Westfield Primary School

Westfield Primary School Inspection report

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117883 Unique Reference Number East Riding of Yorkshire Local Authority 312737 Inspection number 7 °8 May 2008 Inspection dates Derek Sleightholme 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 370 School The governing body Appropriate authority Mr Dominic Ward Chair Mrs Susan Twaits Headteacher 1 June 2005 Date of previous school inspection Westfield Road School address Cottingham Hull HU16 5PE 01482 844369 Telephone number 01482 333401 Fax number

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4-11 Age group 7 °8 May 2008 Inspection dates 312737 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 three Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

This is a large primary school. The number of pupils on roll is rising as a result of parental choice. Most pupils are from White British backgrounds. The percentage of pupils eligible for free school meals is below average, so too is the number of pupils at an early stage of acquiring English. The percentage of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is average. In the past two years a higher than average proportion of pupils has been admitted to the school during in the school year, mostly into Years 2, 3, 4 and 6.

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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: Westfield Primary School, 7 °8 May 2008

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Grade: 2

This is a good school with some features which are outstanding. Pupils’ personal development and well-being, the curriculum, care, support and guidance and leadership and management are excellent. ‘My child is very happy and doing very well’, is a typical comment that reflects parents’ high regard for the school. The headteacher works resolutely with senior leaders and governors to set clear priorities for the school’s development. Together they have made considerable progress towards implementing the vision of Westfield as ‘a school where it really does matter that every child achieves their full potential’. Pupils love coming to school and their attendance is well above average. They proudly show visitors around. They enthusiastically accept responsibilities such as school councillors, members of the environmental team or ‘Playground Pals’. They feel safe because they benefit from high quality care and support. Their enthusiasm for music has led to high standards in this subject

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Grade: 2

and helped the school secure success in festivals. Pupils know why it is important to be fit and healthy. They form excellent relationships, enjoy taking responsibility and behave well. Pupils’ success in acquiring basic skills and involvement in enterprise prepares them well for their future lives. Pupils make good progress and at times it is outstanding. All pupils benefit from an innovative and effective teaching and learning strategy devised by school leaders, ‘success, pace, involvement, challenge and excitement’ (SPICE). This has been crucial in helping to raise standards and improve achievement. Pupils’ achievement is good. Standards at the end of Key Stages 1 and 2 are above average. However, those pupils capable of reaching higher standards do not attain these consistently across subjects. Teaching is good and some lessons are outstanding. Pupils are becoming increasingly confident as independent learners and are developing the skills of assessing their own progress. The

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Grade: 2

curriculum is outstanding with appealing activities that motivate pupils towards learning. It is enriched very well through the teaching of a modern language, a strong personal and social education programme and extra-curricular activities. Leadership, management and governance are outstanding. Working together and with a strong sense of teamwork, school leaders have an unwavering focus on raising standards and pupils’ personal development. Exemplary monitoring is a strong feature of the school’s quality assurance procedures. It provides school leaders with an accurate picture of the school and has contributed directly to rapid improvement in achievement. The school provides good value for money.

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Grade: 2

Provision is good. Most children enter the Reception year with skills and abilities that are typical for their age. A significant minority of children start with lower levels of speech, language and mathematical skills. The good ethos of both classes provides a positive climate for learning. Children are well settled and secure because there are clearly established day-to-day systems for their care. Teaching is good. Consequently children make good progress. By the end of Reception most have met the nationally expected goals. There is a good balance between activities led by adults and those that children choose for themselves. The good curriculum ensures children learn quickly, for example, about capacity. Teaching is purposeful, questions challenge children’s thinking skills and practical learning is 4 of 11 Inspection Report: Westfield Primary School, 7 °8 May 2008 supported by stimulating resources. Children become absorbed in learning through play, acting

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Grade: 2

the characters from the story of the three bears, or observing tadpoles through a magnifying glass. Leadership is good. Staff are knowledgeable, well trained and work well as a team. Assessment is undertaken methodically and provides a clear picture of the actions needed to further advance children’s learning. Effective arrangements ensure a smooth transition for children from nursery settings into the Reception year and on transfer into Year 1.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Ensure that more able pupils attain high standards more consistently across subjects.

