Warton Nethersole’s CofE Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Short inspection of Warton Nethersole's CofE Primary School

Following my visit to the school on 3 April 2019, I write on behalf of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Education, Children's Services and Skills to report the inspection findings.

The visit was the first short inspection carried out since the school was judged to be good in June 2015. This school continues to be good. The leadership team has maintained the good quality of education in the school since the last inspection.

You, your leaders and governors know your school well and have an accurate and thorough understanding of the quality of education that you provide. Leaders closely analyse information about all aspects of the school's work to ta...ke appropriate action to make further improvements. Your new school nursery, which caters for two-and three-year-olds, has strengthened early years provision.

Warton Nethersole's CofE primary school is a friendly, warm and welcoming school where respectful and caring relationships are rooted in the school's Christian ethos. Leaders set high expectations of pupils and staff, with the best interests of pupils at the heart of their work. The vast majority of parents are supportive of the school.

One parent commented, 'The school acts with the best interests of the pupils at heart and provides utmost respect and support for children's feelings.' Pupils are polite and courteous. They are happy at school and feel safe.

Pupils are extremely well behaved during social times and as they move around the school. During lessons, pupils swiftly settle to do their work. They are enthusiastic about their learning and want to do well.

Consequently, the work pupils produce is of a good standard. You and your staff have addressed the areas for improvement since the last inspection. Significant improvements in the teaching of mathematics across the school have resulted in improved outcomes for pupils, and the proportion of pupils achieving the higher standards in mathematics at the end of key stage 2 has increased.

Boys performed particularly well in mathematics in 2018 as a result of a recent school improvement priority. Staff have received training to develop their knowledge and skills in teaching the mathematics curriculum, including meeting the needs of the most able pupils in mathematics. As a result, pupils now have regular opportunities to develop their mathematical skills and reasoning.

Teachers receive effective, targeted professional development in reading, writing and mathematics. Thus, teaching across the school has improved significantly. Teachers make regular checks on pupils' learning in lessons.

They intervene when required so that pupils understand what is expected of them. This ensures that pupils remain focused on tasks and that the work they do is suitably challenging. However, in some classes, most-able pupils are not given clear enough instructions, particularly when working independently.

Governors are committed to and supportive of the school. They have a range of skills and experience that they use to offer leaders appropriate support and challenge. Governors access useful training both within the multi-academy trust and beyond.

They hold leaders to account for the performance of the school and have a good understanding of what the school does well and what needs to improve further. The school shares its development planning with other schools in the multi-academy trust. Because of these arrangements, the school's development plans are not sufficiently well focused on its own priorities.

Disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are well supported to make good progress at school. Leaders identify the barriers to learning faced by disadvantaged pupils. They have ensured specific strategies are in place to address these barriers.

Leaders regularly check the progress of disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND. Staff ensure these pupils are effectively supported to catch up in their learning, and access additional help as required. Pupils with SEND make good progress and have plans in place which are reviewed termly.

Pupils enjoy the range of sport on offer that is well planned and enables pupils to achieve their personal best, and compete in school, locally and regionally. The sports premium is used effectively to ensure all pupils have access to a range of sporting activities. This is a strength of the school.

Sports coaches offer a range of activities for pupils in key stage 2 during lunchtime and in lessons. They are excellent role models for pupils, providing an extensive range of sports opportunities, including golf and canoeing. Safeguarding is effective.

The leadership team has ensured that all safeguarding arrangements are fit for purpose. Leaders ensure that appropriate vetting and barring checks on staff and governors are undertaken prior to them undertaking work in the school. Staff value the regular training, support and advice.

Staff training is up to date and in line with statutory requirements. Governors work closely with the school to ensure that safeguarding arrangements are thorough. Rigorous systems are in place to carry out checks on different aspects of safeguarding, including staff training and staff recruitment.

Staff are kept up to date on new and emerging risks. They understand the importance of being vigilant and identifying pupils' needs early. Staff have a clear understanding of the signs that might indicate a child is at risk of harm.

Early help is provided where necessary for those pupils and families who need it. Staff are clear on the processes to follow should they have concerns about a child's safety or welfare. Leaders respond appropriately to any concerns raised and make timely referrals to external agencies when necessary.

These are appropriately recorded. Inspection findings ? In 2018, pupils' attainment in reading at the end of key stage 2 was below the the national average, particularly at the higher standard. Not enough pupils in key stage 1 had achieved greater depth in 2017 and 2018.

You analysed the pupil information and identified reasons for this. You responded well to this dip by refining your approaches to the teaching of reading across the school and raising staff expectations of pupils. Consequently, the quality of teaching has improved.

• You have successfully improved the culture of reading across the school. Pupils enjoy reading texts during lessons and reading to adults. They now have access to high-quality literature in lessons and to take home to practise their reading skills.

• Staff have received training to improve their knowledge and skills in teaching reading and their understanding of how this links with the teaching of writing. As a result, reading and writing are now successfully taught together. Teachers show pupils how to read and write using high-quality texts from a range of genres.

This has been well received and, as a result, the teaching of reading and writing has significantly improved across the school. ? Pupils now apply their reading knowledge and skills to their writing in lessons. As a result, more pupils across the school are working at least in line with the national average, and more pupils are working at the higher standard.

Key staff have received training on how to support weaker readers and writers, which is successfully enabling pupils who fall behind to catch up. ? Some pupils in key stage 2 have not received enough support with spelling in the past. As a result, pupils still have difficulties with spelling, which is evident in pupils' work.

• Good phonics teaching in the early years ensures that pupils get off to a good start with their reading. In the new nursery provision, children have a repertoire of songs and rhymes that they enjoy performing using actions and musical instruments. In the Reception class, children are shown how to use their phonics skills when writing to help them spell words correctly.

• Teachers plan work to meet the needs of learners, and check on their learning during lessons so that they understand what is expected of them. However, in some classes, the most able pupils are not given clear enough instructions, especially when they are working on their own. Next steps for the school Leaders and those responsible for governance should ensure that: ? development plans focus on the specific improvement priorities of the school ? teachers give clear instructions to pupils, especially the most able, so that they know what is expected of them, particularly when working independently ? teachers provide pupils with effective support to improve their spelling skills, particularly in upper key stage 2.

I am copying this letter to the chair of the governing body, the chief executive officer of the multi-academy trust, the director of education for the Diocese of Birmingham, the regional schools commissioner and the director of children's services for Warwickshire. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website. Yours sincerely Lorraine Lord Ofsted Inspector Information about the inspection During the inspection, I held a meeting with you and senior leaders.

I had a telephone conversation with the chair of the multi-academy trust. I met with five governors, including the chair of governors. I spoke to pupils.

I made short visits to seven lessons and looked at books from a range of pupils. I spoke to parents at the start of the day and considered 29 free-text responses to Ofsted's online questionnaire, Parent View. I also considered the responses from Ofsted's online questionnaire for staff.