Woodcocks’ Well CofE Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel loved and valued at this picturesque village school.

They are happy. Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), appreciate the strong relationships that they form with staff. They are curious and enjoy learning.

Pupils embody the school's motto to 'discover a world of wonder'.

The school has set out high expectations of what pupils can and should achieve. Currently, pupils achieve well in key stage 1 and in the early years.

Pupils spoke confidently to inspectors about what they had been learning. They are ready for their next stage of learning. However, due to multiple changes in staff and weaknesse...s in the former curriculum, some pupils in key stage 2 do not achieve well enough.

Pupils, including those in the early years, are attentive in lessons. They work hard. When misbehaviour or incidents of bullying occur, staff deal with them quickly and effectively.

Pupils make the most of the school's unique setting and extensive grounds. They benefit from carefully designed science, physical education and mathematics activities in the pond and meadows that surround the school. Pupils also talked excitedly about trips that they had been on, for example to Paris, local museums and the zoo.

These opportunities add considerable value to pupils' learning and development.

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

This school is emerging from a significant period of staff instability. The school has also established new curriculums for many subjects.

These curriculums are engaging and ambitious for pupils, including for those with SEND. The school has thought carefully about the important knowledge that it wants pupils to learn at each stage.In some subjects, the curriculum is delivered effectively.

In others, staff do not have enough subject expertise to design and deliver learning sufficiently well. This means that some of the activities pupils experience do not help them to learn the knowledge in the curriculum securely. As a result, pupils do not learn as deeply as they should.

In a few subjects, the school is still developing its assessment strategies. Staff do not check that pupils learn the curriculum accurately. Consequently, some pupils develop gaps in their learning which are not identified and addressed as quickly and effectively as they should be.

The school has successfully forged a love of reading that extends from the early years to Year 6. For example, pupils spoke eagerly about the books that they had won through the school's reading raffle. Pupils benefit from a well-ordered phonics programme that staff deliver well.

Pupils practise their reading with books that are closely matched to the sounds that they know. Staff provide swift and effective help to any pupils who need to catch up with their peers. Most pupils become confident, fluent readers by the end of key stage 1.

The school uses effective systems to identify pupils with SEND quickly. Staff successfully support pupils with SEND to develop their independence. Nevertheless, pupils with SEND experience the same curriculum weaknesses as their peers.

Pupils follow well-established routines throughout the school. They benefit from a calm and purposeful atmosphere. Pupils are friendly and polite.

Attendance is a high priority for the school. For those pupils whose rates of attendance are lower than they should be, the school offers highly effective support to bring about improvements.

The school places a strong emphasis on pupils' personal development.

For example, older pupils take the lead in running school safeguarding and ethos councils that spread important messages and champion pupil voice. Pupils are democratically elected to their roles or undertake interviews to secure them. This helps to prepare pupils well to become successful citizens beyond school.

Pupils learn about the importance of embracing and accepting difference. They know how to keep themselves healthy and how to stay safe online. Pupils are offered a wide range of clubs such as athletics, construction and pebble painting.

These opportunities help them to develop and share their talents and interests with others.

Staff value their 'school family' and appreciate the way that the school considers their workload and well-being. For example, staff are allocated individual supervision time to talk through any worries.

Staff are proud to work at the school.

Governors have not acted swiftly enough to tackle weaknesses in the school. This, in part, has led to a decline in the quality of education that pupils have received since the last inspection.

However, governors do have a secure overview of the school's situation. They are committed to improving the quality of education that pupils receive.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some subjects, some teachers do not have the subject knowledge that they need to deliver the curriculum effectively. This means that some learning activities do not help pupils, including some with SEND, to learn the curriculum as well as they should. The school should make sure that teachers have the knowledge they need to deliver the curriculum effectively.

• In some subjects, the school does not check that pupils are learning the essential knowledge identified in the curriculum effectively. This means, on occasion, some pupils develop gaps in their learning which are not identified and addressed swiftly. The school should ensure that assessment strategies are closely aligned with the curriculum so that teachers identify gaps with accuracy and help pupils address them.

• Governors have not acted quickly enough to stem the decline in the quality of education that pupils receive. As a result, pupils do not achieve as well as they should. Governors should ensure that they offer appropriate support and challenge to the school so that the quality of education that pupils receive improves.

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