West Wimbledon Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud of their school.

They confidently explain how their school values encourage them to make the right choices. Pupils enjoy their lessons. Teachers make learning fun and help pupils improve their learning.

Leaders are ambitious for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

Staff and pupils interact positively with each other. Staff have high expectations for pupils' behaviour.

Pupils behave well in lessons, around the school and at playtimes. Bullying is rare. When it happens, staff respond to it seriously and it is not repeated.

Pupils are kept safe at all times.

Pupils hav...e many opportunities to take on responsibilities such as being house captain or members of the school council. They can represent the school in physical education (PE) as part of the 'PE Squad'.

Pupils develop their confidence as they take part in annual performances to parents and carers. Staff run themed weeks to enrich pupils' learning, raise awareness, and help promote positive relationships and respect. Pupils take part in musical events with pupils from other schools.

They participate in a great variety of clubs including bookworms, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, coding, street dance and golf.

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

Leaders have carefully designed an ambitious, well-sequenced curriculum. They have defined the order in which pupils should learn key knowledge, skills and vocabulary.

In mathematics, for example, Year 3 pupils learn to tell the time on an analogue clock. In Year 4, they move on to reading the 24-hour clock. Staff make sure that pupils in Year 1 build on what they learned in early years.

Teachers routinely help pupils recall their prior knowledge, develop their skills and reinforce technical vocabulary. For example, in PE there is always a recap of learning at the start of each lesson. Staff model expectations and enable pupils to practise their skills in sports such as javelin and shot-put.

Older pupils improve their techniques as they prepare for their inter-house competitions. In early years, as well as a dedicated PE lesson each week, children develop their physical skills in the playground. They use the climbing equipment, the obstacle course, bicycles, and play hopscotch with increased confidence.

In a few subjects, routines to help pupils recall and build on what they have learned are not as well established. In these subjects, middle leaders are developing their roles and are being supported by senior leaders. Leaders are working together to ensure teachers use their systems for checking what pupils have remembered and to identify any gaps in their learning.

Children learning to read is a priority. Leaders have invested in a new programme for teaching early reading which they have rolled out from Nursery through to Year 2. Staff are well trained.

They ensure pupils read books which enable them to practise the sounds they have learned. Pupils who have fallen behind receive the help they need to catch up quickly. Teachers make appropriate adaptations to their teaching so that each pupil in the autism spectrum disorder resource base (Treetops) accesses the same programme.

In the early years, many opportunities are provided for children to use and apply their phonics knowledge throughout the day. Teachers share quality texts with pupils every day. Older pupils enjoy reading, and can name their favourite books and authors.

Rigorous systems are in place to identify pupils with SEND. Leaders engage with appropriate outside agencies to ensure pupils receive the support they need. Pupils with SEND, both in the resource base and in the mainstream classes, achieve well because of the support that staff provide.

Pupils are enthusiastic about their learning. They can demonstrate and discuss the skills they have been taught. They develop into caring young people.

Pupils learn about how to keep physically healthy and how to look out for their mental health. They feel staff listen to them and know that their opinions matter. Pupils are prepared for life in modern Britain.

They understand and respect each other's differences. They have a good understanding of democracy and can explain why blind voting ensures people are not put under peer pressure.

Staff enjoy working at the school.

They feel looked after by senior leaders who take care that staff workload is manageable.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Staff and governors receive safeguarding training regularly throughout the year.

Leaders provide weekly updates as well as quiz questions to keep everyone 'on their toes'. Staff understand and are alert to national and local safeguarding issues. Leaders ensure that staff report any concerns and that the safeguarding team responds quickly.

Leaders work with the local authority and other agencies to make sure pupils and families receive the support they need.

Pupils learn how to keep safe online and learn what they would do in different circumstances that might place them at risk.

Governors support leaders in making sure they recruit new staff safely.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In a few subjects, leaders' assessment systems are not embedded. In those subjects, pupils do not remember important key knowledge as well as they should. Leaders should make sure that their intended assessment strategies are used effectively by teachers so that gaps in pupils' learning are identified swiftly.

• In some subjects, middle leaders are in early stages of development and receiving support from senior leaders. This means that some aspects of the teaching of their subjects are not as well established as others. Middle leaders' development should continue so that they are increasingly able to take strategic and independent leadership of their curriculum areas.