Canklow Woods Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Canklow Woods Primary School Wood Lane, Canklow, Rotherham, South Yorkshire S60 2XJ

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Outcome

Canklow Woods Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

This is a caring school. Pupils trust and respect their teachers and other adults. They behave well in lessons. They enjoy the many activities on offer at social times.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel safe. They are confident that adults deal well with rare cases of bullying. They learn to respect those who are different from themselves.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Teachers make lessons interesting. The curriculum is broad and balanced. This can be seen all around the school. Every nook and cranny of the building is filled with stimulating displays, books and objects. Pupils’ high-quality artwork adorns the walls. They take pride in their work.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils get lots of opportunities to take part in activities outside their everyday lessons. Each term they visit places of educational value. This broadens their horizons. They get to take part in competitive sports in the weekly fixture nights. They participate in clubs such as craft, gardening and science clubs.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Most pupils achieve well in reading, writing and mathematics. Teachers give pupils extra help to keep up with their learning if they struggle. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) get the help they need.

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

Every adult is well trained in how to teach early reading. They are clear about what to teach, how, and by when. Children in Reception get off to a quick start in reading. Pupils’ reading books closely match their developing knowledge. This helps them to develop fluency in their reading. Pupils who fall behind, including those with SEND, get expert help. Adults identify early those pupils who have speech and language difficulties. They give them concentrated help. Most pupils, by the end of Year 1, reach the required standard in phonics. It remains an ambition and a challenge for all pupils to reach this standard. 26–27 February 2020

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Most pupils enjoy reading. They like the way teachers read to them every day. From the very start, in the early years foundation stage, children grow to love books. They learn to retell and act out stories and rhymes.

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A carefully planned, detailed mathematics curriculum helps pupils to make good progress. Teachers try to make sure pupils grasp one idea before moving on to the next. If pupils are stuck, teachers give them extra help. Teachers use practical apparatus to help pupils understand mathematical concepts. Every day, pupils have opportunities to attempt solving mathematical problems. However, the teaching of mathematics is not of consistently high quality. Too often, teachers plan the same activities for all pupils. Some pupils who are struggling would occasionally benefit from a different sort of activity.

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In art lessons, pupils get plenty of time to practise skills. For example, they practise using pencils to create different textures and tones. Pupils use the knowledge and skills they have learned to produce full pieces of art. Much work is of high quality. An external art specialist has trained teachers well. A new art leader is planning a more detailed curriculum. This is to help teachers to be clear about precisely what to teach, if and when the art specialist is no longer available.

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Leaders, some of whom are limited in leadership experience, have made a promising start to reviewing what is taught, and in what order. In geography, history, science and religious education (RE), for example, leaders have thought carefully about how one idea builds on another. However, the plans largely lack detail. As a result, the plans guide teachers broadly in what to teach, but not specifically enough. This means pupils risk missing out on important learning that can hinder their progress.

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In the early years, expert adults nurture children well from age two to five. Children develop confidence and independence. Reading and mathematics are taught well. Leaders are working on curriculum plans in other areas of learning to make sure children are ready, in all subjects, for what they will learn in Year 1.

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Pupils behave well. Caring adults cultivate strong relationships with pupils. This, along with interesting lessons, encourages pupils to work hard. At social times, adults plan activities to keep pupils occupied and active. Pupils who find it harder to behave well are supported effectively.

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Adults look after pupils so they are ready for school and to learn. For example, the school offers to purchase a school jumper for pupils on admission. Pupils appreciate the free bagel on offer every morning that gets them off to a good start.

