Wool Church of England Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy coming to Wool Primary School.

Relationships matter. This is because adults know the pupils well and care for them. Pupils say that everyone in their school is 'special'.

Parents talk positively about the school's communication, the way in which it keeps their children safe and the role the school plays in the local community.The school has high expectations for pupils' behaviour. Pupils understand how the school values of faith, perseverance, respect, aspiration and love help them to learn and behave well.

They are proud to receive the 'best seat in the house' award. In class, pupils listen to their teachers and follow instructions. On the playg...round, pupils play together well.

The atmosphere across the school is calm and purposeful.Pupils feel safe. Adults listen to them and are there for them if they need to share any worries.

Pupils appreciate the way that adults notice their efforts and celebrate them in assemblies.Pupils enjoy the clubs and outside learning experiences that the school provides for them. They enjoy becoming school councillors, eco councillors, sport leaders and members of the worship committee.

Pupils say these roles make them feel proud and enable them to make a difference.

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

The school is ambitious for all pupils. Pupils benefit from a curriculum that builds their knowledge well over time.

Pupils who need extra help receive the support they need. In subjects where published outcomes are below national expectations, the school has taken swift action to strengthen the curriculum. For example, they have made sure that staff implement the reading curriculum effectively.

Reading is prioritised across the school. Children begin learning phonics from the moment they start school. They learn new sounds well.

Pupils read books that are well matched to the sounds they know, which helps them to gain confidence and fluency. Staff use their training well to identify pupils who fall behind. Extra support means that these pupils catch up quickly.

Across the school, pupils enjoy listening to a range of exciting stories.

The school has put in place a well-structured mathematics curriculum. In the early years, teachers develop children's mathematical vocabulary well.

This means that children recognise and talk confidently about numbers. As pupils move through the school, teachers present new information clearly. Pupils become confident and build their understanding well because of this.

In some wider curriculum subjects, the learning that teachers provide does not always focus precisely enough on what pupils need to learn. As a result, some pupils become confused about what they are expected to learn and do not build on what they know and can do. For example, pupils struggle to use the correct techniques to create their artwork.

This slows the progress that some pupils make.The school supports pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) effectively. Teachers know these pupils well.

Staff are well trained to adapt the way these pupils learn the important knowledge they need. For example, in mathematics, some pupils with SEND use equipment to help them to deepen their understanding of number.

Pupils show positive attitudes to their learning.

This starts in the early years, where children are eager to learn. Pupils understand the school rules and follow them well, both inside and outside of the classroom. Staff support pupils who struggle to manage their emotions well.

The school has high expectations for pupil attendance. It tracks the attendance of pupils closely. Procedures in place for managing and improving attendance are effective.

The school fosters a strong culture of belonging. As a result, pupils attend school regularly.

The school supports pupils' personal development well.

Pupils understand that relationships can be different. They know the way in which they should be treated when they are with people physically and when they are online. Pupils talk confidently about protected characteristics and why it is important to be accepting of different peoples' faiths and beliefs.

Local governors and trustees know the school well. They hold the school to account for their actions. Staff are proud to work at the school.

They benefit from the training and collaboration with colleagues from other trust schools.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The learning that some pupils are given to complete is not focused precisely enough on what they need to know.

This means that sometimes pupils are not learning the most important things identified in the curriculum design. This makes it more difficult for pupils to build their knowledge well. The trust should make sure that learning supports pupils to learn the intended curriculum more precisely.