Woodside Primary School

Woodside Primary School Gittin Street, Oswestry, SY11 1DT

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Not previously inspected as an academy This inspection: Good 2 Leadership and management Good 2 Behaviour and safety of pupils Outstanding 1 Quality of teaching Good 2 Achievement of pupils Good 2 Early years provision Good 2

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 The school is led and managed well. School leaders and governors manage teachers’ performance effectively. Their actions have improved teaching and learning in the past year.  Leaders of different subjects and aspects understand and fulfil their roles and responsibilities well in relation to improving pupils’ achievement.  Children get off to a good start in the Nursery, and standards are rising at the end of Reception and Year 2. Staff in Key Stage 2 build systematically on these improvements so that pupils in Years 3 to 6 are now working at higher levels than in the past.  Teaching is good and therefore pupils make good progress. Their work is usually pitched at the right level, and they receive mostly good support from teaching and support staff.  Pupils’ behaviour and their attitudes to learning are exemplary. Pupils are reflective and caring. They feel very safe in school and know how to keep themselves safe.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 The school’s rich curriculum enthuses pupils and makes them eager to learn more. It prepares pupils well for the next stage of their education and for life in modern Britain.  The school works closely with parents, the vast majority of whom are very pleased with what it does for them and their children.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Teachers’ marking does not always give pupils clear guidance on how to improve. When it does, pupils do not always do the corrections needed to secure that improvement.  Staff sometimes limit pupils’ progress in lessons by intervening in their learning and doing too much for them.  Leaders and governors do not always make best use of the information they gain from assessing pupils’ learning to help pupils make even faster progress.  The school’s improvement priorities do not have measurable outcomes against which school leaders and governors can gauge progress towards them.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspectors observed parts of 41 lessons. Members of the senior leadership team shared eight of the observations. Inspectors also observed pupils’ behaviour at play and lunchtimes.  Sessions teaching pupils about phonics (letters and their sounds) were observed, as were sessions where pupils were taught individually or in small groups.  A number of documents were examined, including: the school’s data on current pupils’ progress; its self- evaluation document; and the school improvement plan. Other planning and monitoring documents were also evaluated, including those relating to teaching, safeguarding, behaviour and attendance.  Inspectors looked at pupils’ books, talked with pupils, formally and informally, and listened to pupils in different age groups read.  Discussions were held with the headteacher, governors, and senior and other leaders.  Inspectors took account of the 55 responses to the online questionnaire, Parent View, and of letters and

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Information about this inspection

emails from parents. They also gathered parents’ views at first hand at the start of the school day, and met with parents who wanted to speak with them.  The inspector received and considered the views of the 41 staff who completed a questionnaire.

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Inspection team

Doris Bell, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 The school is much larger than the average-sized primary school.  This school became an academy on 1 May 2013. It is managed by Woodside Primary Academy Trust. When its predecessor school, also called Woodside Primary School, was last inspected by Ofsted, six years ago, it was judged to be a good school.  The school offers full-time provision for Reception-aged children, and part-time provision for Nursery-aged children. These children, and pupils in Years 1 and 2, are taught in single-age classes. Pupils in Years 3 to 6 are taught in mixed-age classes.  Most pupils are White British. The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic groups and who speak English as an additional language is below average but there are 18 different languages spoken in the school.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs is above average.  The proportion of pupils eligible for the pupil premium funding is average. This additional funding is

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Information about this school

provided to support the education of disadvantaged pupils, such as those known previously to be eligible for free school meals and children who are looked after by the local authority.  The school meets the government’s current floor standard, which is the minimum expectation for pupils’ attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of Year 6.  There is ‘Start at Woodside’ provision for children from birth to two-years-old on the school site. Although managed by the school, it is registered and inspected separately. It also provides before- and after-school care and holiday provision.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Raise achievement in reading, writing and mathematics by:  improving the quality of teachers’ marking and feedback to pupils, and ensuring that pupils respond to marking and do their corrections  simplifying assessment systems and ensuring that school leaders and governors make better use of assessment information to help pupils make faster progress  giving pupils more opportunities to do things for themselves and take their own learning further  including in the school improvement plan measurable outcomes against which governors and school leaders can judge progress towards the priorities they have set to improve teaching and learning.

