Wilson Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel happy and safe. They are proud to attend Wilson Primary. Pupils say everyone is welcome at this school.

They develop a strong interest in the history of the local community. This is because leaders use the story of the school's Victorian buildings to bring history to life. Corridors display photographs of people from the First World War when the buildings were used as a hospital.

Pupils behave well in lessons. They enjoy their learning and are usually totally focused on the task at hand. However, when outside at playtime, behaviour is not always good.

Sometimes, pupils play too roughly. This is partly because they have only recently started to pla...y together again as a whole school rather than in single year groups. Incidents of bullying are rare.

Pupils understand bullying and are confident about reporting it.

Staff have high expectations for every pupil. In much of the curriculum, pupils have lots of opportunities to build on their knowledge and skills.

This enables them to develop a greater understanding of subjects. Staff make sure pupils have a good awareness of how discrimination affects lives. Pupils report that they want to 'stop discrimination across the whole world'.

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

The executive headteacher and other senior staff have ensured that the school has continued to improve. They have a clear and determined vision for every child to do their best. Leaders have designed a curriculum that pupils find interesting and engaging.

In most subjects, pupils build their knowledge based on their prior understanding. This helps them to do more challenging work. But, in subjects such as science and geography, pupils do not always have a secure understanding of their previous learning.

This means that they sometimes struggle to understand work that is more difficult.

Teachers mostly make suitable adaptations to the curriculum to help pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) achieve the best they can. However, teaching is not always closely linked between the specially resourced provision for pupils with SEND (specially resourced provision) and mainstream classes.

As a result, these pupils do not always achieve as well as they could. The specially resourced provision is effective in helping pupils to build their confidence and reduce anxieties. Massage therapy and sensory experiences help pupils to feel calmer.

Additionally, those with speech and language needs receive regular and effective support from the speech and language therapist.

Teachers have high expectations of the work required of pupils in lessons. They use assessment well to understand what a pupil already knows.

Staff are proud to work in the school. They appreciate steps taken by leaders to help them manage their workload and promote their well-being. Governors are ambitious for the school and its pupils.

They value the work that leaders have done to keep the school running smoothly during COVID-19. Most parents and carers are positive about the school. They say that staff are caring and supportive of their children.

A typical comment from a parent was, 'Our child really enjoys Wilson School; they are doing well, and their teacher is fantastic.'

The early years is a place of joy and fun. During the inspection, Nursery children excitedly took part in an activity where they hid from a fire-breathing dragon.

Adults took every opportunity to develop children's early language skills and vocabulary. Children enjoy their daily phonics lessons and listening to and joining in with familiar stories, songs and rhymes.

Phonics teaching is well organised in key stage 1.

Pupils who find reading more difficult receive the support they need to catch up. Pupils have a love of reading. Leaders have thought carefully about which high-quality books pupils will encounter as they move from the early years through to Year 6.

Leaders have planned a curriculum that provides many opportunities to enrich pupils' personal development. Pupils with SEND are included in all aspects of school life. The local community is celebrated.

One pupil summed this up well by saying, 'Together we make a community, together we make a school.' Pupils are working on a Reading community arts project where they, with other schools, will create art to be displayed around the town. Funding is well used to promote healthy lifestyles.

Opportunities such as orienteering, forest school and sports events are provided so that pupils have a good understanding of the importance of keeping fit.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Staff have received appropriate safeguarding training.

They are alert to any sign that indicates a pupil is at risk of harm. Pupils are confident that there is an adult they can talk to if they need help. Leaders work closely with external agencies to ensure that pupils' needs are met.

Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe from harm. For example, a visit from the police helped pupils know what to do if a stranger looked suspicious. Pupils learn about online dangers, including cyber-bullying.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Some pupils do not always behave well at breaktimes and lunchtimes. This is because pupils have become unused to playing in larger, mixed year groups during the COVID-19 pandemic. Leaders need to ensure that effective strategies are put in place to ensure pupils play together well.

In some subjects, such as geography and science, pupils do not always have a secure understanding of their previous learning. This means that they struggle to remember and apply their understanding to more difficult work. Leaders should ensure that there are planned opportunities for pupils to regularly review their learning so they can consolidate their knowledge and make better progress through the school's intended curriculum.

• Work provided for pupils with SEND who attend the specially resourced provision is not always linked closely enough to the work they do in their year group class. This means that these pupils do not always make the best possible gains in their knowledge and understanding. Leaders need to make sure that teachers plan together more closely so that they provide a well-sequenced curriculum that always meets pupils' needs.

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