Woodley Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy coming to school. They are friendly and they look after one another. Pupils try their best to follow the school's 'care values' because leaders have high expectations of them.

Pupils model these values through their positive attitudes and efforts each day. They know that it is important to try their best, persevere and not to give up too easily.

Pupils are positive about the behaviour of others.

They benefit from strong and caring relationships with staff. Pupils behave well in lessons because they want to learn. Poor behaviour, along with bullying, is rare.

However, in the past there have been some incidents of poor behaviour. Leaders d...eal with such incidents well, so they are not repeated.

Pupils feel safe in school.

They learn how to maintain healthy relationships. Many pupils enjoy taking part in the wide range of extra-curricular sports-based clubs. Pupils know that it is important to stay fit and eat a balanced diet.

Pupils, including those who are disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), achieve well. They leave Year 6 prepared well for the challenges of high school.

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

Leaders have planned a broad and appropriately ambitious curriculum.

In most subjects, leaders have identified the important knowledge that they want pupils to learn. In these subjects, leaders have arranged learning so that pupils build on what they know already. For example, in mathematics and science, leaders have carefully organised the important skills and knowledge that they want pupils to gain in each year group.

This helps teachers to design learning and pupils to achieve well. However, in a minority of subjects, leaders have not considered fully how the key stage 1 curriculum builds on what children learn in the early years.

Subject leaders have received training so that they keep their own knowledge up to date.

In most subjects, leaders support teachers effectively to deliver planned curriculums well. Mostly, teachers deliver curriculums well and use assessment appropriately to check that pupils know and understand earlier learning. That said, in a small number of subjects, leaders do not support teachers well enough to check on whether pupils remember the intended curriculum.

Governors know the school well. They provide strong challenge to school leaders so that they can better understand what is working well and those aspects of the school that require further development.

Leaders have ensured that staff are suitably trained to deliver the high-quality early reading and phonics curriculum.

Teachers introduce new sounds in a logical way to help pupils to build on the sounds that they know, including children in the early years. Teachers ensure that pupils who fall behind receive support from well-trained staff so that they can catch up. Some of the youngest pupils in key stage one and children in the early years lack fluency in their reading.

Very occasionally, the books that some of these pupils take home to practise their reading are not precisely matched to the sounds they have learned in class.

Children in the early years settle into school life quickly. They follow the school rules and listen to instructions while engaging enthusiastically in their learning.

They particularly enjoy singing songs as part of their learning. Pupils across the school get on with their learning in lessons without distraction.

Leaders ensure that the individual needs of pupils with SEND are identified.

This group of pupils benefit from effective support. The special educational needs coordinator ensures that teachers receive appropriate guidance. This means that teachers can provide the help that pupils with SEND need to access the curriculum.

Leaders have ensured that there are a range of well-planned activities and additional responsibilities to promote pupils' personal development. Many pupils take part in after-school sports clubs. They take on extra responsibilities, such as school councillors.

Close links with a school in inner city Manchester helps to develop pupils' awareness of different backgrounds and traditions. Pupils have a deep understanding of the need to be respectful and tolerant of faiths and cultures different to their own.

Staff feel valued and supported.

They told inspectors that senior leaders have taken decisive action to reduce their workloads. Staff appreciate the high-quality training that they have received.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders have made safeguarding a priority. Along with governors, leaders ensure that staff receive relevant and up-to-date safeguarding training. This supports staff to be alert to potential safeguarding concerns.

They know how to record and then report concerns to a member of the safeguarding team. Leaders work with a wide range of external agencies to provide timely support to pupils and their families. Pupils understand the need to keep them safe online and while using social media.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In a small number of subjects, leaders have not considered fully how the curriculum in key stage 1 builds on what children have learned in the early years. This hinders teachers in their attempt to design learning that builds on what pupils in Year 1 know already. In these subjects, leaders should ensure that they fully consider how the curriculum in Year 1 builds on what children in the early years know and remember.

• In a minority of subjects, leaders do not support teachers well enough to check whether pupils have learned the intended curriculum. This prevents teachers from knowing whether pupils' earlier learning is secure and identifying pupils' potential misconceptions. Leaders should ensure that teachers are supported effectively, to use assessment well to check that pupils have learned the intended curriculum and to rectify pupils' misconceptions.

• Very occasionally, some staff do not ensure that the books pupils read at home are matched precisely to the sounds that they are learning in class. This means that some children in the early years and pupils in key stage 1 lack fluency in their reading. Leaders should ensure that the books that pupils read, including children in the early years, precisely match the sounds that they are learning so that pupils can become accurate and confident readers.

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