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The leadership and management are good

 All leaders, managers and governors are highly ambitious for the pupils. They transmit this message clearly to staff, parents and the pupils themselves. The atmosphere in the school is consequently one of high expectation, where behaviour is exemplary, pupils can thrive, personally and academically, and then aspire to do as well as they possibly can now and in the future.

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The leadership and management are good

 Teachers’ performance is managed well. Senior and other leaders regularly check teaching and learning, follow up areas for development, and provide training and support for staff to help them improve. Staff responsible for leading different subjects or year groups fulfil their roles well. They communicate closely with staff and with senior leaders so that staff at all levels know what is expected of them.

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The leadership and management are good

 Teamwork across the school is exceptionally strong. Teaching and support staff work closely together to support pupils’ learning. The management of the provision for disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs is particularly effective, resulting in striking improvements for some of these pupils.

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The leadership and management are good

 The management of the provision for the increasing numbers of pupils who speak English as an additional language is also good. At whatever point these pupils join the school, they are immersed in the English language and taught British values while being encouraged to value their own culture.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school is going through a period of transition as it creates the ‘Woodside curriculum’ with exciting, memorable experiences for pupils that ensure they acquire good levels of competence in basic skills and gain knowledge of the wider world in which they live. The curriculum includes many opportunities for pupils to reflect on their learning and on their place in society, and how to become responsible citizens of the future.

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The leadership and management are good

 The richness of the curriculum contributes effectively to pupils’ cultural development, their acceptance of others and their good understanding of equality of opportunity. Much is done through the curriculum to effectively promote British values, such as tolerance, respect and democracy, and to eradicate discrimination of any sort.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school is in the midst of developing new assessment systems to enable it to track pupils’ progress better. The current systems provide leaders, managers and governors with a great deal of information. However, that information is not collated effectively enough to provide key information about pupils’ progress over time and how it might be improved.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school’s evaluation of its own work is accurate. The outcomes inform the priorities in the school improvement plan and, subsequently, the targets set for teachers and pupils. The plan does not contain clear, measureable steps against which progress towards the priorities can be evaluated and is, therefore, not as sharp as it might be.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school has used its sports funding effectively to improve the skills of staff and to open up opportunities for pupils to participate in an increasingly wide range of sports and exercise activities. Pupils’ participation in these activities has increased, as have the opportunities for pupils to take part in competitive sport.

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The leadership and management are good

 Pupil premium funding has also been used effectively to provide more support and resources for disadvantaged pupils, and to enable them to take a full part in everything the school has to offer. These pupils now make the same good progress as other pupils. Gaps are closing between their attainment and that of their classmates.

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The leadership and management are good

 Safeguarding procedures, including those for child protection, meet current requirements and all training is up to date. Systems and procedures are very robust, meticulously monitored, and consistently implemented. The governing body has made sure that all staff and governors are mindful of their duties in these areas and that pupils are safe and well protected.

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The leadership and management are good

 The governance of the school:  Governance is good. Governors support the school well and contribute to its now strong capacity for further improvement.  The governing body ensures that teachers’ performance is managed well. Governors support the headteacher in making decisions about pay. They can pinpoint where they have influenced decisions to award or not award a pay rise based on how well teachers have performed.  Governors understand data about pupils’ performance. They question the school but do not challenge it enough to check that the information is being used consistently well to raise pupils’ achievement. Nevertheless, they are beginning to relate data to spending to ensure they get good value for money.  Governors have a realistic view of improvement over time, and have set the right priorities to achieve their aims. The effectiveness of this work is limited, however, because they have not identified clearly

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The leadership and management are good

measureable steps against which they can judge how well the school is moving towards its targets.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is outstanding. The pupils’ excellent attitudes to learning are evident in their strong desire to do well. These are fostered throughout the school and exemplified in pupils’ comments about the ‘Woodside way’ and how they help pupils new to the school to fit into it. Pupils’ enthusiasm for learning is also evident in the pupils’ books, which are exceptionally neat and tidy.

