Woodchurch Church of England Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel 'part of the family' at this nurturing village school. At its heart are the values of compassion, hope, forgiveness, thankfulness, and love. Leaders' vision 'let your light shine' is the inspiration behind their work to develop self-assured and kind pupils, equipped to make a positive difference to society.

As one parent commented, 'this is a safe, welcoming and friendly village school which provides a haven of stability and security.'

Leaders have high aspirations that all pupils will learn the school's ambitious curriculum and be successful. Pupils concentrate in their lessons, achieve well, and enjoy their learning.

They respect their teachers... and speak enthusiastically about the 'dojo' points they earn for behaving in 'The Woodchurch Way'.

Pupils appreciate the many opportunities their teachers plan outside the classroom, in the local village and beyond. They enjoy making 'smores' as part of forest school and taking part in special days, such as the whole school Thai curry cooking workshop.

Pupils' bi-weekly worship visits to the village church are an integral part of school life. Pupils recently learned about Westminster Abbey and the concept of commitment, when holding their own coronation ceremony in the church to crown the king and queen of Woodchurch.

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

Leaders have worked with determination to refine and update a new version of the school's existing curriculum from Reception to Year 6.

Mathematics and phonics are well-established subjects, taught precisely, so pupils' learning builds securely. In all other areas of the curriculum, leaders have identified exactly what must be taught and in what order. The curriculum is broken down into smaller steps, so that teachers know the precise knowledge and skills pupils must understand and remember.

Teachers provide opportunities for pupils to connect new ideas in a subject with what they already know from other areas of the curriculum, helping pupils to commit concepts to long term memory.

Teachers have secure subject knowledge and explain new ideas clearly. They include pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), so they learn the same curriculum as their peers.

Leaders have established systems for identifying pupils with SEND and plan pre-teaching, additional curriculum revision and the use of concrete resources to support them. Teaching assistants, who leaders have trained to meet pupils' specific needs, also support pupils effectively.

However, checks on pupils' knowledge and understanding are not as rigorous as they might be.

In some subjects, such as mathematics and phonics, teachers help pupils to remember what they have learned effectively by re-visiting concepts through discussions and informal quizzes. In these subjects, pupils can more confidently recall previous learning. Elsewhere, teachers do not consistently check carefully enough that pupils have understood new learning and opportunities to correct misconceptions are sometimes missed.

Occasionally, this leads to pupils falling behind and not making the progress they could. Leaders are aware of this and are working with teachers to develop their practice.

Reading is taught consistently well.

Pupils begin learning letter sounds as soon as they start school. All staff are knowledgeable about teaching phonics and determined that every pupil will succeed and enjoy reading. Teachers model language through their interactions with pupils and in songs and rhymes.

They keep track of pupils' progress and ensure any pupil falling behind is helped to catch up quickly. Parents get the support they need to help children practise reading at home. As a result, pupils read books which match the sounds they are learning often and attain well.

Leaders place great importance on pupils' personal, social and health education. Pupils learn about healthy relationships, different kinds of families and the importance of treating everybody as equals. They are taught about different faiths, cultures and traditions and learn to respect others' opinions and beliefs.

Pupils learn to be responsible in their elected roles as house captains, school councillors and head boy and girl. They become comfortable with a wide range of social situations though helping with coffee mornings at church, singing in the community centre and fundraising for local charities. After-school clubs and the bucket list of 50 things to do before you leave Woodchurch give pupils opportunities to develop interests and find their talents.

Governors carry out their statutory duties well and make sure that additional funding is targeted effectively. They have an accurate understanding of the school's strengths and areas for further development, gained through their own focused visits and regular reports from leaders. They plan strategically with senior leaders, so their shared, ambitious vision can be more fully realised.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders are highly visible in and around school and they know pupils well, quickly noticing if any are in need or at risk of harm. Staff are well trained in safeguarding risks and know the importance of always being on the lookout.

They know how to report concerns, often following up with leaders to reassure themselves action has been taken. Leaders track concerns meticulously and liaise regularly with outside agencies, so that pupils and their families get the help they need.

Pupils are taught how to keep themselves safe, including when online.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Teachers do not always check quickly enough that pupils have understood new learning. Opportunities to correct misconceptions are, therefore, sometimes missed and pupils do not make the progress they could. Leaders should continue with their work on developing pedagogy to support leaders' practice.

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