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The executives and trustees of the multi-academy trust (MAT) know the school well. They keep a close eye on the quality of education, finances and safeguarding. 26–27 February 2020

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have trained all adults to be vigilant. Adults know the signs to look out for that a pupil may be at risk of harm or abuse. Adults report their concerns in the right way to the right people. Leaders have recently improved the efficiency of record-keeping. This helps leaders to be certain that no stone is left unturned in getting pupils the help they need. Safer recruitment policies are carried out properly. The statutory record of checks on the suitability of adults is complete. Adults teach pupils how to stay safe. For example, pupils have a well-developed knowledge of how to stay safe online.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Leaders have made a promising start to reviewing what they intend children should learn, and the order in which it should be taught, in science and the foundation subjects. However, plans in science and the foundation subjects generally lack the specificity that will help teachers to be crystal clear about precisely what pupils should know and by when. Leaders should continue to refine the subject plans, making sure sufficient detail informs teachers exactly what pupils should know, understand and be able to do at each stage of their learning journey.  In this small school, there are few teachers to lead all subjects. In addition, a few subject leaders, although committed, lack experience. Senior leaders in the school and the MAT should ensure that middle subject leaders continue to receive the support, time and resources they need to refine their subject plans and check the plans are implemented well by their teacher colleagues.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 All pupils, including those with SEND, and the disadvantaged, receive a full, broad and balanced curriculum. Leaders and teachers support the weakest pupils to learn the same content that their peers do. While the weakest pupils receive plenty of extra help from well-trained adults, too often, teachers have not given enough thought to how the curriculum content and activities can best be adapted to more effectively support these pupils. Leaders should ensure that staff give more consideration to how subject content, the way it is taught, and the activities given to pupils, can be better tailored to pupils’ needs. 26–27 February 2020

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Background

When we have judged a school to be good we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good. This is called a section 8 inspection of a good or non-exempt outstanding school. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find some evidence that the school could now be better than good or that standards may be declining, then the next inspection will be a section 5 inspection. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the section 8 inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will convert the section 8 inspection to a section 5 inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the second section 8 inspection since we judged the predecessor school, also called Canklow Woods Primary School, to be good in February 2012.

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How can I feed back my views?

find out what other parents and carers think. We use Ofsted Parent View information when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection.

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How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

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How can I feed back my views?

If you are the school and you are not happy with the inspection or the report, you can complain to Ofsted .

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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

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Further information

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. 26–27 February 2020

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School details

Inspection number 10121866 Type of school Primary

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School details

Website www.canklowwoods.rotherham.sch.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 7 July 2016, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 A new headteacher and new assistant headteacher have been appointed since the last inspection.  Canklow Woods Primary School is one of13 schools in the White Woods Primary Academy Trust, a multi-academy trust. A new chief executive officer and several new trustees have been appointed since the last inspection.  The school has provision for two-year-olds.

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Information about this inspection

 I held discussions, throughout the inspection, with the headteacher and assistant headteacher, who is also the special educational needs coordinator. I met with the leader of the early years foundation stage. I met with three trustees and two members of the local governing committee, including the chair of this committee.  I did deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics and art and design. This involved meetings with subject leaders, visits to lessons, discussions with pupils from these lessons and scrutiny of their workbooks, and discussions with teachers. In 26–27 February 2020

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addition, I looked more briefly at curriculum plans for science, geography, history and RE and met the leaders of these subjects.  I examined safer recruitment procedures and the single central record of the checks made on adults. I scrutinised child protection records with the designated safeguarding lead. I checked safeguarding training records and questioned staff to check their understanding of their safeguarding and child protection duties. I checked the security and safety of the school building and site. I checked that leaders are diligent in following up on families who go missing from the area. I checked that all safeguarding- related policies and practices are up to date.  I looked at a range of documents, including the school improvement plan and self- evaluation document. I scrutinised minutes of local governing committee meetings.  I examined records of behaviour and bullying incidents and analyses of attendance.

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 I held discussions with groups of pupils to find out what it is like to be a pupil in the school. For example, I asked them about behaviour, bullying, and the use of discriminatory language.  I listened to several pupils read to their teachers and teaching assistants.

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Inspection team

Phil Riozzi, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 26–27 February 2020

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regulates and inspects to 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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