Woolacombe School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at Woolacombe School are rightly proud of their school.

They are happy, safe and well cared for. They learn in a calm and nurturing environment. Pupils love their school.

As a result, attendance is high. The school values, 'believe, belong, become' thread through the school. Pupils treat everyone with respect.

The school is determined for pupils to succeed. Staff have high expectations for all pupils to reach their potential. Pupils live up to these and learn successfully.

This starts in the early years where children thrive. They learn with confidence and show curiosity about the world.

The school has put personal development at the ...heart of pupils' education.

It is a high priority and a real strength. The school provides many enrichment opportunities that go beyond the academic. Pupils know their voice matters.

They value the extensive range of leadership opportunities such as eco-warriors and peer mediators. They are involved in activities that they know will make a difference. For example, pupils are considering the effect of plastic pollution linked to sustainability.

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

The school has designed an ambitious curriculum. The knowledge pupils need to know and remember has been considered and sequenced, starting in the early years. The school has recently developed the curriculum in some subjects to ensure that all pupils learn the curriculum well.

For subjects that are well established, pupils build their knowledge successfully over time. Teachers use a variety of strategies to help pupils learn. For example, pupils recap prior learning to build their knowledge based on what they have learnt before.

Assessment is used to successfully identify how well pupils are learning. Where curriculum subjects are fully embedded, pupils are building their knowledge securely over time.

Some subjects have a new curriculum in place and so they are in their infancy of implementation.

Pupils are learning the new curriculum well. For example, in geography, Year 6 pupils have a secure knowledge about the human and physical features of Mexico. However, some pupils find it hard to remember what they have learned before.

This makes it more difficult for pupils to build their knowledge well over time.

Reading is a high priority. A love of reading runs through the school.

Books have been carefully selected to cover a range of genres. In addition, texts have been chosen to widen pupils' knowledge of culture and diversity. Staff share their own enjoyment of reading with pupils and families as 'reading dragons' who 'devour' books.

They share their recommendations with the community. As a result, pupils take pleasure in sharing their favourites. Pupils are taught to read successfully.

This is because staff have the expertise they need to do this well. Pupils read books that match the sounds they know. This helps them to become confident readers.

Children in early years get off to a strong start. Relationships between children and adults are a strength and help children to settle well. The development of language is a priority within the curriculum.

Staff design learning activities to promote this. For example, in Nursery, adults helped children to explore 'Goldilocks and the Three Bears' using small figures, bowls and porridge to retell the story.

Teachers adapt learning to help pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) access the curriculum alongside their peers.

However, some of these pupils do not get all the support they need. This is because the school has not identified with enough precision the support pupils need. As a result, some pupils with SEND do not build their knowledge securely.

The school is calm and orderly. Pupils know the school routines well. Because of this, pupils show positive attitudes to their learning and take pride in their work.

This starts in the early years where children transition through the setting successfully.

The school has placed pupil's character development at the heart of the school. The school's bespoke approach to personal development, 'the Woolacombe way,' challenges every pupil to excel.

The school go above and beyond to embed this for all pupils. For example, regular productions help pupils shine, including those that are disadvantaged. This helps pupils to develop their confidence.

Pupils benefit from a wide range of opportunities to ensure that they are respectful, responsible and active citizens. For example, pupils helped the National Trust to plant trees in the local combe.

Those responsible for governance know the school well.

They fulfil their statutory responsibilities effectively and hold school leaders to account for the quality of education pupils receive.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Some subject developments are in their infancy.

As a result, some pupils have gaps in their prior knowledge and so find it more difficult to build on what they know and remember. The trust needs to ensure that gaps in pupils' knowledge are identified and learning is adapted to enable all pupils build their knowledge well. Some pupils with SEND do not receive all the support they need to catch up.

This is because the school has not identified with enough precision the help pupils need. This prevents some pupils from building their knowledge securely over time. The trust must ensure that precise support for pupils with SEND is identified so these pupils can learn the curriculum well.