Woodthorpe CofE Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Woodthorpe CofE Primary School Seymour Lane, Woodthorpe, Mastin Moor, Chesterfield, Derbyshire S43 3DA

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Outcome

Woodthorpe CofE Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy attending this inclusive and welcoming school. They say they feel safe and happy because everyone looks after each other. They try to 'learn and grow together to be the best they can be.’ The school’s values help pupils to care for and respect each other. Pupils are polite and friendly to staff and visitors.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents and carers are supportive of the school. One parent expressed the view of many when they said, ‘My children absolutely love this school, it is like one big family. Nothing is too much trouble. The staff are amazing.’ Pupils are also very positive about their school; they value it and like it. They know there are trusted adults, who will support them to learn and keep safe. Staff know the pupils well and relationships are very positive.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have high expectations of what all pupils should learn. They are passionate about providing an environment which prepares pupils to be ‘strong and courageous’. Staff are determined to give pupils lots of memorable experiences through the ‘Woodthorpe Promise’.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well in lessons and around the school. Bullying rarely happens and if it occurs, pupils are confident that all staff will deal with it effectively.

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

Leaders have developed an engaging and ambitious curriculum. They have ensured that the information pupils need to learn is well structured. This helps pupils to build their knowledge over time. This structured learning is clear in subjects, such as mathematics and English. In some other subjects, taught in topics, it is harder for pupils to connect and build their knowledge. In these subjects, teachers have not clearly identified exactly what pupils need to learn and when. Pupils have enjoyable experiences in these lessons. However, teachers do not consistently build the pupils’ understanding of the subject. 14 March 2023

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Pupils are eager to learn. They listen to their teachers and are confident in explaining their thinking. Pupils are keen to make progress. In mathematics, for example, they quickly move on to more complex problem-solving work. They take pride in their work and complete it to the best of their ability.

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Teachers ask questions effectively to check that pupils understand what they are learning. This helps teachers to identify accurately what pupils know and what they still need to learn. Pupils say that what teachers write in their books helps them to understand what they need to do next. However, in subjects taught as part of topics, leaders have not clearly identified how they will assess what pupils should know in each year group. In these subjects, this has led to pupils in different year groups having the same expectations. This limits their progress towards ambitious outcomes.

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Leaders have prioritised reading. They have provided pupils with a wide range of diverse books and texts. Pupils read regularly. As one pupil said, ‘reading unlocks our learning.’ Those who are at an early stage of learning to read receive high-quality daily phonics lessons. Pupils who struggle with their reading receive expert support through regular intervention sessions. This helps them to become more confident and fluent readers.

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Children in the early years get off to a strong start. Leaders have thought carefully about what children need to learn and how this will prepare them for their next steps.

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Leaders have clear systems in place to identify and support pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupil profiles inform staff of these pupils’ individual targets and how best to support them. Pupils with SEND are supported well by caring and knowledgeable staff.

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Pupils have very positive attitudes towards learning and focus on their work. Staff have high expectations for pupils’ behaviour. Low-level disruption is rare. There is a purposeful atmosphere in lessons.

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There is a very strong focus on pupils’ broader development. Leaders have created a well- planned programme, underpinned by the ‘Woodthorpe Promise’. They provide pupils with a wide range of opportunities and experiences. These range from watching chicks hatch to residential trips to London. Pupils have a say in how their school is run through the school council. They have recently helped re-model the behaviour policy and house point system. Pupils are very knowledgeable about all aspects of equality and respect. They are also active in exploring and contributing to their local community. All this prepares them well for life in modern Britain.

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The school is well led. Staff say that leaders care about their well-being. Staff value the support they receive. They are proud to work at the school. Those with governance responsibility are committed to the school. 14 March 2023

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The school has a strong safeguarding culture. Those responsible for safeguarding work closely with an early help support worker, who oversees the care provided to families.

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Safeguarding

Staff receive high-quality training in safeguarding and regular updates from experienced safeguarding leaders. Staff understand their responsibility to report any concern.

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Safeguarding

Leaders keep accurate records and use these to identify local safeguarding issues. They are quick to act, involving other agencies when needed. They have appropriate procedures in place to manage any allegations. Governors provide secure oversight of safeguarding.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Leaders have not ensured that teachers consistently implement the full curriculum across all subjects. In some subjects that are taught through topics, for example, leaders have not ensured that teachers consistently identify and teach the most important knowledge that pupils should learn. When this is the case, pupils do not develop their understanding as fully as they could. Leaders should ensure that pupils are able to learn topics in a manner that enables them to be able to remember and apply the key knowledge they need for future learning.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some foundation subjects, leaders have not yet created an assessment framework that clearly details the small steps of progress required in each year group. As a result, pupils in mixed-age classes work towards the same curriculum aims. This can limit how well these pupils can achieve. Leaders need to ensure that an appropriate assessment framework is in place across all foundation subjects, so that pupils receive the support and guidance they need to achieve as highly as they can.

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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. 14 March 2023

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This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the predecessor school, Woodthorpe CofE Primary School, to be good in March 2014.

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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. 14 March 2023

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School details

Inspection number 10269012 Type of school Primary

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School details

Headteacher Sarah Tew (Executive headteacher) Matthew Windsor (headteacher) Website https://www.woodthorpeprimary.org.uk/

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 Woodthorpe CofE Primary School converted to become an academy and joined the Derby Diocesan Academy Trust in June 2019.  When its predecessor school, Woodthorpe CofE Primary School, was last inspected by Ofsted in March 2018, it continued to be a good school.  The school does not use any alternative provision.

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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.  Inspectors met with the headteacher, who is also the special educational needs coordinator, curriculum leaders, and a range of staff.  The lead inspector met with the chair of trustees and the head of school improvement from the multi-academy trust. 14 March 2023

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 The lead inspector met with the chair and vice chair of the local governing board as well as another governor.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in reading, mathematics, art and design technology. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. The lead inspector observed pupils read to a familiar adult.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and at other times around school.  Inspectors considered a wide variety of school documents, including the school self- evaluation and school improvement plan.  Inspectors took note of the responses received on Parent View and considered the results of the Ofsted surveys for pupils and for the school’s staff. Inspectors met with small groups of pupils to gather their views.  To judge the effectiveness of safeguarding, inspectors read the school’s relevant

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policies, scrutinised the single central record, checked the school’s procedures for the safe recruitment of staff and met with the safeguarding team. Inspectors also spoke with staff and pupils.

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Inspection team

Dave Gilkerson, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Kate Rouse Ofsted Inspector 14 March 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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