Westlands First School

Overview

Westlands First School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection. Pupils thrive in a nurturing environment where they are happy, safe, and well-supported, with strong relationships underpinning the school’s ethos. The school continues to deliver high-quality education, particularly in early reading and mathematics, ensuring pupils are ready for their next stage in education.

Strengths

• Pupils are described as "happy and safe" within a "nurturing and welcoming" school culture that prioritises well-being and quickly supports families facing difficulties.
• Early reading teaching is "strong," with staff effectively checking phonics knowledge and ensuring pupils read books matching the sounds they know, leading to increased confidence.
• Children in Nursery and Reception settle well, becoming fluent in number and developing language skills through a supportive approach that identifies and meets individual needs swiftly.
• The 'Happy Minds' initiative positively impacts pupils, helping them understand how the brain influences feelings and enabling them to "calm themselves" and tackle learning confidently.
• Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) participate fully in activities, with the curriculum adapted to ensure they learn alongside peers and "achieve well."

Areas to improve

• The school must ensure the teaching of handwriting is consistent, as poor letter formation currently limits pupils’ ability to accurately record knowledge and present work clearly.
• The school should implement measures for subject leaders to monitor and evaluate their subjects fully, ensuring a consistent view of how well pupils are learning across all areas of the curriculum.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.