Accrington Woodnook Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Accrington Woodnook Primary School Hudson Street, Accrington, Lancashire BB5 2HS

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Inspection dates: 26 and 27 January 2023

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Outcome

There has been no change to this school's overall judgement of good as a result of this ungraded (section 8) inspection. However, the evidence gathered suggests that the inspection grade might not be as high if a graded (section 5) inspection were carried out now. The next inspection will therefore be a graded inspection.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils thoroughly enjoy being part of this warm, welcoming and diverse school community. They happily wave goodbye to their parents and carers in the morning and eagerly enter the school building, keen to greet their teachers and their friends.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils work and play in harmony. They are quick to celebrate differences between themselves and others. Pupils from different backgrounds, religions or cultures, including those who speak English as an additional language, hold no fear about name calling. Leaders make sure that any harmful behaviours, including bullying, are dealt with seriously and effectively. Pupils trust adults. They feel safe.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils live up to leaders’ high expectations for their behaviour. They listen carefully, follow instructions and stay focused on their learning. Leaders want pupils to be ready to fulfil their dreams and aspirations. In turn, pupils become respectful, well-rounded and tolerant youngsters. However, they do not thrive academically, nor do they attend school regularly. This limits their success as they move on to the next stage of their education.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The increased range of clubs and visits on offer has harnessed pupils’ desire to develop their talents and interests. Older pupils are extremely excited about their upcoming residential visit. Other pupils are delighted that they can learn to swim in the mobile swimming pool on the playground.

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

Accrington Woodnook is a school on a journey. The weak outcomes from the national tests and assessments in 2022 have acted as a catalyst for swift and considerable change. Almost all aspects of the school’s curriculum have been rejuvenated without disturbing the strong teamwork within the staff community. The new headteacher has quickly won the 26 and 27 January 2023

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confidence of staff, pupils and governors, and the trust of parents. Morale is high. Staff feel well supported, despite an increase in their workload. The building blocks for further improvement are firmly in place. Even so, much is new and teachers are still coming to grips with different approaches and ways of working. As such, the impact of leaders’ decisive action on pupils’ achievement is unknown. Currently, pupils’ achievement across different subjects and year groups is patchy.

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The new phonics programme is making a real difference to children in the Reception class. They are building their phonics knowledge effectively which, in turn, is helping them to read and write unfamiliar words confidently and accurately. Suitably trained key stage 1 staff are following the revised approaches to teaching early reading with fidelity. This means that pupils, regardless of their age or ability, learn the sounds that letters represent in a consistent way. Even so, weaknesses in previous phonics teaching have left their mark. Some pupils have large gaps in their knowledge. While teachers are making headway with the new programme, they are not stopping to check that pupils are keeping pace or catching up. Consequently, some pupils struggle to read with fluency, accuracy or confidence.

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Leaders have spent a considerable amount of time and energy ensuring that the books that pupils read match their phonics knowledge. This is introducing younger pupils to a vast array of interesting books that capture their interest. Older pupils do not share the same joy of reading. Many do not opt to read for pleasure. When they do, the books and authors that they select come from a very narrow range. Although leaders are prioritising reading, there is little in the environment to encourage pupils to lose themselves in a book.

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Subject leaders have been reinvigorated by the support that they have received from external consultants. Their work means that pupils study the full range of national curriculum subjects. In most subjects, leaders have identified the broad content that should be taught in each unit of work. However, leaders have not gone far enough in pinpointing the key knowledge that pupils must gain in order to unlock future learning. At times, there is too much content to cover and, in the absence of clear guidance, teachers pick and choose what pupils will learn. This means that some essential knowledge is missed out. This, in turn, causes gaps in what pupils know and can do. In contrast, children in the early years build up their knowledge across all areas of learning systematically, so that they are well prepared for the demands of the key stage 1 curriculum.

