Westfield Junior School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at Westfield Juniors love coming to school. They are happy to belong to this supportive school community. They benefit from positive and encouraging relationships with each other and with the staff.

Leaders ensure that the school's 'Super Six' values are at the heart of everything they do.

Pupils look after each other and behave well. They make sure that everyone has a friend to play with.

They understand the school rules of 'be ready, show respect and be safe'. Pupils are keen to talk about the importance of being kind. They told inspectors that they would feel comfortable speaking to any member of staff if they had any worries.

Pupils say th...at bullying is rare. They have every confidence that staff would sort out any problems straight away. Pupils say that they feel safe in school.

Pupils are proud of their responsibilities, including being 'Westfield Wombles' litter pickers and ambassadors for reading. They enjoy activities after school, such as cooking and clay modelling.

Leaders are ambitious, and have high aspirations, for pupils.

They have made recent improvements to the curriculum. They know there is more work to do to develop this, so that all pupils achieve as highly as they could.

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

The headteacher and phase leaders have made positive changes to pupils' experiences in school.

They have a clear vision and high expectations. Leaders introduced a new curriculum in September 2022. This curriculum identifies the specific knowledge and skills that pupils need to learn and in what order.

In some subjects, such as mathematics, leaders provide clear guidance about what to teach and when. This helps teachers to plan learning that builds logically on pupils' prior knowledge. As a result, pupils develop their understanding of concepts well over time.

Some subject leaders do not reliably know how well all groups of pupils learn in lessons. This includes pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Senior leaders have identified inconsistencies in how the curriculum is delivered and how well subject leaders support staff.

Some subject leaders do not provide enough guidance for teachers to develop their subject knowledge and deliver curriculums well. Consequently, some groups of pupils with SEND do not achieve as well as they could.

Leaders and staff foster in pupils a love of reading.

They ensure that pupils have regular sessions to listen to and discuss stories and poems. Leaders have selected a wide range of books, which reflect life in today's modern world. Leaders ensure that the books match the sounds pupils know.

Staff use assessment well to identify pupils who need extra phonics support. Pupils receive interventions to help them become fluent readers. Pupils understand the importance of reading.

They love sending messages online to their favourite authors. There is a buzz of excitement when authors reply to pupils and send their books to them.

Pupils are polite and respectful.

They follow well-established school routines. Pupils behave well in lessons and during social times. Playtimes and lunchtimes are a joyful experience.

Staff help pupils to organise games and make lots of friends.

The pastoral support that staff provide for pupils is a strength. Relationships between adults and pupils are warm and nurturing.

Pupils know how to keep mentally and physically healthy. They use various strategies to help reduce anxiety, such as 'worry monsters'. Pupils learn about respecting differences.

One pupil, typical of many, told the inspectors, 'Everyone has equal rights. People should not make fun of others for being different.' While pupils learn about different religions and faiths, their understanding of these is fragile.

Pupils talk with pride about leadership opportunities, such as school councillors and house captains. Leaders ensure pupils experience a range of activities to develop their talents and interests. Pupils contribute to the local community through regular charitable work.

Staff are proud to work at the school. Teachers, including those at the early stages of their careers, value the support that they receive from senior leaders and governors.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders, including governors, ensure that there is a strong culture of safeguarding in the school. Staff are well trained to notice and report any signs of concern. Leaders keep detailed records to enable them to make quick decisions to support families in need of help.

Leaders, including governors, ensure the school's recruitment procedures are effective.

Pupils have a good awareness of staying safe, including online. They know to report concerns to an adult and not to share personal information with strangers.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Leaders have not given sufficient guidance on how to effectively adapt provision for pupils with SEND, particularly in the SEND Unit. The curriculum is not successfully adapted to meet the needs of some pupils with SEND. Leaders need to ensure pupils with SEND are given suitably adapted work, which is more closely aligned with their personal targets, so that they achieve as well as they could.

• Some subject leadership training has not had the desired impact on the quality of education for all groups of pupils as leaders intended. Some subject leaders are not able to provide the support and guidance that colleagues need to deliver the curriculums well in these subjects. Leaders should ensure that all subject leaders have the knowledge and skills to provide the support and guidance to colleagues, so that the full curriculum is delivered as intended.

• Leaders in some subjects do not monitor their curriculum areas in enough detail. Consequently, they do not have a clear understanding of how well pupils secure knowledge over time across the school. Subject leaders need to check all groups of pupils' knowledge acquisition across the whole school, so they can assure themselves of the quality of education being provided within their subject area.

• Pupils do not have a developed understanding of fundamental British values and other faiths and cultures. They are not as well prepared for life in modern Britain as they could be. Leaders should ensure that pupils develop a deeper understanding of these aspects of the curriculum.

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