Woodlea Junior School

Inspection of a good school: Woodlea Junior School Woodlea Road, Leyland, Lancashire PR25 1JL

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Outcome

Woodlea Junior School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ good behaviour makes a strong contribution to the calm environment that permeates the school. Pupils are polite, well mannered and friendly. They consistently exhibit the school’s values, which include honesty and respect. They told the inspector that they feel happy and safe in the school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), respond well to the high expectations that leaders have of their behaviour and achievement. Leaders deal with the rare incidents of bullying effectively.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils benefit from the broad range of activities that leaders make available to them. For example, they develop their understanding of history and mathematics when they excavate the school’s archaeological site. Leaders provide pupils with numerous opportunities to develop their leadership skills and to take on responsibilities through roles, such as reading buddies and digital leaders. Members of the school council take an active role in improving the school through projects, such as the outdoor classroom and the book-vending machine.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy the warm welcome that they receive from staff and Woodea the dog when they arrive at the school each morning. They thrive at the school as a result of the positive relationships that they have with staff.

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

Leaders and staff have high aspirations for all pupils. Leaders have thought deeply about the subject curriculums, so that pupils understand the links between the broad range of subjects that they study. Leaders have set out in detail the key information that pupils should learn and the order in which they should learn it. In most subjects, teachers use this information well to bring the curriculum to life for pupils. Most pupils are well prepared for secondary school. 29 and 30 March 2023

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For the most part, teachers use their strong subject knowledge to teach the curriculum with clarity and to design activities that help pupils to acquire the key knowledge that leaders have set out. However, in a small number of subjects, the curriculum is not fully embedded. As a result, in these subjects, some of the activities that teachers design do not help some pupils to develop the depth of knowledge that they could.

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Teachers make regular checks on what pupils know and remember. They use this information well to address any gaps or misconceptions that pupils have about their learning.

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Leaders have placed reading at the heart of the curriculum. Staff help pupils who find reading more difficult effectively. This helps these pupils to catch up quickly with their reading knowledge, including with phonics where necessary. Pupils read books that match the sounds that they have learned and this helps them to become confident, fluent readers. They read widely and they recall vividly the key themes from the books that they have read. For example, they learn the importance of compassion through reading about people who overcome challenges.

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Leaders accurately identify the needs of pupils with SEND. They work closely with other agencies to ensure that they meet the needs of these pupils. Teachers adapt the teaching of the curriculum well, so that these pupils have the same access to it as their peers.

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Pupils enjoy learning. The behaviour of individuals rarely causes interruptions to lessons. Pupils listen carefully to each other and to their teachers.

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Leaders provide pupils with a rich range of experiences that make a strong contribution to their wider development. For example, pupils learn how to care for their physical and mental health. They develop a broad cultural understanding through learning about different faiths. They also learn about the features of positive relationships and the importance of respecting the views of others.

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Governors know the school well. They hold leaders to account effectively for the quality of education that pupils receive. Leaders prioritise the well-being of staff. When making changes, they take into account the potential impact on teachers’ workload. Staff feel valued and they are proud to work at the school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have created a strong culture of safeguarding at the school. They ensure that staff and governors receive up-to-date training, which helps them to identify and help pupils who may be at risk of harm. Leaders respond quickly to any concerns that staff raise. They ensure that pupils and their families receive timely and appropriate support. Staff work closely with other agencies when necessary. 29 and 30 March 2023

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Leaders ensure that pupils know how to keep themselves safe, including online. Pupils know how to report concerns and they said that they can approach any member of staff if they need help.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a small number of subjects, the curriculum is not fully embedded. In these subjects, teachers sometimes design activities which do not successfully promote depth of learn- ing. This means that some pupils do not have the richness of knowledge that leaders expect. Leaders should ensure that teachers implement the curriculum well in all sub- jects, so that pupils reach their full potential.

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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 February 2018.

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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. 29 and 30 March 2023

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School details

Inspection number 10283625 Type of school Junior

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 20 and 21 February 2018, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Leaders do not make use of any alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection that 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 his evaluation of the school.  The inspector carried out deep dives in the following subjects: reading, mathematics and geography. He discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited lessons, reviewed pupils’ work and spoke with staff and pupils.  The inspector met with the headteacher and other senior leaders.  The inspector held meetings with the school adviser and with members of the local governing body, including the chair and the vice chair of governors.  The inspector met with leaders to discuss reading, SEND, the curriculum, pupils’ behaviour and attitudes and the provision for pupils’ wider development.  The inspector considered responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text

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Information about this inspection

comments. The inspector took account of the responses from staff and pupils to 29 and 30 March 2023

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Ofsted’s online surveys and gathered the views of staff and pupils throughout the inspection.  To inspect safeguarding, the inspector met with leaders, staff and pupils. He checked a sample of leaders’ safeguarding records and reviewed the recruitment checks made on staff.  The inspector spoke with pupils about their experiences of school life and their views of behaviour and bullying. He observed pupils’ behaviour during lessons and at breaktimes and lunchtimes.  The inspector spoke to staff about their workload and well-being.

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Inspection team

Andy Cunningham, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector 29 and 30 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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