Woodside CofE Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Woodside primary is a school with a big heart in the centre of the community. Pupils relish every day they have at school. They arrive with smiles on their faces and are greeted with a smile in return by staff, who care deeply for each of them as individuals.

This helps them to feel safe, settled and secure. Learning starts with earnest in the early years, where pupils settle quickly because of the nurture and care provided. It continues throughout the school.

Pupils' behaviour is exemplary at all points of the day. They understand how important it is to be kind and respectful and they are. This is modelled for them by staff, who go above and beyond in all aspects of ...their work.

Pupils show excellent attitudes to their learning. The whole school is calm and peaceful, allowing all pupils to work to the best of their ability without disruption.

Staff want all pupils to do their best and be their best.

These high expectations and ambitions apply for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils are supported well to achieve to the very best of their ability in an environment where everyone is accepted and celebrated.

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

The school has undergone a transformation in all aspects of its work.

Reading is now 'at the heart of the school'. The new phonics programme is having a positive impact on supporting pupils in grasping the skills of early reading. Staff are highly skilled in delivering the programme.

This means the vast majority of pupils are able to keep up with its demands and read well for their age. There are a small number of pupils who do struggle to keep up. They are quickly identified.

These pupils receive targeted support that enables them to catch up quickly.

The immaculate, beautifully cared for environment is awash with high-quality texts. They have been carefully chosen to support pupils to understand the wide and diverse world in which they live.

This starts in the early years, which is exceptional. The inviting 'book nook' allows children to know and remember classic stories, as well as other books that promote diversity that the school champions so well. Children show impressive levels of curiosity, engagement and concentration in the early years.

Highly skilled staff understand their needs and amend the curriculum in response to these. The interactions between adults and children are inspiring. Children are highly independent and inquisitive, supported by staff who are expert early years practitioners.

The exciting and varied activities organised for the children support conversation and dialogue extremely well. Children's communication and language is now a strength because of this.

The curriculum has also been carefully considered in key stage 1 and key stage 2.

It builds on what the children learn in the early years and has been carefully planned and sequenced. Adaptations to support pupils with SEND are highly effective. They learn seamlessly alongside their peers.

Staff provide high-quality support where it is most needed. Pupils with SEND achieve well as a result of this. Careful thought has been given to how pupils recall and remember the most important aspects in different subject areas.

However, the revamped curriculum is still in its infancy. This means that pupils still have gaps in their knowledge, as they have not yet had the opportunity to study the curriculum in its entirety.

Pupils understand the simple behaviour rules and follow them impeccably.

They can clearly articulate what it means to be 'ready, respectful and safe'. They are routinely polite and well mannered. They recognise and appreciate how much behaviour has improved.

They see it and they feel it. Pupils understand, and accept, that at times the behaviour policy is applied slightly differently 'for those who need it'. They live out the values of love, hope, respect, forgiveness and challenging injustice by doing so.

Playtimes are well-organised, and pupils enjoy the wide range of activities available for them.

The school places a high priority on developing the character of all its pupils. Purposeful leadership opportunities allow the pupils to see the difference they can make in school, the community and the wider world.

They are particularly passionate when talking about 'challenging injustice'. Pupils get involved in community events and have opportunities to support those less fortunate than themselves. Supported by a member of the governing body, they have recently planted a small orchard on the school grounds.

Eventually, they want to use the fruit to donate to families in need as well as the local foodbank. The school has recently had to cope with a tragic event in their Woodside family. The school became the hub for providing support, love and care at a time when it was needed most.

The school is led with a level of compassion, kindness, skill and determination that is praiseworthy. The headteacher, ably supported by the trust, has galvanised the support of staff and parents. Every decision made is in the best interests of pupils; they are front and centre.

Their needs drive the many decisions around school improvement that have already taken place. Staff are highly committed to the school's vision that is so clearly articulated and evident to see. It is a highly effective team.

Parents agree, and typically describe the school and its staff as 'fantastic'. Governors play a pivotal role in supporting and enhancing the offer in place for this rapidly improving school.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The school has developed an effective curriculum, but this has only recently been introduced. As a result, some pupils still have gaps in their knowledge across a range of subjects. Leaders should continue their successful work to implement the revised curriculum, to enable pupils to continue the progress they are now making.

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