Woodland View Primary School

Woodland View Primary School Barker Street, Huthwaite, Sutton-in-Ashfield, Nottinghamshire NG17 2LH

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement

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Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Requires improvement

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a school that requires improvement

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Leaders have not secured consistently good teaching across the school. Not all teachers apply the school’s behaviour policy or expect pupils to behave well in lessons. Some teachers do not uphold leaders’ high expectations and insist that workbooks are completed neatly.  Not all teachers consistently plan lessons that are based on what pupils know. As a result, pupils, and particularly the most able, are not regularly challenged appropriately. This slows the progress they make.  Pupils do not have a sufficiently good understanding of fundamental British values.  The curriculum for subjects other than English and mathematics does not build pupils’ knowledge sequentially enough so that they remember facts well over the long term. Leaders have begun ambitious plans to improve the curriculum, but it is too soon to judge the impact of their work.  Most parents hold positive views of the school. Though communication is improving, a small

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

minority do not understand well enough why leaders have taken some of the decisions they have.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 The headteacher is leading the school with integrity and determination. She is insistent that pupils’ needs must come first. She has gained the respect and strong support of staff for her work and the courageous decisions she has taken.  The school is improving considerably. Pupils’ attainment is rising to close to national averages and there are far fewer incidents when pupils behave poorly. In most classes, pupils receive good teaching and behave well.  Pupils are kept safe in school.  Children in the early years make good progress from their starting points. Staff work effectively in shared and consistent ways that help children catch up.  The school’s highly inclusive nature and admirable emphasis on pupils’ welfare means that the needs of the many vulnerable pupils are met very well.  Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), and disadvantaged pupils, make good progress from their starting points.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Governors perform their strategic roles well.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching, and thereby pupils’ outcomes, by ensuring that: – all teachers apply the school’s behaviour policy so that pupils consistently behave well in lessons – teachers in all classes uphold the high expectations of senior leaders and ensure that workbooks are completed with care – all teachers plan learning that takes account of pupils’ prior knowledge and gives pupils, and particularly the most able, sufficient and appropriate challenge – the curriculum in subjects other than English and mathematics is planned well so that it builds pupils’ knowledge securely and helps them remember over the long term.  Improve the quality of leadership and management by ensuring that: – leaders check that all teachers are developing in pupils a clear understanding of British values – leaders and managers continue to develop communication with parents so that the impact of these is further enhanced.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

 Though outcomes for pupils have improved considerably, and pupils’ behaviour is much better, leaders have not secured consistently good teaching across the school. They have not made sure that all teachers are upholding leaders’ high expectations of pupils’ behaviour in class.  Leaders do not ensure that all staff are clear about what they want their pupils to learn, and give pupils work that matches their needs well.  Leaders have not ensured that the curriculum is good across all subjects. The curriculum does not consistently build pupils’ knowledge in a sequential way so that pupils remember sufficient knowledge over the longer term. Leaders and staff have already begun ambitious plans to improve the curriculum, but it is in the early stages of implementation and so it is too soon to see its impact.  Leaders have not ensured that all pupils have a sufficiently clear understanding of British values. Pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain, because staff teach

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

pupils to be tolerant and respectful to others. Pupils also take part in, and appreciate, aspects of democracy such as the school council. Nevertheless, pupils who inspectors spoke with were not familiar with terms such as ‘individual liberty’. They did not understand the contribution British values make to the culture of the United Kingdom, and that these values are not available to people in all countries.  Parents are receiving improved communication from school. Nevertheless, a small number of parents say they do not always understand why leaders need to take some of the decisions they do. Most parents who responded to Parent View and those who inspectors met during the inspection were strongly supportive of the changes that leaders have made, and would recommend the school to others.  Since her arrival, the headteacher has improved all aspects of the school considerably and is continuing to do so. She has been courageous in putting the interests of pupils

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

above all else. She is highly aspirational for the life chances of every pupil and acts with integrity. Her unswerving dedication to do the right thing for them has meant that she has not ducked taking many difficult but necessary decisions.  The headteacher’s ambition for pupils and her vision for the school have won her the admiration and support of staff. Almost without exception, staff gave highly positive responses to the staff questionnaire. They believe strongly that the school has improved greatly since the last inspection. Staff repeatedly commented on their appreciation for the headteacher’s unstinting work to raise their morale, stabilise staffing, and ensure their workload is manageable. Staff are also grateful for the training they are receiving to improve their skills.  Leaders are clear that the school must be highly inclusive of all pupils, and are ensuring that this is so. They warmly welcome in those whose experience in other

