Wynstream School

134171 Unique Reference Number Devon Local Authority 294112 Inspection number 31 January °1 February 2007 Inspection dates John Carnaghan Reporting inspector

p.1

This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

p.1

Burnthouse Lane School address Primary Type of school Exeter Community School category EX2 6AY 4 °11 Age range of pupils 01392 284990 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01392 284993 Fax number 317 Number on roll (school) Sarah Bennett Headteacher The local authority Appropriate authority Not previously inspected Date of previous school inspection

p.1

Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 294112 31 January °1 February 2007 4°11 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

p.1

This document may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that the information quoted is reproduced without adaptation and the source and date of publication are stated.

p.2

Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the Education Act 2005, the school must provide a copy of this report free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied.

p.2

Introduction

The inspection was carried out by three Additional Inspectors.

p.3

Description of the school

Wynstream School is a large primary school serving a very deprived area. It opened in April 2005. A very high proportion of pupils have learning difficulties and disabilities. There are very few pupils from minority ethnic groups and none at an early stage of learning English. At the time of the inspection, the headteacher had been absent for two months and the deputy headteacher was acting as the head.

p.3

Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Wynstream School, 31 January °1 February 2007

p.3

Grade: 4

The school's overall effectiveness is inadequate. The school accepts that achievement has been too low since it opened in April 2005. Pupils' standards are very low and their achievement is inadequate. Standards in English are a major weakness. In 2006, pupils' progress in English in year 6 was very low. This is now being tackled vigorously through better, more focused teaching. The recent appointment of the deputy head as acting headteacher, has led to some noticeable improvements. This is largely because the clear-sightedness and calm authority of the acting head has enabled the school to start tackling its weaknesses. Under the current leadership, there have been a number of improvements. These have been seen in the strong focus on developing teaching, which is satisfactory, and on improving pupils' behaviour and attitudes. These developments have promoted better learning, and are beginning to impact on improving pupils' achievement in lessons.

p.4

Grade: 4

Leadership and management are satisfactory. Its effects are now being felt not just in the better learning underway but also through a new determination to address identified weaknesses. The Foundation Stage is well led. Governance is inadequate because governors lack the necessary information required to hold the school to account. Pupils' personal development is satisfactory but attendance is below average and pupils' preparation for later life is hampered by weak literacy skills. Pupils sometimes display unsatisfactory attitudes to their education. Teaching and learning are satisfactory because they have received close attention from the new leadership. A key factor in pupils' limited achievement however, is that they do not receive enough clear guidance on how to improve their work. The curriculum is satisfactory with interesting links between subjects which promote learning but opportunities to use

p.4

Grade: 4

computers are limited. Pupils are well cared for and the school works closely with numerous agencies to support them. In accordance with section 13 (3) of the Education Act 2005 HMCI is of the opinion that this school requires improvement, because it is performing significantly less well than in all circumstances it could reasonably be expected to perform. The school is therefore given a notice to improve. Significant improvement is required in relation to raising achievement, particularly in English.

p.4

What the school should do to improve further

• Raise all pupils' achievement, especially in English. • Improve the quality and consistency of teaching, particularly by providing a more consistent challenge for pupils of all abilities and ensuring that they receive clear guidance on how to improve their work. • Improve levels of attendance. • Develop governors' ability to evaluate the school independently, thus enabling them to fully support the school's drive for improvement. 2 Inspection Report: Wynstream School, 31 January °1 February 2007

p.4

Grade: 4

Children join the Foundation Stage with standards well below national expectations, particularly in their communication, language and literacy skills and their personal, social, emotional and communication skills. They make good progress, although as they enter Year 1 their standards are still below expectations. Children enter school with very low standards of language and literacy and most have difficulty grasping the basics of speaking and listening and writing. At the end of Year 2 and Year 6 standards are exceptionally low in both English and mathematics. Teaching is now beginning to address this, and the standards of pupils' work observed in most lessons are improving. In 2006, pupils' achievement in Year 6 varied considerably. It was inadequate in English and above average in mathematics and science, where pupils' progress was less affected by poor literacy standards. Boys make slower progress than girls. This is largely due

p.5

Grade: 4

to their poorer attitudes and the higher proportion of boys with significant learning difficulties and disabilities.

