Wavendon Gate School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud to be part of the Wavendon Gate School community. They enjoy coming to school and tackling the challenges of the school's ambitious and interesting curriculum. Pupils benefit from a wide range of different trips and visitors to enhance their experiences in school.

The school's values underpin the life of the school. For example, pupils know the importance of friendship, kindness and respect. Pupils are friendly and welcoming.

Their sensible behaviour helps to create a calm, purposeful and happy atmosphere around the school. Pupils say that bullying is rare. They say that if pupils are unkind to one another their teachers sort it out quickly.

...Pupils are also encouraged to persevere and have self-belief. Because of this, they develop positive attitudes to learning. They show interest and enthusiasm in their lessons.

They are eager to talk about their learning. Pupils take great pride in serving their school community, performing important roles such as play leader, librarian, school council representative and house captain.

Pupils know that if they have any worries, they can go to the 'rainbow room' and talk them through with one of the learning mentors.

Pupils appreciate the reassurance and support this provides.

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

Leaders have created a culture of high expectations for all, including for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The members of this dedicated team of staff share these expectations.

Leaders and staff work together as a team. They continually explore what needs to be improved, and they work hard to bring about the changes needed. They are ably supported and challenged in this work by the school's governing body.

Leaders have developed a thorough programme of training and development to support staff to be the best that they can be.

Leaders have devised an ambitious curriculum. In most subjects, they have adopted schemes of work that outline in detail the important knowledge and skills that pupils need to be taught.

In a small number of subjects, for instance in art and design and in computing, leaders have not outlined this content in enough detail. This is also the case with the early years curriculum. In a small number of areas, leaders are yet to plan the small steps of learning that will support children's development.

Leaders are addressing this and have already made a good start.

Teachers have good subject knowledge about the subjects they teach. Most of the time they explain important concepts accurately and clearly.

They show pupils what they need to do to be successful in their learning. Pupils respond well. They work hard during lessons, concentrating on their work and persevering.

However, at times and particularly where schemes of work are new, teachers do not adapt their teaching well enough to meet all pupils' needs.

Leaders make learning to read a priority. Pupils love to read.

They enjoy the books and stories that they share as a class. Children get started on the basics of reading quickly. Teachers follow a clearly structured programme of phonics.

They give children and pupils books to practise the sounds they have learned in class. While most children and pupils develop a good understanding of the different sounds that letters make, some struggle to blend sounds together to read words. This is because some staff do not always use the phonics programme effectively enough to help these children and pupils catch up quickly.

Teachers use assessment well in most subjects to check what pupils have remembered of the curriculum. Teachers and leaders use this information to plan effective support and resources for pupils who need extra help, including pupils with SEND. This means that pupils and children in early years, including those with SEND, achieve well.

They remember what they have been taught and use this knowledge when learning new things. In the subjects that are not yet planned in sufficient detail, staff are unable to identify the gaps in pupils' knowledge as effectively. In these subjects, pupils sometimes find it tricky to remember their learning.

Pupils learn about diversity and difference. They develop a good understanding of different faiths and cultures. They are respectful and accepting of the views and differences of others.

Pupils say that it is important to treat people fairly and 'as you would want other people to treat you'.

Leaders place great importance on keeping healthy, both physically and mentally. An array of sporting clubs are offered, including trampolining, cross country and tennis.

Pupils complete the golden mile three times a week. Breaktimes provide a range of activities to keep pupils active. Pupils have also followed a mental health orienteering course, learning about strategies to keep themselves mentally healthy.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Safeguarding pupils is leaders' number one priority. Leaders have created a culture where all staff keep pupils' safety and well-being in the forefront of their minds.

Leaders train all staff so that they are vigilant to make sure that pupils are kept safe. Leaders make sure that pupils and their families get the help they need.

Leaders plan a range of different opportunities for pupils to learn how to keep themselves safe.

Pupils understand the importance of healthy relationships. They develop a good understanding of how to keep themselves 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, including a small number of areas of the early years curriculum, the order in which pupils and children will learn important knowledge and skills is not as clear as it should be.

Leaders need to make clearer the small steps of learning that pupils and children will make in these subjects so that they are able to fully achieve the curriculum's ambitious outcomes. Because of this, the transition statements have been applied. ? Sometimes staff do not adapt their teaching to meet the needs of all pupils.

Leaders need to extend their programme of staff training. They also need to share examples of best practice across the school so that all staff deliver curriculum plans confidently and consistently. This will enable staff to make adaptations to their teaching when necessary, including in phonics, so that their teaching better meets the needs of all pupils.

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