Wellington Primary School and Nursery

Wellington Primary School Inspection report

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116745 Unique Reference Number Herefordshire Local Authority 312386 Inspection number 29 January 2008 Inspection date Joyce Cox Reporting inspector

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

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Primary Type of school Community School category 4 °11 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 123 School The governing body Appropriate authority Alison Adams Chair Gillian McFarlane Headteacher 27 November 2006 Date of previous school inspection Wellington School address Hereford HR4 8AZ 01432 830264 Telephone number 01432 830020 Fax number

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4-11 Age group 29 January 2008 Inspection date 312386 Inspection number .

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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.

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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.

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Introduction

The inspection was carried out by two Additional Inspectors

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Description of the school

The school serves the local village and other surrounding villages. Almost all pupils are from White British backgrounds, although a very small number of pupils are at an early stage of learning English as an additional language. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is below average but increasing. Children enter the school with skills and experiences that are broadly typical of four year olds. The school is part of the Intensifying Support Programme which is a national initiative aimed at raising standards in English and mathematics. It has won many awards for its work, including the FA Charter Standard, an Achievement Award an Artsmark Silver award, an Activemark, an Ecoschools Award and a Healthy Schools Award. When the school was inspected in November 2006, it was given a Notice to Improve. Significant improvement was required in relation to pupils' progress and the quality of teaching and learning

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 3 of 11 Inspection Report: Wellington Primary School, 29 January 2008

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Grade: 3

In accordance with section 13 (5) of the Education Act 2005, HMCI is of the opinion that the school no longer requires significant improvement. The school has successfully tackled the issues raised at the last inspection and now provides pupils with a satisfactory education. The key factors in this good improvement are effective leadership and management by the headteacher, improved strategic planning, accurate assessment, and the commitment of staff and governors to embrace change and to do their best for pupils. Good improvement has been made in raising the quality of teaching in Key Stage 2, and in the way teachers use assessment information to plan pupils' learning. Consequently, standards are average and rising, and pupils' achievement is satisfactory. There is strong determination and a satisfactory capacity amongst all staff to ensure that the school continues to improve and subject leaders are having a stronger

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Grade: 3

influence on improving standards and achievement. Overall, leadership and management are satisfactory. Children in the Foundation Stage have a secure start to school and nearly all meet the expected levels by the time they enter Year 1. The outdoor learning area is developing to ensure children have a full outdoor curriculum every day. A determination to wipe out underachievement has led to good improvement in pupils' achievement and standards by Year 6. In 2006, poor results in the Year 6 national tests indicated that pupils had not made the expected progress between Years 3 and 6 because of inadequate teaching in some classes. Over the past year there have been considerable improvements to the quality of teaching and learning in Key Stage 2, the result of rigorous monitoring by senior leaders and improved assessment. Standards rose considerably in the national tests in 2007 and tracking data confirms that pupils' progress in

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Grade: 3

Year 6 is good this year as well. Teaching and learning are satisfactory and good in several classes. Some inconsistencies remain, primarily in the way teachers use their skills and resources to engage all pupils. However, teaching is improving in other key aspects. Classes are managed effectively, relationships are good, and pupils of different abilities are suitably challenged. Pupils generally find lessons interesting and, as a result, they clearly enjoy their work and are keen to learn. The school has successfully amassed a large amount of valuable assessment and tracking information so staff can track pupils' progress. However, not all pupils are clear as to how they can improve their work or which aspect of a task they need to focus on. Their personal development and behaviour are good and pupils make an excellent contribution to school life. The school's good links with outside agencies, the local authority and other schools enrich and enliven the satisfactory

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Grade: 3

curriculum. Care, guidance and support for pupils are satisfactory, with strong pastoral care making sure pupils feel safe at school. The staff share the headteacher's strong drive and clear focus on raising achievement. Rigorous checking of its performance, coupled with good support from the local authority, provides the school with an extremely accurate picture of its strengths and areas for development. Improvement plans in literacy and mathematics have the correct priorities. The rapid improvement in pupils' achievement in Key Stage 2 shows the school is securely placed to improve further.