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Behaviour

 Pupils present themselves well in lessons and around the school. They are polite and respectful, mindful of others and very proud of their school. They take great care of the myriad of displays and artefacts around the school that promote learning and personal development, and open their minds to different cultures and ways of life.

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Behaviour

 Pupils have a good understanding of British values and what it means to live in a democratic society. They gain insight into how society works, for example, through school council elections. The elections are carried out in the same way as local and national elections, with speeches, polling booths and secret ballots. Returning officers announce the outcomes.

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Behaviour

 Pupils work and play together amicably, regardless of background, culture or faith. The school does much to raise pupils’ awareness of cultural diversity and the importance of living together. Interactive displays and audio recordings encourage pupils to value and learn more about the 18 different languages and cultures represented in the school.

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Behaviour

 Pupils make links between aspects of the school’s work and their own and society’s behaviour. When talking about bullying, they commented on how learning about the Holocaust had brought them to realise the detrimental effect of bullying, harassment and extremist behaviour, and why it is important not to tolerate them.

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Safety

 The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is outstanding. School leaders ensure that access to the school is carefully monitored, and that pupils are taught about the dangers they might face in their day-to- day lives and how to deal with them. There is a high degree of mutual trust and respect between governors, staff, parents and pupils that enables the school to operate openly for the benefit of all.

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Safety

 The school took full advantage of ‘Internet Safety Day’ to reinforce in pupils how to keep themselves safe when using computers, mobile phones, and when accessing social networking sites. Pupils’ responses to teachers’ questions demonstrated their excellent understanding of how to use all of these items safely. They know what to do should they feel threatened at any time. While confidentiality was stressed, pupils also showed that they understood that, in order to help them, information might occasionally have to be passed on to someone else.  Pupils report that bullying is very rare. They understand the different forms it can take, and why it is important to tell someone. They are adamant that staff would deal with any such behaviour quickly and effectively because it is not ‘the Woodside way’. They refer to some name-calling having occurred and know that, even in fun, it is ‘not nice’ and ‘should not really happen’.

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Safety

 Attendance, which is average, is improving because staff check all absences rigorously. They are employed specifically to do this and make good use of external agencies to follow up any persistent absences, especially for pupils whose circumstances might make them vulnerable.

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Safety

 In line with statutory requirements, the school refuses to authorise holidays during term time, although a small number of parents ignore this, affecting the overall attendance figure. Last year, the outcomes of the national tests and assessments were also affected, as some pupils were absent on holiday over the test period.

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The quality of teaching is good

 A major strength in teaching is the way teachers put pupils’ learning into a context for them, not least by showing them how what they are doing builds on what has gone before, or informing them of what is to come next.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Basic skills are taught systematically. Teachers ensure pupils to apply those skills in imaginative, often practical, activities that cross the boundaries of different subjects. This makes learning real for the pupils and contributes to their eagerness to learn.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The teachers’ good subject knowledge is evident in effective questioning that probes and extends pupils’ thinking. Pupils are constantly asked to explain their answers fully, to explore patterns in mathematics, and to search for deeper knowledge, including by using computers.

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The quality of teaching is good

