Webheath Academy Primary School

Inspection of Webheath Academy Primary School Downsell Road, Webheath, Redditch, Worcestershire B97 5RJ

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The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Outstanding

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The headteacher of this school is Rebecca Gordon. This school is part of Shires Multi 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), Lee Gray, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Mike Thake. 20 and 21 May 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school’s vision for ‘learning, creating and growing together’ is lived and breathed by everyone at Webheath. Everyone shares the school’s vision and high aspirations for what pupils can achieve. Pupils are proud of their achievements. They are equally proud of their contribution to the wider life of the school. Pupils enjoy coming to school and attend well. They are well prepared for their next steps.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Relationships that are rooted in mutual respect and shared values lie at the heart of managing behaviour. As a result, pupils behave well. They value these relationships and trust adults to help with any problems that might arise. Pupils have confidence that staff would help them to solve any problems. This helps them to feel safe in school. Everyone in the Webheath family is treated fairly and equally.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school’s ambition for its pupils reaches beyond the classroom. Many carefully thought-out activities and experiences are available for pupils to engage with. They take full advantage of these opportunities. Pupils learn to treat others with respect, including those who are different from themselves. Pupils have good opportunities to develop leadership skills, for example, as Value Ambassadors and play leaders. This helps them to develop a strong sense of responsibility and builds their confidence.

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

The school has created an ambitious curriculum for all pupils. The knowledge that pupils need to know has been carefully ordered to help pupils learn new information in a logical order. In most cases, staff use their strong subject knowledge to teach the curriculum as intended. However, in some cases, the explanations of new content are not as clear. Occasionally, the activities chosen for pupils to secure new knowledge do not help them to apply this to different situations. This means that some pupils do not learn the curriculum in the depth they could.

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

Reading is prioritised from the moment children start school. Knowledgeable staff teach phonics well. Pupils routinely practise and consolidate the sounds they have learned. If pupils fall behind, they receive the support they need to help them catch up quickly. Pupils develop their reading skills and fluency as they move through the school. As a result, most pupils develop the skills they need to become increasingly confident readers.

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

In reading, teaching identifies gaps in pupils’ knowledge and addresses them. However, in other parts of the curriculum, the checks made on pupils’ understanding do not always accurately identify misconceptions. In these cases, pupils do not secure the key knowledge as well as they could.

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

The school quickly and accurately identifies pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities. It provides staff with the key information they need to help them to support these pupils. This means that effective support is put in place so that all pupils can access the same learning. 20 and 21 May 2025

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Children in the early years get off to a flying start. Passionate, skilled adults carefully plan learning that meets their needs. They value the unique child. The curriculum has been thoughtfully designed to build on what children know, understand and can do. It prioritises their language and communication skills. For example, children could explain that a caterpillar must make a chrysalis before it becomes a butterfly. Furthermore, children successfully learn to control their feelings and emotions and develop positive relationships with each other and staff. They concentrate for long periods and show resilience when engaged with new learning, for example when they select and use activities and resources independently and with purpose. Routines are well established, and expectations are high. This means children are happy, secure and well prepared for their next steps.

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There is a carefully planned approach to broader development, which goes beyond the curriculum. This is a strength of the school and meets pupils’ needs well. Pupils know how to stay safe online and how to keep themselves healthy. They learn about the importance of diversity and equality. There is a focus on supporting them to develop a sense of responsibility as well as a sense of right and wrong. Pupils enjoy attending clubs, such as football and gardening, and going on visits to places of historical interest such as Morton Stanley. Webheath is an inclusive school where pupils are proud to be the best they can be.

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Trustees and local governors know the school well. They are committed to their roles and have high ambitions for all pupils. They provide effective support and challenge to help ensure that the school can achieve its vision. Staff feel valued and trusted. They appreciate that leaders are very considerate of their workload and well-being. They are proud to work at the school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Sometimes, teaching does not provide clear explanations of new ideas or learning activities that enable some pupils to access a deep understanding of key knowledge. This means that some pupils do not learn the curriculum in the depth they could. The school should ensure that staff have the knowledge to enable pupils to access learning in the depth they could.  In some subjects, the checks made on pupils’ understanding do not accurately identify gaps and misconceptions. This means that teaching does not address these, and pupils do not learn the curriculum as intended. The school should ensure that staff have the expertise to accurately identify and address gaps and misconceptions in pupils’ knowledge. 20 and 21 May 2025

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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.

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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). 20 and 21 May 2025

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 5 and 6 February 2020, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of Shires Multi Academy Trust.  The school does not make use of any alternative provision.  The school operates a before- and after-school club.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. During a graded inspection, we grade the school for each of our key judgements (quality of education; behaviour and attitudes; personal development; and leadership and management) and for any relevant provision judgement (early years and/or sixth form provision). Schools receiving a graded inspection from September 2024 will not be given an overall effectiveness grade.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision. 20 and 21 May 2025

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 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.  The inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, English, science and geography. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors had formal meetings with the headteacher, the deputy headteacher, subject leaders, the special educational needs and disabilities coordinator, the designated safeguarding lead and the leader responsible for early years.  The lead inspector met with governors and trustees, including the chair of the governing body and the CEO.  Inspectors met with members of staff and spoke to pupils formally and informally at

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various points in the inspection to gather general information about school life. They took account of responses to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View, and the online staff and pupil surveys. Inspectors spoke informally with parents on arrival at school.  Inspectors examined a range of school documents, including leaders’ self-evaluation, improvement plans, records of governance, and documentation relating to attendance and pupils’ behaviour.  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

Su Plant, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Lisa Montandon Ofsted Inspector 20 and 21 May 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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