The Waterloo School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

The Waterloo School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

This is a caring school that supports pupils' special educational needs well. Pupils arrive having had a difficult time in their earlier education. Right from the start, staff let every pupil know that they can achieve well.

Pupils know the adults in school value them as individuals. At this school, they learn to develop trust, confidence and an interest in learning. Rewards help pupils to concentrate well on their learning activities.

Finding supportive friends helps to make the school day enjoyable.

Pupils are settled because teachers have a thorough understanding of how to... meet emotional needs. Support staff are always on hand to help pupils with their behaviour and learning.

Over time, pupils find helpful ways to cope with their anxieties and angry feelings. Older pupils told inspectors that the school has 'majorly improved' their behaviour. Parents and carers told inspectors that their family lives have 'turned around' as a result of their children now feeling happy and safe at school.

Incidents of bullying are rare. Pupils know that they must tell a trusted adult. Staff sort out concerns quickly to prevent them happening again.

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

The headteacher's belief in 'learning for life' lies at the heart of the school's provision. A skilful staff team supports this aim. Staff do all that they can to ensure that pupils learn in a positive and safe environment.

Sometimes, individual pupils cannot manage their feelings. Staff are expert in managing these incidents so that they do not interrupt the flow of learning.

Pupils start at the school, often having missed a lot of learning.

By the time that pupils transfer to secondary school, they are beginning to catch up. There is a strong culture of developing pupils' language, literacy and number skills. Reading is a top priority throughout the school.

For example, pupils listen to stories and read with an adult every day. Paired reading sessions help pupils to develop confidence in reading. Reading helps pupils to talk about books and develop their language skills.

Pupils develop an impressive understanding of vocabulary. The need to teach phonics is new to the school. A few younger pupils need to be allowed further practice, to develop their phonics learning.

Teachers and other adults are making sure this happens.

Teachers use their assessments well, particularly in mathematics. They identify what pupils already know and can do.

Teachers then work out what pupils need to learn next. In mathematics, teachers make sure that pupils cover the right areas of learning in the right order. Pupils become confident to understand how numbers work through the use of practical apparatus.

This encourages them to try more challenging work.Teachers do their utmost to make sure that lessons help pupils to improve their self-esteem, mental and/or physical health. A broad range of subjects motivates pupils well.

Many pupils say that physical education (PE) is their favourite subject. Well-planned lessons help pupils to develop skills and improve their performance. They enjoy exciting experiences, such as trampolining, judo, boxing and water sports.

Pupils learn to understand their own and others' feelings. For example, in personal, social and health education (PSHE), older pupils reflected on what 'belonging' means to them. In some subjects, including in PSHE, the content is not always sequenced as well as it could be to build on previous knowledge.

Teachers use plans that are specific to individual pupils. They also use leaders' subject planning. On occasion, the different layers of planning do not link well to meet pupils' needs.

This means that lesson content is not always well matched to pupils' next steps in learning.

Leaders and governors value their staff team. Everyone enjoys working at the school.

Leaders are considerate of teachers' workload.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

The designated leader is supported by a team of deputies.

They ensure that the school's work to support pupils and their families has the very highest priority. Staff are alert to even the smallest changes that might suggest a safeguarding concern. They record observations diligently so that leaders are quickly aware.

Leaders work closely with a wide range of agencies who offer family support. Leaders make timely referrals to help families have the support they need. The governing body ensures that the school follows agreed safeguarding procedures.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

The school's curriculum is not yet sufficiently coherently planned and sequenced in some subjects. However, it is clear from the actions that leaders have already taken that they are in the process of bringing this about. Leaders have not established how subject planning aligns with the academic learning objectives identified in pupils' individual education plans.

Leaders need to refine their curriculum planning so that the personalised approaches they value can link clearly with the key content in each subject. . Leaders have identified that the teaching of phonics will benefit a small number of younger pupils who are new to the school, so that they develop fluency in reading.

Staff training has begun to enhance classroom practice, but the phonics programme is not fully implemented. Leaders should strengthen the school's early reading expertise so that key stage 1 pupils, in particular, rapidly and securely develop effective skills in phonics.

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 a section 8 inspection of a good school or non-exempt outstanding school. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find some evidence that the school could now be better than good or that standards may be declining, then the next inspection will be a section 5 inspection.

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the section 8 inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will convert the section 8 inspection to a section 5 inspection immediately.

This is the first section 8 inspection since we judged The Waterloo School to be good on 4–5 May 2016.