Woodfield Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high ambitions for every pupil. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) learn the curriculum alongside their peers. In the past, the school did not always act effectively to support pupils' learning.

This meant that pupils did not achieve as well as they could. New leaders and the trust have introduced many improvement strategies to address this. However, some staff are not implementing the new teaching approaches consistently well.

This slows the positive impact of this work.

Pupils enjoy learning and attend school regularly. They are friendly and polite.

Positive relationships between staff and pupils are com...monplace. The 'One Woodfield' core values permeate the school. Pupils understand what the school expects of them in terms of conduct.

However, when pupils cause disruptions to lessons, the school does not deal with incidents of poor behaviour consistently well.

The school provides many opportunities for pupils to develop their personal qualities. They are taught about keeping safe and the importance of positive relationships.

Many attend the school's extra-curricular offer, such as the popular drama production. Additionally, pupils go on educational trips, including residential stays. The school provides pupils with effective advice about their next stages of education and possible career paths.

As a result, pupils are well prepared for their next steps.

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

The school drives its ambitions for all pupils through a broad curriculum. Pupils join the school in Year 5, five terms before sitting their public tests.

Pupils have not achieved well in these tests. They know and remember more by the time they leave school after Year 8.

The school has recently introduced improvements to teaching the curriculum, for example how staff should deliver explanations and provide opportunities for pupils to recall prior learning.

These strategies are beginning to improve pupils' learning. However, staff do not always deploy them consistently well. Many pupils joining the school have gaps in their learning.

Work is underway to address this. While generally, staff use checks on what pupils can do well, this is not consistent. At times, teachers do not know what pupils can and cannot do.

They are then not able to adapt their teaching to address these gaps. As a result, some pupils' learning slows.

The school has clearly laid out processes to provide support for pupils with SEND.

It swiftly identifies any pupils who may need extra help. Targeted interventions help pupils to catch up. Staff know pupils well and receive information and helpful strategies to meet each pupil's needs in lessons.

When these are deployed consistently well, pupils overcome their challenges. However, this is not consistent.

Reading is important to the school.

The school knows that many pupils arrive with low literacy levels. The school identifies pupils who need extra help and provides them with targeted support. Pupils quickly improve their reading skills.

They catch up over time, and more read at an age-appropriate level.Securing strong attendance is a priority. The school knows of the challenges that some pupils face attending regularly.

Key staff work closely with these pupils and their families to overcome any barriers. This work has improved attendance.

Expectations of pupils' conduct are generally understood by all.

Suspensions and exclusions have been reduced. However, some staff do not effectively and consistently deal with incidents of poor behaviour. This results in low-level disruptions to lessons.

The school's work to promote pupils' personal development is strong. Pupils learn about positive mental health and well-being. The curriculum to develop pupils' personal, social, health and economic understanding is highly effective.

Pupils talk knowledgeably about the importance of kindness, tolerance and respect. The programme to inform pupils about possible career choices helps them to make informed decisions about their next steps. As a result, pupils are well prepared for later life.

The trust and local governing board provide the school with the challenge, support and resources to deliver its inclusive vision. The recently developed programme of staff training provides teachers with the knowledge to carry out their roles. Staff enjoy working here and say that leaders are considerate of their well-being and workload.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Not all staff consistently implement the new approaches to teaching the intended curriculum in lessons. As a result, these have not fully had the desired impact on sustainably improving pupils' achievements across the curriculum.

The school should ensure staff receive the support they need to deliver the curriculum effectively so that all pupils know more and remember more. ? Some staff do not use checks on what pupils can do and have learned with enough rigour. They do not typically spot the gaps in learning pupils have.

They then do not routinely match learning to pupils' needs or adapt their teaching to fill any gaps. This slows the learning of pupils. The school should ensure that all staff have the expertise to support pupils' learning effectively.

• Some staff do not apply the school's behaviour policy consistently well. When this happens, some pupils become disengaged from their learning and low-level disruption occurs. The school should ensure staff receive the support needed to consistently apply the behaviour systems to allow all pupils to meet the school's high behaviour expectations.