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Grade: 2

Achievement is good. Pupils make good progress from their starting points in Year 1 and reach above average standards by the end of Year 2 in reading, writing and mathematics. They continue to make good progress in Years 3 to 6. Pupils currently in Year 6 are achieving above average standards compared to the average standards they attained at the end of Year 2. Standards in the 2007 national tests in Year 6 were above average in English and mathematics. Pupils made very good progress in science and reached exceptionally high standards. Parents of pupils joining the school mid-year are delighted with how their children settle quickly and often make rapid progress. Pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities make good progress because they benefit from sensitive support and encouragement provided by skilled assistants. In 2007, some of these pupils made very good progress and reached standards higher

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Grade: 2

than their respective group nationally. The improvement in standards and increase in the pace of progress reflects the relentless focus by school leaders on raising standards by successfully implementing the SPICE initiative. The school has not ensured consistency across subjects in the proportion of pupils reaching the higher standards in Year 2 and Year 6.

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Grade: 1

Pupils’ personal development and well-being, and their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development are outstanding. Pupils are reflective; in assemblies they think about care for the planet and ways in which they can play an active role in preservation. Pupils value the work of the school conservation group. One commented, ‘the Green Team has a big influence on our school’. Being healthy is important to pupils. They value exercise and adopt healthy lifestyles. Pupils are courteous and friendly. They know they can turn to an adult for advice or quickly find a friendly ‘Playground Pal’. They feel safe ‘because we don’t have bullies at our school’. Pupils really enjoy coming to this school, they arrive promptly and their attendance is well above average. They love the activities, work hard, approach learning positively and behave well. Pupils’ contribution as school councillors is impressive and they feel valued. One said, ‘children

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Grade: 1

in our school have a voice for what we want and we like that’. They successfully fund raise for worthy causes and have an excellent reputation for singing in public settings. Year 6 pupils 5 of 11 Inspection Report: Westfield Primary School, 7 °8 May 2008 practised the office skills associated with running an estate agency in the 2007 business skills challenge. These experiences help them to cope well with life ahead.

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Grade: 2

Teaching and learning are good; some lessons are outstanding. Features identified in the school’s SPICE policy underpin lesson planning. This ensures that most lessons are challenging, motivate pupils well and fully engage them in an interesting and stimulating range of active learning experiences. In one outstanding example, through highly relevant questioning, pupils were challenged to carefully analyse a poem with a wartime setting. Their collaboration through excellent teamwork was typical of the way the learning in these most successful lessons contributes well to pupils’ personal development. Not all the teaching is of this quality. Occasionally the pace of learning is allowed to slacken with pupils allowed to drift off task. The quality of learning is enhanced by positive classroom relationships, mutual respect and good behaviour of pupils. They remain focused on tasks even when not directly supervised by

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Grade: 2

the teacher. Teachers make sure that pupils know exactly what they are expected to learn in each lesson and pupils frequently evaluate their own progress. Marking is regular and supportive. It informs pupils clearly of what they achieve and what they need to do to improve.

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Grade: 1

The school provides an outstanding range of curriculum experiences including theme days. They are particularly effective in contributing to pupils’ outstanding personal development. Recent changes to the way in which the curriculum is taught through topics and themes ensures pupils’ progress in literacy and numeracy is at least good and simultaneously provides valuable learning in other subjects. An excellent history study unit on the Second World War provides pupils with opportunities to improve literacy skills through drama from that period. The brilliant resources, including authentic music, set the tone and pupils particularly enjoyed learning wartime dances from that period. Extra-curricular provision is strong. Many pupils take part in an outstanding programme of music and drama. The use of specialist teaching for sport and French enriches learning. In response to parents’ wishes for additional extra curricular sport the school has firm plans to

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Grade: 1

improve this provision even further. Very productive links with outside agencies provide pupils with hands-on experience of computer-aided design in engineering.

