Waterloo Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Waterloo Primary School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Waterloo is a friendly and welcoming school.

Pupils told the inspector that they would make friends with anyone new to the school. They feel happy and safe because they are well supported by adults. Staff know their pupils well.

Pupils are confident and resilient learners. They achieve well in the school.Pupils thrive on the opportunities that they receive to take on responsibilities.

Anti-bullying ambassadors and mental-health champions look out for pupils who may be feeling anxious. Pupils encourage friendships and seek out adult support to help resolve any differences.... Leaders and staff have high expectations of pupils' behaviour and achievement.

Pupils behave well in school and staff deal swiftly with any issues of bullying.Leaders and staff plan many activities to develop and support pupils' mental and physical well-being. The school council, with the support of leaders, has established an outdoor gym and exercise course accessed by pupils daily.

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

Leaders have set a clear curriculum framework for staff to follow in each subject. Subject content is organised in a logical order. In most subjects, leaders and staff, including those in early years, have thought carefully about the essential knowledge that they want children and pupils to learn.

Leaders ensure that staff have access to training and expert advice. This means that teachers are well equipped to plan and teach activities that help pupils remember what they are taught. This helps pupils to achieve well.

However, in a small number of subjects, some teachers are not as confident in their subject knowledge. At times, this limits pupils' achievement as these teachers are less sure about delivering the curriculum content.Teachers typically use assessment strategies well to check on pupils' learning.

They adapt the curriculum appropriately when they spot that pupils are not sure of new ideas and concepts. This helps pupils to make the progress that they should through the curriculum.Leaders make certain that reading is a focus for all pupils.

They provide pupils with skilful support to develop early reading skills. Pupils talked with enthusiasm about reading. They recognise its importance to other subjects.

Pupils told the inspector that without reading they would not understand their learning in other subjects as well.Teachers and teaching assistants in the Reception classes ensure that children gain confidence in their early ready skills. They help children to learn the sounds that letters represent in a logical manner.

Teachers make sure that the books that children in the early years, and pupils in key stage 1, read and match the sounds that they know. This means they become fluent and accurate readers by the end of Year 2. Pupils who need to catch up are given suitable support so that they can keep up with their peers.

Pupils behave well in class and around the school. Low-level disruption is infrequent. If it does occur, it is managed well by staff.

This means that pupils can learn free from distraction.Leaders and staff teach pupils to be thoughtful, respectful citizens. Pupils learn to value the views, beliefs and faiths of others as well as respecting people who have different abilities or who have different family structures.

There are many activities to develop and support pupils' mental and physical well-being.Pupils with SEND within the main school and in the specially resourced provision for pupils with SEND (specially resourced provision) are supported well. Leaders accurately assess the needs of pupils with SEND.

As a result, they have established a curriculum that is ambitious for all.Leaders have carefully managed staff's workload. Staff told the inspector that they feel well supported by leaders.

Leaders have invested in staff training and successful partnerships to support the school's development. Staff value being part of the school team.Governors know the school well.

They value the well-being of everyone. Governors keep themselves up to date with regular training. This enables them to effectively support and challenge the work of school leaders.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders ensure that staff know how to keep pupils safe. Staff talked confidently about how they would respond if they had concerns about a pupil.

Leaders work closely together to ensure that the most vulnerable pupils and their families are supported with a range of services when there is a need to do so.Pupils are taught about risk. They know how to keep themselves safe and healthy.

They also know how to keep safe when online.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In a small number of subjects, some teachers are not as confident in their subject knowledge as they are in other areas. This sometimes gets in the way of them delivering the ambitious curriculum as well as leaders intend.

This limits pupils' achievement. Leaders should ensure that all staff have the subject knowledge that they need to deliver the full curriculum.

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 or outstanding school, because it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, 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 deem the section 8 inspection as a section 5 inspection immediately.

This is the first section 8 inspection since we judged the school to be good on 16 and 17 November 2016.