Wellstead Primary School

Wellstead Primary School Inspection report

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129650 Unique Reference Number Hampshire Local Authority 331615 Inspection number 7–8 July 2009 Inspection dates Graham Stephens Reporting inspector

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This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. The registered childcare, managed by the governing body, was inspected under section 49 of the Childcare Act 2006.

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Primary Type of school Community School category 4–11 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 110 School (total) 0 Government funded early education provision for children aged 3 to the end of the EYFS 0 Childcare provision for children aged 0 to 3 years The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs Ruth Saw Chair Mr Richard Wharton Headteacher Not previously inspected Date of previous school inspection Not previously inspected Date of previous funded early education inspection Not previously inspected Date of previous childcare inspection Wellstead Way School address Hedge End Southampton SO30 2LE 01489 799351 Telephone number 01489 784569 Fax number

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4–11 Age group 7–8 July 2009 Inspection dates 331615 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. 2 of 12 Inspection Report: Wellstead Primary School, 7–8 July 2009

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Introduction

The inspection was carried out by one Additional Inspector.

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Description of the school

This new school opened in April 2008 with 17 pupils on roll. Numbers are increasing very rapidly but it is still smaller than most schools. The number of classes has grown from three to five during the course of the year. Many of the pupils have transferred in throughout the year from schools situated away from the immediate vicinity. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities, most of whom find aspects of English and mathematics challenging, is above average. There are no pupils for whom English is an additional language. Local housing is still under construction. There is provision for the Early Years Foundation Stage in a Reception class. In September 2008 the first full cohort of Reception children started school.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 3 of 12 Inspection Report: Wellstead Primary School, 7–8 July 2009

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Grade: 2

This is a good school. The outstanding leadership of the headteacher, who is very well supported by his leadership team and by all staff and parents, has ensured that this new school has got off to a flying start. The needs of the pupils are at the heart of everything done so far. Parents acknowledge this and it is reflected in the overwhelming support they give to the school. 'Wellstead is a wonderful school that offers a perfect combination of academic ambition, creativity and a lovely atmosphere. The teachers are all so talented and work so hard.' This is typical of the many very positive comments received. Pupils are joining the school almost every week and, because of the warm welcome they receive, they quickly feel secure, settled and make progress. It is too early to state clearly the abilities of pupils entering the school. The first group to enter Reception came with skills that were typical of four-year-olds in most areas, but were less well

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Grade: 2

developed in writing and linking sounds and letters and in emotional development. They make excellent progress and most are working comfortably within expected levels in all areas of learning as they approach the end of the year. Pupils entering other year groups have a wide range of abilities, but a higher than average proportion require additional support with their learning. Evidence confirms that the majority of pupils who have been in the school for nearly a full year make at least good, and a few make outstanding, progress from their starting points. Standards, while still average overall, are rising. The school is not complacent and realises that standards need to rise further. Pupils with learning difficulties make good progress because teachers carefully match work to their needs and skilled learning support assistants ensure that work is understood and consolidated. Pupils really enjoy school and this is reflected in good attendance. They welcome visitors warmly,

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Grade: 2

are anxious to talk about the things they do and are obviously proud of their new school. Their personal development and well-being are outstanding. They know what to do to stay safe and also what constitutes a healthy lifestyle. Behaviour in classes and around the school is excellent. Pupils are confident and reflective and genuinely care for the needs of others. They feel valued members of the school community and a letter recently received applauded the pupils for their contribution to local events and activities. A member of the local council wrote, 'For a small and new school you have already established your place in the heart of the community.' Links with the local community are good and the school is strongly placed to explore these further. Excellent links have been established with outside agencies. The school quickly implements advice and rigorously monitors the impact of any action taken.