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

schools has not been positive.  The headteacher is also the coordinator for pupils with SEND. She has improved the support for these pupils considerably. Pupils are given a ‘communication passport’ so they can tell teachers about their needs and how teachers can help them. Pupils’ learning logs track the support they are receiving to ensure that no child is missed and none fall behind in their progress. Additional funding is well spent to meet these pupils’ needs.  The deputy headteacher provides good support to the headteacher and acts as a positive role model to those staff who have school roles as ‘heads of families’.  The curriculum is enriched by 14 much-enjoyed after-school clubs, including fencing, dance, mindful colouring, mosaic making and art. These develop pupils’ skills and interests well.  Leaders ensure that pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. Pupils have opportunities to mix and work with a range of other pupils. They have

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

regular access to children’s television news on a regular basis, which helps them to consider the rights and wrongs of important national and global issues. They learn about other faiths such as Hinduism and enjoy the peace and wonder of nature in the school’s extensive grounds.  Leaders spend the pupil premium appropriately to help disadvantaged pupils catch up from their lower overall starting points.  Leaders also spend the primary physical education and sport funding well. This funding provides, among other things, a range of opportunities for pupils to learn boccia, archery and orienteering. Many of them take part in sporting competitions with other schools.

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Governance of the school

 The governing body plays its strategic role well. Several members have extensive experience in educational leadership and can talk knowledgably and with confidence about the many important improvements that have occurred since the last inspection. Governors also recognise, and make clear their appreciation for, the hard work of leaders and staff in bringing about the improvements they have.  Senior leaders provide the governing body with good levels of information regarding the many aspects of the school’s work. Minutes of meetings confirm that governors challenge leaders appropriately about, for instance, the quality of teaching and the progress that pupils are making. They maintain the school budget well so that school spending is appropriate and effective.

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Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.  Staff have been thoroughly trained in safeguarding and are fully aware of their duty to report to leaders without delay any concerns they have. They know the procedure to do this, and use it appropriately.  Leaders know pupils and their families well. Leaders ensure that they contact external agencies promptly when this is needed. They are tenacious in keeping accurate records of concern. They work well with both pupils and their families so that pupils are well supported.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

 Not all teachers uphold senior leaders’ expectations of pupils’ behaviour. As a result, pupils in these classes do not learn well enough.  Teachers in too many year groups do not expect pupils to complete their work neatly. They accept pupils’ handwriting, even if it is messy and their books are tatty.  In a minority of year groups, work is not pitched well. In subjects other than mathematics, not all teachers take sufficient account of pupils’ prior knowledge when planning the next tasks they want them to complete. They therefore do not give pupils, and particularly the most able, appropriate challenge. Teachers are not always clear about what they want pupils to learn and remember.  In subjects such as science, history and geography, teachers do not plan the curriculum with a sufficiently clear idea about precisely what they want pupils to remember and ensure that their knowledge is built sufficiently well over a series of

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

lessons. Pupils who inspectors met were unable to recall enough of what they had been taught previously.  In many year groups, teaching is good because teachers’ expectations are consistently high. Pupils know that they must listen to staff, do as they are asked, and try their hardest. Teachers make it clear that pupils must pay attention and not disrupt the learning of others. They insist that the work pupils complete is their best.  Mathematics is taught well across the school. Teachers consider what pupils know and can do before giving them work that makes them think deeply, without being too difficult for them to complete. Teachers continue to adjust the work they give to pupils after each lesson. Pupils make good progress in this subject and receive good opportunities to reason mathematically.  Teachers place emphasis on pupils having fluent recall of their multiplication tables. Pupils explained to inspectors how teachers motivate them to learn these, and give

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

them regular opportunities to check for themselves how their speed of recall is improving.  Teachers teach phonics well. They show pupils how to pronounce new words, and to use these in their writing. Pupils’ work demonstrates that they apply their phonic knowledge when they write.  Teaching also improves pupils’ vocabulary. For example, pupils in Year 6 were shown how to use the word ‘conscious’ appropriately. Teachers enlarge the number of words pupils know and use by giving them good exposure to quality fictional texts. They also teach them subject-specific words such as ‘denominator’ and ‘numerator’, so pupils can explain their answers more clearly. Classroom wall displays are rich with new words to aid and encourage pupils to use them.  The homework teachers set helps pupils to practise and extend their skills. This includes projects set so that each pupil can demonstrate their skills in, for instance, art

