Woodford Primary School

Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Good 2 This inspection: Inadequate 4 Leadership and management Inadequate 4 Behaviour and safety of pupils Requires improvement 3 Quality of teaching Inadequate 4 Achievement of pupils Inadequate 4 Early years provision Requires improvement 3

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a school that requires special measures.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Since the previous inspection, pupils leaving at the end of Year 6 have not made enough progress at the school. Attainment has declined.  Throughout the school, pupils are not making sustained progress in reading, writing and mathematics because the teaching is not good enough.  School leaders do not have a clear picture of pupils’ achievement, including those who have special educational needs or who are supported by the pupil premium. Consequently, leaders are not effective in ensuring swift and sustained improvement.  Leaders have not tackled the areas for improvement identified in the previous inspection well enough.  The governing body has not challenged senior leaders swiftly enough to bring about the necessary improvement in pupils’ achievement.  The headteacher and governors do not have high enough expectations of senior leaders and other teachers. Targets set are not always challenging enough to raise pupils’ achievement.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Some teachers have low expectations of what pupils, particularly the most able, can achieve. Pupils’ progress is hindered because teachers do not provide pupils with the activities they need to learn well.  Teachers’ marking of work does not help pupils to know precisely enough what they need to do to improve.  Pupils’ behaviour requires improvement because some pupils show little enthusiasm for learning. Tasks do not always challenge them sufficiently.  Pupils’ safety requires improvement because incidents of poor behaviour and bullying, although rare, are not systematically recorded, tackled and reported.  The early years provision requires improvement. Leaders do not make best use of the information they have about children’s skills and understanding. Consequently, not all children make good progress.  Communication with parents is not always effective. Some parents say that they are unsure about the

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The school has the following strengths

 Attendance is above average. Pupils say they feel safe and enjoy coming to school.  Good use has been made of the additional funding to develop physical education and promote healthy lifestyles for pupils.  Pupils are polite and respectful to adults and to one another. This courtesy shown by pupils contributes strongly to a harmonious community.  The teaching of phonics (letters and the sounds they make) is effective in the early years and in Key Stage 1.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 15 lessons, four of which were jointly seen with senior leaders.  Inspectors held meetings and discussions with the headteacher, senior and middle leaders, teachers, pupils and nine members of the governing body. A telephone discussion and a meeting took place with a representative from the local authority.  Inspectors scrutinised a wide range of documents, including the school’s information on pupils’ performance and progress, self-evaluation records, safeguarding policies and documents relating to the management of teachers’ performance.  Inspectors conducted a learning walk, looking at the curriculum provision and at the arrangements for pupils’ social, moral, spiritual and cultural development.  Inspectors took account of discussions with parents, and the views of 70 responses to the online questionnaire, Parent View. Questionnaire responses from 30 members of staff were also analysed.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors spoke informally with pupils around the school and during break times, observed behaviour during playtimes and lunchtimes and listened to pupils read.

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Inspection team

Tracy Hannon, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Full report

In accordance with the Education Act 2005, Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector is of the opinion that this school requires special measures because it is failing to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education and the persons responsible for leading, managing or governing the school are not demonstrating the capacity to secure the necessary improvement in the school.

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Information about this school

 Woodford Primary School is larger than the average-sized primary school.  Most pupils are of White British heritage.  The proportion of disadvantaged pupils supported by the pupil premium is well below average. This is additional government funding for pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals and those who are looked after by the local authority.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs is below the national average.  Pupils attend the Reception class on a full-time basis.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 6.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching so that it is typically good, in order to raise pupils’ attainment and increase progress, by ensuring that all teachers:  have consistently high expectations of what pupils, especially the most able, can achieve  plan activities which motivate and inspire pupils to achieve their very best and promote consistently good attitudes to learning  use information on pupils’ achievement to set work which is better matched to pupils’ abilities.  ensure marking that is effective in helping pupils to improve their work.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the effectiveness of leadership and management by ensuring that:  senior leaders and governors more accurately collect and analyse information about how well pupils are achieving, including those with special educational needs and in receipt of the pupil premium  information on children’s skills and understanding on entry to the school is clear so that teachers can plan effectively to ensure children make good progress in the early years  all leaders and teachers are held to account for the progress pupils make in their classes and subjects  incidents of poor behaviour and bullying, and the actions taken, are recorded and reported more systematically  parents have a clear understanding of how well their children are progressing and are aware of any changes in the school.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

