Waulud Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Waulud Primary School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at Waulud Primary School are respectful, confident and resilient.

Pupils are happy and safe in a warm, supportive environment. They are proud and are enthusiastic to share their school experience with visitors.

Pupils respond well to the high expectations that staff have of them.

They are enthusiastic readers. Most pupils are determined to stretch themselves and read more challenging books. They enjoy the books and stories they read.

Pupils learn in a calm, purposeful climate, without distraction. Pupils respect each other and play safely in open spaces. The...re are few cases of bullying.

Pupils understand that bullying is unkind behaviour repeated over time. Pupils are confident if they report bullying it will be dealt with quickly.

Pupils are proud to be part of a wider community.

Pupils take their social responsibilities seriously and want to help each other. Older pupils act as mentors and role models for younger pupils. For example, digital leaders provide information and advice to help younger pupils understand how to stay safe online.

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

Leaders prioritise reading. Leaders have ensured that adults are trained in the phonics programme. This training supports teachers to deliver the programme with consistency.

Pupils learn, from the early years, how to sound and blend words. Resources are carefully selected to match pupils' phonics level. Teachers use their strong subject knowledge to assess pupils' understanding.

Teachers are quick to spot pupils at risk of falling behind. They provide rapid, targeted and effective support for these pupils. This includes extra help in lessons and tailored catch-up programmes.

Over time, many pupils become fluent and proficient readers. To expand their wider knowledge, pupils read from a range of fiction and non-fiction books.Leaders have broken down complex learning goals into small manageable chunks.

In some subjects, the description of these small component parts is detailed, helping teachers to plan lessons effectively. Knowing what pupils need to learn, teachers can accurately assess understanding and successfully adapt their teaching.

Leaders are aware of the importance of detailed curriculum planning that progresses learning from the early years to Year 6.

In the subjects where this planning is complete, early years teachers clearly understand what pupils need to know to succeed in Key Stage 1. Teachers of Year 1 understand what pupils have learned. Children learn and accurately use subject-specific vocabulary.

However, there are subjects that lack this clarity. This makes it more difficult for teachers in Key Stage 1 to link new learning to prior knowledge and help pupils remember more over time.Leaders have implemented a project to raise the attainment of disadvantaged pupils.

This is in its early stages but is already beginning to have a positive impact on pupils' ambition and confidence. Pupils are learning more and remembering more.

Leaders have set high expectations of pupils' behaviour.

All pupils and teachers understand these. Teachers use the school systems consistently and fairly. Pupils behave well in lessons and around school.

They are respectful and talk kindly to each other.

Since the full reopening of schools following the pandemic, leaders have been actively encouraging all pupils to attend school regularly. Despite this, some pupils miss too much school.

Leaders have designed programmes to support pupils catch up. However, some pupils' levels of absence means that they do not learn enough of the curriculum. They fall behind their peers and are less prepared for the next stage of learning.

Staff have high expectations of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Leaders involve pupils, parents and appropriate specialists to arrange suitable support. Plans setting out this support are clear, which helps teachers to put the support in place.

Leaders, including governors, check these adjustments carefully. They use these checks to work alongside teachers to ensure that all pupils can make progress.

Pupils learn about how to be positive contributors to their community.

The well-being curriculum helps pupils understand, value and celebrate differences. They understand their role in society and actively work to be a positive influence. Some act as eco-leaders who maintain the environment around the school.

Others manage the activity equipment at play times. Pupils enjoy an extensive range of opportunities, for example, in sports, performance and creative subjects. These opportunities nurture their interests and talents.

Staff feel well supported. Leaders are approachable and listen to concerns. Staff value the consideration leaders, including governors, give to how initiatives impact on their workload.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders oversee robust and effective training and reporting systems. Staff rapidly identify and report concerns about pupils.

Leaders action these appropriately, engaging with families and external agencies. Governors check leaders' and staff's work in this area carefully. Leaders complete suitable checks before adults start to work or volunteer in the school.

Pupils learn how to stay safe, through the well-being curriculum and specific events, such as the online safety day. All pupils know how to use the classroom display to show how they are feeling or if they need to talk to an adult.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In a few subjects, teachers are not as well supported as they could be in understanding how learning progresses from early years to Year 1.

This means, in those subjects, children are not as well prepared for Year 1 as they are in others. Leaders should ensure they set out the specific words, concepts and skills pupils should learn from the Nursery Year to Year 1, to help teachers teach all subjects confidently and well. ? Some pupils miss too many school sessions.

They miss out on aspects of the curriculum. Leaders need to ensure that attendance levels improve, so that all pupils have full access to the curriculum, and all pupils progress well.

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 November 2012.