Woodseaves CE Primary Academy

Inspection of Woodseaves CE Primary Academy Dicky’s Lane, Woodseaves, Stafford, Staffordshire ST20 0LB

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Outstanding Previous inspection grade Requires Improvement

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Overall effectiveness Good

The headteacher of this school is Michelle Easthope. This school is part of St Bartholomew’s CE Multi Academy Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Katy Kent, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Richard Pithers. 4 and 5 October 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils arrive at school with smiles on their faces. Staff welcome and greet them warmly. Pupils are kind and caring towards each other. They behave exceptionally well in lessons and when moving around the school. Pupils focus carefully during learning time and are highly motivated to achieve well. They know there is a trusted adult to talk to if they need any help. Everyone describes this school as a ‘family’.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff know pupils very well and have built strong working relationships with them. The school has high expectations of all pupils, and pupils live up to these shared values. Consequently, there is an excellent focus around the school and pupils work hard. Pupils study a broad curriculum, including developing their understanding of how their brain works. This is helping them to manage their feelings and emotions.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school provides a wide range of clubs, including rugby, craft and choir. These activities help pupils to develop their talents and pursue their interests. Pupils are incredibly proud of the extra responsibilities they can engage in, such as being reading ambassadors, school council members, and head girl and head boy roles.

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better?

The school has designed an ambitious curriculum for all. This includes pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The curriculum is underpinned by the national curriculum. Careful thought has been put into developing the curriculum and it is sequenced well from the early years into Year 6.

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better?

Teachers have appropriate subject knowledge and present information clearly. However, sometimes they do not consistently identify and clarify pupils’ misunderstandings during lessons. This means that, on occasions, pupils are not able to recall key learning. In the early years, staff assess children’s progress very well and use this information to plan next steps in their learning. They ensure that assessment is ongoing and considers the unique needs and abilities of each child.

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better?

The school has a sharp focus on ensuring pupils learn to read as soon as they join. Pupils develop an understanding of phonics quickly. Staff regularly assess pupils and use this information to offer extra help when needed. If any pupil falls behind the pace of the phonics programme, staff provide swift and effective support to help them catch up. As a result, pupils learn to read with fluency and accuracy. Leaders have put a number of strategies in place to promote an enjoyment of reading. In early years, there is a focus on ensuring that children acquire a wide vocabulary. Staff help to develop children’s communication and language skills highly effectively.

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better?

Staff identify the needs of pupils with SEND swiftly. They are well trained to ensure they can provide high-quality support for pupils with a range of needs. Effective adaptations to learning are made to ensure that pupils with SEND can fully participate in lessons and understand what is being taught. 4 and 5 October 2023

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Pupils’ behaviour is consistently very positive during every moment of their time in school. Systems to manage and promote highly effective behaviours are used consistently by all staff and are understood by pupils. In early years, children are sensible and concentrate on activities. They listen and respond positively to adults and each other.

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The personal development programme is embedded with care across the whole curriculum. Teachers support pupils to develop their understanding of mental health and well-being really well. This helps pupils to make sensible choices and manage their feelings and emotions. All pupils access a range of educational visits each year that are linked to their curriculum and extra-curricular clubs. Some pupils struggle to recognise and understand the community differences beyond the school. This leaves them less well prepared for later life.

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Leaders consider the well-being of staff carefully and are mindful of the pressures of workload. Staff’s professional development is supported through a bespoke training programme. This supports the individual learning needs of each member of staff in the school. The governing body understands the strengths and priorities of the school. It carries out its role effectively, providing appropriate challenge and support to leaders.

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Leaders at all levels of the school and trust work with careful attention to develop staff. This helps ensure staff are well trained to deliver the school’s curriculum. There is a systematic approach to checking on the quality of work at the school. This helps leaders hold others to account for the improvements at the school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a few subjects, teachers do not identify and address pupils’ misconceptions well enough. This makes it harder for pupils to recall the key knowledge they have learned and make links between their learning. The school should refine its assessment systems to ensure that any gaps or misconceptions are identified and closed in a timely manner.  Some pupils do not fully understand the differences that occur in the world relating to culture, religions and people. This means pupils are not well enough prepared for life outside their locality. The school should refine their curriculum to ensure pupils are given more opportunities to learn about the differences that exist in people, cultures and religions, beyond their community. 4 and 5 October 2023

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How can I feed back my views?

or to 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’ is used to mean pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND); pupils who meet the definition of children in need of help and protection ; pupils receiving statutory local authority support from a social worker; and pupils who otherwise meet the criteria used for deciding the school’s pupil premium funding (this includes pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years, looked after children (children in local authority care) and/or children who left care through adoption or another formal route). 4 and 5 October 2023

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School details

Website https://www.woodseaves.staffs.sch.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 1 and 2 October 2019, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 This school is part of St Bartholomew’s CE Multi Academy Trust.  The school does not use alternative provision.  A section 48 inspection was completed in July 2016. The next inspection is due within eight years of their previous inspection.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision.  This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school. 4 and 5 October 2023

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 Inspectors met with the headteacher, chief executive officer (CEO), members of the senior leadership team and a range of staff. They also met with members of the governing body and representatives of the board of trustees.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics and art & design.  For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. The curriculum in other subjects was also considered.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: reviewed the single central record; took account the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.

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Inspection team

Richard Kentish, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Gill Turner Ofsted Inspector 4 and 5 October 2023

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