Woodlea Junior School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Woodlea Junior School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils' good behaviour makes a strong contribution to the calm environment that permeates the school. Pupils are polite, well mannered and friendly.

They consistently exhibit the school's values, which include honesty and respect. They told the inspector that they feel happy and safe in the school.

Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), respond well to the high expectations that leaders have of their behaviour and achievement.

Leaders deal with the rare incidents of bullying effectively.

Pupils benefit from the broad rang...e of activities that leaders make available to them. For example, they develop their understanding of history and mathematics when they excavate the school's archaeological site.

Leaders provide pupils with numerous opportunities to develop their leadership skills and to take on responsibilities through roles, such as reading buddies and digital leaders. Members of the school council take an active role in improving the school through projects, such as the outdoor classroom and the book-vending machine.

Pupils enjoy the warm welcome that they receive from staff and Woodea the dog when they arrive at the school each morning.

They thrive at the school as a result of the positive relationships that they have with staff.

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

Leaders and staff have high aspirations for all pupils. Leaders have thought deeply about the subject curriculums, so that pupils understand the links between the broad range of subjects that they study.

Leaders have set out in detail the key information that pupils should learn and the order in which they should learn it. In most subjects, teachers use this information well to bring the curriculum to life for pupils. Most pupils are well prepared for secondary school.

For the most part, teachers use their strong subject knowledge to teach the curriculum with clarity and to design activities that help pupils to acquire the key knowledge that leaders have set out. However, in a small number of subjects, the curriculum is not fully embedded. As a result, in these subjects, some of the activities that teachers design do not help some pupils to develop the depth of knowledge that they could.

Teachers make regular checks on what pupils know and remember. They use this information well to address any gaps or misconceptions that pupils have about their learning.

Leaders have placed reading at the heart of the curriculum.

Staff help pupils who find reading more difficult effectively. This helps these pupils to catch up quickly with their reading knowledge, including with phonics where necessary. Pupils read books that match the sounds that they have learned and this helps them to become confident, fluent readers.

They read widely and they recall vividly the key themes from the books that they have read. For example, they learn the importance of compassion through reading about people who overcome challenges.

Leaders accurately identify the needs of pupils with SEND.

They work closely with other agencies to ensure that they meet the needs of these pupils. Teachers adapt the teaching of the curriculum well, so that these pupils have the same access to it as their peers.

Pupils enjoy learning.

The behaviour of individuals rarely causes interruptions to lessons. Pupils listen carefully to each other and to their teachers.

Leaders provide pupils with a rich range of experiences that make a strong contribution to their wider development.

For example, pupils learn how to care for their physical and mental health. They develop a broad cultural understanding through learning about different faiths. They also learn about the features of positive relationships and the importance of respecting the views of others.

Governors know the school well. They hold leaders to account effectively for the quality of education that pupils receive. Leaders prioritise the well-being of staff.

When making changes, they take into account the potential impact on teachers' workload. Staff feel valued and they are proud to work at the school.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders have created a strong culture of safeguarding at the school. They ensure that staff and governors receive up-to-date training, which helps them to identify and help pupils who may be at risk of harm. Leaders respond quickly to any concerns that staff raise.

They ensure that pupils and their families receive timely and appropriate support. Staff work closely with other agencies when necessary.

Leaders ensure that pupils know how to keep themselves safe, including online.

Pupils know how to report concerns and they said that they can approach any member of staff if they need help.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In a small number of subjects, the curriculum is not fully embedded. In these subjects, teachers sometimes design activities which do not successfully promote depth of learn-ing.

This means that some pupils do not have the richness of knowledge that leaders expect. Leaders should ensure that teachers implement the curriculum well in all sub-jects, so that pupils reach their full potential.

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

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

This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in February 2018.

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