Wattville Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have not ensured that pupils make the progress of which they are capable. Pupils are offered a broad curriculum but do not achieve well because teachers do not implement the curriculum consistently well. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) do not receive the support that they require to achieve their potential.

Too many pupils are not able to read well. As a result of these weaknesses, pupils are not learning what they should. This means that they are ill prepared for the next stage of their education.

In early years, leaders have not ensured that staff have the knowledge and expertise to deliver and adapt learning to meet children...'s needs. This means that children do not get the good start to their education that they deserve.

Leaders do not have effective systems in place to improve pupils' attendance.

Too many pupils do not attend school on a regular basis, particularly the most vulnerable pupils.

Pupils are polite and behave well. They are happy at school and feel safe.

Pupils demonstrate the school's values of respect, readiness, relationships and reflection.

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

Leaders do not have high enough expectations of pupils. Leaders have identified some of the areas of weakness.

However, they have not been quick enough to make the changes needed to address the significant shortfalls that exist across the school. Governors do not have the knowledge and expertise that they need in order to hold leaders to account. They have not gathered appropriate information to evaluate the work of school leaders.

They have accepted too readily what leaders have told them and so are unaware of the weaknesses in the quality of education that pupils receive.

Leaders have introduced a new phonics programme this academic year. That said, some staff lack the subject knowledge needed to teach early reading correctly.

Pupils read books that are not matched well enough to the sounds that they know. This hinders pupils from becoming fluent and confident readers. In addition, leaders do not have a sharp focus on supporting pupils who need extra help to learn to read.

This means that some pupils who are behind in reading, particularly the most disadvantaged, do not catch up as quickly as they could. As a result, too many pupils are not able to read well by the time they reach key stage 2.

Leaders have designed a carefully sequenced curriculum for all subjects, beginning in early years.

However, teachers do not deliver the curriculum consistently well and as intended. As a result, too many pupils in too many subjects do not have the opportunity to build their learning over time. This means that pupils' achievement is highly variable across different subjects and classes.

Leaders lack urgency in assessing the specific needs of pupils with SEND. For instance, pupils' targets are often vague and lack precision. Teachers have not been trained well enough to be able to support pupils with SEND.

They do not know how to adapt the delivery of the curriculum to meet these pupils' needs. As a result, pupils with SEND do not have their needs accurately identified and met.

Leaders ensure that children in early years are well cared for.

However, the curriculum is not ambitious enough. Leaders have not ensured that there is sufficient focus on children's language and communication. Staff do not routinely model and use the vocabulary that children need in a way that supports their development.

Some staff lack the expertise needed to improve children's spoken language and vocabulary. Children are therefore not well prepared for Year 1.

Many pupils, including the most vulnerable, fail to attend school regularly enough.

This is not improving. This is because leaders have not made sure that parents and carers understand the impact of frequent absence and do not take appropriate actions when pupils' absence continues.

From an early age, pupils rise to leaders' high expectations for behaviour and conduct.

Pupils are friendly, courteous and welcoming to visitors. They are well behaved and are respectful towards staff. Pupils say that adults help them to sort out any problems that they may have.

There is very little bullying, and when it does occur, staff deal with it swiftly and efficiently. Pupils know to speak to a trusted adult if they are worried or upset.

Leaders ensure that pupils learn about healthy relationships and how to stay safe.

Leaders and staff prepare pupils well to be responsible citizens in modern Britain through the planned personal development curriculum. However, the wider opportunities to develop pupils' interests are limited. Leaders have not reintroduced the wide range of enrichment activities following the COVID-19 pandemic.

Staff are positive about the school and feel well supported by leaders. They believe that leaders help them to manage their workloads. The pastoral care provided for both pupils and staff is a strength of the school.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders keep appropriate records and take effective action around any safeguarding concerns. They work with families and other agencies to get the right help at the right time to keep pupils safe.

Staff report all concerns, no matter how small, to make sure that support is put in place quickly for pupils who may be at risk of harm. Leaders check adults' suitability to work with children. Staff know how to keep pupils safe because of the safeguarding training they complete.

Teachers ensure that pupils are taught how to stay safe. Pupils know that they can talk to staff about any worries or concerns.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Leaders and governors have an overly generous view of the quality of education.

They have been too slow to implement the necessary improvements. As a result, pupils do not benefit from a good education. Leaders should ensure that they identify weaknesses and the steps they will take to address shortfalls so that pupils achieve well.

• Leaders have not ensured that the curriculum is implemented consistently well due to teachers' weak subject knowledge and pedagogical approaches. As a result, pupils do not achieve as well as they should in a range of subjects, including English and mathematics. Leaders should ensure that teachers receive further support to enable them to deliver the planned curriculum effectively in all year groups and subjects.

• In early years, leaders have not ensured that staff have the knowledge needed, especially in language and communication, to deliver and adapt the curriculum to meet children's needs. As a result, children do not always build on what they know and can do and so are not well prepared for Year 1. Leaders should ensure that staff in early years have the knowledge and understanding needed to help children to develop and learn well.

• Leaders have not ensured that pupils who have fallen behind with their reading catch up quickly enough. Some staff lack the subject knowledge required to teach reading effectively. This results in some pupils not reading as well as they should.

Leaders should ensure that pupils who have fallen behind get the help they need to become confident, fluent readers. ? Teachers have not ensured that the books pupils read are well matched to their needs. This prevents pupils from practising the sounds they have learned and impedes their progress in becoming fluent readers.

Leaders should ensure that reading books are closely matched to the sounds that pupils are learning. ? Leaders do not accurately identify the specific needs of pupils with SEND quickly enough. Additionally, pupils' individual support plans do not identify how teachers should support pupils with SEND, and therefore their needs are not well met.

Leaders should ensure that staff are able to identify pupils' needs and plan the right support. Leaders should check that this support helps pupils to be successful. ? Leaders have not taken swift and effective action to improve pupils' attendance.

Too many pupils, especially vulnerable pupils, miss too much school. Leaders should work with pupils and their families to raise expectations for all pupils' attendance. Governors lack the knowledge and expertise needed to hold leaders to account effectively.

While efforts have been made to recruit additional governors, many vacancies still exist, and governors lack the capacity to fully support and challenge leaders. The school should take additional steps to actively seek and recruit governors with the right expertise to build capacity and evaluate the work of leaders accurately. ? Leaders and those responsible for governance may not appoint early career teachers before the next monitoring inspection.