Willow Lane Community Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud to be part of Willow Lane's school community.

Those whom we spoke with told us that they are happy. They enjoy attending school. Pupils get along well with each other.

They are friendly and polite. They give new pupils and visitors to Willow Lane a warm welcome.

Pupils enjoy their lessons and find the curriculum exciting.

They work hard. They enjoy learning and are proud of their achievements. Pupils rise to the high expectations of staff.

They said that staff make sure that they have the right help to do well.

Pupils behave well in school. Most pupils listen attentively in lessons.

Pupils value the warm re...lationships that they have with adults. Parents and carers have positive views of the school. One comment, which was typical of many, described the school as 'an island of politeness'.

Pupils said that bullying is rare. When they fall out with their friends, they said that adults help them to reconcile their differences. Pupils said that they feel safe in school.

They learn how to look after themselves and make sensible decisions.

Older pupils take on a range of additional responsibilities. They can become play leaders or school councillors.

Pupils enjoy the wide range of after-school activities. These include 'mini medics', gardening, cricket and football.

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

Pupils receive a good quality of education in this school.

This is because leaders have designed an ambitious curriculum. Leaders have identified the important knowledge and skills that they want pupils to remember. Topics are arranged so that pupils learn in a logical order.

For example, in mathematics, Year 4 pupils completed a unit on money early in the year. Later in the year, they were then able to understand the relationship between money and fractions, building on their prior learning. In art, pupils also build effectively on their prior learning.

For example, in drawing, pupils start with observational drawings. By Year 6, pupils' drawing is more complex, because they consider scale and proportion.

Staff have received training in a range of subjects.

They receive effective support from the subject leaders. This means that staff have the appropriate subject knowledge to deepen pupils' learning across the full range of subjects.

The curriculum considers the needs of all pupils, including those who are disadvantaged and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

Activities are carefully adapted to help pupils with SEND to achieve well. Leaders have focused their attention on improving the provision for disadvantaged pupils in English. This is having some impact.

However, currently, leaders have not ensured that their actions to support disadvantaged pupils are helping them to achieve as well as they should across the curriculum.

Leaders have made the teaching of reading a high priority. Many parents and pupils attend the regular breakfast reading events.

Older pupils are knowledgeable about a wide range of authors. Staff are well trained to teach reading and phonics. Children are taught step by step, and systematically, the sound represented by each letter and how they blend together to create words.

Staff are clear about the sounds that pupils should know by the end of each half term. This ensures that reading books are carefully matched to the sounds that pupils know. This helps them to develop as fluent readers.

If pupils fall behind, they receive support that enables them to catch up quickly. Most pupils achieve the expected standard in the phonics screening check at the end of Year 1.

Pupils behave well in all areas of the school.

There is little disruption to lessons and pupils display very positive attitudes to learning. Pupils follow the school rules consistently. Leaders ensure that there is an orderly and calm atmosphere throughout the school.

Leaders prioritise pupils' personal development. The curriculum is enriched through a wide range of after-school clubs, trips and visitors. After-school clubs are planned to meet the needs and interests of all groups of pupils.

Pupils know that they can talk to any adult if they have a worry. The learning mentor provides effective support to pupils and families who need it. This is evident in improvements in attendance.

Pupils take part in a wide range of experiences to help them develop spiritually, morally, socially and culturally. That said, the work that leaders are doing in relation to British values is not necessarily helping pupils to deepen their understanding of life in modern Britain.

Children get off to a good start in early years.

Leaders have planned a well-ordered curriculum, particularly in reading, writing and mathematics. Staff keep a careful check on children's learning. Staff miss no opportunity to develop children's spoken language.

Children learn to count, order and write their numbers beyond 20. In 2019, most children achieved a good level of development at the end of Reception Year. Children are well prepared for Year 1.

Leaders are considerate of staff workload. Staff feel well supported by the headteacher. Governors fulfil their statutory responsibilities.

They recognise the strengths and areas for development of the school.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders make safeguarding a high priority.

They have carried out appropriate checks on the adults and volunteers who work in the school. Staff are vigilant in their safeguarding duties. They have received training to help them spot potential signs of abuse and neglect.

Leaders keep accurate records of the actions that they take. They respond swiftly to concerns raised about pupils. Leaders are tenacious in securing the appropriate support for pupils and their families.

Through the curriculum, pupils learn to recognise risks and how to respond to them. They know how to stay safe when working online.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

Leaders provide pupils with opportunities to develop their spiritual, moral, social and cultural education.

However, this provision does not necessarily develop pupils' understanding of British values. Leaders should ensure that they provide pupils with experiences that genuinely deepen their understanding of life in modern Britain. .

The plans that leaders have put in place to provide support to disadvantaged pupils have had some impact. However, currently, leaders' actions do not enable these pupils to achieve as well as they should. Leaders must ensure that their actions to support disadvantaged pupils enable them to achieve well across the curriculum so that they leave Year 6 better prepared for the demands of key stage 3.