Welland Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Welland Primary School is a calm and orderly place. Pupils are well behaved.

Leaders set high expectations for pupils' behaviour. Staff establish effective routines in classrooms and make sure that pupils follow the school's rules. Pupils move calmly around the school.

They are polite and respectful towards adults and each other. Leaders deal effectively with any rare incidents of poor behaviour or bullying so that they stop quickly.

Pupils are happy and safe.

They enjoy coming to school, where they 'have fun' and 'learn lots of new things'. Leaders do all they can to ensure pupils attend school regularly, which they do. Pupils demonstrate positive a...ttitudes to learning in classrooms.

Pupils enjoy a range of opportunities that help them to broaden their horizons. These include cooking, tennis, multi-sports and drama clubs. Field trips and other educational visits help to deepen pupils' learning of the curriculum.

Visitors to school enrich pupils' learning about, for example, the Stone Age in history or computer coding.

Most parents are very positive about the school. Typical comments from parents describe how their children have grown in confidence since starting at Welland Primary.

Parents are also pleased with the high standards and different opportunities on offer.

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

In most subjects, leaders have designed an inclusive curriculum that is planned and sequenced towards ambitious end points. Teachers have the subject knowledge and resources they need to teach it well.

They present new learning clearly and check how well pupils are learning the curriculum during lessons and over time. They make sure that pupils revisit and build on their previous learning. Staff check for any misconceptions or gaps in pupils' learning and take action to address them.

All of this means that pupils learn well.

However, in a few subjects, such as geography and art and design, key knowledge and skills are not as well sequenced as they could be. This means that, in these subjects, teachers are not always clear about what to teach.

For example, pupils do not get enough opportunities to learn and practise important drawing skills over time.

Leaders prioritise reading. Pupil reading buddies, a reading club and library visits help pupils to develop a love of reading.

Pupils read, and are read to, regularly in class. Phonics is taught daily right from the start of the Reception class. The youngest children settle well to school life.

They learn to work independently, take turns and share. Teachers provide books that match the sounds the children are learning. Anyone who falls behind receives support to help them catch up.

Most staff are well trained and they consistently teach early reading well. However, a few members of staff who joined the school recently are awaiting phonics training. They are not as confident as other staff in teaching phonics.

They do not help children as well as they might when they are writing letters that represent the sounds they are learning.

Leaders swiftly identify pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). They make sure that pupils with SEND get the help and support they need to be successful in school.

For example, external speech and language support is enhanced by support from trained adults in school. This accelerates improvements in pupils' communication. Pupils with SEND are supported to achieve well.

Leaders provide a carefully structured personal development programme for all pupils. Pupils learn about democracy and voting. They learn about religions such as Judaism, Hinduism, Sikhism and Christianity and about celebrations such as Eid and Hannukah.

This helps pupils to recognise and respect difference. Pupils know they have a right to be heard. They learn to be active citizens by fundraising in the local community.

Pupils have many opportunities to take on responsibilities in school, such as being house captains, librarians and reading buddies. Residential trips allow older pupils to learn about team-building. By working with a science, technology, engineering and mathematics ambassador from a local business and a university researcher, pupils deepen their computing knowledge.

In addition, all pupils learn to play a musical instrument. They showcase their talents and celebrate achievements at a 'Welland's Got Talent' event. Pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain.

Leaders, including trust leaders, are proud of their school and want all pupils to be the best they can be. They identify informed priorities and make regular checks on how well the school is performing. For example, subject leaders make regular checks on how well pupils are learning the curriculum.

Staff talk positively about school leaders and the strong sense of teamwork in the school. They value leaders' support to help them manage their workload and well-being.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders prioritise pupils' safety and welfare. They make sure staff are trained to identify and respond to any concerns about pupils' safety. Leaders provide a robust response to any concerns that staff raise.

They make sure that pupils get the help and support they need to keep safe, including external support if necessary.

Pupils are taught to stay safe when online and when out and about in the community. They learn about healthy, safe relationships and positive lifestyle choices.

Leaders ensure rigorous vetting checks are undertaken on all staff before they start work at the school.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In a few subjects, the curriculum is not as well sequenced as it could be. As a result, there are inconsistencies in classroom practice and gaps in pupils' knowledge and skills.

Leaders should review and improve the sequence of learning in these subjects so that teachers are clearer about what they should be teaching. ? A few recently appointed staff have not yet been trained in the school's approach to teaching phonics. This means they are not as confident as other staff in teaching early reading.

They do not always support pupils effectively enough to form letters correctly. Leaders should make sure that all staff have been trained in the school's approach to teaching early reading. They should do this so that pupils are supported to make even better progress.

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