Walworth School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Walworth School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils' behaviour at Walworth School is exemplary. All staff have high expectations for pupils' learning and behaviour. Staff teach pupils how to manage their feelings and be kind to one another.

Pupils value this and the additional support that they receive from other health professionals when they feel anxious or worried. They say that this helps them to feel calm.

Pupils receive a warm welcome when they arrive at the beginning of the school day.

Adults check that they are happy. Pupils are confident to speak to adults if they are worried or need help, which is quickly given. T...hey know that staff care about them.

This has helped to create a 'Walworth family' culture. These positive relationships built on mutual respect and trust ensure that pupils feel safe and are happy and ready to learn.

Pupils enjoy taking part in a range of activities and festivals.

These include orienteering, wellness activities, games, alternate sports and tri-golf. This helps to build pupils' confidence. The summer fête and prom are annual events that all pupils look forward to.

Pupils have regular opportunities to influence and change aspects of the school's offer. They discuss topics through the 'smart council', such as which new activities they would like to participate in during lunchtime.

Adults' understanding of pupils' wishes and interests enables them to personalise their experiences.

For example, some pupils have opportunities to help members of the school team who act as their role model for the day, such as the caretaker and receptionists.

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

Leaders have raised expectations of what pupils can achieve. Pupils enjoy lessons and take pride in the work that they produce.

They are happy to participate in class discussions and share their ideas, particularly when discussing topics in personal, social and health education (PSHE), such as family. Through PSHE, pupils learn fundamental knowledge and skills that help them to develop as well-rounded individuals. This includes learning about relationships, including what makes a good friend.

They learn how to stay safe both on- and offline, as well as about topics that contribute to their social and emotional development.

Pupils enjoy learning to read. They have a range of books that they can choose from in order to spark their love of reading.

They participate in every lesson, eager to show their teacher what they know. Many pupils start school unable to read. They quickly grasp new sounds and progress rapidly.

This is a result of effective planning and delivery of lessons by staff who receive regular training. Pupils read every day. Staff quickly correct any mispronunciation of letters and words.

Pupils gain confidence and learn to read with fluency and accuracy.

In most subjects, the important knowledge that pupils need to learn is successfully identified. Teachers plan activities that help pupils to stay on task and be ready to learn.

Teachers check what pupils know. Pupils receive support when they have not understood what has been taught. As a result, pupils progress well.

However, in a small number of subjects, the exact knowledge that pupils should remember is not clear enough. This makes it difficult for teachers to check what pupils have learned. In addition, staff have not received training to help them plan activities in these few subjects that will enable pupils to remember the content.

The mental health and well-being of pupils are of the utmost priority. The school has introduced a new 'relational and supporting behaviour policy'. Staff receive extensive training to enable them to support effectively those pupils with social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs.

Staff help pupils to understand that rewards can make them feel good about themselves. This contributes towards a calm and purposeful environment in which pupils want to do well. Pupils who are new to the school, and who in many cases have previously had a negative experience of education, quickly settle and thrive.

Pupils beam when they receive 'Well-being Wednesday' certificates for the positive behaviours they display.

Leaders carefully plan opportunities for pupils to engage in a range of experiences, such as visits to the beach or museums or trips to the theatre. This helps to promote pupils' cultural and social development.

Governors have a clear understanding of the strengths of the school and what they need to do to develop it further. They offer a good level of challenge that results in improvements in the school.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In a few foundation subjects, the exact knowledge that pupils need to learn is not planned precisely enough. This means that staff cannot check gaps in pupils' learning. Some staff do not have the necessary skills to plan activities that will help pupils remember what they are being taught.

As a result, pupils miss opportunities to learn crucial knowledge. Leaders should continue to develop their curriculum in these subjects, ensuring that staff have appropriate training to enable them to deliver this effectively.

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 second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in January 2018.