Westfield Primary School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 11 June 2024

Pupils are happy and proud to be a part of this welcoming and caring school. The atmosphere in and around the school is calm and orderly. At playtime and lunchtime, pupils of all ages play together well. Older pupils care for their younger peers. 'Playground buddies' ensure everyone has someone to talk to or play with. At lunchtime, the 'chill zone helpers' invite their peers to unwind and take part in mindfulness activities. The school enriches pupils with educational experiences and extra-curricular activities. Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), take part in the many clubs the school offers. These range from sporting activities such as cricket, football and taekwondo, to the school choir and science club. There is something for everyone. The school has links with local care homes where pupils sing to residents and complete activities together, such as colouring. Pupils are keen to look after the environment and plant trees in the local area. This helps pupils develop into responsible and active citizens. Academically, pupils do not progress as well as they could. Pupils do not remember key content well enough. Some work given to pupils is not matched well to their needs, and pupils with SEND are not supported as well as they could be.

What the school should improve

• Governors have not equipped themselves with the skills and knowledge needed to hold leaders to account. This has meant that pupils' outcomes have not improved as much as they should have. The school should ensure that governors develop the expertise to have strategic oversight of what is working well and what is not so that they can hold leaders accountable for the school's performance.
• It often takes too long for pupils with SEND to be assessed. Furthermore, once they are assessed, the school does not check on the impact of support plans early enough. This means that the needs of some pupils with SEND are not being met quickly enough. The school should ensure that pupils with SEND are identified and given the right support in a timely manner.
• The work given to pupils is not always well matched to their needs. Too often, pupils with a secure understanding are given more of the same work to complete. This means that pupils do not deepen their knowledge and/or reach a higher standard. The school should ensure that the delivery of the curriculum is tailored to pupils' needs so they deepen their understanding and achieve higher standards.
• Sometimes, pupils are unable to remember the key knowledge they have learned. This means that they struggle to make links between what they have previously learned and any new learning. The school should ensure that staff have the expertise to assess pupils' understanding of previously taught key concepts and use this information to inform what should be taught next.

Read the full Ofsted report (opens in a new tab)