Woodlands Primary School

Inspection of Woodlands Primary School Norton Avenue, Sheffield, South Yorkshire S14 1SL

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Inspection dates: 9 and 10 February 2022

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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 Requires improvement 9 and 10 February 2022

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What is it like to attend this school?

This is a school that staff, pupils and parents are proud of. The school is a caring and welcoming environment. Pupils feel happy and safe in the school. One pupil told an inspector, ‘Teachers are really caring and always solve problems.’

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is a calm and stimulating environment. The focus on reading and personal development is clear in every corridor, room and space. Staff know the pupils and families well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are keen to do well and take part fully in lessons. Pupils play and learn in a respectful and caring way. They are aware of each other and want everyone to feel included. Pupils told inspectors that bullying is very rare.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Behaviour and attitudes are built on the school’s family values which include resilience, empathy, self-respect, punctuality, curiosity, enthusiasm and talk. Pupils are eager to behave and do well. The staff have high expectations for all pupils and provide care and support to help pupils on their journey through the school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school provides pupils with a broad range of wider opportunities, including woodlands enrichment, trips, residentials, sporting activities and working with local charities.

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better?

Leaders have developed a curriculum that is ambitious and meets the needs of the community they serve. The emphasis placed on the individual and their development shines through. The curriculum is well planned and sequenced. Subject leaders are passionate and have a clear vision in their areas of learning for the pupils. All pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), have equal access to the curriculum. Pupils are encouraged to think and apply their previous knowledge. However, in some instances, the most able are not challenged sufficiently.

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better?

Leaders provide a planned professional development program that is linked to the priorities and needs of the school. Staff can also access training to meet their own individual needs. Leaders are aware there is a need for more subject-specific support.

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better?

Education begins as soon as the pupils start school. Leaders are very aware of the importance of early education. They have carefully considered what they want pupils to know at each step so that they are ready for the transition to the next stage of their development. Staff’s training ensures that they know what pupils should have experienced and learned before and what they will experience in the future.

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better?

Children in the early years enjoy a thought-provoking learning environment. The curriculum is planned and meets the needs of the pupils. Leaders are skilled at 9 and 10 February 2022

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identifying and building on opportunities to link play and learning. They encourage curiosity which dovetails into the provision higher up the school. The curriculum and care practices promote pupils’ emotional security and communication.

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Reading is a priority across the school. The core books that the school has identified have been selected to support a love of reading and also wider curriculum area understanding. Books stimulate discussions in class, and pupils can recall their favourite characters. There is a phonics programme in place. All staff are trained to deliver the programme. Leaders have the time to monitor and support staff if needed. The youngest children are exposed to letter sounds as soon as they are ready. The books and resources are selected carefully to support pupils’ learning. Staff read to children every day in all classes. Pupils who spoke to an inspector described the books they were reading in detail.

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The special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) shares accurate information with all staff. Staff use the information effectively to support and meet the needs of pupils well. The SENCo works tirelessly to provide support to families and pupils. This support is appreciated by parents and pupils.

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The school invests a lot of time in pupils’ personal development. It is fully aware of the needs of the pupils and has a clear, planned curriculum to support them. Pupils learn about topics that are relevant now for them and also those that will support their preparation for life in modern Britain. Equality and responsibility are common themes that are interwoven into all aspects of the school. The ‘forest school’ on site gives pupils an additional dimension to their learning which they all enjoy.

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Leaders have developed a positive relationship with the community. Parents are welcomed into the school, and many take advantage of the breakfast club for parents, enjoying food and a drink with other parents in school, after dropping their children off. Parents are really positive about the school.

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Governors are fully involved in the life of the school. They understand their role and are supportive of the staff, pupils and community. They work closely with leaders to ensure pupils receive a high-quality education and a broad range of additional opportunities.

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Staff enjoy working at the school. They enjoy the support and open dialogue they have with leaders. Staff feel listened to and appreciate the measures leaders take to reduce their workload.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The designated safeguarding lead (DSL) is diligent, caring and thoughtful. She knows the community and families the school serves well. The records kept are thorough and detailed. The support that the DSL offers families to access the help they need is considerate and informed. 9 and 10 February 2022

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Staff, including governors, consider safeguarding as their responsibility. They receive regular training and updates. Staff know the signs that may indicate a child is at risk and are clear on how to report any concerns.

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The well-being curriculum is regularly reviewed and updated to ensure the local risks are included and taught.

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Pupils feel safe and know to report any concerns they have to an adult.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Curriculum plans are clear, coherent and well sequenced in all subject areas. The important knowledge and key vocabulary that pupils should learn are identified. Leaders should ensure that their work to provide appropriate staff’s training continues so that they improve further their subject knowledge in all areas of the curriculum.  Leaders have focused on ensuring that the curriculum in all subject areas is planned. The plans are very well developed to support the majority of pupils, including those with SEND or who are disadvantaged, to achieve well. However, the challenge for the most-able pupils is more variable. Therefore, leaders should ensure that approaches to challenging the most-able pupils are realised consistently across all curriculum plans.

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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. 9 and 10 February 2022

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School details

Website www.woodlands.sheffield.sch.uk/ Date of previous inspection 15 and 16 March 2018, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 This school is one of six schools in the Mercia Learning Trust.  The school currently uses three alternative providers, Huggi Hub, On Board and My Life Project.  The school is larger than the average-size primary school.

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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 leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.

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Information about this inspection

 Meetings were held with the chief executive, the headteacher, trustees, governors, senior leaders, the early years leader, the special educational needs coordinator, subject leaders, teachers and administrative staff. 9 and 10 February 2022

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 Inspectors did deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics, science and history. They met with subject leaders, carried out lesson visits, spoke to teachers, spoke to pupils about their learning and looked at a sample of pupils’ work.  An inspector met with the designated safeguarding lead. The single central record was also scrutinised. Inspectors reviewed the school’s safeguarding records.  A range of documentation provided by the school was reviewed. This included the school improvement plan, curriculum documentation and school policies.  Inspectors considered the views given in Ofsted’s online surveys from 26 pupils and 20 members of staff. The 46 responses to the Ofsted Parent View survey were also considered.

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Inspection team

Richard Jones, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Richard Crane Ofsted Inspector 9 and 10 February 2022

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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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