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

or writing.  Teachers ensure that all pupils, including those who are vulnerable, have particularly low starting points, or with SEND, have full access to the curriculum. They are included in lessons with appropriate support, including from skilled support staff.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.  Staff are helping pupils to build their self-confidence and to become better learners. Pupils are keen to answer questions that staff ask them in lessons. They complete their work and are not put off if they make a mistake.  Staff teach pupils the importance of staying physically healthy. Pupils like the raffle tickets which staff award for pupils’ healthy lunches and say this helps them to make good choices when eating. They like taking part in the wide variety of clubs that promote physical activity, such as football, netball and dodgeball.  The emotional welfare that staff provide is a strength of the school. They ensure that the many pupils with emotional and behavioural needs are well cared for. Specialist staff support the mental health of vulnerable pupils. Pupils were also keen to tell inspectors how taking part in the Prince William Challenge helps build their mindfulness

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Personal development and welfare

and resilience.  The large number of pupils that inspectors met consistently explained that they felt safe in school. When pupils fall out or are unkind to each other, staff deal with this appropriately. When they are worried or upset about something, pupils can approach members of staff to talk to, and who give them good support.  The school teaches pupils about the different dangers they will encounter in life, and how they can protect themselves. This includes cyber safety. Children from the early years onwards are taught that everyone has a ‘personal space’ and to recognise that, while many forms of physical contact are appropriate, some are not.  Pupils help to keep the school environment safe. In their role as ‘health and safety officers’, they tour the school, completing audits with questions such as, ‘Is the playground safe from trip hazards?’  Pupils’ views of the school are positive. Pupils enjoy attending and feel cared for. They

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Personal development and welfare

enjoy taking part in improving the school. Pupils in Year 6 were keen to explain to inspectors their work to enhance the playground as part of their ‘legacy project’.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils requires improvement.  Pupils do not show consistently good attitudes to their learning. While the large majority of pupils behave well, some engage in low-level disruption in lessons. In a minority of classes, a small but significant number chat or call out inappropriately, and do not follow instructions well.  Not enough pupils take sufficient pride in their work. Too many of their workbooks contain rushed handwriting, are creased, and are not completed with care.  Leaders’ much better management of poor behaviour has led to a substantial reduction in the number of times when pupils misbehave overall.  Two years ago, the number of incidents when pupils needed to be physically restrained by staff was far too high. Occurrences of this are now extremely rare, because staff are skilled in helping pupils who find it difficult to manage their own behaviour.  Attendance has improved consistently over the past three years and is now above the

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Behaviour

national average. Pupils say that they are pleased that staff celebrate those who have attended regularly over time, and they enjoy visiting the ‘attendance shop’ as a reward.  Senior leaders have worked tirelessly and commendably to challenge those parents whose children do not attend often enough. The proportion of pupils overall who are persistently absent is now below the national average. For disadvantaged pupils, it is lower still. Better attendance at school is helping to secure good progress for these pupils.

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Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

 Over the past two years, pupils’ attainment at the end of key stage 1 has been below the national average in reading, writing and science. In mathematics, it was close to the national average last year.  Over time, the proportions who have left the school at the end of key stage 2 with at least the expected standards have been below the national averages in reading, writing, mathematics and science.  Pupils’ exercise books show that they do not make consistently good progress across all year groups and in a wide range of subjects.  Not enough of the most able pupils make strong progress. Their gains are not substantial enough for them to attain highly.  From a very low base, much better teaching since the arrival of the headteacher is resulting in attainment rising across the school. Last year the proportion of pupils in the Year 6 cohort who met the combined expected standard was close to the national

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Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

average.  The proportion of pupils in Year 1 who meet the expected standard in phonics has risen dramatically. In 2016, it was below the national average. In 2017, it was in line with this measure. Last year, it was much higher than that seen nationally. Ninety- seven per cent of pupils in the cohort attained this standard.  Disadvantaged pupils are now making good overall progress. Their workbooks show that most of them are making at least the gains leaders expect, and a good proportion more than this. The attainment of these pupils is improving markedly.  Pupils with SEND are making good progress. They are given good support that is checked for its effectiveness by the headteacher. Their exercise books confirm that they are improving their knowledge and skills well from their starting points. As well as their academic progress, those children with social and emotional needs are also making good gains in these areas, due to the high-quality provision they receive.

