Ireland Wood Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school. Pupils make at least good progress from very low starting points. When they leave school in Year 6 the vast majority of pupils reach the standards that are expected for their age in reading, writing and mathematics.

Teaching is good because teachers are very skilled at preparing lessons which cater well for every pupil, especially those with special educational needs and those for whom English is an additional language. Great attention is paid to pupils' well-being. Pupils are very happy and eager to learn and their behaviour is outstanding.

Parents and pupils are confident that everyone in the school goes to great lengths to ensure pupi...ls' safety and they care for them exceptionally well. In this highly inclusive school, all pupils are given rich opportunities through a stimulating curriculum which promotes their spiritual, social, moral and cultural development exceptionally well. Pupils are provided with plenty of educational visits and entertaining visitors.

Pupils with physical disabilities are able to go donkey riding and enjoy hydro and rebound therapy at the local high school. This is an improving school. The headteacher and governors lead the school well.

They share a common purpose to improve academic standards and enrich pupils' lives. As a result teaching and achievement have improved since the previous inspection and standards of care have been developed to an exceptionally high level. The sharing of best practice with other schools in the Trust is helping pupils to do even better.

It is not yet an outstanding school because : Not enough teaching is yet of an outstanding quality to enable more of the higher-ability pupils to do even better than they are expected to do for their age. Although there have been recent improvements in rates of progress in mathematics, these improvements are not as well established as they are in reading and writing to be sure that they will be maintained and further developed.

Information about this school

Ireland Wood is larger than the average-sized primary school.

It is larger than at the previous inspection because it became a two form entry school three years ago and will continue to grow in numbers over the next few years. The proportion of pupils who are eligible for pupil premium funding is well above average. (The pupil premium is additional funding for pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals, who are in the care of the local authority or who are children of service families.

) The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic groups is also above average and many of these pupils come to the school with little or no English. A higher than average number of pupils move in and out of the school at other than the usual times. The school has a resource base for 10 pupils with physical disabilities who all have a statement of special educational needs.

The number of other children supported at school action plus and with a statement of special educational needs is also well above average. The school meets the government's current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils' attainment and progress in English and mathematics. The school is one of three primary schools and a high school, which together have formed a partnership as a charitable trust.

Also at this postcode