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Grade: 2

Teaching is consistently good and sometimes outstanding. With so many pupils entering throughout the year, induction procedures are excellent. Meeting the needs of every pupil is a priority and this is underpinned by outstanding procedures for both safeguarding and academic support and guidance. Pupils' safety is paramount and all necessary precautions are taken, including rigorous risk assessments before school visits. These visits, both local and further afield, contribute much to the good curriculum. This provides many opportunities for pupils to use information and communication technology (ICT) to support them in their learning, and the introduction of a new program designed to support and consolidate previous learning is already proving popular and effective. The school recognises that more work needs to be done to explore links between subjects and to ensure that even more opportunities are provided for

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Grade: 2

pupils to apply the skills they are taught in a variety of situations, in order to consolidate understanding and to help raise standards. 4 of 12 Inspection Report: Wellstead Primary School, 7–8 July 2009 Leadership and management are good. The headteacher, his leadership team and all staff have worked diligently to get this school up and running. In this, they have been very successful. This is due in no small part to the clear vision of the headteacher, which is understood and shared by all staff. All the basic structures are not only securely in place but are already having a tangible impact on progress and standards. Lack of time has prevented the school from embedding the strategy for community cohesion. This aspect of leadership and management is satisfactory and is a priority for further improvement, in order to enhance pupils' understanding of their place in the local, national and global community. Governors are rightly

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Grade: 2

proud of all that has been achieved in a very short time. They have contributed much to this success through their diligence and perseverance through the planning and building of the school. They are well organised and determined to maintain the initial momentum achieved so far.

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Grade: 1

Children make an excellent start to their education in the Early Years Foundation Stage. All adults are very skilled at encouraging pupils to play a full and active part in a broad range of adult-led and pupil-initiated activities. Parents are fully included in their children's learning, recording children's achievements at home on 'wow stickers' and in half-yearly reports that are included as part of the child's assessment profile. 'My Year R child is progressing very well and I have been impressed with the progress he has made.' This is typical of many parents' comments. Children make excellent progress in all areas of learning from their starting points and achieve outstandingly, with the majority reaching the expected levels for children of their age. Full use is made of available space to ensure that children have the opportunity to experience a wide range of activities that are carefully planned to cover all areas of learning. The excellent

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Grade: 1

curriculum is enhanced by visitors and visits, both locally and further afield. Very successful themed weeks, which the children help plan, on dinosaurs, castles and monsters, engage them well in all aspects of learning. Children were excited at the prospect of visiting Southsea during the inspector's visit. The outdoor area is being developed well, with a wide range of equipment that encourage the children to run, crawl, climb and jump. They play and share equipment very well, with adults constantly suggesting, questioning and encouraging the children to greater efforts. Great emphasis is placed on teaching the basic skills children will need to become confident readers and writers. Careful planning also ensures that they have plenty of opportunities to apply the skills they are taught through role play. Children have good access to computers and are developing a good range of skills. After a lesson on the weather, one

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Grade: 1

drew an accurate picture of a rainbow on the interactive whiteboard. When questioned, she explained that she had used the keypad and carefully copied the colours from a nearby poster. Planning is thorough and based on the accurate assessments of what children know and understand. An excellent record is kept of the progress that each child makes. The Early Years Foundation Stage is extremely well led and managed. Safety is a priority and very effective procedures are in place to safeguard children's welfare. Children are very well prepared for the next stage of their education.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Revise the curriculum to explore further the links between subjects, and to give pupils more opportunities to consolidate and apply the skills they are taught, and thereby raise standards. 5 of 12 Inspection Report: Wellstead Primary School, 7–8 July 2009 ■ Improve pupils' understanding of the range, value and diversity of cultures in the United Kingdom and beyond, by giving them more first-hand opportunities to learn about them.

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Grade: 2

The majority of the pupils who took national tests at the end of Year 2 joined the school during the year. Standards in reading, writing and mathematics were average for the very few who have been in school since the beginning of Year 2. There are no pupils yet in Year 6. Analysis of data for those pupils that have been in the school for nearly a year shows that the majority are making good progress from their often low starting points. A minority are making excellent progress. This is because very effective procedures to pinpoint the support required to accelerate progress are applied rigorously and pupils, including those who find aspects of English and mathematics challenging, respond well to the additional support they receive. Pupils currently in school, and who are due to take the national tests next year in Years 2 and 6, are beginning to attain above-average standards in mathematics, English and science.

