School report
North Wheatley Church of England
Primary School
Sturton Road, South Wheatley, Retford, DN22 9DH
Inspection dates
1213 February 2015
Previous inspection:
Good
This inspection:
Outstanding
Leadership and management
Outstanding
Behaviour and safety of pupils
Outstanding
Quality of teaching
Outstanding
Achievement of pupils
Outstanding
Early years provision
Outstanding
Overall effectiveness
Summary of key findings for parents and pupils
This is an outstanding school.
Outstanding leadership by the headteacher and
subject leaders, with strong support and challenge
from the governing body, is enabling the school to
improve since its previous inspection.
Leaders and governors make sure that teaching
and achievement are outstanding. They have fully
implemented the new curriculum and systems for
assessment and ensure all pupils make at least
good progress in literacy and numeracy.
Leaders are promoting pupils spiritual, moral,
social and cultural development, including
understanding of British values, exceptionally well.
Pupils behaviour in lessons and throughout the
school is outstanding. They greatly enjoy school
and have excellent attitudes to learning. This is
seen in their high attendance and in the great
pride they take in their work.
Pupils feel very safe in school because staff and
governors are very effective in ensuring their
safety.
Teachers have good subject knowledge and set
consistently high expectations for learning. As a
result, pupils do their very best and acquire new
knowledge, skills and understanding rapidly.
Teachers make excellent use of well-chosen
resources to stimulate learning and set regular
homework to consolidate pupils new knowledge,
skills and understanding.
Teaching assistants provide consistently good
support for learning and behaviour.
Pupils throughout the school are making
outstanding progress in reading, writing and
mathematics. The grammar, punctuation and
spelling and mental mathematics skills, of a very
few pupils, are slightly less strong than their other
skills.
The very few disadvantaged pupils make the same
excellent progress as their classmates in reading,
writing and mathematics.
The early years provision is exceptionally well led.
As a result, links with parents are excellent, and
provision is outstanding. All children of Nursery and
Reception age are very happy, safe and settled in
school and make outstanding progress.
Inspection report: North Wheatley Church of England Primary School, 12-13 February 2015
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Information about this inspection
The inspector visited nine lessons to look at the impact of teaching on pupils learning. All teachers were
seen and nearly all observations were carried out jointly with the headteacher.
The inspector heard a few pupils read and looked at samples of pupils work across the school, including
from the early years provision.
The inspector met with the headteacher, the leader of the Early Years Foundation Stage, subject leaders,
four members of the governing body and a group of eight pupils from Key Stages 1 and 2. He held
informal discussions with different pupils at break time and lunchtime. The inspector also carried out a
telephone discussion with a representative of the local authority.
The inspector took account of parents views. The 34 responses to the schools most recent survey of
parents and the 54 responses to Parent View (the online questionnaire for parents) were considered. He
held informal discussions with six parents who worked with children in the early years provision. The
inspector also considered written responses submitted by parents.
The inspector took account of the 45 responses to the schools most recent survey of pupils views and
examined the 12 completed questionnaires returned by staff.
The inspector observed the schools work and looked at a range of documentation, including: the schools
evaluation of its work; the school development plan; minutes of governing body meetings; safeguarding
policies; records of behaviour and attendance; minutes of governing body meetings; information about
childrens progress in the early years provision and information about pupils progress throughout the
school over time.
Inspection team
Declan McCarthy, Lead inspector
Additional Inspector
Inspection report: North Wheatley Church of England Primary School, 12-13 February 2015
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Full report
Information about this school
The school is much smaller than the average primary school.
Most pupils are of White British heritage and a few are at an early stage of learning English.
A much lower proportion of pupils are eligible for the pupil premium than in most schools. The pupil
premium provides funding for pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and those in care.
The proportion of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs is below average.
The numbers of pupils in Year 6 in 2014 were too few to report reliably on whether the school reached the
governments current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils attainment and
progress.
The children of Nursery age in the early years provision attend part time and those of Reception age
attend full time.
More pupils than in most schools join the school throughout term time.
The school received an interim assessment by Ofsted in June 2013, which stated that good performance
had been sustained.
