Westwood Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy being part of this large school because they have a wide circle of friends to choose from. Pupils are all made to feel welcome and like that adults take time to get to know them.

Pupils appreciate the help from adults with their learning. They know staff want them to do well. However, some pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), do not always get the precise support they need to achieve the best they can or are not accessing the full curriculum offer.

Pupils know the school rules of 'ready, respectful, safe'. Many pupils follow these well and are polite and considerate. Some pupils do not respect these rules, and... some staff do not challenge poor behaviour as they should.

This means some pupils are not always able to fully focus on their learning.

Pupils are confident that bullying rarely occurs and know adults deal with it if it does. Pupils are safe.

Pupils enjoy residential visits. They can take part in clubs, including handball, gymnastics, gardening and athletics. They enjoy singing and celebration assemblies.

They have visits to the local museum, church and farm. Pupils have enjoyed visits to school by authors and Paralympians. They access well-stocked libraries and laptops.

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

Leaders have identified the curriculum content they wish pupils to know and when they wish them to learn it. In core subjects, this is being delivered well by staff. For example, in mathematics, teachers ensure that pupils have regular opportunities to practise and develop their knowledge of mathematical concepts.

In these core subjects, teachers use assessment well to identify pupils who need more support.

Leaders have made effective changes to the reading curriculum. They have ensured pupils follow a systematic phonics and reading programme.

Most pupils read with fluency and understanding. Leaders have ensured reading books in school match the sounds pupils learn. However, for some pupils who need to quickly catch up with reading, adults do not always check thoroughly enough if their reading books precisely match their reading ability or if interventions are working as well as intended.

This means these pupils risk falling further behind.

Leaders have recently updated the planning for some foundation subjects. Subject leaders have supported staff with training on curriculum content.

However, not all staff are clear about the detailed knowledge they need to teach. Staff are not delivering this curriculum as leaders intend. Assessment in these subjects is less well developed because the curricular goals are unclear.

Pupils are not currently learning and achieving as well as they could.Most children in the early years make a positive start to school and are ready for Year 1. Staff are well trained to teach reading and support children effectively to develop early phonic knowledge.

Children access the curriculum through an appropriate and engaging mix of adult- and child-led activities. However, some of the resources and ways in which the curriculum is delivered are not yet consistent across all classes, which limits the achievements of some pupils, including those with SEND.

Pupils with SEND have their needs identified effectively.

However, some, including those in early years, are not achieving the best possible outcomes. This is because, for a small but significant group of pupils with SEND, their needs are not met well enough. This often leads to these pupils struggling with their behaviour and missing lesson time.

When in class, teachers are not ensuring these pupils are always accessing the same learning experiences as their classmates.

Many pupils work and play respectfully. However, some staff are not sufficiently well trained to support pupils who need help to regulate their behaviour.

At times, expectations of behaviour, including for those pupils with SEND, are not consistently understood or followed by pupils or staff. As a result, some pupils repeat poor behaviour.

Pupils attend school regularly.

Leaders are tenacious in following up if pupils frequently miss school. They work closely and effectively to support families to improve their children's attendance.

Individual pupils receive high-quality care from dedicated family workers.

These adults provide bespoke support for the most vulnerable pupils.

Pupils understand respecting other religions and cultures. They know how to keep healthy.

However, aspects of the curriculum are still in the early stages of implementation. For example, pupils only have a basic understanding of fundamental British values.

Staff enjoy working at the school.

Most are appreciative of how leaders consider their workload.

The trust knows the school well and has the capacity to support leaders effectively. They fulfil their statutory duties.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Pupils are kept safe as procedures for reporting and acting on concerns are robust. Leaders work effectively with external agencies where appropriate.

Leaders ensure staff know how to identify concerns and that staff's safeguarding training is up to date.

Pupils know how to stay safe online by taking part in events such as national online safety week. They benefit from talks from the police about the dangers of vaping and knife crime.

Leaders support pupils and their families who need advice on how to stay safe.

Appropriate checks take place on adults in school. These are monitored by the trust.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Curriculum planning, staff training and assessment are not fully developed in some foundation subjects. Pupils are not gaining the cumulative or detailed knowledge they need to meet the ambition of the curriculum. Leaders need to ensure staff have appropriately detailed plans and training so that they can deliver the full curriculum offer in the depth intended.

• Adults' expectations of what some pupils with SEND can achieve are too low, and systems for meeting these pupils' needs are not robust. As a result, some pupils with SEND do not always achieve as well as they could or have limited access to the wider curriculum. Leaders need to ensure that pupils' specific learning needs are well met so that they are accessing the full curriculum offer.

Leaders, including those responsible for governance, need to ensure frequent and rigorous checks are in place to make sure pupils with SEND achieve the best possible outcomes. ? Reading support is not having the impact intended for some pupils who are furthest behind This means these pupils are not catching up in reading as quickly as they could. Leaders need to ensure that they undertake effective checks on the reading progress of these pupils so that they assured they are catching up quickly enough and intervene when they are not.

• Expectations of behaviour are not consistently understood or followed by all staff. This results in some pupils either missing lessons or, in some classes, affecting the learning of others. Leaders need to ensure staff are effective and confident when managing pupils' behaviour and that pupils are clear on what is expected of them, including pupils with SEND.

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