Wodensfield Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

The staff have embedded a warm sense of community in this caring and inclusive school.

All are welcome. The 'Wodensfield Way' is at the heart of daily life in school from Nursery upwards. One pupil said, 'Our school is full of kindness, a happy school where all children aim to be the best you can.'

Parents and carers are proud of the school.

The school has high expectations of pupils' achievement. It has raised the ambition of the curriculum and ensured that pupils benefit from a good quality of education.

Most pupils achieve well and enjoy their learning.

Pupils behave well. They are eager, focused and enthusiastic to learn in lessons.
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Pupils are proud to be part of the school. Pupils are polite and respectful towards adults and others. There is a calm and purposeful atmosphere throughout the school.

Pupils know that they can talk to any adult if they have any concerns. This helps them to feel safe.

Pupils benefit from a range of trips to bring their learning to life.

These visits encourage them to experience outdoor activities and to connect the curriculum in an exciting way. Pupils love the variety of clubs that they can attend. Pupils are proud of their ambassador roles.

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

The school has designed an ambitious curriculum from the early years to Year 6. The important knowledge that pupils need to learn has been identified. They have strong subject knowledge which is enhanced by training.

Teachers explain new concepts clearly to pupils. In most subjects, teachers design and adapt learning that matches the aims of the curriculum, and resources are used effectively.

In recent times, the school has noted a significant rise in pupils with SEND attending the school.

Some of these pupils cannot always access the same curriculum as their peers. The school has proactively managed this and created a culture where everyone is included. Leaders have systems in place to identify the additional needs of pupils with SEND.

For some pupils with SEND, targets to help these pupils improve can lack precision. Consequently, some learning is not precisely matching their needs.

In most subjects, teachers identify and remedy pupils' misconceptions.

However, at times, this information is not used effectively or quickly enough to help pupils to close gaps, consolidate and embed their learning. Consequently, some pupils, including those with SEND struggle to grasp the curriculum content.

The school has put learning to read at the heart of its curriculum.

Right from when children join the school, they begin learning their phonic sounds. Over time, most pupils successfully begin to blend sounds and form words with ever-increasing fluency. Books are well matched to the sounds that pupils know.

Pupils continue to expand their reading knowledge in key stage 2 through exposure to a range of high-quality literature. Where gaps in phonics or fluency are identified, pupils receive targeted support.

In the early years, adults direct children's learning with skill.

They know how best to support each child. Staff develop children's oracy skills well. Children have frequent opportunities to develop their literacy and numeracy skills.

If children need extra support, they are quickly identified. Staff use early intervention programmes to help children to catch up with their peers.

Pupils focus well during their lessons.

Adults consistently model appropriate behaviour. A very small number of pupils, who have additional needs, can struggle to manage their behaviour. Adults work well to support them.

This has led to a positive impact on their behaviour.

The school has taken appropriate steps to improve pupils' rates of attendance. The school works closely with parents to ensure that pupils who are often absent are supported to increase their attendance levels.

Pupils are keen to win the attendance award that is presented in school weekly.

Pupils learn about differences between people. They learn how to keep themselves safe when they are working online.

They know how to keep healthy both mentally and physically. Pupils, including those who are disadvantaged, are encouraged to develop their talents through many sporting and musical opportunities.

Governors are actively involved in the school.

They are knowledgeable about their role and use their expertise effectively to support and challenge the school. However, in some areas, the school has not regularly monitored and evaluated the delivery and impact of their curriculum, including interventions where pupils have fallen behind. This hinders the school's ability to support teachers in developing their expertise of how to deliver the curriculum.

Some pupils are not closing their gaps in knowledge quickly enough.

Most staff are happy and enjoy working at the school. Despite some of the recent changes having an impact on their workload, they feel well supported.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Approaches to assessment are inconsistent. In some subjects, the school is slow to use assessment information to swiftly adapt, refine and intervene for learners who have not secured the curriculum content.

This means that some pupils, including those with SEND, do not deepen their knowledge and understanding as well as they could. The school should ensure that assessment consistently assists teachers in making further adaptions to subsequent teaching and ensure swift interventions for pupils, including those with SEND, to close gaps in pupils' knowledge rapidly. ? In some subjects, the school has not evaluated the delivery and impact of the curriculum effectively.

Some monitoring and evaluation activities lack rigour, focus and challenge. This hinders some pupils' achievements, including pupils with SEND, in these subjects. The school should ensure that they check how well the curriculum is being implemented, to ensure that any shortcomings can be swiftly implemented so that all pupils can achieve their potential.

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