p.5

Grade: 3

Spiritual development is satisfactory. Moral development is encouraged and pupils have a good sense of what is fair, although too many pupils' behaviour is not always as considerate of others as it needs to be. The school is beginning to address this under the new leadership and behaviour is improving and is now satisfactory. Pupils have few opportunities to take responsibility, which slows their social development. They help with community activities and collect money for local charities. Pupils have little understanding of what it means to live in a multicultural society. Younger pupils enjoy lessons and are proud of their school. Older pupils are less positive but most still enjoy school. Attendance is below average but improving. Pupils feel safe, protected and well cared for by staff. They confide their problems, because they trust adults to be sympathetic and helpful. Pupils are aware of healthy lifestyles and

p.5

Grade: 3

enjoy their daily physical activity. Pupils leave the school with limited skills in literacy, numeracy and computing and this puts them at a disadvantage when they start the next stage of education.

p.5

Grade: 3

Teaching and learning are satisfactory and improving due to the better practice promoted by the new headteacher, through the provision of training opportunities for teachers. Teachers are beginning to use a more stimulating mix of activities that 3 Inspection Report: Wynstream School, 31 January °1 February 2007 intrigue pupils and encourage them to contribute and this ensures that pupils' attention is held and behaviour improved. Pupils stay quiet to catch what the teacher is saying and are expected to explain their ideas. This improves their listening skills, language and understanding and helps them to remember. Despite teachers giving pupils opportunities to work collaboratively, many pupils find it difficult to work co-operatively and struggle to benefit from working with others because their social skills are weak. Teaching assistants make a big contribution to successful learning for individuals or

p.5

Grade: 3

small groups by helping, supporting and reinforcing teaching. Teachers in the Foundation Stage stimulate children's interest with exciting things to do. A good range of well-prepared resources entices children to join in and to learn through mixture of activities. Most enjoy learning and teachers enhance children's self-esteem through regular praise. Many pupils have short attention spans or behaviour difficulties and teachers work hard to win their respect and to establish strict codes of conduct. In too many classes, however, the teachers' control is so tight that all decisions and explanations are made by the teacher, questions only require single word answers and pupils rarely have chance to express their ideas. This approach hampers the progress that pupils make in acquiring key learning skills. A few teachers do not adapt work so that pupils of different abilities can all succeed. In these lessons, the least able struggle to understand the task and the most able are

p.6

Grade: 3

not sufficiently challenged. Books are regularly marked but there are too few helpful written comments. This means that too many pupils are uncertain of the quality of their work and how it could be improved.

p.6

Grade: 3

The curriculum offers most pupils, including those in the Reception class, a relevant range of activities. Themes are sometimes linked together well and introduced with an interesting starting point. This motivates the pupils, increases their curiosity and improves their learning. Provision for personal, social and health education is satisfactory. Pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities are supported satisfactorily through additional intervention strategies and adult support. There are too few computers in the school and pupils say that they are not able use them enough to develop their information and communication technology (ICT) skills. This also restricts problem solving and investigative work. Productive links with the neighbouring secondary school promote pupils' skills and enjoyment in a range of subjects. The school library is undervalued and does not contribute to a love of reading

p.6

Grade: 3

or promote Literacy throughout the curriculum. The school helps to increase pupils' understanding of healthy lifestyles through its teaching. The range of clubs and activities outside of school hours offered to pupils is limited. 4 Inspection Report: Wynstream School, 31 January °1 February 2007

p.6

Grade: 3

The school takes great care to ensure pupils' safety. Children in the Foundation Stage make a good start to school life because of the caring induction programme. Parents of pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities report that their children are very well looked after. Child protection procedures are thorough. Pupils' activities throughout the day are closely supervised to ensure good behaviour. Vulnerable pupils are accompanied everywhere by an adult to ensure their safety and good behaviour. The number of exclusions is high. The school is making every effort to reduce this by involving the parents and offering help at an early stage. The setting and review of literacy and numeracy targets is inconsistent and marking rarely tells pupils how to improve. There is good information to help identify pupils with learning difficulties who are not reaching their potential and to place them in intervention groups.