 In lessons, staff help pupils to develop the critical skills that enable them to evaluate and improve their work. Here, pupils are successfully encouraged to mark their work against given criteria, which teachers then check and discuss with them. Staff also remind pupils to refer to their targets to keep their learning on track.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Well-deployed support staff work in close partnership with teachers. They make a valuable contribution to pupils’ academic and personal development. This is especially so for disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs, and for pupils for whom the school receives additional funding.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Relationships are excellent and expectations of pupils’ behaviour and learning are high. Staff strongly encourage pupils to grab every opportunity to aspire and do their best at all times. The current project with the local high school is helping all pupils, and especially the most able, to realise that they can aspire to higher education, university and beyond.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Reading, including phonics, is taught and promoted well throughout the school. Staff work well with different groups during guided reading sessions to improve reading and comprehension skills. Adults develop in the pupils an enjoyment of reading, and pupils make good use of small pockets of time during the day to continue to read their books.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Writing is taught well. Teachers remind pupils to use the correct grammar, spelling and punctuation in all of their writing, including when they are solving problems in mathematics. The emphasis on preparing for writing enables pupils to share ideas and learn from each other. Timely prompts and questions help pupils to correct work in progress; for example, matching subject and verb, or using the correct tense.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Mathematics is also taught effectively. Although pupils’ mental mathematics skills are not as sharp as they might be, the work under way to improve them is enabling pupils to solve mathematical problems faster. In this subject, too, pupils make good use of the opportunities they are given to discuss their work and learn from each other.  Teachers carefully match work to the different ages and stages of learning in their classes so that all pupils, from the least to the most able, can succeed. Pupils’ work is regularly marked but marking does not always show pupils what they need to do to improve. When it does, teachers do not always make sure that pupils correct their errors. This limits the usefulness of marking. The new marking policy is designed to address these issues, but it is not yet being implemented consistently throughout the school.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Achievement is good. Children start in the Nursery with skills that are below those typical for their age. The good progress they make in the early years means that, by the time they leave Reception, the proportion reaching a good level of development is in line with that found nationally. Children are well prepared for their work in Year 1 and their good progress continues through the school.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils in Year 1 learn how to sound letters out then blend them as they learn to read. They deepen their knowledge and understanding of these phonics skills in the many activities planned for them as they read and write. In 2014, the results of the phonics screening check matched those found nationally.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils enjoy reading. They become absorbed in books during guided reading sessions, reading silently and, when required, responding well to questions about the text. By Year 6, they can compare the differences between books and the films that arise from them, summarising plots and discussing how characters are portrayed. They also use non-fiction texts and computers well to research information for their topic work.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils develop their ability to explore characters and feelings through well-focused practical work in different subjects. For example, pupils in Year 2 thoroughly enjoyed drawing an outline of a character to investigate who it might be. They used the clues they found in books to describe the character itself, writing their answers on the outside of the outline while writing clues about the character’s feelings on the inside of the outline. They were delighted when they deduced correctly that it was Christopher Columbus.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Writing becomes sophisticated and mature by Year 6; for example, as pupils draw the reader into their stories using increasingly complex sentences and a greater range of vocabulary. Pupils’ handwriting is neat, well formed and easy to read. Spelling and punctuation are mostly accurate, and good attention is paid to using the correct grammar. Pupils practise and consolidate all of these skills well when writing in different subjects. However, writing is sometimes left incomplete; because pupils are not given time to finish it.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils are making faster progress in mathematics than in the past because of recent improvements in the teaching of that subject. They develop greater knowledge and understanding of mathematical concepts through investigative activities that require them to use newly gained skills to solve mathematical problems. This was noted, for example, as pupils in Years 3 and 4 worked outside, investigating how long it would take to walk different distances.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs are assisted by skilled support staff, who work closely with teachers to ensure that the pupils’ different needs are met fully. There are striking examples of excellent progress for some of these pupils that demonstrate the effectiveness of the support programmes being used.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils who speak English as an additional language make good progress. They quickly acquire a command of English that enables them to do well, catch up with other pupils and ultimately reach the expected levels for their age.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The most-able pupils make good progress overall. This is because they usually have harder work to do to enable them to reach higher levels. Sometimes, however, as with other pupils, their progress is limited because staff intervene too much in their learning instead of allowing them to pursue some of it on their own.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The latest published data (2014) showed that disadvantaged pupils were approximately three terms behind other pupils in the school in mathematics and more than three and a half terms behind in English grammar, punctuation and spelling. The pupils were more than two terms behind their classmates in each of reading and writing. The gaps with pupils nationally was the same as that with classmates in writing and mathematics but, in reading, disadvantaged pupils were only a term behind pupils nationally. The progress of disadvantaged pupils last year was behind that of other pupils in the school and pupils nationally.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Disadvantaged pupils currently in the school make good progress. Gaps in their attainment and progress are narrowing increasingly from Year 2 upwards. In Year 6, their progress is overtaking that of pupils nationally.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils thoroughly enjoy the good range of sporting and exercise activities opened up to them with the sports funding for primary schools. Participation rates have increased and more competitive sport has been introduced using a recently set up house system in school. The school has also recently acquired some additional land to provide even better sporting facilities for the pupils.