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Grade: 1

Care, support and guidance provided are outstanding. The school has a robust approach to safeguarding, child protection and risk assessments. Arrangements meet requirements. There is very good provision for the most vulnerable pupils. An exceptional feature is the way their needs are recognised quickly and the rapid response that follows. A non-teaching special educational needs manager plays a central role in organising very effective support. This includes nurture groups, personal support in lessons, or specialist input through the very good links the 6 of 11 Inspection Report: Westfield Primary School, 7 °8 May 2008 school has with external agencies. The effectiveness of this provision is reflected in the often better than expected academic progress that some of these pupils make. Tracking of pupils’ progress is exemplary. Formal scheduled meetings review the progress of every pupil. Professional discussions and consultations with parents ensure that the targets

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Grade: 1

set are clearly understood by all and support learning effectively. Challenging targets are set on the assumption that pupils will make faster progress than that expected nationally. Pupils receive very good guidance on simple steps that will help them to improve. Good transition arrangements help Year 6 pupils prepare for transfer to the next stage in their education.

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Grade: 1

Leadership, management and governance are outstanding. The headteacher provides very focused leadership and leads a strong team of highly effective managers. Since the previous inspection the high quality of input by senior leaders and governors has helped ensure rapidly improving standards, outstanding personal development, an excellent curriculum and high quality care, support and guidance. Well structured monitoring draws on the expertise of subject leaders, senior staff and governors. It has led to very clear evaluation of the impact of actions taken and the identification of the correct priorities in raising achievement. Accurate analysis of national assessments recognises the need to raise the achievement of more able pupils in some subjects. Governors provide excellent support and hold the school to account very effectively. They have carried out a rigorous series of monitoring activities, including seeking the views of parents, to evaluate the

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Grade: 1

influence of the school’s recently developed teaching and learning policy on pupils. Their commitment to the annual conference for teachers and governors provides an excellent opportunity for all to focus on school improvement and evaluation of progress made. Leaders are ambitious for further success setting challenging targets, for example by currently working towards Artsmark status. The school has advanced very well since the previous inspection and has excellent capacity for further improvement. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: Westfield Primary School, 7 °8 May 2008 .

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Grade: 1

in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 8 of 11 Inspection Report: Westfield Primary School, 7 °8 May 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? 2 The effectiveness of the Foundation Stage 1 The capacity to make any necessary improvements

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Achievement and standards

2 How well do learners achieve? 2 The standards 1 reached by learners How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners 2 How well learners with learning difficulties and disabilities make progress

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learners?

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

1 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: Westfield Primary School, 7 °8 May 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 2 How effectively leaders and managers use challenging targets to raise standards 1 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: Westfield Primary School, 7 °8 May 2008

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

9 May 2008 Dear Pupils Inspection of Westfield Primary School, East Riding of Yorkshire, HU16 5PE We enjoyed our recent visit to your school. Thank you for helping us. We enjoyed meeting you, visiting your classrooms, looking at your work and talking to you about your school. You were friendly and courteous and we were impressed by your good behaviour and excellent attendance. These are the things we found out about your school during our visit. You attend a good school with several outstanding features. Your personal development is outstanding. You told us about your efforts to care for the environment. We know you understand the importance of being fit and healthy. You told us that you feel safe and know how to get help. The staff provide you with outstanding care. They organise appropriate support for those of you who need extra help quickly. You receive very good guidance on how to improve your work and clear targets to

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

work towards. You play your part by continuing to work hard in lessons and do even better in your national tests. We know that you enjoy the many activities that are part of the outstanding curriculum the school provides. We saw how enthusiastically those of you in Year 5 approached your history topic about life during the Second World War. Your school leaders have devised a teaching and learning programme for you to follow that makes learning interesting and challenging for you. Consequently, you make good and sometimes outstanding progress throughout the school. By Year 6 most of you have reached above average standards. We know that your high standards in music have helped you secure awards in festivals. Well done! The school will ensure that those of you capable of reaching higher standards will do so more consistently across subjects. We wish you and all the staff the very best for the future.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Yours sincerely Derek Sleightholme Lead inspector 11 of 11 Inspection Report: Westfield Primary School, 7 °8 May 2008

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