Wrockwardine Wood Infant School and Nursery

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

The school's motto of 'Love, Laugh, Learn' is evident in all that the school does.

Pupils are very happy here. Pupils want to please their teachers. They love coming to school because learning is exciting, teachers are caring and pupils like seeing their friends.

Pupils are well looked after. Pupils apply the 'Golden Rules', such as to be gentle, kind and helpful. This helps them to behave well.

Pupils told us they do not worry about being bullied and feel really safe at school. If bullying ever happens, leaders deal with it well.

Children learn well in the early years.

In Years 1 and 2, pupils enjoy studying exciting topics such as 'The Gre...at Fire of London', and 'Dreams and Goals'. This brings together learning in different subjects. Teachers read every day with their classes.

Pupils love to read and told us that the school has some fantastic reading books.

Senior leaders want all pupils to do the best they can. Because of what they learn at Wrockwardine Wood, pupils are well prepared for junior school.

Leaders encourage parents and carers to help their children learn at home through workshops and website updates.

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

Leaders have high expectations for pupils. They plan what pupils will learn in each subject so that pupils' understanding and skills build over time.

Teachers have good knowledge about the subjects they teach. Because of this, pupils achieve well.

Teachers make sure that disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) have the knowledge they need to succeed.

This is because the adults who work with them provide effective support to help them take a full part in lessons. Pupils do not give up when they find learning difficult. Teachers encourage pupils to think like a 'resilient rhino' when they get stuck.

Pupils say this helps them to learn.

Teachers are good at teaching pupils to read. As a result, pupils are confident, fluent readers by the time they leave the school.

Younger pupils who have difficulty remembering the sounds letters make and reading 'tricky' words get all the help they need to catch up. As one pupil said, 'It's only hard for a while, but once you repeat it often enough, you get it.' Teachers regularly check that pupils understand what they are reading about.

In history and science, some topics do not yet build on what pupils already know and can do. This means that, sometimes, the content is repeating earlier work. It is too easy for many pupils, particularly the most able.

Leaders do not plan carefully enough what pupils need to know in these subjects and the order they need to learn it in. This means that some pupils do not have the skills they need for future learning.

Pupils develop into responsible citizens.

For example, the 'Eco Squad' talk knowledgeably about energy preservation. Pupils visit and learn about places of worship, including a mosque and a synagogue. They learn about the difference between right and wrong.

For example, in the story 'Jack and the beanstalk', pupils think about if it was right for Jack to enter the giant's house without permission. A residential sleepover for Year 2 pupils helps to develop both their social skills and their independence.

Children in Nursery and Reception are confident learners.

They complete exciting activities that make them want to explore and find things out for themselves. Adults develop children's reading and number skills well. For example, they identify numbers on buckets outside and find the names of letters displayed indoors.

By the time they leave Reception, most children achieve well and are ready to join Year 1. Children with SEND are included in all activities. They thrive in an environment where they get the help that they need.

Parents are pleased with their children's learning because leaders are ambitious for pupils to be 'the best that they can be'. All staff share this vision. Senior leaders take steps to help manage staff workload.

They do everything they can to allow teachers to focus on the quality of their teaching.

Governors know the strengths and weaknesses of the school. They provide effective support and challenge to school leaders.

This helps to ensure that the school continues to improve.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. The school works with a wide range of agencies to ensure that pupils and families get the help that they need.

Staff have a very good awareness of how to keep pupils safe. They know what to do should they have a concern about a pupil's welfare. As a result, pupils are always safe and well cared for.

The school works in close partnership with parents. For example, leaders provide parents with information about how to keep their children safe online.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

Subject leaders in history and science are new to their post.

They have not yet had the opportunity to take part in the school's programme for developing subject leadership. Their planning is not yet as precise as that seen in other subjects. For example, the planning does not show the steps to be taught so that pupils develop secure subject knowledge and build their understanding.

Leaders need support to ensure that the planning of history and science topics is clearly sequenced. . When teaching history and science, teachers do not use information about what pupils have previously learned in these subjects to help plan the lessons.

This means that pupils sometimes repeat content they already know. Pupils, including the most able, are not given work that makes them think deeply enough. Therefore, the school needs to make sure that teachers use the information about what pupils can do to plan future activities to deepen their knowledge.

How can I feedback my views?

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If you're not happy with the inspection or the report, you can complain to Ofsted.

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

In the report, 'disadvantaged pupils' refers to those pupils who attract government pupil premium funding: pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years and pupils in care or who left care through adoption or another formal route.