Waterbeach Community Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Waterbeach Community Primary School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Waterbeach Community Primary School is a caring and friendly place.

Staff help pupils to enjoy school, work hard and learn. Pupils get on well with each other, their teachers and other staff. They know that they can talk to staff if they have any concerns and that they will get the help they need.

The school's motto is, 'learning, laughter and friendship'. There are 'six golden rules' for behaviour. Staff make these aspirations shape each school day.

Pupils behave well. They say bullying is very rare and that adults deal with it quickly if it happens.Pupils ar...e keen to do well.

They confidently explain their learning in different subjects, including reading, history and mathematics. Parents are very supportive of the school. They believe their children are safe and well prepared for secondary school.

Pupils are very interested in the world climate and environmental conditions. Many pupils are involved in activities for saving energy and encouraging a cleaner world. In this work, they cooperate with other pupils across the country, in projects approved of by their teachers and parents.

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

Leadership, including at subject level, is strong. Leaders work well together and the school has continued to improve. They agree on how the curriculum should help all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

Leaders make sure teachers have regular training. Subject leaders have time to do their work and develop their professional skills. Leaders make sure staff are not overwhelmed by their work.

Leaders have done a lot to develop the school's curriculum. It clearly sets out in a sensible order what pupils should know at different points of the year. This helps pupils to link and remember past and current learning.

Curriculum plans set out when and how teachers should check that pupils have learned subject content. These checks provide accurate information so that teachers know what pupils have learned and can adapt their teaching to build on this.In mathematics, planning helps pupils develop knowledge and skills in a logical order.

Teachers break work down into manageable chunks which pupils can learn before moving on. Pupils practise what they are taught using suitable equipment. Teachers and other staff explain mathematical concepts skilfully.

Children learn mathematics well across the key stages. As they progress through key stage 2, pupils apply mathematical knowledge to difficult problems and in different subjects. For example, in Year 6 science, pupils make good use of their mathematics knowledge to study electrical circuits.

The history curriculum is strong. Pupils are able to recall what they have learned. Younger pupils make links between different time periods.

They can compare them. Pupils know the importance of historical events and place them in chronological order.

Leaders prioritise teaching pupils to read well.

In the early years, pupils quickly become confident when using the sounds that letters make. Any children who struggle are soon noticed and helped to overcome difficulties. In recent years, the teaching of reading was weaker in key stage 1.

Leaders have changed this and pupils' reading in this key stage is now much stronger.Most older pupils become skilled readers. They learn from a wide range of stories, poetry and traditional tales.

They move from simple to more challenging activities. Despite these strengths, some pupils in key stage 2 with SEND, and some who struggled to learn to read during key stage 1, do not read as well as they should. This is because they have limited vocabularies and do not understand the text used in some classroom resources.

The school library is well stocked. Pupils choose books which help them to practise their reading. Parents appreciate the advice they receive to support reading at home.

Pupils have many opportunities to undertake activities that interest them. These include sports and music. They enjoy school trips, including those to historic sites and the seaside.

Many pupils help the school. Some serve on their busy school council while others support its environmental campaigns. In this way, they learn vital civic skills and about democracy.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders make sure that staff understand all arrangements for keeping pupils safe. Staff receive all required safeguarding training.

Staff are watchful and know what to do if they have concerns about a child. They quickly report them to leaders, who take swift action.All safeguarding records, including pre-employment checks on staff who work at the school, are complete.

Pupils receive suitable guidance about keeping safe, including about internet safety. Pupils say that they feel confident they would receive help if they reported a concern to staff.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

Some pupils with SEND and some who struggled to learn to read during key stage 1 have a smaller range of vocabulary than they should have and do not understand some of the texts used in lessons.

They do not learn to read as well as they should in key stage 2. Leaders should check that all pupils are given suitable reading resources and the right help so that their reading develops well through key stage 2.

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 school to be good on 23–24 February 2016.

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