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Grade: 1

Pupils respond very well to the stimulating and nurturing environment of the school. It is reflected in pupils' outstanding spiritual, moral and social awareness. They are sensitive to the needs of others and have a very strong sense of right and wrong. They enjoy the opportunities to learn about other cultures through visitors, cookery and music. The school recognises that pupils need more first-hand opportunities to help them understand the diversity of cultures in the United Kingdom. Pupils really enjoy school and speak with enthusiasm about their teachers, lessons and friends. Many parents have been amazed at the change in attitudes noticed since their children have transferred to the school. 'My child was quite reserved before starting school in September 2008. However, she has gained a huge amount of confidence and now thoroughly enjoys attending school.' This is typical of many comments received. Attendance has improved

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Grade: 1

and is good. Behaviour is excellent and pupils share a common determination to support and help each other whenever possible. They welcome new members to their community and help them settle. 'I'm proud to be a classroom buddy,' said one pupil in Year 2. In this way, they make an exemplary contribution to the life of the school. The recently democratically elected school council has already written to the headteacher and obtained funds for additional playground equipment. Although the local community itself is at an early stage of development, pupils have already sung in the local supermarket, visited local people during British Food Fortnight and listened to parents talk about their jobs. Pupils have an excellent understanding of what constitutes a healthy lifestyle and know what to do to stay safe. Pupils' basic skills and the way they support and work with each other ensure they are well equipped for their future

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Grade: 2

Teachers' enthusiasm, their confidence when using ICT and their thorough understanding of individual pupils' needs all underpin the good, and sometimes outstanding, teaching observed. Pupils say that they look forward to their lessons because of the exciting and interesting things 6 of 12 Inspection Report: Wellstead Primary School, 7–8 July 2009 they do. Thorough preparation and planning, with targets that are matched to ability, ensure that pupils make good progress. Pupils are consistently encouraged to improve because all adults have very high expectations and are very skilled at asking questions that challenge the pupils to reflect, explain and justify their thinking. Skilled learning support assistants work closely with teachers and do much to consolidate understanding. Pupils who find aspects of English and mathematics challenging are given intensive support, often in small groups, and are included well in lessons. As a result, they are also catching up from their often low starting

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Grade: 2

points because their progress is accelerating. Very effective ongoing assessment ensures that both pupils and teachers understand what has been learned and what needs further consolidation. The school recognises that it could embed good work habits further by giving pupils even more opportunities to evaluate their own work and that of their peers against clearly stated and understood success criteria.

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Grade: 2

The school has successfully introduced a curriculum that draws well on teachers' previous experience, and in which the use of ICT to support learning has been successfully integrated. As a result, all lessons engage the pupils well because subjects are presented in a way that is exciting and fun, and that plays a major part in encouraging pupils to develop positive attitudes to learning. It also contributes greatly to the pupils' personal development and well-being. The school acknowledges that it needs to revise the curriculum in the light of recent advice and to introduce topics that blend subjects even more from across different subjects. This will give pupils more opportunities to apply and consolidate the skills they are taught, place a stronger emphasis on topics that might challenge stereotypes and extend pupils' awareness of the wider world. Further enrichment comes from a good level of specialist teaching and the contribution

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Grade: 2

of community members with relevant knowledge to share. Sport is well promoted through clubs drawing on the expertise and enthusiasm of some parents. All this promotes healthy living and a strong sense of identity in this new school.