In April 2014, the school introduced before- and after-school clubs.
Since the last inspection, the school has become a teacher-training school with Bishop Grosseteste
University and Activemark. The school is also a member of the Cotgrave Candleby Lane Teaching School
Alliance. The headteacher has undertaken school-to-school support work on behalf of the local authority.
What does the school need to do to improve further?
Sustain high-quality teaching and learning in literacy and numeracy across the school, so that more pupils
reach the highest levels of attainment by making sure:
subject leaders fully apply the strategies to improve pupils attainment in grammar, punctuation and
spelling and their mental fluency in mathematics.
Inspection report: North Wheatley Church of England Primary School, 12-13 February 2015
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Inspection judgements
The leadership and management
are outstanding
Under the inspired leadership of the headteacher with excellent support from other leaders, teaching,
learning and achievement have improved from good to outstanding. Leaders, with strong support from
governors, have created a culture where outstanding teaching and pupils positive behaviour thrive. As a
result, the school has improved considerably since its previous inspection.
Improvement is focused on the most important priorities for development because leaders and governors
have an accurate view of school performance. They use the information from rigorous monitoring to
ensure teaching, pupils achievement and their behaviour remain key priorities. The result is exceptional
performance in all areas.
Leadership of teaching is outstanding. Leaders use a highly accurate analysis of the impact of teaching on
the learning of all pupils effectively so as to improve it. Every teacher is observed termly. Leaders apply
robust criteria to determine the impact of their teaching on pupils learning. This information is used
alongside the findings from thorough examination of pupils work and the termly review of the progress
every pupil makes. As a result, leaders evaluation of strengths and areas for development in teaching is
accurate and improvement in teachers practice is well directed.
Leaders rigorously challenge any underperformance in teaching and deal with it effectively to ensure its
quality remains high. Staff training is closely linked to the school development plan and the system for
managing staff performance. Consequently, all staff, particularly newly qualified teachers and those new
to the school, benefit from excellent support and guidance from leaders to improve their practice.
Subject leaders are very effective in ensuring subject provision is outstanding by supporting and guiding
staff to give pupils the best teaching and learning opportunities possible. These leaders rigorous
monitoring and support for staff contribute greatly to sustaining the high quality of teaching across the
school.
The early years provision is exceptionally well led and managed. As a result, very strong links with parents
and excellent teaching and support combine to ensure successful learning and the well-being of all
children of Nursery and Reception ages.
The new curriculum gives strong emphasis to developing reading, writing and mathematical skills. New
strategies to develop pupils use of grammar, punctuation and spelling and mental fluency in mathematics
are raising achievement, but have not yet resulted in increasing the proportion of pupils reaching the very
highest levels of attainment in writing and mathematics.
New systems of assessment to complement the new curriculum determine how well pupils are acquiring
knowledge, skills and understanding. Good tracking of the progress for every pupil in each subject ensures
that any pupil found to be underachieving can be readily supported. Consequently, these measures have
contributed well to better teaching and learning since the last inspection.
Leaders ensure that learning opportunities meet the needs of all pupils, including the most able, the
disabled and those with special educational needs. Community links are strengthened through the local
church, where pupils participate in a range of religious festivals. Through religious education and
assemblies, pupils celebrate and learn to appreciate other religious traditions, such as Islam and Judaism.
Consequently, pupils gain a better understanding of the diversity of people in modern British society.
The curriculum prepares pupils very well for life in modern Britain. They learn about democracy through
elections to the school council, and Years 5 and 6 debate questions, such as, moral ownership of the Elgin
Marbles. Pupils gain a strong sense of responsibility from the annual pupils-as-teachers day, when Year 6
apply for posts, are interviewed and selected to lead the class or whole school for one day. They learn
what the rule of law, rights and responsibilities mean in practice, and gain respect for individual liberty.
This excellent provision, is strongly reflected in the schools ethos of respect for others and personal
responsibility.
Inspection report: North Wheatley Church of England Primary School, 12-13 February 2015
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Pupils spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is promoted extremely well. They experience a
sense of awe and wonder in the world through the subjects they learn. For example, they find religious art
inspiring. Their spiritual understanding is supported by reflection in lessons, in the quiet reflection space in
school, in collective worship, and in termly meetings with their mentor. Praise and support for making
responsible choices reinforce their moral development and excellent behaviour.