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Grade: 3

Children's achievement in the Foundation Stage is satisfactory and nearly all children attain the expected levels by the time they enter Year 1. Senior leaders are working closely with the 4 of 11 Inspection Report: Wellington Primary School, 29 January 2008 local authority to improve curriculum planning. Staff are developing their expertise in observing and assessing children's progress. Children's personal development is good. Children are becoming increasingly independent as they learn to choose activities that interest them and take care of themselves and their belongings. They behave well and most enjoy learning, although some wander off to other activities if they have been kept sitting for too long on the carpet. The introduction of regular, focused sessions to help children learn their letters and sounds are improving their progress in early reading and writing skills. Staff make sure children

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Grade: 3

are safe and well cared for. The outdoor area is not yet fully developed to ensure all the required areas of learning are covered and children do not have daily easy access to the outdoor environment.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Improve the quality of teaching in Key Stage 2 so that it is consistently good or better to enable pupils to make faster progress and reach more challenging targets. ■ Ensure pupils are clear about how they can improve their work and which aspects of a task they most need to focus on. ■ Improve the outdoor provision for children in the Foundation Stage.

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What the school should do to improve further

A small proportion of schools whose overall effectiveness is judged satisfactory, but which have areas of underperformance, will receive a monitoring visit by an Ofsted inspector before their next section 5 inspection.

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Grade: 3

Children achieve satisfactorily in the Foundation Stage and most attain the expected levels on entry to Year 1. In Key Stage 1, pupils' achievement is satisfactory and pupils attain average standards at the end of Year 2. The school's data and pupils' work show that standards in Year 6 rose significantly in 2007, especially in mathematics, and are continuing to do so this year. In the national tests in 2007, more pupils attained the higher Level 5 in English, mathematics and science than in previous years. Teachers' expectations for pupils' progress are greater than they were at the time of the last inspection, with the result that pupils' achievement is improving in all areas of the curriculum. Pupils are set challenging targets to attain in the Year 6 national tests and staff are working hard to ensure these are met. Effective extra help for pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities enables them to achieve as well as other pupils. The

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Grade: 3

small number of pupils who are at an early stage of learning English achieve satisfactorily.

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Grade: 2

Pupils' spiritual and cultural development is satisfactory and moral and social development is good. Pupils' behaviour is good which contributes significantly to the improving achievement. Pupils say they feel safe in school and show a good awareness of healthy lifestyles by increasingly selecting the healthy option at lunchtimes and joining in enthusiastically with all the many sporting activities. Their clear enjoyment of school is reflected in average, but improving, attendance levels. Pupils contribute exceptionally well to community life. They are very involved in school and village activities, raise considerable amounts of money for local and global charities, and conscientiously collect litter in school and in the neighbourhood. They run the Puffin Book Club efficiently and enjoy being 'buddies' with new pupils to help them settle quickly. Pupils feel that they have a real say in school life through the school council. As one member said, 'I

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Grade: 2

5 of 11 Inspection Report: Wellington Primary School, 29 January 2008 enjoy helping and want to do things for the other children.' The council's involvement in growing and selling vegetables to improve playground facilities is having a marked impact on school life and pupils' fitness levels. Average standards in the basic skills and satisfactory opportunities to improve their information and communication technology skills provide sound preparation for pupils' future lives.

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Grade: 3

There are many signs that teaching is improving. Highly effective assessment information enables teachers to plan work precisely to cater for all abilities, including more able pupils. Older pupils say they can see a 'real difference' in the way they are taught and feel lessons are 'really interesting'. Teachers work very hard to make pupils' learning relevant so they can capture pupils' attention. Teaching assistants are deployed effectively to support pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. Whilst there is much good teaching, it is satisfactory overall because of inconsistencies in the way teachers involve pupils in their learning and explain what they want pupils to learn by the end of a lesson.

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Grade: 3

A good range of clubs and activities encourage and enliven pupils' learning. These include French lessons, an exceptionally wide range of visits and activities, and language, science and design and technology events at the local high school. A focused emphasis on reading and writing in Key Stage 1 has led to improved standards. The programme to support pupils' personal development is effective, although opportunities to help them develop their spiritual and cultural awareness are limited. Meaningful links between subjects are starting to stimulate pupils' interest and enjoyment. The school makes good use of its links with other schools, as well as local groups and national initiatives, to enhance pupils' learning.

