The Willows Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Main findings

The Willows is a good school where pupils thrive in a nurturing environment. Every pupil is valued as an individual.

Pupils say they enjoy coming to school and feel safe and secure. Parents and carers are highly supportive of the school. Typical comments include, 'My child loves being at this school and each year has progressed significantly'.

The school has developed an excellent partnership with parents and carers. Children enter the Early Years Foundation Stage with skills and knowledge broadly in line with what is expected for their age. They make satisfactory progress and most reach the early learning goals set for them when they enter Year 1.

The nursery provides a bright learn...ing environment in which children enjoy playing and learning together. However, sometimes adults miss opportunities to extend children's learning through questioning and the well-equipped outdoor learning area is underused. Pupils make increasingly good progress as they move through the school and by the end of Year 6 reach above average attainment.

In the most recent tests, nearly half the pupils in Year 6 reached the higher Level 5, in both mathematics and science. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities make good progress because they are well supported by skilled teaching assistants. Leaders have identified that boys make slower progress in Key Stage 1 and this is currently an action point.

The school has worked hard to improve the quality of teaching and learning to good effect. It is because of good and occasionally outstanding teaching that pupils generally achieve well. In most lessons there is a brisk pace, pupils have a clear understanding of what they are learning and teachers' high expectations ensure that pupils are given the right level of challenge.

In a small number of lessons, the pace is slower because teachers talk for too long. Good systems are in place to monitor pupils' progress as they move from class to class and this enables the school to provide effective targeted support where necessary. The curriculum is well organised and imaginative, and impacts positively on pupils' motivation and progress.

The quality of care, guidance and support is another good feature of this school. Great care is taken to ensure that hearing impaired pupils are able to take an active part in school life. The headteacher, extremely well supported by her deputy headteacher, sets high expectations for everyone and leads by example.

Staff and the governing body share her determination to continually improve and are united in a drive to raise achievement and attainment. The monitoring of teaching and learning is comprehensive. The governing body is well informed and provides a good balance of support and challenge.

Safeguarding requirements are met. A recent audit has identified an aspect required to improve even further to ensure pupils' complete safety. The school, in partnership with the local authority, is in the process of carrying out the necessary change.

Since the last inspection, the school has improved all aspects of its provision and pupils' achievement is better. In the light of this, and the school's significant strengths, leaders and managers demonstrate a good capacity to improve the school further.

Information about the school

The school is a much larger than average-sized primary school.

The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is well below average. The percentage of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities is above average and the number with a statement of special needs is twice the national average. This is partly because the school has a unit for pupils with hearing impairment on site.

The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds is below average, as is the proportion of pupils for whom English is an additional language. The school has achieved Healthy School status and is an extended school. A new headteacher has been in post since April 2010 and a new deputy headteacher since September 2009.

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