Woodfield

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Woodfield is a friendly and welcoming school. Pupils work in small groups with a team of adults.

These adults take the time to get to know pupils exceptionally well. Adults take every opportunity, such as chatting over break and lunchtimes, to form strong, positive and trusting relationships. Pupils appreciate this and say that their teachers understand them.

Leaders pay serious attention to pupils' academic achievement as well as to their social development. By the time they leave the school, pupils have achieved a range of suitable qualifications. In addition, pupils become better at managing their emotions.

All of this means that ever-increasing numbers of... pupils are well prepared for their next steps.

The atmosphere in school is typically calm and orderly. Pupils do sometimes struggle to manage their emotions and can display challenging behaviours.

When this happens, staff respond promptly, calmly and patiently.

Many pupils enjoy coming to school. They like earning points and rewards for demonstrating the school values of effort, respect and ambition.

There are a growing number of extra-curricular clubs. Pupils make good use of these. They include a boxing club, art club and a recently introduced GCSE revision club.

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

The school's curriculum is ambitious. Pupils in all key stages learn a broad range of subjects in depth. Leaders plan these subjects carefully, so that they build pupils' knowledge step-by-step.

For instance, in mathematics, pupils get lots of practise adding single-digit numbers before moving on to more complex calculations.

The school ensures that staff have a secure understanding of how to meet pupils' special educational needs. Adults routinely adapt their teaching to meet the social and emotional needs of pupils.

Furthermore, some pupils who need additional support receive a range of therapeutic interventions. These interventions include play-based therapies. Leaders regularly review whether this support is having the positive impact they intend and make changes accordingly.

Leaders promote reading well. Leaders check how well pupils can read when they join the school. They use information from these checks to ensure that pupils are given the right help to help them succeed.

For example, secondary-age pupils with specific reading difficulties get high-quality support from well-trained adults. This is working well and helps these pupils to become more confident and fluent readers. In addition, secondary-age pupils routinely read out loud.

Primary-age pupils at the early stages of reading take part in daily phonics sessions. These sessions build pupils' knowledge logically. In addition, staff regularly listen to pupils read books that are closely matched to their abilities.

All of this means that most younger pupils are learning to read well. However, staff are unclear about the goals that pupils should reach in their reading and by when. This means teachers do not always know when pupils are not keeping pace with the school's reading programme.

Staff consistently model calm, patient and respectful behaviour. This helps to create a relaxed and purposeful learning environment. Most staff are knowledgeable about the signs a pupil may be becoming anxious or upset.

However, some staff, particularly on the primary site, do not know precisely how to support pupils when they are unable to manage their emotions. This means that, on rare occasions, unwanted behaviours can escalate.

Attendance is a high priority for leaders, including governors.

As part of their work, leaders seek to understand the barriers preventing a pupil from attending. They work closely with pupils and their families, leaving no stone unturned to overcome these. Consequently, the attendance of many pupils significantly improves during their time at the school.

The school's personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) curriculum is a strength. The curriculum ensures that pupils get the information they need at the right time. In addition, the school ensures pupils benefit from opportunities to engage with employers, the local community and training providers.

Some parents, particularly on the primary site, are unhappy about aspects of the school's work. However, the concerns they raised were not borne out by inspection evidence.

Governors know the school well and they focus on the right things.

They receive detailed and helpful information about the school from the headteacher. In addition, they regularly visit the school to see it in action. During their visits, they talk to staff and pupils about their experiences.

This means that they know the school well.

Since the last inspection, there has been a significant turnover in staff. This is now far more settled.

Staff feel valued and part of a team. They are proud to work at the school.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In early reading, staff are not clear about the individual end points that pupils should reach and by when. This means that staff cannot spot and provide additional support to those pupils who may not be keeping pace with the school's reading programme. The school should identify and set out their expectations for when pupils should know and remember key phonics knowledge.

• Some staff, particularly on the primary site, do not have a strong understanding of how best to support pupils when they are unable to manage their emotions. This means, on rare occasions, unwanted behaviours can escalate. Leaders should ensure that all staff are clear about the precise actions they should take to support pupils when they are displaying signs that they need help to manage their emotions.