Westclyst Community Primary School

Inspection of a school judged outstanding for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Westclyst Community Primary School Maddick Road, Westclyst, Exeter, Devon EX1 3YG

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Inspection dates: 10 and 11 December 2024

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Outcome

Westclyst Community Primary School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

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Outcome

The head of school is Nina Rothery. This school is part of Cornerstone Academy Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), Jonathan Bishop, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Samantha Chapman.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils thrive at this welcoming and friendly school. The ambition of leaders resonates throughout the school. Pupils rise to these high expectations and are motivated to achieve well. They are polite and respectful to visitors. Pupils talk with pride about their school and what they learn. They appreciate the range of opportunities available to them that help develop their interests and talents beyond the academic. For example, the school’s ‘cook-off challenge’ promotes an element of competition and excites pupils to learn to cook. Pupils present to senior leaders their ideas for products they design in the school’s ‘dragon’s den’.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are safe. They know that they can speak to any adult if they have a concern. Staff have regular mentoring sessions with pupils on a one-to-one basis. This helps pupils to take responsibility for their learning. It also provides an opportunity for the school to ensure that pupils receive the support they need on an academic and a personal level.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils learn to stay safe online from a young age. The prevalence of new technology in the school, as part of curriculum implementation, means that pupils develop a strong understanding of the importance of being kind and respectful when communicating online. 10 and 11 December 2024

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

The school is highly ambitious for all pupils and staff to succeed. The curriculum has been designed thoughtfully to ensure that pupils, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), learn well. It is well organised and coherent in all subjects. As a result, pupils build the skills and knowledge they need to be ready for the next stage of their education. The school’s innovative use of technology helps pupils to become increasingly confident to take control of their own work. This helps pupils develop positive attitudes to learning from a young age and become independent. Strong professional development ensures that staff are well equipped to implement the curriculum consistently and effectively.

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

Reading is at the heart of the school’s curriculum. The trust has identified the essential books it wants pupils to read. Children learn to love to read books from the time they start school. In the early years, the high expectations of staff mean that children build the skills to listen intently to the stories adults read to them. The phonics programme is implemented to a high standard. Staff are adept at checking children’s understanding. They provide swift and effective support for any pupils who need extra support. As a result, pupils are fluent readers.

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

Pupils enjoy visiting their school library. They relish choosing from the wide selection of texts, which reflect the diversity of different communities and cultures. Older pupils explain confidently how the class novel is helping them to develop a deep understanding of what racism means.

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

The school’s inclusive approach, alongside its access to the trust’s expertise, supports pupils with SEND to achieve highly. Pupils with SEND learn alongside their peers and access the same rich curriculum. When necessary, pupils with SEND receive appropriate levels of support to ensure they develop independence and are well prepared for the next stage of their education.

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

The school’s provision for pupils’ personal development is exceptional. Pupils have access to a wide range of opportunities to develop their skills and talents. For instance, the school’s television studio provides an opportunity for pupils to develop their broadcasting skills. Sporting talents are developed in the school’s sports squads. Pupils build a love of the outdoors in the gardening squad, where they also look after the school’s goats. Pupils also have the opportunity to perform Shakespeare plays at a local theatre. The school choir enjoys singing at the residential care home nearby. Visits to London and the Netherlands help to develop pupils’ understanding of British values and different cultures.

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

Pupils across the school behave to a high standard. Older pupils understand that they set an example to their younger peers. They take this responsibility seriously, and as a result, there are few incidents of low-level behaviour. As one pupil, echoing the views of many, explained, ‘We don’t have rules, we are just expected to behave well.’ Attendance is a high priority for the school. It is proactive in quickly identifying any instances where attendance is not as high as the school expects. The school’s approach ensures that attendance is improving well over time. 10 and 11 December 2024

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Trustees have the knowledge and expertise to provide effective support and challenge to the school. The school is considerate of staff workload and uses support from across the trust to allow teachers to prioritise their teaching. As a result, staff say they feel supported and appreciated here.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Background

Until September 2024, on a graded (section 5) inspection we gave schools an overall effectiveness grade, in addition to the key and provision judgements. Overall effectiveness grades given before September 2024 will continue to be visible on school inspection reports and on Ofsted’s website. From September 2024 graded inspections will not include an overall effectiveness grade. This school was, before September 2024, judged outstanding for its overall effectiveness.

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Background

We have now inspected the school to determine whether it has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at that previous inspection. 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’s work has improved significantly or that it may not be as strong as it was at the last inspection, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection. A graded inspection 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.

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Background

This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be outstanding for overall effectiveness in May 2019.

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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.

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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. 10 and 11 December 2024

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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 December 2024

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School details

Headteacher Jonathan Bishop (executive headteacher), Nina Rothery (head of school) Website www.wcps.education

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 8 and 9 May 2019, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 This school is part of Cornerstone Academy Trust.  The school does not currently use any alternative provision.  There is a before- and after-school club.  The school has pre-school provision for two-, three- and four-year-olds.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision.  This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the school. 10 and 11 December 2024

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 The inspector visited a sample of lessons, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the 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 inspector met with the head of school, the special educational needs coordinators, subject leaders, trustees and the CEO.  The inspector observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school site.  The inspector gathered parents’ views by considering the responses to Ofsted Parent View and by talking to parents. The inspector also reviewed responses to Ofsted’s online staff and pupil surveys.

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Inspection team

James Gentile, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 10 and 11 December 2024

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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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