Pupils social development is promoted through excellent relationships among pupils and staff, who are all
positive role models. Pupils learn to take turns, listen to others when sharing ideas and work well together
in lessons. Their appreciation and respect for different cultural traditions are stimulated by visits to
different places of worship, visitors of different faiths and links with other schools, including Suryapal in
Nepal and Spanish schools, arranged through the Chesterfield Centre. The very many worthwhile learning
opportunities that pupils receive provide exceptionally well for their personal development.
The schools strong links with secondary schools ensure a smooth transfer of pupils at the end of Year 6 to
secondary education.
Leaders make good use of pupil premium funding to provide individual extra support for the very few
pupils who require it. This support enables them to make excellent progress.
Primary sports funding is used well to provide additional coaching to develop pupils skills and to train
staff. Pupils benefit from more physical activities, such as swimming, and gain in health and physical wellbeing.
The school promotes equality of opportunity exceptionally well. Consequently, all pupils including the
most able, the disabled and those with special educational needs make outstanding progress and
participate in all the school offers. Any discrimination is tackled effectively and is anathema to this school.
The local authority is providing an appropriate level of support for the school. It reviews its work and
challenges it as necessary. The local authority has a positive impact in promoting networking between the
school and others to share good practice, such as in the early years provision.
The school ensures that the statutory requirements for safeguarding are met. Staff maintain high levels of
supervision throughout the day. Procedures for checking the suitability of staff and visitors to work with
pupils and children in the early years provision are rigorous and all training is up to date. As a result, all
pupils are very safe in school.
Parents are right to be highly supportive of the school and would recommend it to others.
The governance of the school:
Governors are very effective in supporting and challenging the work of the school through regular visits.
They have an accurate view of the quality of teaching and its impact on learning because each governor
is linked to a discrete year group.
They stringently hold school leaders to account on all aspects of the schools performance through their
links and assigned responsibility for specific priorities in the school development plan.
Governors manage the headteachers performance very effectively, setting targets linked to the
priorities set out in the school development plan. They manage the performance of teachers well by
making sure good teaching is recognised and any weaknesses are dealt with effectively by training.
Governors make good use of data on pupils achievements to challenge the school. They make sure that
the additional funding the school receives for pupil premium and primary sports is used effectively to
ensure good value for money.
They have good oversight of safeguarding arrangements, regularly review health and safety and make
sure that all polices are up to date.
They make sure that the school is promoting British values and set out clear guidance to deal with any
form of extremism should it occur.
Inspection report: North Wheatley Church of England Primary School, 12-13 February 2015
The behaviour and safety of pupils
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are outstanding
Behaviour
The behaviour of pupils is outstanding. Pupils behave exceptionally well in the playground and in lessons.
They respond very well to staff management of their behaviour.
Pupils are very polite and courteous to visitors and show great respect for others. Their spiritual, moral,
social and cultural development has considerable impact on ensuring their behaviour is outstanding.
All pupils spoken to said they enjoy coming to school and are very keen to participate in school activities,
such as choir and sports clubs. Their enthusiasm is reflected in their high levels of attendance and
punctuality. They wear their school uniform with pride and take great care of their books.
Pupils have excellent attitudes to learning, concentrate in class and are tenacious in completing their work
to the best of their ability.
Children of Nursery and Reception ages settle into their routines very quickly and have excellent attitudes
to learning. They behave very well indoors and outdoors.
Older pupils are very good role models for younger ones. All pupils learn to be part of a team and show
leadership qualities, as in competitive sports.
Safety
The schools work to keep pupils safe and secure is outstanding. Attendance is promoted exceptionally
well. Any potential risks to pupils while in school or on educational visits are rigorously assessed. The
security of the school grounds is checked regularly to ensure all pupils remain safe.
The school is meticulous in checking the suitability of staff and visitors to work with pupils.
