The Woodlands Community Primary School

Inspection of a good school: The Woodlands Community Primary School Canning Road, Glascote, Tamworth, Staffordshire B77 3JX

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Outcome

The Woodlands Community Primary School continues to be a good school.

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Outcome

The headteacher of this school is Jon Baker. This school is part of Community Academies Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Philip Hamilton, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Simon Atkins.

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What is it like to attend this school?

This is a nurturing school. A comment made by one parent is shared by many others: ‘Children are welcomed by adults who genuinely care.’ Respect is one of the school’s core values. Staff and pupils exemplify this core value through their actions. As a result, relationships are based on mutual respect and pupils readily accept each other’s differences.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy school and are happy there. The school is a calm and orderly place in which to learn. Pupils do not worry about bullying. On the rare occasion it happens, leaders deal with it quickly and effectively. Pupils are safe and have a trusted adult they can talk to if they are upset.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high aspirations for what pupils can achieve. Staff expect pupils to work hard and try their best. All pupils live up to these expectations. Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), achieve well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school teaches pupils how to be responsible, active citizens. They do this by giving them roles and responsibilities, such as playground buddies or members of the junior leadership team. Pupils are proud to take on these roles and approach them with enthusiasm. 7 and 8 November 2023

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

Leaders at all levels have a clear vision for the school. Staff share leaders’ compelling vision, which is for pupils to flourish both academically and socially. This vision is realised.

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

The school provides its pupils with an environment in which they enjoy learning. Leaders think carefully about what pupils will learn. All pupils, including those with SEND, study a broad range of subjects. Most pupils with SEND study all subjects alongside their peers. At times, a small number of pupils with complex SEND needs require additional help with their learning. These interventions successfully meet pupils’ individual needs. All pupils achieve well. Pupils, including those with SEND, attend school regularly.

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

Children get off to a good start in Reception. Effective routines for behaviour begin here. For example, adults insist on children listening well. These expectations continue throughout other year groups. This leads to pupils behaving well throughout the school. Learning activities in Reception have a sharp focus on the development of children’s early reading and their understanding of number. This helps children to be well prepared for Year 1.

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

Lessons are well planned and sequenced. Teachers are clear about what to teach and when to teach it. Teachers regularly revisit prior learning. This helps learning to stick in pupils’ memory. However, sometimes teachers do not set work that builds well enough on what pupils already know and can do. This means that, on occasion, pupils finish their work early or find the work too easy. This limits their progress.

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

Reading is a key priority for the school. There is an effective reading programme in place. Staff receive regular training on how to deliver it. Leaders check how well pupils are reading. They put appropriate support in place for those who need it. Consequently, pupils develop into confident, fluent readers. The value of reading is evident around the school. Pupils’ success in reading is celebrated, for example, through a half-termly reading award. Every classroom has a reading area. Engaging authors frequently visit the school. All pupils visit the local library. Pupils say they enjoy reading and they read widely and often.

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

The school enhances pupils’ personal development well. It provides pupils with a range of activities beyond the classroom. There is a number of after-school clubs for pupils on offer. This includes football, multi-sports and art. At the time of the inspection, all pupils visited the local church to take part in a remembrance service. Pupils also visit other places of worship, explore local caves and take part in archaeological digs. Parents speak positively about the outdoor learning opportunities the school provides for their children and say they help to build their child’s confidence.

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

Across the school, staff work in close partnership with one another. They feel very well supported. Staff say that leaders have an open-door policy, and they feel listened to. Staff appreciate this. Leaders are mindful of their workload and well-being. For example, they make sure that meetings after school are productive. 7 and 8 November 2023

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Those responsible for governance are committed to ensuring that the school continues to improve and that pupils thrive. They provide the school with an appropriate balance of support and challenge. For example, schools in the trust work together to share good practice. Staff value these opportunities. Lines of accountability within the trust are clear. This ensures that leaders carry out their responsibilities effectively.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 At times, the planned curriculum is not as ambitious as it could be. The work that teachers set does not always match pupils’ starting points. This means that some pupils find the work too easy. These pupils are not fulfilling their potential. The school needs to ensure that the curriculum is appropriately demanding across all subjects and supports all pupils to build their knowledge over time.

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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 predecessor school, The Woodlands Community Primary School, to be good in September 2015.

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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. 7 and 8 November 2023

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In the report, ‘disadvantaged pupils’ is used to mean pupils with 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). 7 and 8 November 2023

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 The Woodlands Community Primary School converted to become an academy school in June 2019. When its predecessor school, of the same name, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be good overall.  The academy is part of Community Academies Trust. The trust consists of 18 academies.  The academy does not use alternative provision.  The academy has a breakfast club operating on the site. This provision is managed by the academy.

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Information about this inspection

Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision.

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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 the school and has taken that into account in her evaluation of the school. 7 and 8 November 2023

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 The inspector met with the headteacher and other senior leaders. She also spoke on the telephone with the chief executive officer and the chair of the board of trustees. She met online with members of the school standards committee, including the chair.  The inspector carried out deep dives in reading, mathematics and religious world views. For each deep dive, the inspector had 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.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspector: reviewed the single central record; took account of 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

Lesley Yates, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 7 and 8 November 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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