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The early years provision is good

 The provision for children in the early years captures their imagination and stimulates their curiosity. It reflects a range of cultures, ensures the children’s safety and well-being, and has a richness that is typical of the school in general.

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The early years provision is good

 Adults provide good examples of how to use language, speak well and listen to others. Consequently, children quickly develop vocabulary that enables them to communicate successfully with others. Following some excellent progress in the Nursery, most Reception children can speak clearly and in sentences, for example, as they talk about their learning or express their preferences.

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The early years provision is good

 Strong features of the good teaching in this age group that take the children’s learning forward are effective questioning, well-focused learning activities, and timely discussions with children as they work and play. All of these things are used well to develop the children’s ability to reflect and become critical thinkers.

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The early years provision is good

 Learning is constantly assessed and progress recorded. The information is used effectively on a day-to-day basis to plan what to do to take learning further. The children’s ‘Learning Journeys’ fully reflect their good progress. They also provide evidence of the many stimulating learning opportunities children have in this school, indoors and out.

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The early years provision is good

 Adults have high expectations of the children’s learning and behaviour. The strong teamwork among the staff ensures that agreed procedures are correctly implemented at all times. As a result, children behave exceptionally well. They follow well-established routines, care for and help each other, take turns and respond quickly to instructions.

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The early years provision is good

 Parents are made very welcome. They are strongly encouraged and supported to help their children’s learning and personal development. The high level of support given to the children and their families is further assisted by strong links with external agencies and the on-site ‘Sure Start Centre’, which is now managed by the school.

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The early years provision is good

 Early years leaders are new to their roles. They are very enthusiastic about developing the provision further. They ensure that children are safe and well cared for, and that the environment supports good learning. As in the rest of the school, their analysis and use of data are not sharp enough to help children make even better progress over time.

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding An outstanding school is highly effective in delivering outcomes that provide exceptionally well for all its pupils’ needs. This ensures that pupils are very well equipped for the next stage of their education, training or employment. Grade 2 Good A good school is effective in delivering outcomes that provide well for all its pupils’ needs. Pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education, training or employment. Grade 3 Requires improvement A school that requires improvement is not yet a good school, but it is not inadequate. This school will receive a full inspection within 24 months from the date of this inspection. Grade 4 Inadequate A school that has serious weaknesses is inadequate overall and requires significant improvement but leadership and management are judged to be Grade 3 or better. This school will receive regular monitoring by Ofsted inspectors. A school that requires special measures is one where the school is failing

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Grade Judgement Description

to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education and the school’s leaders, managers or governors have not demonstrated that they have the capacity to secure the necessary improvement in the school. This school will receive regular monitoring by Ofsted inspectors.

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School details

Unique reference number 139630 Local authority Shropshire Inspection number 449972

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School details

This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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School details

Type of school Primary School category Academy converter Age range of pupils 3–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 645 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Alan Cooper Headteacher Robert McDevitt Date of previous school inspection Not previously inspected as an academy Telephone number 01691 652446 Fax number 01691 662365 Email address admin@woodside.shropshire.sch.uk guidance ‘raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234 , or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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School details

You can use Parent View to give Ofsted your opinion on your child’s school. Ofsted will use the information parents and carers provide when deciding which schools to inspect and when and as part of the inspection.

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School details

You can also use Parent View to find out what other parents and carers think about schools in England. You can visit www.parentview.ofsted.gov.uk, or look for the link on the main Ofsted website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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School details

achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work-based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection. Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the Education Act 2005, the school must provide a copy of this report free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please

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School details

telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as you give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the information in any way. To receive regular email alerts about new publications, including survey reports and school inspection reports, please visit our website and go to ‘Subscribe’.

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School details

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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