Wath Central Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud to be part of 'Team Central'. They enjoy learning at school.

Leaders prioritise pupils' well-being. They have created a nurturing atmosphere in the school. Pupils are listened to and feel valued.

They know that staff care about them. Pupils say that they feel safe.

Leaders have a strong, shared vision to ensure that every child in the school is seen as unique.

They strive to ensure that learning is tailored to develop pupils' understanding of the local area, of the wider world and of themselves as citizens. This is an inclusive school.

Leaders are ambitious for pupils.

They are committed to supporting pupils' wider ...development. They have identified '70 things to do as Team Central' to inspire and excite pupils, such as stargazing. Leaders provide a wide range of opportunities for pupils to identify and nurture their own talents.

These opportunities include playing a wide range of musical instruments, taking part in sporting competitions or building robots.

Pupils usually behave well in lessons and around the school. Teachers have high expectations, and most pupils respond well to this.

Pupils told inspectors that inappropriate behaviour and bullying does happen but that it is rare. Pupils say that teachers deal with poor behaviour quickly. However, this doesn't always stop it straight away.

Most pupils attend school regularly. Yet, despite leaders' efforts, a few pupils are regularly absent. This prevents them from making the most of the exciting education that leaders plan for them.

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

Senior leaders have created a team of passionate, enthusiastic leaders across the school. They work closely with staff to create a curriculum which is filled with rich and challenging experiences. Examples include the robotics club trip to the United States of America and the school visit by the South Yorkshire Mounted Police.

Leaders review the curriculum together. They are constantly looking for ways to improve it, for example by incorporating history projects linked to the local fire station or the Wath Festival. They want to teach pupils to have a pride in the local area and to be informed citizens.

Staff work together to plan pupils' learning. Staff enable pupils to make connections between subjects, to make learning meaningful.

In most subjects, leaders have created a curriculum which provides an overview of learning from Year 1 to Year 6.

Teachers use curriculum plans to create projects which link learning and help to engage pupils. Curriculum leaders ensure staff have appropriate plans and resources to help them to plan learning that builds on what pupils already know and can do. Leaders of most subjects, including history, have ensured that planning contains the detailed knowledge that they want pupils to remember.

There is still work to do to ensure this is the case across all subjects, however.

Teachers support pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) effectively, using well-designed plans. Thoughtful adaptations in lessons, and using effective staffing and resources, ensure that pupils with SEND have the same opportunities as their peers.

Leaders put reading at the heart of the curriculum. Teachers throughout school share stories with pupils daily. They have identified a 'Reading Super 6' collection of books to give pupils access to high-quality texts, poems and stories.

Pupils enjoy talking about authors and are confident to give their opinions about books.

Children get off to a strong start with reading. This has been supported by the introduction of a new phonics programme.

Leaders have ensured that all staff are well trained and skilful at teaching phonics. There is consistency in the language and teaching approaches that adults use. Children discuss their phonics learning confidently.

Pupils take books home regularly to practise reading skills with books which are well matched to their current learning. Pupils who find reading difficult are given extra support to ensure that they keep up.

In the early years, the youngest children enjoy attending Nursery and Reception classes.

Staff are caring and form good relationships with families. Leaders plan a wide range of learning opportunities which interest and engage children. However, these activities are not always implemented consistently or well enough to ensure that the curriculum is enacted as leaders intend.

Some staff do not utilise the environment well enough to support learning. At times, there are some missed opportunities to extend pupils' vocabulary and learning.

There are a broad range of clubs and activities offered at the school, including art, British sign language or toy brick building therapy.

Pupils are encouraged to take on roles of responsibility, such as reading ambassadors, or to organise a charity event. Pupils value the well-planned trips and visits which are used effectively to enhance their learning.

Leaders of the trust and the governing body work closely with school leaders to ensure that improvement is planned for and effective.

Opportunities for staff's professional development are provided from the trust and also sought externally. The effect of this work is particularly evident in reading and mathematics.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders have ensured there is a strong safeguarding culture in the school. They have created a team of staff who, along with other adults in the school, are well trained to identify and report any safeguarding concerns. Staff support families and have effective links to outside agencies, including the police and health professionals.

They know pupils well and take prompt action when needed. This ensures that families get help when it is needed.

Leaders ensure that pupils are taught to keep themselves safe.

They make sure that pupils have a strong understanding of online safety. Learning is revisited if issues arise in the local community. This supports pupils to be safe beyond school.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some subjects, curriculum plans do not highlight the detailed knowledge pupils should learn from the early years to Year 6. This, in part, is having a detrimental effect on pupils' ability to build subject knowledge and understanding as they move across school. Leaders should ensure that all curriculum plans clearly identify the important knowledge and skills leaders want pupils to know and remember.

• Leaders have not ensured that the implementation of the early years curriculum is delivered consistently or that the environment is used effectively to support learning. Consequently, some staff miss opportunities to promote or build on pupils' learning. Leaders must ensure that all adults working in the early years understand exactly how to implement the curriculum and provide purposeful opportunities for learning.

• A small minority of pupils say that they hear discriminatory or inappropriate language in the playground and that it makes them feel uncomfortable. Some pupils are not applying learning about discrimination to real-life situations in school. Leaders must ensure that actions taken to support pupils' behaviour are understood and have a positive impact across school.

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