p.7

Grade: 3

Under the clear, calm and determined leadership of the acting headteacher, the school has begun to address its main weaknesses, particularly under-achievement. Consequently, standards in English, mathematics and science are starting to rise. Improvements are evident in teaching and learning and pupils' behaviour. Thorough monitoring of the standards of pupils' work and teaching is effectively informing planning for the future. Following the appointment of the acting headteacher staff morale has been enhanced and managers at all levels are beginning to help raise achievement through improved teaching. Leadership and management in the Foundation Stage are good. The school evaluates what it does and uses this information carefully to ensure that pupils are satisfactorily supported. Monitoring is used effectively to plan for the future and the school has identified the correct priorities and set constructive targets for improvement. The capacity for further improvement

p.7

Grade: 3

is satisfactory. Governance is inadequate. Governors do not find out about the school independently and this means that they are not able to act as critical friends to the school. Governors are aware of this and that they require more training to develop their expertise. Given considerable under-achievement, the school provides inadequate value for money. 5 Inspection Report: Wynstream School, 31 January °1 February 2007 .

p.7

Grade: 3

set out in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 6 Inspection Report: Wynstream School, 31 January °1 February 2007

p.8

Inspection judgements

School Overall Key to judgements: grade 1 is outstanding, grade 2 good, grade 3 satisfactory, and grade 4 inadequate

p.9

Overall effectiveness

How effective, efficient and inclusive is the provision of education, integrated care and any extended services in meeting the needs of learners? How well does the school work in partnership with others to promote learners' well-being? 2 The quality and standards in the Foundation Stage 3 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation 3 The capacity to make any necessary improvements NA Effective steps have been taken to promote improvement since the last inspection

p.9

Achievement and standards

4 How well do learners achieve? 4 The standards 1 reached by learners How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners 4 How well learners with learning difficulties and disabilities make progress

p.9

learners?

4 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 3 The behaviour of learners 4 The attendance of learners 3 How well learners enjoy their education 3 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices 3 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles 3 The extent to which learners make a positive contribution to the community How well learners develop workplace and other skills that will contribute to their future economic well-being

p.9

and interests of learners?

3 How well are learners cared for, guided and supported?

p.9

and interests of learners?

Grade 1 - Exceptionally and consistently high; Grade 2 - Generally above average with none significantly below average; Grade 3 - Broadly average to below average; Grade 4 - Exceptionally low. 7 Inspection Report: Wynstream School, 31 January °1 February 2007

p.9

and supporting all learners?

How effectively leaders and managers at all levels set clear direction leading to improvement and promote high quality of care and education How effectively performance is monitored, evaluated and improved to meet challenging targets How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination tackled so that all learners achieve as well as they can How effectively and efficiently resources, including staff, are deployed to achieve value for money The extent to which governors and other supervisory boards discharge their responsibilities Yes Do procedures for safeguarding learners meet current government requirements? No Does this school require special measures? Yes Does this school require a notice to improve? 8 Inspection Report: Wynstream School, 31 January °1 February 2007

p.10

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Thank you very much for being so friendly and helpful when we visited your school recently. All the inspectors really enjoyed meeting you and chatting with you. Like all schools, Wynstream has strengths and weaknesses. The weaknesses at your school are serious and so we have had to tell the school that it must improve very quickly. This will mean that it will be inspected again, soon. • The main weaknesses are: • The work you do and the progress you make is often not good enough. Your English is the weakest subject and needs to be improved quickly. • There are too many absences, you should try and attend school every day. • You do not get enough good advice on how you can improve your work. • The school governors have not been checking up on the school well enough. Despite these problems, the inspectors think the school is now starting to get better. The new acting headteacher and other teachers have started to improve things, especially the teaching

p.11

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

and the speed of your learning. We expect these improvements will continue and hope you will do your best to help make Wynstream a better school. With best wishes for the future, 9 Inspection Report: Wynstream School, 31 January °1 February 2007

p.11