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Teachers explain new learning clearly and they use a wide range of resources to help pupils to grapple with new ideas. Typically, teachers check on pupils’ learning to make sure that pupils understand what is being taught. Teachers are also alert to pupils’ different needs. They work effectively with leaders to support pupils who are at the early stages of speaking English as an additional language. They also identify pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) swiftly. This means that pupils with SEND receive the support that they need to access the same curriculum as their classmates. 26 and 27 January 2023

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Pupils’ respectful behaviour and their positive attitudes to school mean that lessons are unhindered by disruption. Their behaviour around school is calm, safe and considerate of others. Pupils’ attendance has not recovered from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite leaders’ refocused efforts, a culture of weak attendance is not reversing quickly enough. This is widening the gaps in pupils’ learning even further.

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Pupils learn how to be healthy, happy and kind. This starts in the early years, where children learn to wait for others, to take turns and to politely ask for help when it is needed. Pupils have a good understanding of the diverse society in which they live. They eagerly take on leadership responsibilities to ensure the smooth day-to-day running of school life. In doing so, pupils show care and compassion for others and demonstrate their pride in being a valued member of the school community.

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Members of the governing body are keen to support leaders. They have an accurate view of what is working well and a clear understanding of what needs to improve. Although their oversight of leaders’ work is increasing, they have not offered enough challenge to remedy pupils’ uneven achievement.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders and staff know the pupils and the communities in which they live very well. They are alert to the dangers that pupils might face in their everyday lives. Staff are trained well to spot, and then report, the signs that might indicate a pupil is at risk of harm. Leaders work well with a range of agencies to ensure that pupils and their families receive the support that they need.

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Safeguarding

Pupils are helped to keep themselves safe. They are particularly knowledgeable about the risks linked to working and playing online.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Over time, governors’ oversight of leaders’ work has not had enough impact on improving pupils’ achievement. Governors should ensure that they gain the skills and expertise required to offer constructive and effective support and challenge to leaders.  The implementation of the new phonics programme is having a variable impact on pupils’ reading abilities. This means that the gaps in pupils’ phonics knowledge are not being remedied quickly enough. Leaders should ensure that teachers apply the phonics programme effectively, so that pupils become confident, fluent and accurate readers.  Teachers are not aware of the essential knowledge that pupils need to gain in order to be ready for the next stage of their learning. At times, among a wealth of subject content, key concepts are missed out. This leads to gaps in learning and a lack of 26 and 27 January 2023

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security in pupils’ prior knowledge. Leaders should ensure that the essential knowledge for each curriculum area is clearly identified and understood by teachers.  Pupils’ attendance is not good enough. This is causing gaps in learning to widen further. Leaders should build on their emerging strategies to secure good attendance, so that pupils attend school regularly.

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Background

When we have judged good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good/outstanding. 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 first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in September 2017.

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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. 26 and 27 January 2023

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School details

Inspection number 10241965 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 20 and 21 September 2017, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 A new headteacher and a new chair of governors have been appointed since the previous inspection.  Leaders make use of one registered alternative provider.  There is a breakfast club at the school each morning.

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Information about this inspection

 This is the first routine inspection the school has received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with school leaders and has taken that into account in her evaluation of the school.  The inspector carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics and computing. For each deep dive, the inspector met with subject leaders, discussed the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, looked at a sample of pupils’ work, spoke to teachers and talked to pupils about their learning. The inspector also observed pupils reading to familiar adults. 26 and 27 January 2023

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 The inspector also met with leaders of other subjects to consider the curriculum in these areas.  The inspector met with the headteacher and other leaders. She spoke with members of the governing body, including the chair of governors, and with two representatives of the local authority. She also held a telephone discussion with a representative from the alternative provision used by leaders.  The inspector spoke to pupils about their views of the school and observed their behaviour during lessons and at breaktimes.  The inspector considered a range of documentation shared by school leaders or made available on the website, including the school development plan. She checked the arrangements for keeping pupils safe through a review of documentation and discussion with leaders, governors, pupils and staff.  The inspector considered the views shared through Ofsted Parent View. She also spoke to a group of parents at the start of the school day. The inspector took account of the

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findings from the Ofsted staff survey. There were no responses to the Ofsted pupil survey.

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Inspection team

Jo Olsson, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector 26 and 27 January 2023

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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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