The Willows Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders are united in their passion and ambition to provide the very best education for all pupils. Ably led by the headteacher, leaders have got this school back on course and brought about rapid improvement.

Pupils are at the heart of their decision-making. Pupils are doing well. They are proud of the school and their achievements.

Pupils behave well and settle quickly to their work in class. Staff encourage pupils to 'shine' and to work hard. Pupils rise to their teachers' high expectations.

They know that it is important to persevere when things get tricky, and that challenge is a good thing because this helps you to learn.

Pupils enjoy coming to... school and have much to say about all the things they like about The Willows. More than anything, they value the friendships they forge with their classmates and that staff are kind and help them to learn.

Pupils feel safe and told inspectors that bullying does not happen here. They are confident that staff quickly sort out any issues.

Parents speak highly of the school and the staff.

As one parent commented, 'All staff are friendly, professional and clearly think the world of the children in their care'.

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

Leaders have planned an interesting curriculum. Their plans set out clearly what pupils will learn as they 'journey' through each subject.

Leaders have carefully linked some content across different subjects. This is helping pupils to make meaningful connections and remember important knowledge. Pupils' learning in geography and science also helps them to connect with topical issues about planet Earth.

Across different subjects, pupils are achieving well.

The new curriculum in some subjects, such as art and design, has only recently been implemented. Therefore, curriculum and assessment practices are not yet fully embedded in these subjects.

Leaders are still adapting the early years curriculum to reflect recent statutory changes. This includes their approach to assessment. Currently, plans do not yet set out precisely enough what leaders would like children to know in all areas of learning.

Reading is centre stage at this school. A strong focus on communication and language in the Nursery gets children ready for learning phonics later. Phonics is coherently planned and taught well.

This helps younger pupils get off to a good start with learning to read. Staff check how pupils are doing and adapt lessons accordingly. However, there are a few inconsistencies in the school's support for pupils who are not keeping up.

Not all staff are clear about what pupils should know by the end of each term.Books are everywhere at The Willows. Learning from texts is the central cog in the school's effective reading and writing curriculum.

Throughout the school, teachers engage pupils daily with high-quality texts. Pupils learn to love reading and the new worlds that these open up. Their encounters with texts enrich their vocabulary and develop their understanding.

The well-planned mathematics curriculum is helping pupils to build their knowledge securely. Leaders have adapted the curriculum to give added weight to some aspects of mathematics, such as securing number facts and fluency. Staff in the early years make sure that children get a good grounding in mathematics.

This lays a sound foundation for learning in Year 1.

Teachers bring learning to life and skilfully explain new content and vocabulary. They take time to revisit important knowledge and reconnect pupils with previous topics.

This helps pupils to remember what their teachers have taught them. Staff are adept at noticing and addressing anything that pupils have not quite understood or remembered.

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are supported well.

Leaders ensure that any needs are identified as soon as possible so that the right support can be quickly put in place. In class, pupils with SEND learn happily alongside their peers.

Strong relationships and a culture of respect have transformed behaviour.

The school's effective behaviour policy is implemented consistently. Pupils behave sensibly and work with positive attitudes. The school provides well for pupils' all-round development.

They are taught to be kind and to value everyone, whatever their background or beliefs. The school council enables pupils to consider issues such as how they can make their school better and 'greener'.

Staff are fully on board.

They too are proud of their work to improve the school. Staff appreciate the training and support they receive and feel that leaders consider their workload. Governors are knowledgeable and have good systems in place to maintain strategic oversight of the school.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

This is a school where pupils' well-being and safety are everyone's top priority. Leaders have established a strong culture of safeguarding.

Their approach to all aspects of safeguarding is highly systematic. Leaders and staff know pupils and their families well. They are tuned in to any signs of concern.

Leaders act swiftly to provide support. When needed, they involve external agencies. They understand the risks that pupils may face outside of school and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Strong pastoral support and early help for families often prevent concerns from escalating.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• There are a few inconsistencies in the support the school provides for pupils who have lost ground in phonics because of the disruptions to education during the COVID-19 pandemic. Some staff are not clear about what phonemes pupils need to know term by term.

This risks pupils not catching up quickly enough. Leaders should iron out these few inconsistencies and strengthen their work to help pupils catch up quickly. ? The school's new curriculum in some foundation subjects has recently been implemented.

Assessment processes are still being refined to help staff know what pupils have learned and remembered. Leaders should continue to embed the new curriculum and their assessment processes for these subjects. Additionally, leaders need to make sure that foundation subject leaders evaluate the impact of the new curriculum.

• Leaders are currently adapting the early years curriculum and assessment processes to reflect the new statutory framework. Plans do not yet set out explicitly the component knowledge children need to acquire in all areas of learning. Leaders need to implement their plans to strengthen the early years curriculum and assessment processes, ensuring that plans set out how they intend children's knowledge to build cumulatively during the early years.