Short Wood Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Short Wood Primary School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy at this large and friendly school. They feel safe and most attend well.

Pupils speak about the school and their experiences with enthusiasm. They are eager to learn, including when outdoors. They enjoy taking part in the many activities on offer outside of lessons.

The school expects all pupils to aim high in lessons, whatever their background. These high expectations, and support and encouragement from staff, help pupils to learn well. Pupils who need any extra help get it, including pupils with speci...al educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

Pupils behave very well in school. They show impressive care and concern for each other. Pupils know what to do if they encounter any unkind behaviour, which is usually sorted out quickly by staff.

The school encourages all pupils to 'celebrate diversity', 'embrace challenge' and 'choose respect'. As a result, this school is a caring and inclusive community. It helps pupils to flourish inside and outside of lessons so that they are ready for their next stage.

Parents and carers are very happy with the school. They say it is 'a big school with a big heart'. Nearly all parents would recommend the school to others.

What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

The school expects all pupils to learn its ambitious curriculum. Reading outcomes were low last year for younger pupils and those at the end of key stage 2. However, recent changes to the way pupils learn early reading mean that most younger pupils now read at the standard expected for their age.

Any who fall behind usually catch up quickly. Pupils who do not read with enough confidence and fluency get plenty of support. This includes pupils with SEND and those who speak English as an additional language.

A new reading curriculum is in place for older pupils but a few still struggle with reading.

Pupils learn basic mathematical knowledge securely, including in early years. They build on this as they grow older by recalling and applying mathematical concepts in ways that are suitable for their age.

Pupils with SEND usually learn mathematics well because of the support they get.

Pupils who learn quickly, or who could learn more than others, do not always have enough opportunities to do so. As a result, they do not always learn, or apply, subject knowledge in as much depth as they could.

All pupils learn the wider range of subjects set out in the national curriculum, including those with SEND. The school has worked hard to identify what pupils should learn in each subject and by when. Wherever possible, this builds on what children learn in the early years.

Pupils learn and remember the curriculum in the foundation subjects because these are taught well.

Pupils' conduct is good or better. Relationships in school are very positive.

Expectations of behaviour are suitably high. Clear routines are evident throughout the school, including in early years. Pupils treat each other well and mix sensibly at playtimes.

Staff's supervision of pupils is comprehensive without being obtrusive. The school is a busy but very well managed environment.

The school has increased its focus on attendance over the last year.

As a result, more pupils now attend well, and fewer pupils miss school without good reason. Attendance levels are broadly similar to those of other local schools. A few pupils are still absent from school without authorisation for extended periods.

These pupils miss out on important learning and do not achieve as much as they could.

The school's comprehensive offer for pupils' personal development prepares them well for life, including by teaching them how to stay safe and keep healthy. Nearly all pupils benefit from the variety of extra-curricular activities on offer.

For example, they enjoy taking part in sporting, musical, charitable and community activities. Many pupils serve as councillors or playground leaders. Others help to organise clubs and other activities.

These activities help pupils grow in confidence and develop their sense of responsibility. The school runs the celebrated 'Short Wood Shares' programme. This supports the local community in providing food, toys, household goods and recycled uniform free of charge.

School leaders act resolutely in the best interests of pupils. For example, they make changes to provision to ensure that all weaknesses are tackled urgently. They support staff's well-being.

In turn, staff share their commitment for improving the school further. The school is supported in this by the suitably experienced board of governors, who carry out statutory responsibilities effectively.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• A few older pupils still struggle with reading. This restricts their opportunity to read widely. The school should ensure that recent improvements in the reading curriculum result in more older pupils achieving the expected standards in reading by the time they leave the school.

• The rates of absence for a few pupils are too high. As a result, they do not learn as well as they could. The school should strengthen its arrangements for improving these pupils' attendance so that they learn as much as they can.

• Some higher-attaining older pupils do not have enough opportunities to learn in greater depth. This limits their success by the end of key stage 2. The school should provide more regular and widespread opportunities for them to do so that they achieve more by the end of key stage 2.

Background

Until September 2024, on a graded (section 5) inspection we gave schools an overall effectiveness grade, in addition to the key and provision judgements. Overall effectiveness grades given before September 2024 will continue to be visible on school inspection reports and on Ofsted's website. From September 2024 graded inspections will not include an overall effectiveness grade.

This school was, before September 2024, judged to be good for its overall effectiveness.

We have now inspected the school to determine whether it has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at that previous inspection. This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005.

We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school's work has improved significantly or that it may not be as strong as it was at the last inspection, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection. A graded inspection is carried out under section 5 of the Act.

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good for overall effectiveness in March 2015.

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