Pupils, parents and staff say that bullying is rare and is dealt with effectively should it occur. School
records of behaviour over time and observations during the inspection confirm this situation. In discussion,
pupils demonstrate a good understanding of different types of bullying and know how to use the internet
safely.
Pupils say they feel very safe in school. They play happily in the playground and move confidently from
one area of the school to another. They use the internet and school equipment in an informed way and
abide by safe rules of play in competitive sports. They are safe in the before- and after-school clubs.
The quality of teaching
is outstanding
Teachers good subject knowledge and consistently high expectations of what pupils can achieve ensure
that learning builds on pupils knowledge and skills so they reach higher standards.
Outstanding teaching of reading, writing and mathematics is preparing pupils extremely well for the next
stage of their education.
The excellent use of learning resources was seen in all lessons. For example, in mathematics in Years 5
and 6, pupils recorded weights in grams and confidently converted findings to kilograms. The teacher
challenged them to convert their findings to imperial weights from an old cookery book. They used
computers to make rapid calculations and manipulated weight conversions with remarkable confidence.
Pupils thoroughly enjoyed the learning, worked very hard and made rapid progress in calculation.
Teaching assistants provide consistently good support for learning and behaviour in all lessons. They
ensure pupils remain focused on learning by clarifying any misunderstanding and using feedback, praise
and encouragement to very good effect. Consequently, pupils have very positive attitudes to learning,
which contribute greatly to what they achieve.
Inspection report: North Wheatley Church of England Primary School, 12-13 February 2015
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Teachers ask questions to check pupils knowledge and understanding. For example, in Year 2, the
teacher asked pupils to give examples of how writing could be improved. Their responses led to the
challenge to use capital letters with proper nouns in full sentences, and to use a range of adjectives and
adverbs to improve their writing, all of which they did with enthusiasm.
Disadvantaged pupils, those with special educational needs, those at an early stage of learning English
and pupils who arrived at school during term time, greatly benefit from well-targeted support. This
enables them to make the same excellent progress, over time, as their classmates.
Teachers marking has improved significantly since the last inspection and enables pupils to know exactly
how well they are doing and how they can improve. Teachers are focusing on pupils use of grammar
punctuation and spelling across a range of subjects, which is further improving their writing. However,
pupils written accuracy and competence in mental mathematics remain a focus for further improvement.
Teachers make sure that the thinking of the most-able pupils is always challenged by making them work
to their full potential. As a result, they make rapid progress from their higher starting points.
Teaching in the early years provision is outstanding. As a result, the children greatly enjoy their learning
and make rapid progress.
The achievement of pupils
is outstanding
Children enter the Nursery with attainment which is broadly typical for their age, but occasionally weaker
in communication, language, literacy and social and emotional development. They make rapid progress in
all areas of learning as they move through the early years provision, so by the end of the Reception Year
they are very well prepared for entry into Year 1.
As year groups are small, results can vary from year to year. For example, results in the 2014 national
phonics check, which tests pupils understanding of the sounds that letters make, were broadly average.
Nevertheless, this represented a competent performance, given these pupils attainment on entry. Most of
the few pupils involved in the Year 2 repeated check reached the expected standard. The schools
accurate data show that, currently, all pupils in Year 1 are on course to reach the required standard.
The attainment of pupils in Year 2 was above that in most schools in 2014, in reading, writing and
mathematics. These pupils made excellent progress in all areas from their starting points as a result of
outstanding teaching. Currently, attainment in Key Stage 1 is strong in all subjects and has risen over the
last three years.
In 2014, the attainment of pupils in Year 6 was above that in most schools in English and mathematics but
less strong in grammar, punctuation and spelling. Attainment has risen in recent years. Current Year 6
pupils are on course to maintain standards ahead of those gained nationally. The 2014 results showed
that Year 6 pupils made excellent progress from their starting points. Pupils who were present through
Years 5 and 6 achieved very well and reached the higher levels, particularly in mathematics and in writing.
The few pupils who entered the school late made good progress from their starting points, although they
were not in school long enough to benefit fully from the strong teaching in Years 5 and 6. The schools
reliable data show that in 2014 pupils made much better progress from their various starting points than
that reflected in the published data. Currently, Year 6 pupils are making outstanding progress.
