Westfield School, located in Sheffield, was inspected on April 19 and 20, 2023. The overall effectiveness of the school was rated as requiring improvement, along with the quality of education, behavior and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management. This was the first inspection under section five of the Education Act 2005, as the school had not been previously inspected.
Many pupils express enjoyment in their time at Westfield School, participating in various extracurricular activities, including sports and drama. The school has made efforts to develop leadership skills among students, with older pupils engaging in the Duke of Edinburgh award scheme and celebrating diversity through an LGBTQ+ support group. Pupils feel safe and supported, knowing they can approach adults with concerns. Most students report that bullying is not a significant issue, and when it does occur, it is addressed effectively by school leaders.
While most pupils behave well during lessons, there are concerns regarding conduct in corridors and during social times, where behavior can be boisterous and disrespectful. Leaders have ambitious goals for the school and have implemented a broad curriculum. However, the curriculum lacks consistent design across all subjects, leading to gaps in essential content that pupils need to learn. Consequently, some students do not retain knowledge as effectively as they should.
The school is committed to providing a wide range of subjects, with an increasing number of pupils studying for qualifications that contribute to the English Baccalaureate. In subjects like physical education and history, leaders have clearly identified key content for pupils to learn. However, in other areas, such as science, there is a lack of clarity regarding essential knowledge, which hampers students' ability to connect new learning with prior knowledge.
Teachers generally possess strong subject knowledge, and where the curriculum is well-structured, they effectively deliver lessons. However, assessment practices vary significantly across subjects, with some teachers not utilizing assessment data to inform future teaching. This inconsistency can lead to gaps in knowledge for some pupils.
Pupils with special educational needs and disabilities have access to the same curriculum as their peers, and leaders effectively identify their individual needs. However, the quality of support for these pupils varies across classes and subjects, affecting their educational experience.
The school promotes a love of reading through workshops for parents and additional phonics support for those who need it. However, the impact of these initiatives on improving reading skills has yet to be fully assessed. During social times, some pupils exhibit disrespectful and anti-social behavior, which can affect punctuality and attitudes towards school expectations. While behavior is generally better in lessons, there is room for improvement in overall conduct.
Pupils learn about relationships, religions, and cultures through the personal, social, health, and economic education curriculum. The school has developed meaningful work experience programs for Year 10 pupils, which are well-received. However, the personal development curriculum is not fully developed, and some important aspects have not been taught, leading to a lack of understanding among pupils.
Leaders have identified key priorities for improvement but struggle to effectively analyze and evaluate their actions. This makes it challenging to determine the next steps for the school. Governors and trustees fulfill their statutory duties and provide appropriate support and challenge to leaders, who are mindful of staff workload and provide support to their teams.
The safeguarding arrangements at the school are effective, with leaders ensuring that staff are suitable to work with children and that concerns are reported promptly. Staff are well-trained to recognize potential risks, and pupils receive education on staying safe, including online safety. Overall, while Westfield School has strengths, it faces significant challenges that need to be addressed to improve the educational experience for all pupils.