An external review of the school’s use of the pupil premium should be undertaken in order to assess how this aspect of leadership and management may be improved. An external review of governance should be undertaken in order to assess how this aspect of leadership and management can be improved.

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The leadership and management are inadequate

 Since the previous inspection, school leaders have failed to secure enough improvement in teaching to reverse the decline in pupils’ progress and halt the fall in standards at the end of Key Stage 2. Leaders do not use information about pupils’ achievement effectively to bring about swift improvements.  Senior leaders’ checks on the quality of teaching have not focused closely enough on the impact of teaching on the achievement of different groups of pupils. Teaching has not improved quickly enough or significantly enough. Senior and middle leaders have not been held to account for the progress of pupils in their teams or subjects.  Leaders have not shared best practice in teaching effectively, so improvements necessary to raise standards in all year groups have not resulted. For example, teaching across the four classes in Years 1 and 2 is inconsistent. Some children’s books show good progress and others do not. Senior leaders have,

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The leadership and management are inadequate

however, been proactive in moving the few teachers with a good track record for improvement to weaker year groups.  The school’s new procedures for checking pupils’ progress following the removal of National Curriculum levels have not been effective. Leaders have struggled to measure pupils’ progress and, consequently, have not held teachers to account for the progress of their pupils, including the most vulnerable pupils.  The school’s improvement plans are not measurable or specific and reflect little awareness of the need for regular checks on progress towards targets. Middle leaders have begun to develop new plans to bring about improvements. Plans focus on appropriate areas but lack a sense of urgency.  School leaders have not checked closely enough on the impact of pupil premium funding on pupils’ achievement. Leaders were unable to provide information to demonstrate effective use of funding to

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The leadership and management are inadequate

accelerate the progress of disadvantaged pupils.  Leaders have not established a consistent understanding of what constitutes a special educational need. Leaders do not work closely enough with class teachers to help pupils receive the support that they need. A few of the parents spoken to by inspectors raised concerns about poor communication between the school and home. They have concerns about their child’s progress and the support they are receiving.  The school has made effective use of the additional funding to develop physical education and promote healthy lifestyles for pupils. Funding is used to provide expert coaching. There have been much improved participation rates in clubs for pupils. For example, more pupils from Woodford took part in the Plymouth ‘marathon’ than any other local primary school.  The curriculum provides ample opportunities for pupils’ social, moral, spiritual and cultural development.

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The leadership and management are inadequate

The school parliament is effective in developing pupils’ understanding of democracy. During ‘Global Week’, pupils visit religious buildings of various faiths. This helps pupils to understand the similarities and differences of different cultures and religions and prepares them fully for life in modern Britain.  The school fosters good relationships and tackles discrimination effectively. It aims to promote equality of opportunity. However, it has not been successful in enabling all groups of pupils to make good progress, including the most able, those with special educational needs and those entitled to the pupil premium.  The systems to track incidents of poor behaviour, of which there are few, are not well organised or effectively reported. The school’s arrangements for safeguarding pupils meet statutory requirements. In particular, senior leaders ensure that the adults working with pupils are safe to do so.

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The leadership and management are inadequate

 A small minority of parents who responded to the online questionnaire, Parent View, expressed concerns that the school does not provide valuable information about their child’s progress. Inspection evidence supports this view. Individual pupil reports are not clear about progress over time.  The school may not appoint newly qualified teachers.  There has been an absence of challenge from the local authority. The local authority has previously endorsed senior leaders’ self-evaluation of the effectiveness of the school. This has contributed to a lack of urgency in tackling areas for improvement. Recent support provided by the local authority, on request from the school, has been effective in supporting improvement in the quality of teaching in mathematics across the school.

