Waverley Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Waverley Primary school has improved a lot in the past couple of years.

Reading is given a high priority in school. When asked by inspectors if they like to read, pupils' eyes sparkled as they described the kind of stories that interest them. Bullying is rare.

Pupils are confident that staff take it seriously and sort issues out quickly. Pupils appreciate the many opportunities to learn outside of the classroom. This is a regular occurrence as staff look to provide pupils with the chance to see and experience the world beyond Newcastle.

Pupils say they feel safe in school and out on trips. Leaders have a detailed understanding about the risks pupils might fac...e online or in the local area. A wide range of professionals visit the school to help pupils learn how to be safe.

Pupils are polite. They work well with their friends and their teachers in class. A very small minority of pupils need reminding now and again to do their very best.

However, teachers are experts at giving pupils a sideways glance, a nod or a hand gesture to bring them back on track. Teachers expect a lot from pupils in terms of their effort and behaviour. As a result, low-level disruption is rare.

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

After the previous inspection, governors strengthened the senior leadership team by appointing a deputy headteacher and assistant headteacher. The headteacher and these staff now provide strong leadership. They know the school well and have developed effective systems to review and improve the school.

Governors possess wide-ranging skills and professional expertise. They hold staff to account and ensure that the school's finances are spent on the things that have the most impact on pupils' learning. Staff morale is extremely high.

Many staff described how the headteacher goes 'beyond the call of duty' to support them both professionally and personally.

Staff have been successful in their efforts to improve the reading, writing and mathematics curriculums. Lessons are planned to ensure that pupils revisit the most important content.

In a mathematics lesson, pupils were able to use a number line to subtract a one-digit number from a larger two-digit number. This lesson followed on from pupils' previous work using smaller numbers some time ago. Pupils' attainment in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of key stage 2 has increased considerably over the past three years.

Leaders continue to invest heavily in reading books and phonics schemes. This is helping to ensure that more books are available for pupils to read for pleasure and that match their reading ability. Sometimes, staff are too quick to give the answers to pupils who need help with their reading.

Occasionally, staff can miss opportunities to support pupils who have speech and language difficulties. Pupils' writing is improving. However, spelling and handwriting continues to be an issue for some pupils.

Nearly three in every four pupils meet the expected standard in their reading by the end of Year 1. This represents strong progress from pupils' low starting points when they join school in Reception or Nursery.The school's curriculum is not yet sufficiently coherently planned and sequenced in most subjects.

However, it is clear from the actions that leaders have already taken to plan next year's curriculum and train staff in how to deliver it that they are in the process of bringing this about.

Pupils' attendance and behaviour are much improved. Support for families in relation to both issues is much better than it used to be.

Pupils' behaviour in and around the school is of a high standard.

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) do well. Staff have an awareness of who these pupils are and what they can do to help them with their learning.

Feedback from parents and carers of pupils with SEND is very positive. One parent spoke for others when saying, 'The staff have been absolutely amazing with the care and management of my child's needs. I could not have asked for more from them.'



Children in the early years get off to a good start. In Nursery, children learn to read right from the off. By week three, children start to hold a pen or pencil and draw letter shapes.

This more formal approach to learning is successfully supplemented by an interesting and playful learning environment. Children are encouraged to read and write in the shopping corner or in the doctor's surgery. Children play happily together, and friendships are blossoming.

The school's aims of developing 'culture, character and career' are central to the work of staff. Pupils' understanding about world religions is strong. They visit the local church and sing at civic events.

Pupils, including those with SEND, spoke to inspectors with enthusiasm when they described how much they enjoyed the various after-school clubs that include fencing, football, curling and dodgeball.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

There is an 'it can happen here' culture in the school.

Staff take safeguarding very seriously. They are well trained to spot the signs that might suggest a pupil is suffering or is at risk of suffering abuse, neglect or harm. Leaders take swift action when a pupil stops attending school.

They liaise closely with professionals and the police to ensure that pupils are located and safe. Pupils know who to speak to if they are worried and staff know how to pass on any disclosures.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

Leaders have worked hard to improve the reading, writing and mathematics curriculums.

This is paying dividends as pupils' progress and attainment in these subjects are improving. Leaders must now ensure that the curriculums in the foundation subjects, such as geography, art and modern foreign languages, are improved further so that pupils learn and revisit the most important content regularly in a deliberate and sequential manner. .

Pupils' writing composition is strong. However, their transcription (spelling and handwriting) is letting some pupils down. Leaders must ensure that pupils use their phonics knowledge to spell quickly and accurately in addition to improving the legibility of their handwriting.

. Pupils enjoy reading. The weakest readers receive additional support to help them catch up with their peers.

However, staff who listen to pupils read sometimes provide too much support and read for the pupils. Leaders should ensure that pupils learn strategies that help them to segment and blend unfamiliar words. Furthermore, staff and/or the experts who work with the school should look for opportunities to more effectively model sounds and language to pupils with speech and language difficulties.

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