Great Wood Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Great Wood Primary School Beaufort Road, Morecambe, Lancashire LA4 6UB

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Outcome

Great Wood Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud to attend this school. They are happy to come to school and excited by their learning. Pupils talked enthusiastically about how teachers make their learning interesting and expect a lot from them. Pupils achieve well. They and staff characterise the school motto ‘to aim high and make a difference’. Pupils, and children in early years, learn well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have created a clear behaviour policy which pupils understand. Pupils explained that there is a focus on behaving well in school. They enjoy the positive rewards that they receive. Pupils said that on the rare occasions they do not meet the high standards expected for behaviour, staff help them to know what to do better next time.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils said that bullying did not happen, but if it did, they were confident that staff would deal with it well. Staff intervene quickly in rare disagreements to prevent them escalating.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils, and children in early years, are kind and respectful to each other. They share resources well and know how to take turns. They help each other and are keen to take on responsibilities across the school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils told us about a wide range of experiences that enhance their learning. These have included immersive history days, and trips to link with their learning and to help them develop their wider personal skills.

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

Leaders have created an ambitious and interesting curriculum. They have thought carefully about the order of learning that is best for the children and pupils. Leaders have ensured that there is progression in learning from the Reception Year through to Year 6. They have used their local surroundings to provide a focus for some of the learning. Leaders have high aspirations for their pupils, including those with special educational 3 and 4 November 2022

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needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Assessment is used effectively to ensure that any gaps in learning are identified quickly.

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Leaders have created effective processes to identify pupils who may have SEND. Regular reviews of all the children and pupils by class teachers and the SEND support team ensure that no one is missed. Teachers use a range of strategies to support pupils to access the ambitious curriculum. Leaders make effective use of external support for pupils with SEND to ensure that they are considering all options to help them learn well.

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Reading is taught from the very beginning of the Reception Year. Pupils are taught phonics effectively, meaning that they can read confidently and fluently. Leaders have prioritised reading throughout the school. They have developed a love of reading in pupils, who recognise the wide-ranging benefits of developing an interest in reading.

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Opportunities to build skills and vocabulary in mathematics begin in the early years. Children are encouraged to develop number skills through a wide range of activities. There is clear progression from early years mathematics learning as pupils move into key stages 1 and 2.

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Pupils behave well. They are focused on learning in lessons. Teachers use the behaviour policy effectively, adapting where needed for pupils with SEND, to create a positive classroom environment. At social times pupils play together well. They respect each other and share play equipment fairly.

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Pupils and children attend this school regularly. Leaders work closely with the school community to remove any barriers that may prevent attendance. Leaders regularly review individual attendance and communicate with parents. Leaders do not always consider specific groups of learners when analysing attendance, such as disadvantaged pupils or those with SEND.

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Pupils have access to a wide range of opportunities to enhance their school experience. Leaders have ensured that pupils have the chance to take part in visits to help them develop their learning in their subjects. There is regular attendance at the clubs that are available in school. However, leaders do not always track the attendance of pupils at these activities to ensure that pupils who are disadvantaged or pupils with SEND are supported to attend.

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Leaders have focused on building the wider skills that children and pupils will need to be successful in their next steps. Pupils demonstrated that they are resilient in their approach to learning and solving problems. As pupils move through the school, they are encouraged to develop their independence through increased opportunities to take on responsibilities. Pupils regularly contribute to their local community and raise money for charities.

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Leaders, including governors, consider the workload and well-being of staff in all decisions that they make. Their focus is on making the most effective use of staff time to help children and pupils. They have identified opportunities to provide support to staff and 3 and 4 November 2022

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work as a team to use time effectively. Leaders have created a collaborative and reflective culture among the staff.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff in this school know pupils and families well. Leaders have created effective systems to ensure that any potential needs are identified quickly. Staff understand the process to record and report any concerns.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have built strong relationships with local and national agencies to provide the most appropriate support for pupils and families. Referrals for support are made appropriately.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have created a strong programme of learning to help pupils to know how to keep themselves safe. Pupils are very knowledgeable about healthy relationships and personal safety online and in person.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Leaders, including governors, do not analyse the attendance and wider engagement in school life of specific groups of pupils, such as those with SEND or who are disadvantaged. This means that leaders do not always know which pupils they should target to provide additional support or opportunities. Leaders should build on the effective systems they have to review academic progress for these groups of pupils to ensure that they encourage regular attendance, along with engagement in wider opportunities, for pupils with SEND and disadvantaged pupils.

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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 an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in March 2013. 3 and 4 November 2022

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How can I feed back my views?

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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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. 3 and 4 November 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10256146 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 26 October 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Leaders use one registered alternative provider for one pupil.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under section 8 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. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and has taken that into account in her evaluation of the school.  As part of this inspection, the inspector carried out deep dives in the following subjects: mathematics, early reading and history. For each deep dive, the inspector discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited some lessons, spoke with children and pupils, spoke with teachers, and looked at samples of children’s and pupils’ work.  The inspector heard a selection of pupils read.  The inspector met with the headteacher, other senior leaders, the special educational needs team, subject leaders and teachers. The inspector also spoke with a representative of the local authority. 3 and 4 November 2022

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 The inspector met with members of the governing body, including the chair.  The inspector checked safeguarding procedures, including the recruitment checks made on staff. She met with the designated safeguarding leader, staff, and children and pupils to discuss wider aspects of safeguarding. She scrutinised a range of documentation in relation to safeguarding. She also considered survey responses from staff, parents and carers, children and pupils around safeguarding .  The inspector considered a range of documentation, including that relating to the curriculum, improvement plans and leaders’ self-evaluation summary.  The inspector observed children’s and pupils ’ behaviour in a range of situations, including in corridors, at breaktimes, at lunchtimes and in lessons. She also spoke to pupils about behaviour and bullying.  The inspector spoke with pupils about their programme of wider personal development.

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 The inspector considered the responses from parents to Ofsted Parent View. This included the comments submitted via the free-text facility.  The inspector also considered the responses to Ofsted’s pupil and staff surveys.

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Inspection team

Elaine Mawson, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 3 and 4 November 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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