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The leadership and management are inadequate

 The governance of the school:  Members of the governing body lack sufficiently robust procedures for checking the effectiveness of the school for themselves. Governors have not acted quickly enough to challenge the poor progress pupils at the school make in comparison with the national picture by the end of Year 6.  Governors do not hold leaders to account for improving the quality of teaching and learning because performance management arrangements are not robust enough. The information they receive is not based on detailed information on pupils’ achievement.  Members of the governing body know how much pupil premium the school receives. They can report on how it is spent, but are unable to speak about the impact on pupils’ achievement.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils requires improvement. Not all pupils demonstrate pride in the presentation of their work in books and some do not improve their work in response to teachers’ marking. This slows down the progress these pupils make. Pupils mostly maintain high levels of self-control, even when teaching fails to engage their interest. Occasionally, a minority of pupils demonstrates poor attitudes towards their learning, for example, by yawning and leaning on their elbows, paying little attention to the teacher.  Approximately one third of parents who responded to the online questionnaire expressed concerns that behaviour is not good. Inspectors found that there is no disruptive behaviour in classes. Pupils treat each other with kindness and consideration in the playground and around the school.  Adults who work with specific pupils, particularly those with challenging behaviour, work effectively to

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Behaviour

ensure that behaviour does not disrupt learning.  Pupils treat each other and adults with respect. Pupils say that they are all treated fairly and that there is no discrimination. ‘Teachers are kind, caring and fun. If you are down, they will help to cheer you up.’  Where teaching is strongest, pupils are keen to learn, are totally engaged in their learning and work together well to meet challenges given by the teacher.

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Safety

 The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure requires improvement because incidents of poor behaviour are not recorded or reported systematically enough. This issue was identified in the previous inspection and has not been successfully resolved.  Pupils are aware of how they can keep themselves safe and speak about assemblies where they learn about e-safety. The school website provides good information for parents on this subject.  Pupils say that they feel safe in school.  Attendance remains above average. Pupils say they enjoy coming to school.  During play and lunchtimes, the school is calm and pupils are happy to play together. Pupils report that there is no bullying and that if they are worried, they can go to an adult who will help them.

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The quality of teaching is inadequate

 Teaching over time is inadequate, because it does not sufficiently challenge pupils to enable them to make enough progress. This is especially the case for the most able, particularly in Key Stage 2.  There is a lack of consistency in the quality of teaching across the school. Teachers do not routinely use information about what pupils already know to plan activities. Consequently, pupils do not make appropriate gains in their knowledge and understanding.  The work teachers provide does not allow pupils to deepen their understanding. Too often, teachers do not expect enough of pupils. Pupils are allowed to spend too much time on tasks which do not lead to good progress.  Some parents say that they do not have a clear view of the progress that pupils are making. Inspectors agree. Systems for checking and reporting on progress are not well established.  Recent training and local authority support has led to some improvement in the quality of teaching in

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The quality of teaching is inadequate

mathematics. Work in books shows a greater emphasis of problem solving and investigations to deepen pupils’ understanding. However, there is still inconsistency in how mathematics is taught across the school. Ineffective marking negates the impact of the better matched activities to pupils’ needs.  The school’s work on improving spelling is not yet embedded. Progress in writing has not been quick enough for pupils, particularly in Years 5 and 6. There have been improvements made in the teaching of writing as part of a whole school focus. Pupils write for a range of different purposes and their writing is generally neat and well punctuated.  The teaching of reading is inadequate. Pupils make a good start because phonics is taught well in the early years and Key Stage 1. However, as they move through the school, pupils’ skills in reading for meaning are not developed well. They sometimes read books which are too hard for them to understand

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The quality of teaching is inadequate

properly.  Teachers mark pupils’ books regularly, but there is a lack of consistency across the school. Not all teachers follow the school’s marking policy.  Some teachers do not make regular checks on learning in order that tasks can be modified if pupils are finding them too easy or too difficult. Pupils generally do their best to complete tasks.  Teaching assistants generally provide effective support in lessons. They demonstrate a good understanding of the pupils in their care.

