasion it falls below the high expectations, pupils have absolute confidence that adults will help put it right. Both in lessons and around the school, pupils are respectful, kind and welcoming.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff have high ambition for how well pupils achieve. In response to these demands, pupils work diligently and achieve well across the curriculum. For pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), staff are expert at making adaptations to the curriculum or the way they teach it. Pupils with SEND are helped to access all the opportunities open to their peers, and they are thriving. Equality and equity are always high on the agenda at Walford.

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better?

Three words that sum up the Walford curriculum are: precise, deliberate and innovative. There is a tangible ambition for success. In all subjects and areas of learning, starting in the early years, there has been careful thought about what teachers will teach and when they will teach it. This ensures that learning is sequenced coherently and that pupils build on what they already know. The school has identified the key knowledge, skills and vocabulary pupils will need for their next steps. Teachers make these ‘knowledge nuggets’ explicit in lessons and this helps pupils remember what is most important.

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better?

Pupils speak confidently about their work. They make meaningful connections between subjects, including using their mathematical expertise in computing lessons. In history, they make links to previous learning about concepts such as monarchy. They also connect history to their work in geography and art. For instance, when learning about the Mayan civilisation, pupils learn about locational and climate features of South America.

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better?

There is a culture of constant improvement and innovation here. Staff assure the quality of the curriculum effectively to ensure it is always taught well; they make changes as and when necessary. Exciting innovations, such as Walford University, inspire pupils, supplementing the already strong curriculum offer.

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better?

The school provides regular, highly effective training for staff. This has brought about an impressive level of consistency in how well teachers present information 10 and 11 July 2024

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and support pupils’ learning. Staff have excellent subject knowledge and provide pupils with precise instructions and explanations.

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Nursery and Reception classes are busy and purposeful. Staff provide meaningful activities and children engage in them with gusto. The environment is highly stimulating, safe, meticulously well organised and full of high-quality resources. Staff place great emphasis on developing children’s vocabulary, and children become confident communicators ready for the demands of Year 1.

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In the early years, children start their journey of becoming strong, fluent readers in daily phonics lessons. Staff who teach phonics are highly skilled at doing so. Assessments in phonics are regular and accurate. Teachers gain an accurate picture of the sounds that pupils know and do not know. This means they provide what pupils need and ensure the books pupils read are precisely matched to the sounds they know. If pupils fall behind, staff provide extra lessons. Once pupils are fluent readers, they enjoy choosing a breadth of literature from the school’s well-stocked, inviting library. Staff share their own love of literature by introducing pupils to quality texts in English lessons and when reading for pleasure.

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This is a school that dreams big. The range of opportunities that pupils have to enrich their education is enormous. Whether it is entering national engineering competitions, working for a degree at Walford University or going on a residential trip to London, pupils relish and benefit from these experiences. Through personal, social and health education, and many other activities across the year, pupils become familiar with equality, the importance of respecting differences and fundamental British values. They are well prepared for their move to their next school and for life in modern Britain.

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The leadership at all levels, including governors, has been highly successful in providing staff with effective professional development. As a result, staff here are involved in supporting staff from other schools in the local authority and beyond.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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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. 10 and 11 July 2024

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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). 10 and 11 July 2024

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 4 and 5 May 2023, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school does not use any alternative provision.  The school provides before- and after-school care.  The school provides nursery provision for two-year-olds.

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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 pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors held meetings with the headteacher and other leaders, including the special educational needs coordinator.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and 10 and 11 July 2024

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considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics, history and science. 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 read to school staff.  Inspectors also visited lessons in some other subjects.  An inspector met with the chair and vice-chair of the board of governors.  An inspector spoke with a representative from the local authority and a school improvement partner.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and at breaktimes and lunchtimes. They spoke formally with groups of pupils, as well as talking to pupils in lessons and around school.

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 Inspectors considered responses to Ofsted Parent View, including parents’ free- text responses. Inspectors also took account of responses to Ofsted’s staff and pupil surveys.  The lead inspector reviewed a range of documents, including school improvement plans and minutes from governors’ meetings. They also reviewed information on the school’s website.  Inspectors spoke to parents at the school gate and with parents who had requested to speak with inspectors.

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Inspection team

Gareth Morgan, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Tracey O’Keeffe-Pullan Ofsted Inspector 10 and 11 July 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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