Woodsetts Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Short inspection of Woodsetts Primary School

Following my visit to the school on 14 February 2017, I write on behalf of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Education, Children's Services and Skills to report the inspection findings. The visit was the first short inspection carried out since the school was judged to be good in April 2012. This school continues to be good.

The leadership team has maintained the good quality of education in the school since the last inspection and your considered and decisive actions have ensured that the school continues to improve. You have effectively tackled the areas identified at the previous inspection. You and your senior leaders have instigated a rigorous programme of monitoring... that is helping you to evaluate accurately aspects of the school's work.

Leaders regularly hold teachers to account for the progress of different groups of pupils in their class. This precise monitoring is leading to improved outcomes for the vast majority of pupils. Standards are high.

In 2016, pupils' attainment in the phonics screening check at the end of Year 1 was well above the national average. Pupils made secure progress through key stage 1, so that at the end of Year 2, the proportions of pupils achieving the expected standard and working at greater depth were above those found nationally in reading, writing and mathematics. At the end of key stage 2, pupils' attainment was above the national averages in reading, writing and mathematics, but some middle-ability pupils did not make expected progress in reading.

Leaders are carefully tracking the progress of pupils. Current assessment information shows that large proportions of pupils are on track to achieve standards expected for their age. Overall, pupils are making expected progress.

Disadvantaged pupils and those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities are making rapid progress, because teaching is well matched to their needs. However, work in pupils' books shows that the most able are not given sufficient opportunity to deepen their learning or demonstrate greater depth of understanding in reading, writing and mathematics. Since the previous inspection, in consultation with governors and parents and carers, you have worked innovatively to successfully involve parents in the life of the school.

Weekly celebration assemblies, followed by an open invitation to stay and observe lessons, have been well received by parents, with around one third regularly in attendance. Parents have regularly taken the opportunity to talk to you about issues arising through the parent forum. Workshops have been held to help parents and to inform them about aspects of their child's learning.

Governors have effectively used their skills to improve the school's website. Governors are regularly present around school, attending parents evenings and clubs and making themselves available to parents. As a result of a well-planned and comprehensive set of events intended to engage parents, the vast majority of parents who responded to the Ofsted online questionnaire, Parent View, were complimentary about the education their child is receiving at Woodsetts.

Safeguarding is effective. Leaders have ensured that all policies and procedures reflect the latest government guidelines and record keeping is thorough. Staff and governors have received training in safeguarding children and they are alert to the signs of radicalisation.

Risk assessments for all aspects of the school's work are in place, alerting staff to any potential dangers and helping to keep children safe in school. Work to support the most vulnerable pupils to attend school regularly has been effective. Attendance overall is broadly in line with national averages.

You have ensured that rigorous systems are in place to support those pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities and use the services of external agencies effectively, so that attendance of these vulnerable pupils has improved. Consequently, the number of pupils who are persistently absent is reducing and is now below the national average. Inspection findings ? You lead decisively, drawing on experience and research to inform your choices about where to steer staff.

Staff are well supported through professional networks with your partner school and regular training develops staff skills effectively. Together you have created a bright and stimulating environment that supports pupils' learning and fosters high aspirations. ? Teachers are skilled in delivering learning that motivates all pupils to do well so that standards are high.

Relationships are strong and routines effectively underpin pupils' very good behaviour for learning. Teachers plan imaginative topics that appeal to pupils, boosting each theme with a visit or event that hooks pupils in. Reading and writing lessons are carefully woven into these topics, leading to effective learning.

However, opportunities for all pupils to apply their mathematical skills to a range of more complex problems are not frequent enough, so pupils are unable to deepen their understanding fully and to work independently. Challenge for the most able in reading and writing is somewhat limited, so that pupils are not making the rapid progress they need to in order to attain the highest standards. ? Children enter the school with skills and abilities generally above those typically seen.

As a result of strong teaching and thoughtful provision, children make good progress through the early years so that above-average numbers have achieved a good level of development during each of the last three years, ensuring that they are ready for learning in Year 1. Although more girls attained a better level of development than boys did, the boys' achievement compared well with that of other boys nationally. Current assessment information shows that boys in the early years are attaining as well as girls and making similar progress, indicating that this year, the difference has diminished.

The work of staff to engage children in learning and to make learning appealing is effective. Teachers are careful to record the next steps that children need to take in order to make the progress expected. Children are articulate, happy and sociable when they are accessing learning activities independently.

Leaders have ensured that the outdoor area is very well resourced, providing an effective setting through which staff can develop children's physical, social and emotional skills. ? Leaders have worked successfully to raise the quality of reading across the school. Pupils are motivated to read by the availability of good-quality resources in the school library and through weekly visits to the library bus.

The literacy leader has effectively supported staff in improving the quality of reading lessons and teachers are using challenging texts to good effect to develop pupils' reading skills. Boys are responding well to the types of text chosen by their teachers and all pupils are recording their learning well in reading. School assessment information shows that current pupils are making appropriate progress in reading in all classes in school.

• Pupils behave well in and around school. They love coming to school and really enjoy their lessons. Pupils are mature and articulate, happily expressing their views on a range of subjects, demonstrating a secure understanding of life in their community and in modern Britain.

They say that there is very little bullying or poor behaviour because pupils respond well to the 'red and yellow card' system, which they say teachers use fairly. Next steps for the school Leaders and those responsible for governance should make sure that: ? greater opportunities and precise teaching are provided for the most able pupils to ensure that they make more rapid progress in reading and writing ? teaching is further developed to ensure that all pupils have increased opportunities to develop fluency and reasoning skills and are able to apply these skills independently in mathematics. I am copying this letter to the chair of the governing body, the regional schools commissioner and the director of children's services for Rotherham.

This letter will be published on the Ofsted website. Yours sincerely Lesley Butcher Her Majesty's Inspector Information about the inspection During this one-day inspection, I was able to discuss the work of the school with you and your senior leaders. We visited classrooms together to observe teaching and learning.

I looked at pupils' work in books and spoke with pupils throughout the day. I heard pupils read. A discussion with a representative of the local authority and three members of the governing body helped to provide me with additional information.

School documentation, assessment information, policies and information posted on the school website were also taken into account. I looked at letters from parents and the online questionnaire (Parent View) to gather the views of 37 parents about the school. No staff or pupils responded to Ofsted's online questionnaire.