Westlands Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy attending Westlands Primary School. As soon as they join in Reception, children receive excellent care and support.

The school encourages pupils to become a STAR by being safe, trustworthy, aspirational and respectful.

The school has recently made improvements to the curriculum in both the core and other subjects. As a result, pupils are now starting to achieve more highly, although there are still gaps in their knowledge in some subjects.

Pupils with special educational needs and/ or disabilities (SEND) in the school receive excellent support with their learning.

The school has also recently introduced a new behaviour policy. As a resul...t, most pupils behave well in class and around the school.

However, pupils reported that a small number of their peers can sometimes be unkind. The school is actively addressing this issue.

The school ensures that pupils develop key life skills for the future.

All pupils, including those in the early years, take part in lessons about nature and the outdoors. Pupils also benefit from cooking classes in the school's cooking room. Younger pupils visit the local library and register for their own library card.

Older pupils take part in bike riding lessons.

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

The school has rightly prioritised reading in recent years. Well-trained staff teach the new phonics programme effectively.

Children in Reception engage enthusiastically in stories, songs and rhymes. Pupils read books that match the sounds they are learning in class. This means that they become increasingly fluent readers as they move through the school.

Those at risk of falling behind are identified quickly and supported to keep up and catch up. The school is working hard to ensure that pupils read more independently, particularly at home.

The curriculum is broad, ambitious, and engaging.

The school has recently introduced new curriculum programmes in several subjects. Starting from the early years, the key knowledge and vocabulary that pupils must learn is carefully selected and ordered. For example, pupils in Year 4 draw on their learning of the Stone Age from the previous year when studying the Celts.

This helps pupils make sense of their learning. Pupils deepen and extend their knowledge of mathematical concepts and procedures as they progress through the school. However, in a small number of subjects the revised curriculum is not fully embedded across all year groups.

As a result, pupils have not been able to build up a secure body of knowledge over time.

Teachers demonstrate strong subject knowledge and explain key information to pupils clearly. The school identifies pupils with SEND quickly.

Staff receive the right level of training to support these pupils to access the curriculum at an appropriate level. Those pupils with the most complex needs are supported with a more personalised provision.

Children in the early years get off to a flying start.

They settle very quickly because routines and expectations are clear and well established. Adults skilfully support children's development across the different areas of learning. Language and vocabulary thread through everything.

Staff use every interaction to develop children's learning and understanding. Children learn how to manage risk, for example, when playing outside on balance apparatus and at the water table.

The school has recently reviewed and revised its behaviour policy.

Pupils feel safe in school and know who to talk to if they are worried about anything. Staff deal with low- level disruption in lessons quickly so that it does not hinder pupils' learning. Staff feel well supported when dealing with any poor behaviour by pupils.

Reasonable adjustments are made for children with complex needs. However, a small number of pupils do not meet the school's high expectations for behaviour. As a result, the atmosphere around the school site is not always as calm and purposeful as it should be.

The attendance of pupils is a high priority for the school. Leaders work hard to address any absences. As a result, pupils' attendance is improving.

The school provides a wide range of opportunities for pupils to take on positions of responsibility. They can become school ambassadors, librarians or peer mediators. Vulnerable pupils, in particular, benefit from excellent pastoral care.

All pupils can take part in clubs including origami, computing or rock band. Pupils enjoy the new lunchtime activities. The school is working to broaden the opportunities for pupils to develop their talents and wider cultural awareness.

The trust collaborates closely with the school. Staff are proud to work here. They appreciate leaders' proactive support for their well-being and mental health.

The school continues to work hard to engage parents in their children's education, for example, through the family hub. Leaders at all levels are deeply committed to the children and families in the school community.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The school recently reviewed and revised its behaviour policy, but a small number of pupils need further support to behave appropriately. As a result, they sometimes act inappropriately towards staff and speak unkindly to other pupils. The school should continue to implement the behaviour policy robustly and systematically so that its expectations are fully understood and followed by all pupils.

• In some subjects, the school's curriculum is not fully embedded in classroom practice. This means that pupils do not deepen their subject-specific knowledge and understanding. The school must ensure that curricular intent is fully implemented in all subjects so that pupils learn subject content consistently well.

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