Welton Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

This is a warm and caring school. Pupils are happy and safe here.

Leaders prioritise pupils' social, emotional, and mental health and well-being. Relationships between staff and pupils are positive and respectful. School days start with a cheerful hello from staff and pupils.

Pupils know that adults are there to help them if they have any worries.

Pupils usually behave well, both in classes and in the playground. There is very little bullying here.

If it does occur, pupils are confident that staff will deal with it quickly and effectively. Some pupils are trained as peer mentors. They are confident to help pupils solve any small disagreements.
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Leaders have made improvements to the curriculum in many areas. Staff are ambitious for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

The teaching of early reading and mathematics is strong. Leaders have clear plans to continue to improve the curriculum in other subject areas. There is also more to do to ensure that teachers adapt lessons to meet pupils' needs.

This is needed to ensure that all pupils can access learning successfully.

Leaders provide a broad range of opportunities that contribute to pupils' wider personal development. There is a wide range of clubs that pupils enjoy attending.

Leaders plan visits and visitors to the school carefully to support learning.

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

Since the previous inspection, leaders have focused on developing a curriculum that enthuses and interests pupils. They support and encourage subject leaders to carry out research into effective learning.

Leaders use this research to ensure that the curriculum builds progressively. In some subjects, leaders have identified the important knowledge they want pupils to know and remember. However, there is more to do in other subjects.

There is also more to do to ensure that all subjects include the important learning from early years.

Teachers are growing in confidence to plan lessons that challenge and interest pupils, including those pupils with SEND. In some lessons, they check pupils' understanding and address errors and misconceptions.

However, at times, the work that pupils are given has not been adapted to meet their individual needs. This means that some pupils, especially those with SEND, find the work too hard. When this happens, pupils struggle to maintain concentration in lessons.

Leaders have improved reading in the school. Pupils read challenging texts in planned reading lessons. Teachers have been trained to be reading experts.

They model reading to pupils, using expression. Pupils then read the texts back to teachers in 'choral' or 'echo' reading sessions. Pupils in key stage 2 enjoy taking on the roles of characters or narrators from the texts.

Leaders are exploring ways to support pupils to read more at home. They know that this is important to help pupils practise reading regularly.

Books are used effectively to support pupils' wider personal development.

Pupils learn from stories about important issues, such as racism. They use their learning to take part in discussions and debates about important areas, such as the protected characteristics or diversity. However, pupils' understanding of some British values is limited.

The teaching of early reading is a strength in the school. Staff are well trained. They use consistent approaches to teach pupils to decode words.

Pupils who find reading difficult are given extra daily support to catch up. Pupils read books that contain sounds they know. Staff focus on teaching pupils to read books fluently, with expression.

The teaching of mathematics is clear and effective. Teachers use the well-planned curriculum to plan learning that builds progressively. Pupils recall prior learning regularly.

They use this knowledge to support further learning. They enjoy mathematics lessons.

Children in early years get off to a great start.

On entry, they are taught in small, adult-led groups. This supports them to learn how to play and learn with other children. Staff are well trained and skilful.

They plan exciting learning opportunities and encourage children to explore these. They use every minute to encourage talk and support children's language development. Leaders recognise that there is more to do to ensure that children have sufficient opportunities to develop independence and learn through risk-taking as Reception Year progresses.

There have been changes in governance since the previous inspection. The new governors are positive and determined to continue to improve the school. However, they are too accepting of information provided by leaders.

They do not seek further assurances or ask sufficiently probing questions about important areas, such as safeguarding and attendance. As a result, they do not know when policies, systems or practices are not effective.

Staff say that leaders are supportive.

However, at times, they are concerned about their workload. Parents and carers say that their children are safe and happy in the school. They would, however, value more effective communication about learning and events.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders are very clear about the importance of safeguarding pupils. They ensure that staff are well trained.

Staff meetings and newsletters contain regular updates on important areas, such as online safety. Staff are clear about how to report concerns. Leaders act on these concerns swiftly.

They work with agencies such as the police or children's social care to help pupils and their families. Record-keeping in the school is not always rigorous enough. Leaders know that this is important to ensure that information is shared effectively, and pupils are kept safe.

Pupils are clear about how to keep themselves safe when online. They appreciate the worry boxes that they have in school to share any concerns. Year 6 pupils enjoy opportunities to learn about road safety and riding bikes safely.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The curriculum is not sufficiently well planned from Reception to the end of Year 6. This means that pupils' learning does not build progressively, and important learning in early years is not known about or repeated. Leaders should ensure that the knowledge that pupils acquire is planned progressively in all subjects and builds from early years.

• Assessment is not used well enough to support teachers to adapt lessons to meet the needs of all learners, particularly those with SEND. This means that some pupils do not achieve as well as they should. Leaders should regularly check that teachers are adapting lessons to meet pupils' needs and ensure that pupils with SEND can access learning in all lessons.

• Leaders do not monitor records of attendance or safeguarding robustly enough. This means that they are not always aware of what actions have been taken to address concerns. Leaders should improve the quality and monitoring of attendance and safeguarding information.

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