Whitecrest Primary School

Inspection of Whitecrest Primary School Whitecrest, Great Barr, Birmingham, West Midlands B43 6HQ

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The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Good 17 and 18 June 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy attending Whitecrest Primary School. The school does all it can to make sure pupils attend regularly and on time. Pupils value the school’s caring and respectful staff who are on hand to listen to and act on any worries or concerns they have. The school has high expectations for pupils’ achievement. Pupils achieve well in most subjects.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is calm and orderly. Staff consistently and fairly set high expectations of pupils’ behaviour. In lessons, pupils engage well in learning and want to do well. During social times, pupils enjoy time to talk with their friends, play games or use the school’s climbing equipment. Adults and pupil ambassadors are on hand to support as needed. Pupils are polite, kind and respectful to one another.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils appreciate the range of clubs on offer, including cricket, choir and football club. These develop and stretch their talents and interests. Visits and visitors to school help deepen the knowledge and skills that pupils learn in lessons. Pupil leaders make an active contribution to the life of the school. They proudly undertake roles such as school councillors, house captains, classroom monitors and as head boy and girl.

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

The school has constructed an ambitious curriculum for its pupils. It is well designed and sequenced, building on what pupils know and can do. Staff are knowledgeable about the subjects they teach. They present learning in ways that engage and motivate pupils. However, at times, in some aspects of the curriculum, the work teachers set for pupils does not enable them to apply new learning well enough. This slows the progress some pupils make through these aspects of the curriculum, particularly in writing. This means that pupils do not learn and remember some aspects of the curriculum as well as they could

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

Early reading is prioritised. Teachers have the knowledge they need to teach phonics well. Reading books connect closely to the new sounds pupils are taught. This helps pupils to practise and apply these sounds. Pupils who struggle with reading are well supported to catch up quickly. This includes meaningful opportunities to practise so that pupils develop the speed and accuracy of their reading. The school’s library, book club and reading rewards all help promote a love of reading. All this helps pupils to build their reading fluency. Most pupils learn to read with the confidence and accuracy expected for their age. However, teachers do not consistently check the accuracy of pupils’ writing and how well they have applied their phonics knowledge when completing written tasks. Pupils do not consistently receive guidance that helps them to understand how to check the accuracy of their own work. As a result, some pupils do not develop the accuracy of their

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

writing as well as they could. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) have their needs swiftly identified and are well supported. The curriculum is successfully adapted to meet their needs. Pupils have access to appropriate resources or support from skilled adults. This helps pupils with SEND to learn well. They achieve well in school. 17 and 18 June 2025

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Children in the early years have settled well to school life. Staff carefully consider what pupils know, understand and can do and build on this. Language and communication are prioritised. Staff encourage conversation. Children enjoy joining in with stories, songs and rhymes. They develop an understanding of number when counting objects. Children create patterns and explore shape in the environment. They are well prepared for the next stage of their education. The school’s work to enhance pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is of a high quality. Pupils learn about a range of faiths including Sikhism, Christianity, Hinduism and Judaism. Pupils enjoy finding out about the importance of different festivals, rituals and celebrations, for example, Eid, Christmas and Chinese New Year. Visits to places of worship, including a mosque, church and gurdwara help pupils to help pupils to respect difference. Pupils learn to be active citizens in the local community and

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beyond. They litter-pick and fundraise for local and national charities. Pupils explore democracy through the work of the school council. They vote for roles in school, books or choices about aspects of the school day. Pupils learn about healthy and safe relationships. They understand the importance of healthy eating and keeping physically and mentally healthy. Pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain.

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Leaders, including governors, are passionate that all pupils will have a high-quality education. They set the right priorities for school improvement. Governors effectively hold the headteacher to account for the performance of the school. Staff are positive about the support they receive from leaders. This helps them to effectively manage their workload and well-being.

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The school engages well with the wider community. Most parents and carers are positive about the quality of education their children receive. They value reading workshops which help them to support their child when reading in the home.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 At times, in aspects of the curriculum, work set for pupils does not help pupils to practise applying the knowledge that they have learned. This means that pupils do not secure and deepen their knowledge as well as they could. The school should ensure that pupils consistently benefit from work that enables them to apply their knowledge and skills so that they learn and remember more of the curriculum.  Teachers do not consistently check the accuracy of pupils’ writing and how well they have applied their phonics knowledge when completing written tasks. As a result, some pupils do not develop the accuracy of their writing as well as they could. The school 17 and 18 June 2025

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should ensure staff consistently check pupils’ written work for accuracy and support them to address any mistakes.

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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). 17 and 18 June 2025

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Chair of governing body Jayne Stackhouse

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 6 and 7 November 2019, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school does not use alternative provision.

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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. 17 and 18 June 2025

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 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. Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, English, 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.  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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 Inspectors observed informal times of the day as part of their evaluation of safeguarding and pupils’ behaviour.  Inspectors held meetings with the headteacher and other senior leaders. The lead inspector met with the governors, and had a telephone conversation with a representative from the local authority. The inspectors also talked to pupils, staff and parents to gather information about school life.  Inspectors considered responses to Ofsted Parent View, parent discussions and the free-text comments. Inspectors also considered the responses to Ofsted’s staff survey.

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Inspection team

Lorraine Lord, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Razia Ali Ofsted Inspector 17 and 18 June 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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