Woodberry Down Community Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at Woodberry Down readily demonstrate the school's values of collaboration, creativity, focus, kindness and responsibility.

There is a strong sense of community. Pupils are confident, articulate and well-behaved. Leaders have created an environment where pupils try their best.

They work hard and produce work of good quality in different subjects. Pupils are proud of their school and the exciting things they experience, such as residential trips, ice skating and museum visits.

Pupils feel safe and are kept safe in school.

Bullying is rare. Pupils know they can use worry boxes or talk to teachers about any concerns they might have and that these... will be dealt with swiftly. Low-level disruption is rare, so pupils can concentrate and engage positively with their learning.

Pupils are well motivated to take up a wide range of roles. Pupils enjoy these responsibilities and feel that they are making an impact by helping others. For example, the eco-champions have planted trees, the playground friends set up activities and the reading ambassadors help younger pupils.

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

Leaders have designed and implemented a curriculum which matches the breadth and ambition of what is expected nationally. They have set out the key knowledge pupils need to know, from early years to Year 6. This is well sequenced so that pupils build their knowledge cumulatively over time.

For example, in mathematics, younger pupils practise and embed their multiplication tables. Pupils draw on this knowledge later on when simplifying fractions by finding the lowest common denominator. Similarly, in geography, pupils learn to read and interpret a range of information presented on a map, such as scale, compass directions and grid references.

This enables pupils to describe the location of the places they study with increasing detail and precision.

Children get off to a very strong start in early years. The curriculum has been designed to help children to practise, embed and apply their learning.

For example, when learning the value of three, children also learn to recognise triangles in and beyond the classroom. The school has recently revised some parts of the curriculum. In these areas, teaching and assessment does not consistently focus on the most important ideas pupils need to learn.

As a result, some pupils do not develop as secure body of knowledge in these subjects.

The provision for pupils' early reading is highly effective. From the beginning of the Reception year, phonics is taught with precision.

Pupils are provided with opportunity to practise reading using books that are carefully matched to the sounds they know. Those who struggle to read fluently are swiftly identified and well-supported to catch up quickly. Pupils develop as confident and fluent readers who achieve highly in the phonics screening check.

The school promotes a love of reading. Pupils are enthusiastic about books, talking confidently about their favourite authors.

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are identified quickly.

Leaders work closely with specialist services to secure advice and guidance. This information is well communicated to staff, who make appropriate adaptations to learning activities. As a result, pupils with SEND typically access the same curriculum as their peers and achieve well.

Pupils behave very well in their lessons and around the school. This is because the school's values and expectations are understood by pupils and applied consistently by staff. This creates a calm and purposeful atmosphere where pupils enjoy learning.

Leaders are proactive in managing attendance. Consequently, pupils typically attend school regularly and on time.

Pupils' personal development is exceptional.

The curriculum is designed to help them learn about being resilient, keeping healthy and developing safe and respectful relationships. Pupils learn about local, national and international events. Pupils make a positive contribution to society by fundraising for different charities.

Pupils start to learn about possible future careers through visits from banks, career festivals and a financial management programme.

Staff are happy and feel well supported. Leaders are considerate of workload.

Those responsible for governance use their collective experience and expertise well to support leaders. They have a secure knowledge of the school's strengths and have identified the right priorities moving forward.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Some of subjects are at an earlier stage of design and implementation. In these instances, teaching does not consistently focus on or check that pupils have secured the knowledge they need. The school should ensure that the curriculum is implemented consistently well so that pupils learn and remember more.

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