Willoughby Primary School

Inspection of Willoughby Primary School Church Lane, Willoughby-on-the-Wolds, Loughborough, Leicestershire LE12 6SS

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Inspection dates: 30 November and 1 December 2021

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Outstanding

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Overall effectiveness Good

Until November 2020, the school was exempt from routine inspection because it was judged as outstanding at its previous inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. The school has not been inspected since December 2006. 30 November and 1 December 2021

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What is it like to attend this school?

From the moment that they start school, pupils feel special. The youngest children make spider biscuits as they start in the Reception class and the oldest pupils receive books full of memories as they leave. Pupils treasure these traditions. They appreciate what staff do to make their time at Willoughby Primary School unforgettable.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils said that the best thing about the school is that they live together happily. They said that because the school is small, everyone knows each other really well. When they fall out, teachers help them to sort it out. Leaders address any rare incidents of poor behaviour straight away. Teachers make sure that pupils know what bullying is and why any kind of name-calling is wrong.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents said that their children are eager to get to school. Pupils feel that their teachers give them help if they find something difficult. All staff want pupils to know as much as they can. They work together to develop and improve what pupils learn during their time in school. They provide many opportunities for pupils throughout the day from a lively ‘Wake and Shake’ to a range of after-school clubs.

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better?

All staff want children to get off to the best possible start. Children who are about to join the school get to know the teachers before they start in September. Staff make sure that parents find out what their children are learning. Leaders have raised expectations of what children will know and be able to do by the end of their Reception Year. Children have plenty of chances to practise the new words that they learn. They are proud to explain that owls are nocturnal animals. They count to check how many flies are caught in a spider’s web during story time.

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better?

Teachers have changed the phonics curriculum. Pupils get off to a quick start learning the sounds that letters make. The books that the youngest children read closely match the sounds that they know. Teachers spot when pupils have not remembered a sound. They sort out misconceptions straight away. Leaders plan to improve the new phonics curriculum further to make sure that all pupils at the early stages of reading keep up with their peers. Older pupils read widely and often. They can explain how what they have read before helps them to understand the humour in the story. They recommend favourite authors, and use their reading as a starting point for discovering new authors and finding out more about topics that interest them.

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better?

Leaders have begun to improve the curriculum so that pupils remember more. In some subjects, teachers clearly identify what they want pupils to know and how it builds on what they learned before. Pupils in key stage 1 learn about toys from the past and compare them to the toys that they play with. Pupils deepen their knowledge as they talk about the materials that toys were made from, and begin to 30 November and 1 December 2021

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put them in order from the oldest to the newest. However, the improvements to the curriculum are not yet complete. Pupils do not consistently revisit and recall what they have learned before.

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Pupils described the school as ‘like a big family’. They enjoy the activities that they do altogether, such as whole-school trips and the yearly nativity production. Pupils relish responsibilities such as being on the school council. They work together to raise awareness of recycling and raise money for charities, such as through a ‘Wigs and Onesies’ day. Pupils demonstrate tolerance and respect. They enjoy learning about a range of cultures and beliefs. However, they do not recall well enough what they have been taught about different faiths.

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Staff work together to support pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). They have high expectations of what pupils with SEND will be able to do, and make sure that they get the right help to access the same curriculum as their peers.

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Parents feel that they are kept well informed and know about the progress that their children are making. This has continued throughout the pandemic. Parents praised the efforts that the school made during the COVID-19 restrictions so that their children could continue to learn.

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Governors check that the changes which leaders are bringing about are making a difference. Leaders make sure that staff get training to help them to implement the new curriculum, and more is planned. They take staff workload into account. Staff said that leaders are supportive and prioritise the well-being of the staff team.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders make sure that pupils have regular lessons about how to keep safe. They learn about dangers in the world around them as well as how to stay safe online. Older pupils know that this will help them to stay safe when they use mobile phones in the future.

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Safeguarding

Staff have received training so that they know what to do if they are worried about a child. Leaders check that staff have understood this. Parents feel well supported by the actions that leaders take to help them during difficult times.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The school’s curriculum is not yet sufficiently well planned in some subjects. However, it is clear that leaders have already taken action to plan next year’s 30 November and 1 December 2021

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curriculum and to train staff in how to deliver it. For this reason, the transitional statements have been applied.  Leaders have updated the curriculum in all subjects. However, they have not yet identified with precision what they want pupils to remember in every subject. They have not consistently sequenced this so that pupils deepen their knowledge. Not all pupils recall what they have learned before. Leaders should make sure that they have identified the key knowledge in every subject. They should make sure that teachers know what pupils learned before and what will come after. Leaders should check that pupils have the chance to recall and build on this knowledge.  Leaders have begun to implement a more ambitious curriculum in the early years and the teaching of phonics. These are at an early stage of implementation. Leaders should make sure that they review these curriculums so that all staff

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have the chance to deepen their subject knowledge. They should continue to check that this is making a difference to what pupils know and can do.

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How can I feed back my views?

or to find out what other parents and carers think. We use information from Ofsted Parent View 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. 30 November and 1 December 2021

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School details

Local authority Nottinghamshire County Council

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School details

Inspection number 10199324 Type of school Primary

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 5 December 2006

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Information about this school

 The headteacher took up her position in September 2019. Many new members of staff have been appointed since the previous inspection.  The school does not use an alternative provider.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with school leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation.  Inspectors met with the headteacher and governors.  Inspectors carried out deep dives into these subjects: early reading, mathematics, history and physical education. They met with teachers, looked at curriculum plans, scrutinised samples of pupils’ work and spoke with them about their learning. 30 November and 1 December 2021

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 Inspectors also looked at curriculum plans and spoke to leaders about some other subjects. They visited a range of activities through the school day, including playtimes. Inspectors spoke with groups of pupils. They looked at the responses to the pupil survey.  Inspectors met with parents at the beginning and end of the day. They considered the views expressed through Ofsted Parent View.  Inspectors met with staff and considered their responses to the staff survey.

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Inspection team

Hazel Henson, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Kim Bower Ofsted Inspector 30 November and 1 December 2021

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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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