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Grade: 1

Care, guidance and support are strengths of the school. The decision to create and implement procedures to monitor and track the progress of pupils as a priority when the school opened was very wise. As a result, excellent systems closely track the progress of every pupil and trigger intensive and effective support very quickly. Parents acknowledge and appreciate the progress their children are making as a result of the implementation of these procedures. This has been instrumental not only in gaining the confidence of parents, many of whom transferred their children from other schools, but also in raising the school's standing in the wider community, where evidence confirms it already has a good reputation. Pupils have personal targets and are delighted to receive special badges in assembly to acknowledge the progress they have made. Although it has been introduced only recently, the marking policy ensures that many recorded

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Grade: 1

comments help pupils understand what they need to do to improve. Safeguarding procedures are securely in place. They are well known and applied by all staff. 7 of 12 Inspection Report: Wellstead Primary School, 7–8 July 2009

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Grade: 2

The excellent leadership of the headteacher, who is very well supported by his leadership team and all staff, has been instrumental in the very successful launch of this new school. Although it is early days, and numbers are continually rising, staff are confident because they share a vision and understand and implement procedures that will ensure all new entrants are given an excellent start. Equality of opportunity, inclusion and challenge are key principles that drive the school forward. The roles and responsibilities of subject managers continue to develop. Statutory policies are in place and others are being introduced over time. The school's strategy for community cohesion has been established but the school acknowledges that its implementation throughout the school is now a priority. Governance is good. Although it has only recently been formally constituted, the governing body has been in existence for some

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Grade: 2

time and has overseen the opening of this new school from the planning stage. They share and support the headteacher's philosophy but already hold him rigorously to account for the standards attained and the progress pupils make. The school has a good capacity to improve. 8 of 12 Inspection Report: Wellstead Primary School, 7–8 July 2009 .

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Grade: 2

in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 9 of 12 Inspection Report: Wellstead Primary School, 7–8 July 2009

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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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needs of learners?

NA 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 capacity to make any necessary improvements

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EYFS?

1 How well do children in the EYFS achieve? How good are the overall personal development and well-being of the children in the EYFS? 1 How effectively are children in the EYFS helped to learn and develop? 1 How effectively is the welfare of children in the EYFS promoted? 1 How effectively is provision in the EYFS led and managed?

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Achievement and standards

2 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 2 How well learners with learning difficulties and/or disabilities make progress

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Achievement and standards

1 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. 10 of 12 Inspection Report: Wellstead Primary School, 7–8 July 2009

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learners?

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

How well do the curriculum and other activities meet the range of needs and interests of learners? 1 How well are learners cared for, guided and supported?

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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 2 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation 2 How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination eliminated 3 How well does the school contribute to community cohesion? 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? 11 of 12 Inspection Report: Wellstead Primary School, 7–8 July 2009

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

17 July 2009 Dear Pupils Inspection of Wellstead Primary School,Southampton,SO30 2LE Thank you for being so welcoming, polite and friendly when I came to visit your new school recently. I enjoyed meeting and talking with you and looking at all your work and the exciting things that you do. You go to a good school. Here is a list of some of the things I liked best.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ You are polite and care for each other very well. Your behaviour is excellent.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ You listen carefully to all that your teachers and learning support assistants say.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ You work together very well and make all the children joining your school feel very welcome.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Your teachers are good at planning very interesting things for you to do.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ All the adults make sure you are really well looked after and you are very appreciative of all that they do. ■ The children in the Early Years Foundation Stage are given an excellent start to their school life. ■ Your headteacher and the other people who help run your school are doing a good job.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Every school, even one as good as yours, has something that could be improved.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ I have asked your teachers to try and link subjects together whenever they can, to make your work even more interesting and to give you more opportunities to use and apply all the skills you are taught. This will also help to improve the standards you attain in your work. ■ I have asked your teachers to help you develop a better understanding of the different cultures in today's United Kingdom and, in that way, to help you understand more about people's beliefs and cultures in the wider world. Yours faithfully Graham Stephens Lead Inspector 12 of 12 Inspection Report: Wellstead Primary School, 7–8 July 2009

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