Wicklewood Primary School and Nursery

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at Wicklewood are happy and enjoy learning. They love reading and spending time in their well-loved library.

Pupils talk enthusiastically about how their teachers bring learning to life through practical activities and experiences. They go on lots of trips out, for example to the theatre. Pupils have displayed their artwork at regional events.

They love the wide range of after-school clubs. All of this gives pupils confidence and helps engage them in learning.

Pupils are kind and respectful towards others.

They demonstrate kindness towards others, for example, by warmly welcoming newcomers to the school. Older pupils have lots of responsibilit...ies, such as being on the eco-council, and are excited about their plans to have a real impact on the school community.

Leaders are extremely ambitious for what the school can do for pupils and how highly they can achieve.

Pupils, staff, parents and carers all recognise that the school has improved significantly in the last two years. Pupils now make good progress and achieve well.

Pupils feel safe and well looked after.

Pupils, including the very youngest, have lots of opportunities to develop independence and confidence.

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

Following a period of instability in staffing, leadership and finance, the school is now on a stable footing. It has a full staff and leadership team.

Through work and federation with another school, leaders have rapidly and successfully addressed weaknesses that led to a dip in educational standards.

The school has a well-considered curriculum. Schemes have been chosen carefully to best support teachers to provide a high-quality education.

Training for teaching of English and mathematics was prioritised. Consequently, teaching of these subjects is strongest. Staff are highly positive about the training and coaching they have received.

Some staff use interactions with pupils expertly to support learning, for example developing children's vocabulary through play in the early years. In mathematics, staff use questioning to quickly find out what pupils know and to help pupils progress through the curriculum well. However, not all staff use questioning and discussions with pupils as effectively across the wider curriculum.

As a result, not all learning is moved on as well, which slows some pupils' progress through the curriculum.

The teaching of reading is precise and enables pupils to quickly learn to read. Regular checks on pupils' phonics knowledge mean that anyone who needs extra help gets it.

Staff make sure that all younger pupils read regularly with an adult. As pupils become more fluent readers, they enjoy the books that they read together as a class.

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) have their needs identified and understood well.

Pupils, including those with SEND, benefit from a range of adaptations, where needed, to help them access work, for example visual images and word banks. Some use tablets and computers to record their work. Pupils across the school use technology confidently and learn to type as well as write, which supports those who find writing harder.

Pupils' behaviour in class is generally calm and sensible. Pupils work hard, meeting the school's high expectations. Children in the early years quickly learn the routines and understand what they should do in different parts of the provision.

The two-year-old children have their needs met to a high standard, with quieter areas for them to access when needed.

Children in the early years access interesting indoor and outdoor play opportunities as part of their learning. They confidently explore the outside woodland and join in group activities.

The older children love it when they can use the forest school area in learning and playtimes to build dens and investigate the natural world. However, what other pupils can do at playtime is limited. There are not many organised games, activities or other things to do.

Pupils learn about diversity and now go on lots of trips out to experience life in the wider world. They are very clear that difference is a positive thing and that no one should be discriminated against. The older pupils have lots of opportunities to be leaders.

The school is exceptionally well led and managed. Rapid improvements have been made in a short time. The schools in the federation have worked highly effectively to address weaknesses.

This has been done in a way that staff appreciate and ensures that improvements are sustained. Staff have worked to share good practice between the two schools in the federation, which has benefited pupils and improved the quality of education. The governing body provides strong support and challenge to leaders at all levels, ensuring that any changes make the difference intended and are in pupils' best interests.

The school is aware that there is still work to do. Relationships with parents were distant after the pandemic. The school has opened up to parents again, welcoming them to various events and workshops.

Leaders, governors and the parent association work closely together. Many parents appreciate this and feel they know more about what their children are learning.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some subjects, staff do not consistently use high-quality discussion with pupils or check on pupils' understanding consistently well, for example, by effective use of questions. This means that staff sometimes do not move on pupils' learning as efficiently as it could be. The school should ensure that staff have the expertise needed to develop pupils' learning effectively, including in ad-hoc moments in class or play.