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The achievement of pupils is inadequate

 Pupils’ achievement is inadequate because too many pupils are making slow progress. Standards have declined at the end of Key Stage 2 since the previous inspection, especially in reading and mathematics.  Attainment still remains above the national average at the end of Key Stage 2 but this does not represent good progress from pupils’ individual starting points. Improvements in attainment in writing have not been sustained and progress in this area has also declined.  In 2014, the proportion of Year 6 pupils making nationally expected progress in Key Stage 2 was significantly lower than average in mathematics. The proportion of pupils exceeding nationally expected levels of progress was lower than average in reading, writing and mathematics.  The most able pupils across the school are not making enough gains in their learning. Work is repetitive and does not provide enough challenge to stimulate pupils’ interest. The most able pupils are sometimes

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The achievement of pupils is inadequate

given the task of supporting others in the class and this does not help them to improve. Pupils who achieved Level 3 at Key Stage 1 are not all making enough progress to achieve Level 5 at Key Stage 2. Only one pupil achieved Level 6 in the 2014 tests in reading and writing.  For the past two years, pupils in Year 1 have performed above the national average in the standard phonics check of how well they know letters and sounds. Although phonics skills are good, comprehension skills are less well developed. This weakness is hindering progress for some children. Older pupils in Years 3 to 6 say they read to themselves and record in their diaries. They say that they do not know how well they are doing in reading.  Attainment at Key Stage 1 has continued to be above the national average over the last four years, apart from writing, where there has been a decline in the past two years. This does not represent good progress

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The achievement of pupils is inadequate

from the early years.  Pupils’ achievement in Key Stage 2 is variable and does not enable pupils to make enough progress. This is partly due to inconsistent teaching over time for the different ability groups. The school’s ineffective approach to assessing how well pupils are doing and the lack of consistency in following the marking policy have also hindered pupils’ progress.  The few pupils who are entitled to pupil premium in the school make similar progress to their classmates. They do not make accelerated progress to help close the gap between their attainment and other pupils in the school.

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The early years provision requires improvement

 Children do not make enough progress in the Reception class. A high proportion enter the early years with skills and knowledge typical for their age. When they enter Year 1, too few have made good progress although the proportions reaching a good level of development are above average.  Leaders have not accurately recorded children’s skills and understanding on entry to the school. Leaders do not therefore have an accurate view of all children’s achievement and progress. The records of individual children’s progress show that they make steady progress.  Leaders do not always respond quickly enough to the information on how well children are learning to make swift changes. For example, the 2014 end of year information on how well pupils achieve shows that girls continue to outperform boys.  Teachers do not always use the observations they make to shape and extend learning for the children. Consequently, children do not make rapid progress.

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The early years provision requires improvement

 Phonics is taught well. Children display a good understanding of phonics knowledge and the most able children are given activities to extend their learning.  Leaders have recently enlisted the support of the local authority in response to last year’s information on how well children achieved. This support has resulted in improvements to the outdoor learning opportunities for exploration, investigation and challenge.  Adults are well trained about the procedures, and expectations to make sure children are safe at school. Both indoor and outdoor learning environments are well organised. Children can move safely and are safe from harm.  Leaders have worked effectively to engage with parents who have welcomed the approach which is helping parents to understand better how their child is progressing.  Teaching staff have clear expectations and children’s behaviour is good as a result.

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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 135349 Local authority Plymouth Inspection number 456262

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School details

Type of school Primary School category Community Age range of pupils 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 418 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Caroline Eddleston-Haynes Headteacher Carol Woodward Date of previous school inspection 31 May 2012 Telephone number 01752336228 Email address woodford.primary.school@plymouth.gov.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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