Wykebeck Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Wykebeck is a richly diverse school.

Pupils from many different backgrounds and ethnic groups attend.The 'Wykebeck Values' curriculum makes a positive contribution to pupils' personal development and their preparedness for life outside school. Pupils understand the importance of tolerance and respect for others.

They express a mature understanding of British values. As one pupil told an inspector, 'It's important that we respect everyone.' Pupils have fewer opportunities to be involved in the wider life of the school.

Incidents of inappropriate behaviour are rare. Low-level disruption is a thing of the past. Pupils show positive attitudes to their learning....r/>
There have been no exclusions at the school for two years.The nurture room is used well to support pupils with higher levels of anxiety. Pupils value the support that adults provide.

Pupils explained, 'If you show any negative behaviours, you can go to the nurture room, and they help you to turn them into positive ones.' Pupils have a good understanding of the different forms of bullying. They know how important it is to tell someone if they have concerns.

During breaktimes, teachers lead team games and pupils are keen to be involved. This contributes significantly to the strengthened relationships at the school.

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

Leaders have worked at pace to retain a strong focus on curriculum development throughout periods of COVID-19 restrictions.

Leaders know their pupils well. They understand the different needs, and any barriers to learning that pupils may have. Leaders use this information to create a strong curriculum design.

Leaders ensure that this curriculum structure includes developing and extending pupils' vocabulary.The long-term curriculum overview maps out the order of content delivery for each subject. Leaders identify curriculum end-points that they want pupils to reach.

These are suitably ambitious and in line with national curriculum expectations. Detailed documents set out the important facts they want pupils to learn and in which order. Each unit of work begins with a check to see what pupils already know and can do.

Leaders tackle any gaps in pupils' knowledge and remove any misconceptions straightaway.Leaders make sure that teachers implement the curriculum in a consistent way. This is helping pupils to remember more of what they have learned.

Work in pupils' books demonstrates how pupils now build their knowledge towards the curriculum end goals. However, pupils are less clear about past learning from previous years, resulting in gaps in their knowledge. Leaders know that there is more to do to deepen pupils' understanding of what they are learning over time, in a range of subjects.

Staff deliver phonics and early reading sessions well. Teachers make sure that pupils acquire phonic knowledge quickly. Pupils are encouraged to read at home daily.

Staff also listen to pupils read in school. Pupils practise their reading with books that match their phonics knowledge. Leaders have mapped out essential reading content for each year group and select books that match this well.

Pupils study these texts to stimulate and support learning in a range of subjects.A greater than average proportion of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) attend the school. The leader for SEND is knowledgeable.

She offers pertinent advice and support to colleagues. Pupils know the targets they are working towards. They get the support they need when they require it.

In all year groups, there is a high turnover of pupils. More pupils than average arrive and leave the school at times other than the expected times. Leaders manage this well by prioritising pupils' personal and social development.

This has paid dividends. Pupils demonstrate a readiness to manage their lives positively inside and outside school. However, there are fewer opportunities for pupils to take on responsibilities and develop their leadership skills.

Leaders have carefully designed the early years curriculum. They have ensured that activities for each area of learning build children's knowledge step by step. Staff check accurately on what children know and can do.

They use this information to shape curriculum choices and offer additional support when needed. Adults take all opportunities to incorporate new vocabulary into their talk with children. Leaders have taken effective action to develop children's communication, language and literacy skills.

The early years team has built positive relationships with families.Leaders have established a strong collaborative ethos within school. Staff, including early career teachers, feel well supported.

There has been considerable investment in staff training. Staff confidence has improved since the previous inspection. They say that leaders support them with their workload.

Governors have been on a journey. There have been improvements to their effectiveness. They use the expertise of the local authority to inform and deepen their work.

Governors bring the skills and commitment needed to support the school.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Staff know the important role they play in safeguarding pupils.

They access regular training to help them stay up to date with their knowledge. Detailed recruitment checks are undertaken on any adult working at the school.

The designated safeguarding lead (DSL) maintains comprehensive records.

She knows the pupils exceptionally well. She has an acute awareness of the issues faced by some pupils. This enables the DSL to be tenacious in her work with other professional agencies.

This provides good capacity for all staff to react and respond appropriately when pupils are at risk of harm.

Pupils have many ways to tell staff if there are concerns about their welfare. They recognise risks to their safety when accessing the internet.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Curriculum changes are enabling pupils to remember more of what they have learned. However, historically, pupils' outcomes have been weak and pupils struggle to recall previous learning. Leaders need to further embed the curriculum structure, and tackle the gaps in pupils' knowledge, so that pupils can deepen their understanding in a range of curriculum subjects.

• Pupils have few opportunities to take responsibility for making decisions. Leaders need to build on the important work they have already undertaken regarding curriculum choices for personal development. Leaders should create more opportunities for pupils to be involved in the wider life of the school and in decision-making, to further develop pupils' leadership opportunities, confidence and self-assuredness.