Woodlands Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

This is a happy and nurturing school where adults know the pupils well.

Leaders have created a respectful and inclusive environment. Pupils feel safe in school, and are kept safe. Pupils understand and model the school values of respect, self-belief, determination and resilience.

Consequently, behaviour in lessons and at play time is typically calm and orderly. Pupils know that adults will deal with any concerns that may arise.

The school is ambitious for all pupils, this includes those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

Appropriate adaptations and support are provided to help pupils learn effectively. The school has been refi...ning and developing the curriculum. Pupils work hard and produce work of good quality.

However, the recent changes to aspects of the curriculum are not fully embedded or reflected in the published outcomes which pupils achieve.

There are a range of leadership opportunities for pupils. These include being sports captains, play leaders and safeguarding leads.

The school council represents pupils' views. For example, it has contributed to the reorganisation of the playtime rotas.

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

The curriculum is broad and meets the ambition of what is expected nationally.

In most subjects, the knowledge that pupils need has been clearly identified and well-sequenced. This helps pupils to learn and remember more and prepares them well to tackle more-complex ideas later on. In these subjects, pupils develop a depth of understanding and are more confident in what they have learned.

For example, in mathematics, children in early years learn to count, add and subtract with numbers up to 10. Older pupils build on this knowledge when learning about equivalent and improper fractions, ratios and proportions. Similarly, in history, older pupils draw on their learning about ancient Greece to debate whether Alexander the Great deserved his title.

In a few subjects, the curriculum is less well designed. In these areas, the most important knowledge that pupils need to secure is not as clearly defined. This means teachers do not consistently focus on the most important content and pupils do not develop as secure an understanding in these subjects.

Assessment is typically used well to check what pupils have learned. However, in subjects that are less well designed, errors and misconceptions are sometimes missed. This creates gaps in some pupils' learning.

A love of reading is prioritised across the school. For example, pupils enjoy attending the book clubs which are designed to encourage pupils to read widely. Children learn phonics from the start of their Reception Year.

All staff have had appropriate training to implement the school's chosen phonics programme with consistency. Pupils practise reading books that match the sounds that they know. This helps them to develop confidence and fluency.

Pupils who need additional support are quickly identified and given targeted help to catch up.

Pupils with SEND are accurately identified and well supported. The school works closely with external specialists to ensure appropriate adaptations are used to help pupils access the planned curriculum.

This includes, for example, using different forms of communication for those who need it.

Pupils' broader personal development is well considered. The curriculum is designed to help them understand important issues.

For example, pupils learn about the importance of diversity and respect through studying a range of religions and visiting different places of worship. The forest school helps the youngest children to learn about different environments and skills such as building habitats for animals. The curriculum is enriched through a programme of visits.

For example, pupils enjoyed the opportunity to attend the Royal Albert Hall to create their own music.

The school has prioritised improving attendance. Well-established routines and clear expectations mean that there has been significant improvement in the attendance of pupils.

Behaviour in lessons and around the school is positive. Learning is not disrupted. This is because the systems and routines are well understood and consistently applied.

Leaders, including at a trust level, understand the school's context. They are ambitious in their drive to continually improve and have identified a number of priorities. Systems are in place to review the impact of leaders' work; however, this is not consistently focused on checking the most important priorities.

Staff are very positive about the consideration given by leaders to their workload and well-being. 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)

• A few subjects are less well designed. In these instances, the knowledge that pupils need is not as clearly identified. As a result, there is not sufficient focus on teaching or checking whether pupils understand the most important content.

This limits the depth of understanding some pupils secure in these subjects. The school needs to ensure that the curriculum in each subject identifies and sequences the important ideas which pupils need to learn. The school should also ensure that the curriculum is consistently implemented so that pupils secure the depth of understanding they should in different subjects.

• The systems for evaluating the impact of the school's work are not consistently focused on checking the most important priorities. As a result, oversight is sometimes not sufficiently concentrated on the most significant areas. The school should ensure that the systems for evaluation are sharply focused on identifying and checking the most significant priorities.

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