Woodlands Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Woodlands Primary School Ironbridge Road, Madeley, Telford, Shropshire TF7 5HX

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Outcome

Woodlands Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils learn a lot at this well-led school. Leaders and staff set high ambitions for all. They expect pupils to work hard and concentrate in class. This helps everyone to see the link between effort and success. To this end, leaders and staff work hard to support pupils to do their best. In addition, they find out about pupils’ lives and the things that matter to them. They build very supportive, caring relationships. They know pupils as individuals and let them know that they are special and valued.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is a safe place where pupils trust adults to help them. If anyone is upset about something that has happened in school or at home, staff are always ready to find ways to help. This is a notable feature of the school’s work. Leaders have very effective systems for responding to any allegations of bullying. They find out the truth and make sure that all pupils are treated fairly. There can be some lively behaviour, but staff manage this well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The teaching of early reading is a significant strength. Other subjects are also planned and taught well. This enables pupils to experience success and enjoy learning.

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

A striking feature of the school is the visible, and effective, leadership of the headteacher and senior team. They lead a united staff and have built a successful partnership with parents. They go out of their way to win hearts and minds, both in school and the wider community. They keep parents informed about school life and support families in many different ways. Leaders ensure that systems for promoting positive behaviour enable lessons to run smoothly.

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

The reading curriculum is led and taught very well. The early years classes are language- rich, exciting places. Staff make sure children hear lots of words and get plenty of encouragement. This helps them to learn and feel good about themselves. As soon as children start the Reception Year, staff begin to teach formal phonics. The approach is well organised and resourced. If anyone falls behind, staff provide additional phonics 13 and 14 March 2023

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teaching to help them catch up. Furthermore, staff stay up to date with guidance, so they know what effective practice looks like.

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As pupils move up through the school, staff introduce them to increasingly complex stories, poems and texts. This helps pupils to develop their ability and to read for information across different subjects. Pupils achieve well in reading. As with reading, a systematic approach to teaching early number builds secure knowledge and fluency.

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The rest of the curriculum is also ambitious. Over time, leaders have thought carefully about its design. They have sought, and acted upon, training and advice. Leaders have selected subject content that helps pupils to make meaningful progress in different subjects from early years to Year 6. In history, for example, the curriculum supports pupils to learn about important recurring themes. Similarly, leaders have made decisions about how to make the best use of curriculum time. In music, for instance, they have decided that all pupils will learn to play the recorder. Pupils learn well and make progress in technique and the use of musical notation. Importantly, in different subjects, leaders have identified the exact knowledge they expect pupils to know and remember. This supports staff with subject knowledge and makes their workload more manageable. Staff appreciate this and value the feedback that leaders give them about their work.

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Staff check regularly on what pupils have remembered. However, leaders know that assessment in some subjects could have a sharper focus on the most important knowledge that pupils need to help them with future learning.

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Leaders have effective systems for identifying and supporting pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities. They work closely with other professionals and tailor support so that all pupils access the curriculum. All pupils have equal opportunities to take part in all the school does.

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As well as thinking carefully about what to teach in class, leaders have been equally thoughtful about the experiences on offer outside of lessons. In key stage 2, for instance, pupils in all year groups can take part in residential visits. This is on top of other extra activities such as clubs, sports, day trips and special days that serve to open pupils’ eyes to the wider world.

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Governors have a good understanding of their role and the school’s work. They display informed strategic thinking, which enables them to support and steer the school well.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have established a robust safeguarding culture in the school. They are well informed about local risks and make sure staff know what to do when concerns arise. The school’s safeguarding guidance for staff, pupils and parents is very clear about the things to do to keep pupils safe. 13 and 14 March 2023

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The curriculum also promotes many safety messages. In lessons and assemblies, staff teach pupils about the importance of respecting themselves and others. They learn about healthy relationships and how to manage everyday risks.

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The site is kept secure and all the required checks on adults are completed correctly.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Assessment in some subjects is not as precise as it could be. Staff check different facts that pupils have remembered. However, some of their questions do not target the most important knowledge that will help pupils with future learning. This means that teachers sometimes miss opportunities to revisit and embed crucial information. In some subjects, leaders should sharpen the focus of assessment so that it helps to deepen pupils’ learning.

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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 first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in November 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 13 and 14 March 2023

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pupils in care or who left care through adoption or another formal route. 13 and 14 March 2023

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 21 and 22 November 2017, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school provides before- and after-school childcare on the school site.  Leaders make use of two registered alternative provisions.

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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 their evaluation of the school.  The inspector carried out deep dives in the following subjects: reading, mathematics and history. In these subjects, the inspector discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to pupils about their learning and looked at pupils’ work.  The inspector also looked at the curriculum in other subjects to check how they were organised and taught. He also observed some pupils reading.  The inspector looked at published performance data about the school and a range of school documents. These included information about pupils’ behaviour, attendance, the curriculum, extra-curricular activities, governance and school improvement planning.

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He examined documents published on the school’s website.  The inspector asked school leaders, pupils and parents about safeguarding arrangements and safety routines. He examined the record of employment checks on school staff and looked at other records.  The inspector talked informally with pupils, parents and staff to gather general information about school life. He also took account of the responses to Ofsted’s survey of parents’ views. He spoke with some parents at the start of the school day and visited before and after-school clubs.  The inspector observed pupils’ behaviour in class, at lunchtime, on the playground and at other times during the day.  During the inspection, the inspector had formal meetings with the headteacher, other leaders, school staff, pupils, governors, a senior local authority officer and the school’s education adviser.

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Inspection team

Martin Pye, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 13 and 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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