Westcliffe Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have ensured that the school is a warm and welcoming environment for all members of the community. Pupils, staff, parents and carers feel comfortable in the school.

Pupils have strong relationships with the staff and each other.

Pupils are polite and speak maturely for their age. They know the importance of being tolerant and respectful to all.

Pupils talk about concepts like identity and the rule of law with real understanding.

Staff have high expectations for pupils. This starts right at the beginning for children in Nursery who are taught to take turns and use equipment independently.

Pupils continue to behave well throughout scho...ol because staff are clear with them what the rules are. Staff celebrate when pupils have done well through the signature system and 'What Went Well' assemblies. Pupils want to please their teachers and they know staff will help them if they are worried about something.

This includes issues around bullying. Pupils have confidence that any unkind behaviour will be dealt with quickly before it becomes a bigger problem.

Pupils enjoy the opportunity to borrow books from the library.

Pupils take considerable care of these books because they enjoy reading them so much. Year 6 pupils still like reading and talking about books that they read in Year 1.

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

Leaders know the school community well.

They see each pupil as an individual. Leaders also know what is important for their pupils to know and be able to do so that they are successful when they move on to secondary school.

Leaders have made sure reading and communication are taught well through school.

This starts in the early years where leaders have planned out what children need to be able to do when speaking. Staff in the early years help children to hear the sounds in words and then start to teach them the letters that make these sounds. Pupils quickly learn the sounds that they need to read words through effective daily phonics sessions.

The books that pupils read are then matched to the sounds that they know. Staff build on this knowledge by getting pupils to read more words on sight and by adding expression. All of this is done with words and sounds that pupils know, and so they become more and more confident in their reading.

Leaders have mapped out the knowledge that they want pupils to know in all subjects. Teachers follow this curriculum and so pupils know more and get better at what they are doing. However, leaders recognise that some parts of the curriculum lack precision.

Sometimes, teachers are unclear about the specific knowledge pupils should learn. Teachers sometimes give pupils work that does not help them get better at remembering important information when this happens.

Teachers teach vocabulary well.

Leaders have planned out the words and texts that pupils should be able to read and use in their speech. Teachers make sure that they help pupils build up a bank of these words to use in their writing and talking. Pupils are starting to gain more confidence in explaining what they know.

Teachers use techniques that help pupils remember what they have been taught. For example, pupils work with partners to help each other read, and teachers show pupils how to use resources in mathematics that help them understand place value. Pupils are then able to work independently and feel confident in what they do.

Teachers spot when pupils have made errors or not understood something. They then give extra help or explanations to support pupils in their understanding.

Leaders have improved the curriculum in the early years.

Staff are clear on what children need across all the areas of learning. The environment is well matched to the curriculum. Children focus well on their learning and enjoy counting, writing or chatting with their peers.

Staff make sure that these experiences are helping them get better in their language by asking questions and modelling how to speak in accurate sentences. Staff are ambitious for children, even in small details like the hill that children need to scoot up taking effort to master.

Teachers give pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) the help that they need to successfully learn new knowledge and skills.

Teachers make sure reading and writing are not a barrier to these pupils gaining knowledge across the curriculum. Pupils discuss what they know and teachers give them adapted work so that they can talk about rocks in science or why the Ancient Greeks enjoyed theatre.

Leaders make sure that this in an inclusive school.

Staff say that they felt welcomed and supported from the first moment that they arrived. Pupils with SEND are well supported and are helped to be included in the many clubs and activities that the school offers. This is well demonstrated by how well the pupils with a hearing impairment are considered.

They learn alongside their peers and are encouraged to attend clubs with them. This includes the sign language club that is open to all.

Governors ask challenging questions to leaders to ensure that aspects such as attendance and safeguarding procedures are improving.

They visit school to see what this looks like in line with their strategic role. However, sometimes, governors and leaders are too focused on test results and what to do to improve them, without linking this to the curriculum. This takes away from the time that they should be using on improving the content of the curriculum and what pupils have remembered and can do.

Leaders have a robust system for checking pupils' attendance. They track individual pupils whose attendance is low. Leaders offer support such as a place at the free breakfast club or check-ins for pupils whose attendance needs improving.

Attendance has continued to be good for most pupils.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders have built strong relationships with the community.

Parents feel confident to come and talk to someone in school if they need help. Leaders offer help to the whole family, not just the child. However, if leaders have concerns about a child, they will not shirk from making the decisions that are needed to protect them.

Leaders work with external agencies to secure the support that is needed.

Staff are well trained to be aware of concerns that they may have about pupils. They know what to look for if pupils are being criminally exploited.

Staff record concerns and pass them on to leaders.

Pupils are taught how to keep themselves safe online and how to not get into harmful friendships. This helps them when they are out in the community and as they grow up.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some subjects, leaders have not planned out the curriculum with enough precision about the key components of knowledge that pupils need to be taught. Teachers are sometimes not clear what to revisit or teach, and sometimes make activity choices that are not helpful for long-term memory acquisition. Leaders should add more detail to the curriculum so that all the knowledge that pupils need to learn is clear for teachers.

• Leaders and governors are not sufficiently prioritising the curriculum. Too much time and attention are used on activities that analyse symptoms of gaps in the curriculum, and this takes capacity away from the work to improve the substance of what is taught. Leaders and governors should develop systems and processes that monitor the quality of education, and focus on what is taught and how well this is retained by pupils.