Woodlands Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Woodlands Primary School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils love coming to Woodlands Primary School.

They know that their teachers work hard at planning exciting learning for them, including a wide range of trips and visitors.

When children start school in the early years, they develop positive attitudes to their learning. Every class follows a set of rules with clear expectations for how pupils should behave.

This consistent approach supports teachers in managing pupils' behaviour well. A few pupils find it harder to follow the school rules. High-quality support is put in place for these pupils.

Pupils work hard ...in lessons. They listen respectfully to their teachers. Pupils help each other and give their ideas and opinions enthusiastically.

Lessons are rarely affected by low-level disruption.

Pupils understand what bullying is. They said it does not often happen.

Staff are quick to deal with it when it occurs. Pupils are confident to talk to staff if they have worries or concerns. Pupils feel safe in school because they said that there is always someone to help them.

Skilful staff adapt learning to meet pupils' varying needs, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The planned curriculum sets out high expectations of what all pupils can achieve. Leaders ensure that the sequence of learning gives pupils plenty of opportunities to deepen their understanding about important ideas and global issues, for example recycling plastics.

Most parents and carers are positive about the school. They appreciate the care staff show towards their children.

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

Leaders are ambitious for all pupils.

The broad and balanced curriculum enables pupils to achieve well. Leaders have made necessary alterations to learning plans in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Leaders ensure that pupils' learning typically builds in a logical order from Nursery to Year 6, including in reading, writing and mathematics.

This is also the case in personal, social and health education (PSHE). That said, work to develop the curriculum is ongoing in a few subjects, particularly in geography. In these subjects, leaders' work is centred on making sure that the essential building blocks of knowledge are clearly defined.

A strong reading culture is evident across the school. Right from the start in early years, staff promote children's reading skills. Well-taught daily phonics sessions help children to become fluent readers.

Staff make sure that any pupils who fall behind get the extra support they need. In a few instances, some of the books that early readers access are not fully matched to the sounds that they are learning. This reduces opportunities for pupils to practise using and applying their phonics knowledge.

Well-stocked reading areas in every classroom demonstrate leaders' investment in reading. The libraries are beautifully presented with attractive displays promoting high-quality texts.

The curriculum is logically planned.

For example, in mathematics, teachers know what has been taught and where pupils are expected to go next. This starts in Nursery, with an emphasis on number recognition. Pupils are helped to record their mathematical reasoning effectively.

Leaders make sure that the agreed approach to the teaching of mathematics is followed consistently.

Curriculum subjects are well led. For example, in art and design, leaders provide clear guidance for teachers so that learning is sequential.

Pupils draw upon previous learning when working on new projects. For example, pupils learned to work with oil pastels in Year 1 and used them successfully in constructing their pictures of the Great Fire of London in Year 2.

Staff know and understand the individual needs of pupils with SEND.

This ensures that pupils receive appropriate support. Early identification provides pupils with support from the start. This ensures pupils with SEND do well.

Leaders place high importance on supporting pupils' wider development. They provide pupils with a broad range of opportunities to develop their talents and interests. 'Take Over' day by Year 6 pupils enables them to experience the world of work.

Pupils enjoyed practising carrying out selected staff duties. School council membership enables pupils to learn about and understand how democracy works. Leaders promote the development of pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural education effectively.

Pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education.

The skilled governing body is ambitious for the school. Governors challenge and support leaders well.

For example, their roles as subject and year group link governors mean that they have opportunities to ask leaders questions about how the school is improving. This includes leaders' work to build up pupils' knowledge in different subjects and what subjects need further improvement. Leaders, including governors, ensure that staff have a reasonable workload.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders take their safeguarding responsibilities seriously. They successfully promote a culture of vigilance.

Staff are confident to report any signs that pupils may be at risk of harm. Leaders keep meticulous records and work well with external agencies to help protect pupils. The robust system enables leaders to gather the necessary information to ensure timely support for pupils' well-being and safety.

Staff go above and beyond to provide support for vulnerable families.

Staff teach pupils how to stay safe, including when using online technology. Pupils know to report any concerns they may have for their own safety or the safety of others.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• On occasion, the books that some pupils read do not fully match their stage in the phonics programme. This limits the practice they get in using the phonics that they know. Leaders need to ensure that all early readers have access to books that accurately and fully match the sounds that they know.

• In a few subjects, for example geography, leaders have decided what they want pupils to learn but the essential building blocks of what teachers should teach are not secure. Leaders should ensure that all curriculum plans clearly identify the key knowledge and skills for teachers to teach from Nursery to Year 6 so that pupils' learning builds from firm foundations.

Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good.

This is called a section 8 inspection of a good or outstanding school, because it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a section 5 inspection.

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the section 8 inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the section 8 inspection as a section 5 inspection immediately.

This is the first section 8 inspection since we judged the school to be good in March 2017.