Washingwell Community Primary School is recognized as a good school, providing a welcoming environment where pupils take pride in the school's values of happiness, excellence, ambition, respect, and togetherness. The staff maintain high expectations for pupil effort and behavior, which encourages students to strive for their best. The curriculum is designed to extend beyond academic subjects, promoting personal development through various responsibilities such as being part of the school council or serving as librarians. Parents and carers express high levels of satisfaction with the school, often describing it as caring and community-oriented, appreciating the nurturing staff and broad curriculum.
Pupils exhibit good behavior and feel safe within the school environment, supported by staff who are attentive to their needs. They are educated about different forms of bullying, including cyberbullying, and are taught how to recognize and address such issues. The school has effective measures in place to ensure that bullying is not tolerated.
The leadership team has established a curriculum that is engaging and suitable for all pupils. The headteacher, along with the deputy headteacher and curriculum leaders, sets clear expectations for both staff and students. The curriculum is structured around vocabulary and skills, allowing pupils to develop specific knowledge through thematic learning. However, there are areas for improvement, particularly in the precise sequencing of how key facts are taught.
Teachers and teaching assistants are knowledgeable about their pupils and monitor their learning effectively. They adapt their teaching methods to ensure understanding and provide support when needed. The school has seen an increase in the number of pupils meeting age-related standards, with attainment in English and mathematics above the national average. However, the proportion of pupils achieving higher standards remains below average, indicating a need for more targeted goals for the most able pupils.
In mathematics, the leader has demonstrated strong subject knowledge, ensuring that long-term plans are in place for what pupils will learn and in what order. Pupils are developing good problem-solving and reasoning skills, with regular practice helping them to tackle more complex mathematical challenges. Writing skills are developed across subjects, with a focus on subject-specific writing rather than general writing skills.
In the early years, children benefit from a creative learning environment that fosters curiosity and interest. Phonics and early reading are prioritized, with children enjoying a variety of stories and rhymes to cultivate a love for reading. The systematic approach to phonics has led to good progress in reading and writing for pupils in key stage one.
The school is committed to supporting disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and disabilities, ensuring they make good progress by the end of key stage two. Governance has improved since the last inspection, with governors actively engaging in training and regularly meeting with curriculum leaders to assess the effectiveness of the school's offerings.
The safeguarding arrangements are effective, with a strong culture of safety established by senior leaders. Staff receive relevant training to identify and report concerns, and positive relationships have been built with parents through the family support worker. Pupils feel safe and know they have trusted adults to turn to for support.
To enhance the quality of education further, leaders need to refine the long-term curriculum plans to ensure that knowledge is sequenced effectively across all subjects and year groups. Additionally, there should be a focus on setting clear end points for the most able pupils to achieve higher standards in reading, writing, and mathematics.
