West End Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy to come to school as they feel safe and cared for. They appreciate having a team of adults who are there to help them if they feel upset.

They understand what bullying is and said that it does not happen at their school. Any incidents are dealt with well.

Behaviour in school is exceptional.

This is because leaders have prioritised helping pupils to manage their own feelings. Pupils understand that sometimes they make the wrong choices and that there are consequences, but adults teach them to make the right choices. They are self-aware and learn to behave very well without needing adults to intervene.

Leaders have high expectations of... the work and behaviour of every pupil, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The pastoral team takes the time to get to know every child well. Staff work on strategies to help every child to overcome any barriers.

Pupils enjoy a range of trips to broaden their experiences. They take on many responsibilities in school, including acting as school councillors, librarians, sports and computing leaders. Older pupils take their play-leader responsibilities seriously as they play with younger pupils and children and show them how to behave.

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

Leaders have designed an ambitious curriculum which includes a range of experiences to enhance pupils' learning. Leaders have made sure that the school's curriculum broadens pupils' horizons and gives them experiences which they may not otherwise have had.

In the curriculum design, teachers are clear about what they must deliver and what pupils should know.

This flows well from the early years to Year 6. However, in a small number of subjects, teachers have not had enough training to understand how lessons build on previous learning. This means that, on some occasions, pupils are not making as much progress as they could.

Teachers check what pupils have learned and if they find gaps, pupils get extra support straight away. This is particularly well developed in teachers' assessment of reading and mathematics. Teachers regularly check that all pupils are getting the help that they need.

Any pupils falling behind get the support that they need to catch up.

Leaders have prioritised reading and have recently introduced a new, ambitious reading curriculum. The teaching of reading is ordered logically.

However, staff are at the early stages of implementing this programme and occasionally there are some inconsistencies in the approaches that they use. Leaders are aware of this and they have effective plans in place to ensure that staff receive appropriate further training in this area.

Teachers encourage pupils to read widely and they enjoy getting stickers on their bookmarks when they read at home.

Older pupils have developed a love of reading. They describe being able to lose themselves in a book. Leaders have ensured that pupils understand the importance of learning to read to be able to achieve well in later life.

Leaders have developed a team approach to support children in the early years and pupils with SEND The expert knowledge developed in the team ensures that they identify children's needs as early as possible. Leaders use outside agencies to make sure that teachers know how to address pupils' needs well. As a result, pupils with SEND progress well through the curriculum.

Pupils, and children in the early years, learn about other faiths and cultures and are adamant that everyone is welcome in their school. They know that families are made up in lots of different ways and they learn to treat everybody with respect. They are very proud of their sporting achievements and enjoy taking part in a wide range of sports competitions through the local high school.

Behaviour is a real strength. Leaders have created a pastoral team in the school that work effectively to help pupils understand and manage their behaviour. Pupils can explain why they may have made the wrong choices in the past and how they have now learned how to make the right choices.

Members of the pastoral team teach children about the impact that their actions have on others. As a result, pupils' behaviour is excellent, whether they are in lessons or in less structured parts of the day.

Leaders support staff's well-being through structured activities, as well as a strong pastoral offer for adults.

Staff are proud to work at this school and they feel appreciated by leaders. Governors have a strong presence and they know the school well. This helps them both to challenge and support leaders.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Adults in school, including governors, complete regular safeguarding training to ensure that they understand potential risks to the safety of pupils. The safeguarding team is proactive and organises visits from other agencies to address particular issues that pupils may face in the local community.

Staff know how to spot if a pupil is in difficulty and what to do if they have any concerns. The pastoral team foster strong relationships with families who appreciate the work that staff do to help their children.

Staff teach pupils how to keep themselves safe, both online and out in the world.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In a very small number of subjects, some staff have not received sufficient training to deliver some aspects of these curriculums effectively. This stops some pupils from building on previous knowledge, as well as what leaders intend. Leaders should ensure that staff are supported to deliver curriculums well in these subjects.