In 2014, the most-able pupils in Key Stage 1 were well ahead of similar pupils nationally in attaining the
higher Level 3 in reading, writing and mathematics. At Key Stage 2, the most able were well ahead of
similar pupils nationally in attaining the high Level 6 in mathematics, and Level 5 in writing. A few missed
Level 5 in reading by one mark. Currently, the most-able Years 5 and 6 pupils are achieving very well and
are on course to reach the higher levels in all subjects. However, a very few pupils in Years 3 and 4 do not
apply their grammar, punctuation and spelling and mental mathematics skills with sufficient accuracy to
reach the highest levels of attainment.
Inspection report: North Wheatley Church of England Primary School, 12-13 February 2015
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Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs make at least good, and often outstanding,
progress from their starting points because staff make work suitably challenging for all individual needs.
Pupils make at least good progress in all other subjects, including: music, art, science, humanities and
computing. They progress very well in physical education, for example, in street dance, competitive sport
and swimming as a result of excellent use of primary sports funding.
There were too few disadvantaged pupils in Year 6 in 2014 to evaluate their progress and attainment
reliably without identifying individuals. Currently, disadvantaged pupils are achieving very well and fully in
line with their classmates in all subjects.
The very few pupils at an early stage of learning English are making the same outstanding progress as
their classmates.
The early years provision
is outstanding
Outstanding leadership of the early years provision has led to considerable improvement in childrens
achievement since the last inspection. Links with parents are much stronger and are now excellent.
New tracking systems are recording even the smallest steps of progress each child makes. Every child has
an individual blog where parents can see the progress their children are making at any given time and
can contribute to the learning journey records their children are making.
Nearly all parents work with their children in the early years provision termly in community open mornings
and class celebrations, and they are extremely positive about all aspects of this provision. As a result,
children are very happy and settle into their routines quickly.
The early years leader has developed excellent teamwork with staff. Together they strongly promote
childrens safety and well-being. Staff provide high levels of supervision and engagement in learning
activities. They ensure that all safety and safeguarding requirements are robustly applied. Consequently all
children feel very safe and secure at school.
Children make excellent progress in all areas of learning because teaching is outstanding and staff provide
a rich variety of activities to capture childrens interest. For example, in lessons seen, children were
making rapid gains in counting to 20 and in using letter sounds to read simple words. All children reach a
good level of development in all areas of learning on entry to Year 1, and have done so over the last two
years.
Inspection report: North Wheatley Church of England Primary School, 12-13 February 2015
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What inspection judgements mean
School
Grade
Judgement
Description
Grade 1
Outstanding
An outstanding school is highly effective in delivering outcomes that
provide exceptionally well for all its pupils needs. This ensures that pupils
are very well equipped for the next stage of their education, training or
employment.
Grade 2
Good
A good school is effective in delivering outcomes that provide well for all
its pupils needs. Pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their
education, training or employment.
Grade 3
Requires
improvement
A school that requires improvement is not yet a good school, but it is not
inadequate. This school will receive a full inspection within 24 months
from the date of this inspection.
Grade 4
Inadequate
A school that has serious weaknesses is inadequate overall and requires
significant improvement but leadership and management are judged to
be Grade 3 or better. This school will receive regular monitoring by
Ofsted inspectors.
A school that requires special measures is one where the school is failing
to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education and the schools
leaders, managers or governors have not demonstrated that they have
the capacity to secure the necessary improvement in the school. This
school will receive regular monitoring by Ofsted inspectors.
Inspection report: North Wheatley Church of England Primary School, 12-13 February 2015
School details
Unique reference number
122772
Local authority
Nottinghamshire
Inspection number
449635
This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.
Type of school
Primary
School category
Voluntary controlled
Age range of pupils
311
Gender of pupils
Mixed
Number of pupils on the school roll
85
Appropriate authority
The governing body
Chair
Elizabeth Stanley
Headteacher
Joanna Hall
Date of previous school inspection
29 April 2010
Telephone number
01427 880409
Fax number
01427 880442
Email address
head@[Link]
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123 4234, or email enquiries@[Link].
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schools in England. You can visit [Link], or look for the link
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