East Wittering Community Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

East Wittering Community Primary School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy learning at this inclusive and nurturing school. In the words of the school's vision, pupils are happy to be 'growing together'.

Leaders know the pupils and their families well. One parent commented, reflecting the views of many, 'It is a lovely school with caring teachers. My children are very happy at the school.'



Leaders are ambitious for all pupils to achieve their best, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Leaders' high aspirations for pupils are underpinned by the school's values of 'Be kind. Be Co...nfident.

Be Creative. Be Happy. Be Safe'.

Teachers provide pupils with a huge range of exciting learning activities based on these values.

Pupils behave well around the school. Pupils are polite and kind to each other during break times.

They do not worry about bullying because it rarely happens. When bullying does happen, staff listen to pupils and are swift to deal with any concerns. Pupils feel safe in school.

They are calm, respectful and engage well with their teachers in lessons. Pupils work hard and are serious about their learning.

Pupils benefit from a range of leadership roles that develop their confidence.

Examples of these include pupils leading breaktime activities as playground leaders or older pupils supporting Reception children in the dining hall. In addition, pupils take their responsibility for the local environment seriously, and many are enthusiastic 'eco-warriors' or 'ocean cleaners'. These experiences prepare them well for later life when working with different people.

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

Leaders have designed an ambitious and well-sequenced curriculum that sets out the precise knowledge pupils will learn. Teachers know what pupils have already learned, so they can build on this and make connections with new learning. Teachers are effective in adapting activities well to make sure that all pupils, including those with SEND, understand and remember new knowledge.

Teachers use resources skilfully to ensure pupils gain confidence. There are clear systems in place to identify and meet the needs of pupils with SEND, so they engage well with their lessons and learn effectively.

Leaders have made sure there is a consistent approach across all subjects for teachers to check pupils' understanding.

Teachers frequently check if there are gaps in pupils' learning before moving on to the next steps. As a result, pupils progress well through the curriculum overall. However, there are some inconsistencies in teachers' subject knowledge.

Consequently, not all pupils are achieving as well as they could across the curriculum. Leaders know this and are organising training to improve teachers' subject knowledge.

Leaders are passionate about prioritising reading.

Most teachers have a secure understanding about the sounds, words and texts pupils should be able to read. Pupils read books that are carefully matched to the phonics sounds that they know. Teachers listen to pupils read frequently and quickly identify pupils who are beginning to fall behind.

Teachers provide these pupils with effective support so that they catch up quickly. The majority of pupils develop into confident, fluent readers. However, there are some relatively minor inconsistencies in the teaching of reading that mean that some pupils do not learn to read as rapidly as they could.

Good-quality books are central to each topic that pupils study. Teachers routinely read to pupils from a carefully chosen selection of books. As a result, many pupils develop a love of reading and talk with enthusiasm about the learning that is sparked by different texts.

In Reception, for example, pupils learn how to paint cross-sections of fruit after reading 'The Hungry Caterpillar'.

Leaders prioritise pupils' wider development. Pupils are encouraged to become responsible and active citizens.

Pupils are taught about equality and diversity and are prepared well for life in modern Britain. Leaders provide opportunities for pupils to develop their interests. For example, many enjoy opportunities to keep themselves physically fit by taking part in the school's 'daily mile' fitness challenge or 'skip to be fit'.

Staff enjoy working at this school. Leaders have appointed a staff 'well-being lead' to ensure workload and well-being are considered in all decisions. Staff value this.

The headteacher and senior leaders know what the school needs to do to improve and are implementing strategies to ensure all pupils can achieve success. There is a healthy collaborative ethos in the school.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

There is a strong culture of safeguarding. Leaders, staff and governors are fully aware of their safeguarding responsibilities. All staff know what to do to raise concerns about pupils' safety.

Leaders have set up clear and robust systems for recording and monitoring pupils who might be at risk. Leaders work effectively with external agencies to ensure families get help when they need it. Leaders have ensured that statutory training has been kept up to date.

Pupils know how to keep themselves safe in a range of situations. For example, they know not to share personal information online.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• A few staff members are not fully equipped with the knowledge to teach early reading.

This means that some pupils do not learn to read as quickly as they could. Leaders should ensure that all staff are provided with high-quality training so they have the essential skills to teach phonics effectively so that all pupils make strong progress in reading. ? Some teachers' subject knowledge is stronger in some subjects than others.

This means that pupils do not achieve as well as they could across all subjects. Leaders should continue to deepen teachers' subject knowledge in all subjects so that pupils will be able to achieve exceptionally well across the curriculum.

Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good.

This is called an ungraded inspection and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act.

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in June 2017.

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