Wilmcote CofE (Voluntary Aided) Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

The school values and celebrates pupils' uniqueness. The Christian values of kindness, tolerance and forgiveness are at the core of the school's work. Pupils behave well in the classrooms and as they move around the school.

They say that they have plenty of friends and nobody gets left out at playtimes. Pupils feel safe and enjoy coming to school. Parents and carers are delighted with all that the school offers and say that there have been many positive changes.

Staff listen to pupils' views and take them seriously. The school council raises money, which has been used to develop quiet areas for reading outdoors and increased the range of sports equipment. Pupils know ...how to live healthy lifestyles.

A recent visit from an Olympic swimmer motivated them to 'go the extra mile' to do well in their studies.

Pupils enjoy learning. However, the quality of education overall needs to be further developed.

The curriculum planning in some subjects does not help pupils to make as much progress as they should. Pupils who find reading more difficult do not receive the precise help that they need to ensure that they learn sounds quickly and catch up with their peers.

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

School leaders and governors have high expectations for all groups of pupils.

They want them to be curious and enjoy learning. However, the disruptions caused by COVID-19 and staff illnesses have slowed down leaders' development of curriculum planning. Currently, the sequence of learning in a number of subjects is unclear.

Teachers know what they want to teach, but the order in which knowledge and skills are taught is not clearly mapped out. This means that some teachers are too dependent on using schemes that do not build on what pupils already know. Consequently, some pupils struggle to remember what they have been taught previously.

Recent staff training in mathematics has helped older pupils to remember the best ways to solve mathematical problems. Teachers give clear instructions and introduce pupils to new vocabulary. Teaching assistants use questions well to gauge pupils' understanding.

This is helping pupils to make better progress in mathematics.

Leaders are developing the curriculum in early years. Children make secure progress in early writing, mathematics and learning new words, and they develop positive social skills.

However, other areas of learning are less well developed because teachers do not identify what children should learn in the planned activities precisely enough. Children do not have enough opportunities to practise what they have previously learned because tasks set, especially in the outdoors, do not build on prior learning.

Reading has a strong focus in the school.

Teachers help pupils develop a love of reading. Pupils enjoy DEAL ('drop everything and listen') when teachers read stories to them. However, the teaching of phonics is not fully effective.

Teachers are still adjusting to the new approach to teaching phonics that has been introduced. Some children and pupils are moved on too quickly to new sounds. Teachers do not routinely check that pupils remember the sounds they have learned and so are not providing extra help immediately when required.

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive personalised support because leaders have acted quickly on the advice given by external agencies. This helps pupils with SEND to access the learning and make progress.

Leaders have secured improvements in pupils' behaviour and attitudes to learning because of the consistent use of 'golden rules.'

Pupils enjoy learning because lessons are interesting, and many visits take place in the local area. These make learning relevant. Pupils enjoy school and attendance has improved.

Staff say that they are well supported, have access to training and that leaders consider their well-being. Parents know that their children are very happy and enjoy all that the school has to offer, especially school's wide range of clubs that encourage pupils to lead healthy lifestyles.

Pupils are self-assured and confident.

They have many opportunities to develop their leadership skills. They know how British values contribute to life in modern Britain. Pupils from different backgrounds and communities integrate together well.

Pupils have a strong sense of right and wrong. They value human freedom. For example, they are raising money for Ukrainian people by selling sunflowers.

The school is well led. Staff morale is high, and governors have provided effective support and challenge to help leaders secure improvements. They hold staff to account for pupils' outcomes.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Regular training means that all staff recognise the signs that a pupil might be at risk of harm. Where staff have concerns about a pupil, these are quickly reported to the safeguarding team.

Leaders take swift action when concerns are raised about pupils' safety. They make effective use of a range of external agencies to provide additional support for pupils and their families when this is needed.

Pupils learn about keeping themselves safe while at school or at home.

They understand how to keep themselves safe while they are online.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Staff have not received sufficient training to make sure that they all teach phonics well. As a result, some pupils who find reading more difficult are not getting the support that they need to get better at reading.

Leaders should ensure that all staff receive the training they need to teach phonics effectively. Leaders should also ensure that teachers check that pupils remember the sounds that they learn and provide immediate support for those who are falling behind. ? In some subjects, leaders have not clearly mapped out the subject knowledge and skills that they intend pupils to learn in each year group.

As a result, teachers mix and match work from various schemes and are unclear about what has been previously taught and what is expected of pupils in each year group. Leaders should ensure that curriculum planning identifies the knowledge, skills and vocabulary that pupils need to learn in each subject, and in what order, so that pupils can successfully build on previous learning. ? Learning in early years predominantly focuses on mathematics, personal, social and emotional development, and early writing.

Children do not have the opportunity to experience all the early years areas of learning in sufficient depth. Leaders should develop the curriculum, especially in understanding the world, expressive arts and design, literacy, and physical development, and ensure that teachers are clear about the learning intentions of activities that children undertake. They need to ensure that there are opportunities both indoors and outdoors for children to practise what they have learned to enable them to make better progress across all the areas of the early years foundation stage curriculum.