Walcott Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils say that they enjoy school and that everyone is welcome. Pupils' attendance has improved recently. Pupils know why it is important to attend school every day.

Parents value the support which leaders have put in place to help to improve attendance.

Pupils know that teachers want the best for all pupils and describe teachers as being 'firm but fair'. Pupils respect each other and their school equipment.

Pupils help each other with their work if they get stuck. Parents and carers are positive about the school. They know that staff care.

One parent commented that: 'The staff at the primary school truly care about all aspects of our children's lear...ning.'

Bullying rarely happens. Pupils are confident that their teachers will help solve any issues quickly.

All pupils know who their trusted adult is. Pupils behave well in lessons. The school is a calm environment, where pupils can focus on learning.

Pupils are proud to hold leadership positions, such as sports leader. The sports leaders help organise games at lunchtime.

Leaders know their pupils well.

Leaders are not always recording and following up concerns about pupils' welfare quickly enough, particularly for more vulnerable pupils.

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

Reading has a high priority at this school. Leaders have made sure that all staff have received training in how to help pupils learn to read.

Teachers deliver the school's phonics programme well. If pupils fall behind with their reading, leaders work swiftly to help pupils catch up. Pupils in the early years foundation stage and key stage 1 read daily to an adult.

Pupils enjoy reading as the books in school are high quality. Books are matched well to pupils' abilities. Leaders have developed a 'reading for pleasure' curriculum.

Teachers read to pupils with great expression and excitement. Pupils copy this when they read to each other or another adult.

The curriculum is well sequenced and planned from the Reception Year to Year 6.

Teachers have good subject knowledge. They present information and explain concepts clearly. However, teachers do not always check well enough to determine what pupils have learned.

Leaders have recently introduced a new assessment system. Teachers are not always using this information accurately to inform what pupils should learn next. This means that, sometimes, the work can be too easy.

In all classrooms, relationships between staff and pupils are positive. This means that pupils are able to ask for extra help when needed. Most pupils can remember what they have been taught.

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) access the full curriculum. Leaders identify SEND needs accurately and plan how to meet these needs. In the classroom, SEND pupils are not always provided with appropriate strategies to access their learning.

This means that SEND pupils do not always make the progress that they could.

Leaders have created a positive learning environment. Pupils enjoy the positive rewards that they gain for good work and for behaving well.

Pupils are enthusiastic in lessons and ask curious questions about their learning. In early years, children share the equipment and take turns. Children in early years support each other by dividing up tasks and working as a team.

Adults model high-quality conversations to engage the youngest children in learning.

Leaders have created an effective curriculum that extends beyond an academic focus. Pupils learn about the importance of eating healthily and healthy relationships.

Pupils can recall this learning and know why it is important. Pupils have a strong understanding of equality and respect. Pupils engage with sports clubs.

There is high attendance at these clubs. Leaders provide opportunities for pupils to compete in sporting activities against other schools. Pupils would like to have the opportunity to also attend non-sporting clubs, which would help to develop their creativity.

Leaders have planned for pupils to visit museums to wider their experiences. Children in early years enjoyed a visit to a museum based around their topic of transport. Pupils do learn about cultures and religions which are different to their own.

Some pupils cannot remember their learning about different religions.

Leaders are considerate of staff well-being. Staff feel highly valued.

They have had access to high-quality training, including national recognised qualifications. Staff say that they are proud to work at this school.

Leaders are determined to bring about further changes to the school.

Governors understand their statutory role. Recent changes to the governing body mean that some governors are very new to their role. The governing body and leaders need processes in place to ensure that safeguarding incidents are adequately recorded.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders accurately identify pupils who are at risk of harm. Staff attend regular training.

Leaders know their families well. Leaders support families to gain additional help when needed. Leaders communicate with external agencies.

Leaders do not always record their actions accurately or in enough detail. This means that leaders do not use their recording systems well enough to identify patterns in the change of pupils' behaviour.

The curriculum teaches pupils to keep themselves safe, including when using technology.

Pupils remember this information and know how to report any concerns to a trusted adult.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Leaders have put in place a new system to record their safeguarding concerns. While leaders record a lot of information about pupils, some of the actions that have been taken are not always recorded or the outcomes of their decisions.

This presents a risk that key information could be missed. Leaders should ensure that all their actions and subsequent outcomes are recorded clearly on their system to strengthen their arrangements for safeguarding. ? Leaders are the early stage of putting in place a more systematic approach to checking on pupils' learning.

In some subjects, teachers are checking on pupils learning closely, but are not always using this information well enough to inform the next steps in learning for pupils. In other subjects, a few teachers are not fully clear about what pupils know and can do. This limits pupils' progress.

Leaders need to ensure that the new system is more securely in place, so that teachers are able to use the information to plan appropriate learning steps for pupils. ? Leaders have accurately identified the pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and have a clear map of how they intend to help pupils. Nevertheless, at this stage, the implementation of the plans is not consistent.

For instance, scaffolds for learning are not always appropriate to the task. This hinders pupils' progress. Leaders should ensure that teachers are able to provide consistently high-level support for pupils with SEND.