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Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

 Pupils’ good phonic skills are matched by their enjoyment of reading. Staff are ensuring that pupils become familiar with a wide range of texts, including classic fiction such as ‘Just William’ and ‘Treasure Island’. Pupils who inspectors met told them how much they had enjoyed reading ‘The Diary of Anne Frank’.

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Early years provision Good

 The leader of the early years ‘family’ is skilled and highly effective in her role. She has high expectations for all pupils and ensures that she and her colleagues meet the needs of all children well.  Children join the school with skills that are less well developed than typical for children of a similar age, and particularly in their language and behaviour. Staff ensure that they adjust their curriculum so that children will quickly begin to catch up. Staff speak clearly in full sentences and use standard English, helping children to hear and then pronounce new words themselves. A speech and language therapy specialist assists children to become fluent, and guides the school’s support staff so that the support they give to children is consistently effective.  As a result of good modelling by kind and caring staff, children behave well. They cooperate when learning and help each other to put on their coats. Staff also teach

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Early years provision Good

them good manners, such as waiting their turn to speak and by sitting on the carpet calmly when they are asked. Staff expect children to follow their instructions, and children do.  No time is missed beginning children’s learning of phonics. If children in the Nursery class are ready, they join the teaching being given to those in the Reception class.  Staff help children to develop their writing well. Their learning journals show those who at the start of the year cannot form recognisable letters can write full sentences two terms later. Though they are simple in structure, such as ‘the dog is bloo’ and ‘today is sunee’, this shows that children make plausible attempts to spell.  Children also make strong gains in their mathematics skills. Many children with little or no knowledge of number learn to calculate one more and one less, and to write and answer sums such as 10–7=3.  Additional funding is used well to support children with SEND and those who are

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Early years provision Good

disadvantaged, so that they make strong progress from their starting points.  The most able children are given challenging work to make them think, matching written words that rhyme, and writing stories about ‘The Rainbow Fish’.  Good learning takes place both in classrooms and in the exciting outdoor areas, and children’s attention span is good. Inspectors saw those in the Nursery class hunting together in a focused way for different coloured shapes. Staff ensure that children make excellent use of the school’s stunning wooded area. Children were enthused as they planted potatoes and daisies, while others made ‘pies’ in the mud kitchen, bracelets of petals for the Easter bunny, and a shelter made from large sticks.  Staff ensure that children are safe in the early years. They also teach them to behave safely by, for example, reminding them to use their ‘walking feet’, rather than running, when indoors.

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Early years provision Good

 Staff keep parents informed of how well their children are learning and supply good information about the curriculum they are delivering.  Children make consistently good progress from their starting points. The proportion of children who attain a good level of development is broadly in line with the national average. They are well prepared for Year 1.

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School details

Local authority Nottinghamshire County Council

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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

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Website http://www.woodlandview.notts.sch.uk

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School details

Email address head@woodlandview.notts.sch.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 21 November 2017

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Information about this school

 This is larger than the average-sized primary school.  The proportion of pupils supported through the pupil premium is slightly higher than average.  The proportion of pupils from minority backgrounds is below average. Most pupils are White British.  The proportion of pupils with SEND is slightly higher than the national average .

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed learning in all classrooms. Several of these observations took place with the headteacher. In total, learning was observed in 20 lessons. Inspectors also scrutinised many examples of pupils’ workbooks from different ability groups in all classes and across a wide range of subjects. They held meetings with pupils to discuss the work they had completed and their experiences of the school.  Inspectors held meetings with the headteacher, the coordinator and assistant coordinator for pupils with SEND, and the leaders for groups of different classes, known as the ‘heads of families’. Inspectors also met with a representative of the local authority and with members of the local governing body.  Inspectors analysed the 88 responses to the Ofsted online questionnaire, Parent View, and spoke with parents at the start of the school day. Inspectors also analysed the results from Ofsted’s questionnaire to staff.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors looked at a wide range of documentation, including the school’s development plan and self-evaluation, policies and records relating to safeguarding and pupils with SEND, records of meetings with the governing body and reports regarding the school from the local authority.

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Inspection team

Roary Pownall, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Jane Moore Ofsted Inspector guidance ‘Raising concerns and making a complaint about Ofsted’, which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.gov.uk/government/publications/complaints-about-ofsted . 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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Inspection team

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. www.gov.uk/pupil-premium-information-for-schools-and- alternative-provision-settings .

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Inspection team

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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Inspection team

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.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted .

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Inspection team

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, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspection team

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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

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