Willowbrook Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders are ambitious for all pupils.

Staff create a place to 'Love, Laugh, Learn' as the school motto says. Pupils are polite, listen well and are respectful to each other and staff. They play and learn together well.

Pupils are happy and well behaved.

Staff ensure pupils know the difference between bullying and falling out. Pupils are confident that if bullying were to happen, staff would sort it out.

Pupils celebrate difference and say they are encouraged to be who they want to be. Pupils feel safe in school. One parent's comment, typical of many, was that staff 'genuinely care about the well-being of our children and make them feel valued and hap...py'.

Pupils talk positively about the range of extra-curricular opportunities available to them. After-school clubs and enrichment activities help pupils learn how to look after their physical and mental health. The many after-school clubs, such as football and art, help to develop pupils' talents and interests.

Pupils take on roles of responsibility with great pride, for example as well-being champions. They are given opportunities to represent their school. Pupils take part in local sporting events or the West Wiltshire dance festival.

They are prepared well for the next stage of their education.

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

Leaders have carefully crafted the school's curriculum to meet the needs of their school community. In English and mathematics, for example, they have identified the essential knowledge pupils must know and remember from early years to Year 6.

Leaders are determined that gaps in pupils' knowledge caused by disruptions to their learning during the COVID-19 pandemic close quickly. For example, pupils attend 'maths meetings' where teachers help them secure their knowledge before moving on to new calculation methods.

Staff support pupils to practise and remember what they have learned.

This helps pupils to build secure knowledge over time. For example, in history, pupils can recall dates and important facts from their study of the Great Fire of London. Older pupils are beginning to link the cause and effect of people's actions throughout history.

There are a few subject curriculums that are not as well developed. The essential knowledge leaders want pupils to retain is not broken down into small, manageable steps to help them learn. This makes it difficult for teachers to plan and check precisely what pupils must know and remember.

Leaders have plans to rectify this.

Staff know how to help pupils learn to read well. Teachers check that pupils know and use their phonics knowledge correctly.

Pupils who need additional help are supported effectively with extra practice. Staff skilfully help pupils to increase their reading speed and accuracy. Staff regularly read high-quality texts to pupils to nurture their love of reading.

Pupils enjoy reading.

Staff work closely with external agencies to identify pupils' additional needs correctly. This begins in the early years.

Staff use resources effectively across the indoor and outdoor learning environments to make appropriate adaptations to the curriculum. For example, some children in the early years revisit the numbers zero to five, while their peers focus on numbers to 10. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are supported well.

The school has a calm and orderly environment. There are clear routines and expectations for pupils' behaviour. Children in Reception are shown how to get along with others.

Children quickly gain the skills needed to make friends and work together successfully. Leaders ensure that any pupils who need extra help to manage their emotions and improve their well-being get the support they need.

Pupils attend school regularly.

Staff work well with parents to overcome any issues stopping pupils from attending school. This work with families has successfully improved their children's attendance.

Trust leaders have robust systems in place to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of leaders' actions.

They have a thorough knowledge of the school's strengths and areas for development. Leaders invest in appropriate and high-quality training for staff. They actively support staff's well-being.

Staff appreciate leaders' care and support to manage their workload.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders of safeguarding complete appropriate safer recruitment checks before staff begin work at the school.

Staff attend safeguarding training and receive regular updates.

Staff know how to report and record concerns about pupils' welfare. Referrals to external agencies are made in a timely manner.

Leaders escalate their concerns if they are not satisfied with the support offered to families by these agencies. They inform staff of the actions taken. Care is personalised for each child and their family.

Pupils know how to keep themselves safe. This includes when they are online.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Leaders have not identified the essential knowledge they want pupils, including pupils with SEND, to know and remember in some foundation subject curriculums.

This makes planning harder for teachers and means pupils do not remember some of the key concepts. They are unable to build on prior learning and make connections between the concepts they are taught. Leaders need to identify the essential knowledge pupils must know and remember across the school's entire curriculum.

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