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Grade: 3

Pastoral care is good and pupils feel secure and well supported. Staff know the pupils and their families well, ensuring the needs of pupils are catered for effectively. Parents appreciate this, one saying, 'All staff are approachable and listen to views. They are aware of any concerns before I raise them. This shows strong professional commitment and expertise in assessing the academic and social wellbeing of my children.' Secure child protection procedures are in place and staff awareness is good. An effective behaviour management system creates a calm, orderly atmosphere. The needs of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities are quickly identified, allowing them to receive good support. Considerable improvement has been made in the way pupils' attainment and progress is recorded and used effectively to highlight their different learning needs. Most pupils know what their learning targets are but, in some classes,

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Grade: 3

pupils are not always given sufficient advice and support to enable them to improve their work to reach these targets. Teachers' marking does not always tell pupils how they can improve their work. 6 of 11 Inspection Report: Wellington Primary School, 29 January 2008

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Grade: 3

Improved and effective leadership and management by the headteacher have been the key to the school's improvement. Over the last year, there has been determination from the headteacher and senior staff to improve the quality of teaching and learning and pupils' progress in Key Stage 2 successfully. Robust self-evaluation, including precise and rigorous use of assessment, means that the school has good quality action plans and sets precise and challenging targets for school improvement. Senior staff swiftly implemented regular and stringent monitoring to improve teaching and learning and eliminate inadequate teaching. Although teaching is now satisfactory, senior leaders accept that this is not good enough if pupils are to consistently achieve well and reach challenging targets. Governors are supportive, and play an increasing role in keeping a check on pupils' performance. Virtually all the parents are extremely happy

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Grade: 3

with everything that the school provides. One parent, summing up the views of many, wrote, 'I have been delighted with my children's schooling this year. The teachers keep them stimulated and interested and they thoroughly enjoy all subjects.' 7 of 11 Inspection Report: Wellington Primary School, 29 January 2008 .

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in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 8 of 11 Inspection Report: Wellington Primary School, 29 January 2008

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Inspection judgements

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

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Overall effectiveness

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

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Achievement and standards

3 How well do learners achieve? 3 The standards 1 reached by learners How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners 3 How well learners with learning difficulties and disabilities make progress

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learners?

2 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 2 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles 2 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices 2 How well learners enjoy their education 3 The attendance of learners 2 The behaviour of learners 1 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

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and interests of learners?

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

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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. 9 of 11 Inspection Report: Wellington Primary School, 29 January 2008

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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 3 How effectively leaders and managers use challenging targets to raise standards 3 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation 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? No Does this school require a notice to improve? 10 of 11 Inspection Report: Wellington Primary School, 29 January 2008

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

30 January 2008 Dear Pupils Inspection of Wellington Primary School, Hereford HR4 8AZ We enjoyed our visit to your school. You were polite and friendly and you made us feel welcome. We decided Wellington Primary is a satisfactory school. We also think it is getting better. Here are some of our findings.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Your achievement is satisfactory and you reach average standards in English, mathematics and science. ■ You enjoy school, feel safe and your behaviour is good.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ You accept responsibility well and make an excellent contribution to school life.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Adults provide satisfactory teaching for you so that you make satisfactory progress.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ You have good relationships with your teachers and you work hard for them.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ You go to a very caring school. Everyone has your best interests at heart and wants you to be safe and happy and to do as well as you can. ■ The headteacher is a good leader and the staff are working hard to make sure the school gets even better. We have asked the school to do three main things to help it improve further.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Improve teaching so that it is good in all lessons and you all achieve well and reach even higher standards in your work. ■ Make sure that teachers help you to understand how you can improve your work so that you are really clear about what you need to focus on in lessons. ■ Improve the outdoor area for children in the Foundation Stage.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

You can play your part by continuing to work hard and behave well. I wish you all the very best for the future. Yours sincerely Joyce Cox Lead inspector 11 of 11 Inspection Report: Wellington Primary School, 29 January 2008

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Annex B

Inspection of Wellington Primary School, Hereford HR4 8AZ

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Annex B

We enjoyed our visit to your school. You were polite and friendly and you made us feel welcome. We decided Wellington Primary is a satisfactory school. We also think it is getting better. Here are some of our findings.

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Annex B

• Your achievement is satisfactory and you reach average standards in English, mathematics and science. • You enjoy school, feel safe and your behaviour is good. • You accept responsibility well and make an excellent contribution to school life. • Adults provide satisfactory teaching for you so that you make satisfactory progress. • You have good relationships with your teachers and you work hard for them. • You go to a very caring school. Everyone has your best interests at heart and wants you to be safe and happy and to do as well as you can. • The headteacher is a good leader and the staff are working hard to make sure the school gets even better.

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Annex B

We have asked the school to do three main things to help it improve further.

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Annex B

• Improve teaching so that it is good in all lessons and you all achieve well and reach even higher standards in your work. • Make sure that teachers help you to understand how you can improve your work so that you are really clear about what you need to focus on in lessons. • Improve the outdoor area for children in the Foundation Stage.

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Annex B

You can play your part by continuing to work hard and behave well.

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Annex B

I wish you all the very best for the future.

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