Westcliff Primary Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Westcliff Primary Academy continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils, including children in the early years, arrive at school happy and eager to learn.

They get on well with each other. Pupils and their families understand the importance of being in school on time every day. As a result, pupils and children attend well.

Staff have high expectations of all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils behave well and try their best in lessons. This helps them to achieve well in a range of subjects.

Leaders have ensured that the curriculum is suitably ambitious and helps to prepare pupils ...well for the demands of secondary school.

Pupils said that they feel safe in school. They appreciate the work of those pupils who act as playtime leaders and resilience ambassadors.

These pupils are keen to help their peers to sort out any minor problems that they may have. However, pupils know that they can talk to any adult in school if they need more help. Leaders deal swiftly and appropriately with any reports of bullying.

Pupils and children value the range of trips that they can go on. They understand how these link to their learning in school. Pupils have a well-developed understanding of British values and how these underpin life in a modern and diverse society.

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

Leaders have developed an interesting and ambitious curriculum that is ordered logically. This helps pupils to build on earlier learning as they revisit topics over time. Leaders have ensured that teachers are clear about the knowledge that pupils and children should learn.

For example, staff focus on developing pupils' and children's vocabulary.

Staff have a strong knowledge of the subjects that they deliver. However, in a very small number of subjects, there are times when teachers do not design activities that help pupils to learn all that they could.

This hinders some pupils from deepening their learning.

Teachers use assessment strategies skilfully. They check that pupils have learned and understood earlier curriculum content.

When needed, staff address any misconceptions that pupils and children may have. This helps pupils and children to achieve well.

The teaching of reading is at the heart of the curriculum.

Older pupils enjoy their teachers reading to them every day. They talked with pleasure about the books that they have read themselves and, also those books that their teachers have read to them. Staff make sure that they celebrate the joy that books can bring.

Children begin to learn rhymes and songs when they join the Nursery class. In the Reception Year, children quickly learn the sounds that letters make. They take home books that are matched well to the sounds that they have learned in class.

Skilled staff check that pupils are keeping up in reading and support them to catch up if they need any extra help. Almost all pupils are confident, fluent readers by the time they reach key stage 2.

Staff are well trained to identify the needs of pupils with SEND.

They do this with accuracy. Leaders quickly provide the support needed to help this group of pupils to be successful learners. Teachers skilfully adapt how they deliver the curriculum for pupils with SEND.

Leaders work well with outside agencies to bring timely, additional support into school.

Pupils behave very well in lessons and at playtimes. Staff use the sanctions and rewards systems consistently well.

Pupils and children look forward to the many rewards from collecting the gems that they receive for their positive behaviour. These rewards include hot chocolate or sharing a book with a teacher.

Leaders have developed an exciting and broad enrichment curriculum that supports pupils' and children's learning and helps to develop their character.

Visits to places of worship and visitors to school help pupils to learn about different religions. Pupils celebrate and respect differences between each other. They are proud to take on responsibilities as they move through school.

For instance, the 'mini SLT' are a democratically elected group who meet regularly with senior leaders in school. Other pupils understand that this group of pupils meet with leaders to represent their views.

Staff appreciate that leaders are mindful of their workload.

They feel appreciated and enjoy working at this school. Governors and trustees are well informed about the quality of education for pupils and children. As a result, they know when to challenge and when to support leaders.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

There is a strong culture of safeguarding in the school. Leaders ensure that all staff receive appropriate training to recognise potential risks to pupils and children.

Staff know how to spot when pupils may be at risk of harm. They report these concerns to leaders promptly. Leaders work well with other agencies to provide support to pupils and their families, when necessary.

Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe, including when using the internet and social media apps. They know how to stay healthy and understand the importance of looking after their own mental health.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In a very small number of subjects, some activities that teachers choose to deliver new learning are not as successful as they could be.

As a result, this hinders some pupils' knowledge and understanding of aspects of the curriculum. Leaders should ensure that teachers select the most appropriate activities to deliver new knowledge to pupils.

Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good.

This is called an ungraded inspection and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act.

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in May 2013.