Whitmore Primary School and Nursery

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Whitmore Primary School and Nursery Whitmore Way, Basildon, Essex SS14 2TP

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Outcome

Whitmore Primary School and Nursery has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

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Outcome

The head of school is Robert Wade. The school is part of Berlesduna 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), Sean Tobin, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Robin Taverner. There is also an executive headteacher, Nina Kemp, who is responsible for the school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

This is a warm and nurturing school. Pupils are exceedingly polite, kind and respectful. They know and understand the school values and the importance of demonstrating them. Pupils have strong relationships with each other as well as adults. The strength of these relationships shines through, as pupils are confident, extremely happy and know that staff care. Pupils can go to any adult in the school who will support them with any issues that they might be facing inside or outside of school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils strive to achieve the high expectations that staff have of them. In class, pupils focus and engage in learning. They contribute to discussions and respectfully put their views across. Overall, this enables pupils to achieve well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave very well. Playtimes are joyful and there is a wide range of activities that pupils can do.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school ensures that the pupils are well prepared for life outside of school. This includes road safety and internet safety. For the older pupils, visits from the police and fire service deepen their knowledge about the law, including scenarios that they might 1 and 2 April 2025

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face. All pupils have a wide range of leadership opportunities available to them, including the school council.

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

The curriculum is broad, balanced and interesting. Subjects are sequenced clearly to ensure that pupils build their knowledge over time. Teachers have strong subject knowledge. They question pupils skilfully to develop their ideas and thinking. Staff revisit key knowledge to help pupils remember it. They check pupils’ learning carefully so that they know when pupils are ready to move on and can address any gaps in pupils’ knowledge. This ensures that over their time in the school pupils learn well.

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

In 2024, Year 6 pupils did not achieve as well as they should in national tests and assessments. Some pupils did not receive high-quality teaching through their time at the school. A few pupils joined the school at different times and so did not benefit from studying the school’s curriculum from the early years. Others had other personal circumstances arising from the COVID-19 pandemic. For some this affected their attendance. The school supported these pupils, including actions to improve their attendance. Despite the school working to resolve these issues, this did not benefit some Year 6 pupils. The published results for Year 6 pupils in 2024 do not reflect the quality of education that the school provides.

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

Pupils enjoy reading and the books they have available to them in the school. Phonics is taught consistently well due to the school ensuring that staff have the expertise needed to do so. Those pupils who need additional support with phonics receive it. However, a few older pupils have missed learning some of the key skills in the reading curriculum. These pupils receive support to address the gaps in their reading knowledge. However, this is sometimes not precise enough to enable them to catch up as quickly as they could.

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

The school identifies the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) effectively. There is a well-thought-out induction for pupils when they join the school. This helps pupils settle quickly and ensures the right support goes in place. Teaching for pupils with SEND is effective because staff have a high level of expertise. For example, they adapt teaching and resources effectively to meet pupils’ individual needs. As a result, pupils with SEND achieve well.

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

Pupils know the behaviour systems of the school very well. They understand the reward systems and celebrate each other’s achievements. The school works closely with families and external agencies to support pupils’ attendance. As a result, pupils’ attendance has improved considerably.

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

The personal development programme is extensive. For example, pupils visit different places of worship to develop their understanding of the religions they learn about. Pupils learn to play two musical instruments during their time at the school, which they can continue to learn if they choose to. Each year group puts on a regular performance. There are many events that pupils can attend, including sporting events and spelling bees. These opportunities develop pupils’ talents and interests. 1 and 2 April 2025

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Leaders listen carefully to staff feedback regarding workload and well-being. Staff and leaders work together to develop strategies to enable workload to be manageable. The school and trust work well together to provide mutual support and challenge. This ensures that the school continues to improve.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 A small number of older pupils have not had the precise support needed to address gaps in their reading knowledge swiftly. As a result, these pupils do not read as fluently as they should. The school should ensure that all pupils who need it receive precise support so that they catch up with reading as quickly as possible.

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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 good 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 good for overall effectiveness in September 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. 1 and 2 April 2025

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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). 1 and 2 April 2025

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School details

Headteacher Nina Kemp (Executive Headteacher) Robert Wade (Head of School) Website www.whitmore-pri.essex.sch.uk

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 24 and 25 September 2019, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of Berlesduna Academy Trust.  The school does not use any alternative provision.  The head of school has been in post since April 2023.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s educational 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. 1 and 2 April 2025

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 The inspectors spoke with the chair of the local governing body who is also a trustee, members of the local governing board, the chief executive officer and the director of education.  The inspectors 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 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.

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Inspection team

Katie Devenport, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Susan Sutton Ofsted Inspector 1 and 2 April 2025

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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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