Wincanton Primary School

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Wincanton Primary School Station Road, Wincanton, Somerset BA9 9EL

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Outcome

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

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What is it like to attend this school?

Wincanton Primary School works hard to provide the best education and care for all pupils. The school is committed to giving pupils the fundamentals they need for life. This is summed up in the school’s values of ‘teamwork, independence, creativity and challenge’.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has established a culture where good behaviour is the norm. Pupils behave well and treat adults and each other with respect. Pupils say that staff always sort out any problems they may have. Pupils enjoy coming to school and work hard.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents and carers are happy with the school. They say their children are well looked after and enjoy coming every day. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are well looked after in the school. One such pupil, summing up the views of many, said pupils have ‘nothing to worry about’ at this school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has thought carefully about what it wants pupils to learn. Interesting trips and activities are well used to motivate and enthuse pupils. The school is ambitious to meet the needs of every child in its community. As a result, pupils do well in their learning of subject curriculums.

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

The school has continued to improve how it organises pupil’s learning. It has clarified what knowledge it wants pupils to learn. It has also introduced new ways to help pupils remember the key information in each topic. For example, regular quizzes and activities that recap previous learning help pupils to remember key information. Together, these approaches make it easier for pupils to learn the school’s curriculum. Consequently, pupils 25 and 26 March 2025

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remember the work they have covered. Pupils use this knowledge to help them in other areas of their learning. For example, pupils in Year 2 use their growing historical knowledge to help them read unfamiliar books.

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The way that the school teaches pupils to read has changed since the last inspection. More careful checks on pupils’ phonic knowledge are leading to increased support for those pupils who find this more difficult. Staff support pupils’ knowledge of spelling, punctuation and grammar effectively. Staff have a good understanding of the school’s new approach to teaching and use their subject knowledge well. As a result, most pupils quickly become confident readers and writers.

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Pupils behave well in lessons and around the school. They are polite and welcoming, showing genuine consideration towards each other. Pupils are enthusiastic about their learning, particularly the ‘hook’ activities. They talk excitedly about the range of activities that staff use to spark their interest, from making ice cream to an ‘Anglo-Saxon day’. Pupils are also enthusiastic about the stories that staff read to them. Reading for pleasure is important in the school. All pupils are well supported to develop a love of reading. Children are enthusiastic about books, for instance, with pupils in Year 2 letting out an audible groan when the teacher said they were only getting a short part of the book.

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The school provides well for most pupils with SEND. A thorough and conscientious approach ensures that comprehensive packages of support are in place for those pupils that need it. The school spends time understanding each pupil’s needs and seeks expert advice to inform programmes of support. Sometimes, the plans in place to support pupils with SEND are too complicated. This results in staff trying to do too much at once, rather than focusing on the most important things that these pupils need to learn or understand.

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The school’s provision for pupil’s personal development is a strength of its work. Pupils are enthusiastic about the roles and responsibilities they have. School councillors, for example, are proud of the impact they have on the school and their opportunities to raise money for important causes. Staff do all they can to help pupils enjoy their time at school and make the most of the opportunities on offer. Pupils appreciate the range of support open to them. For example, pupils know that they can get help with their mental health, describing this as a way of helping you to deal with any worries.

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Leadership in the school is strong. Staff feel well looked after by the school and included in any developments. Governors have a detailed knowledge of the school. They take their responsibilities seriously and ensure that children enjoy school and feel safe. The school does all it can to improve pupils’ attendance. As a result, pupil absence is decreasing, including for pupils who are persistently absent.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 25 and 26 March 2025

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The plans in place to support some pupils with SEND who have more complex needs are not clear enough. This makes it difficult for staff to focus on the most important skills or knowledge that pupils need to learn or practise. The school should ensure that it identifies the most important things that these pupils need to learn and then make it as easy as possible for them to learn them.

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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 to be 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 February 2020.

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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. 25 and 26 March 2025

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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). 25 and 26 March 2025

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Website www.wincantonprimaryschool.co.uk

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 11 and 12 February 2020, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school does not currently use any alternative provision.  The school has a breakfast and after-school club run by the governing body.

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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.  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 visited a sample of lessons, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at examples of pupils’ work. 25 and 26 March 2025

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 The inspector met with the headteacher, deputy headteacher, special educational needs coordinator and subject leaders. The inspector also spoke to members of the governing body and representatives of the local authority.

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Inspection team

Phil Minns, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 25 and 26 March 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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