Woodcroft Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Woodcroft Primary School Goldbeaters Grove, Edgware, Middlesex HA8 0QF

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Outcome

Woodcroft Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils take their learning seriously at this vibrant and welcoming school. The ‘Woodcroft Way’ is well understood by both staff and pupils. This helps new pupils to settle in quickly. Pupils are taught about kindness and how to show care and respect to one another, including online. Pupils say that staff are helpful and supportive. They are safe here.

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What is it like to attend this school?

There is a new curriculum in place in many subjects. The school is ambitious for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), to develop a depth of knowledge and a love of learning. Pupils listen attentively in lessons and are encouraged to ask questions. They typically behave very well. Pupils of all ages gain the confidence they need to talk about their work and share their ideas.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils learn about a wide range of art and artists, including through clubs and trips. They take part in regular physical activity and look forward to their dance lessons. Pupils take inspiration from the school dance team and are rightly proud of their national achievements. Older pupils learn coaching skills so they can support younger pupils with their physical education lessons. This contributes to the supportive environment in the school.

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

The school has established a well sequenced, broad and ambitious curriculum that meets the national expectations. Leaders have thought deeply about the aims of the curriculum and how it supports pupils to know and remember more. The new curriculum sets out, with absolute clarity, what the important knowledge is for each unit and how this builds on what pupils already know. For example, in science, pupils build their knowledge of how to work scientifically. They first learn how to observe simple changes and talk about what they see. As they move up the school, they learn to use more advanced instruments of measurement, such as thermometers and stopwatches. In Year 6, pupils learn how to make independent decisions about the best method for recording data from their experiments. 1 and 2 May 2024

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In some subjects, the new curriculum is not fully embedded. Leaders have a clear plan for this and have taken into consideration the impact of curriculum work on staff. Staff are proud to work at the school and say that leaders take account of their workload and well- being when making decisions.

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Pupils know the classroom routines well and follow them. Teachers are skilled in presenting new information clearly. Knowledge is broken down into small, manageable chunks and teachers use regular questioning to check for understanding. This contributes to pupils’ positive attitudes to their learning. Pupils with SEND are well supported in lessons and achieve well.

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In the early years, leaders have considered children’s varied starting points when designing the curriculum. Teachers start to establish core routines and expectations with children right from the start. This helps them transition successfully from Nursery to Reception, and on to Year 1. In the early years there are a range of spaces and activities for children to engage in learning through play. Parents and carers of younger children value the parent workshops and opportunities to observe lessons. This helps them understand how they can support their child at home.

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Reading is a priority across the school. Leaders have taken robust action to address poor outcomes in phonics. The school has an appropriate phonics programme in place which is taught by staff who are trained and confident. There is consistency across classes and staff follow clear routines to model sounds. Pupils’ progress is regularly checked. Pupils who are not making sufficient progress are provided with additional support to help develop fluency and confidence. Governors continue to monitor the impact of these changes.

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The personal development programme is underpinned by the school’s strong values. This helps pupils to make connections between their learning and the schools’ aspirations for them. The school is ambitious for pupils’ social and cultural development. Pupils gain deep knowledge of art and artists as they move up the school. This helps prepare Year 6 pupils to complete the Bronze Arts Award with high levels of success.

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Attendance rates have been below national figures in recent years. The school has taken prompt and determined action to address this, working closely with families and wider agencies to address any barriers to attendance. This work is supported by the governing body. As a result, there has been some recent improvement.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In 2023 phonics outcomes were low. Some pupils were not learning to read with fluency and confidence. Leaders have taken action and put appropriate strategies and 1 and 2 May 2024

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support in place. However, the impact of these changes is not yet evident, and a small proportion of pupils are not making the progress they should. The school should carefully monitor pupils’ progress and ensure prompt action is taken to provide the support pupils need to secure their reading fluency.

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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 second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in December 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’ 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). 1 and 2 May 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 5 December 2018, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school uses no alternative providers.

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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. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspector held meetings with the headteacher and other senior leaders. They met with members of the governing body, including the chair of governors and spoke to the school improvement partner.  The inspector carried out deep dives in early reading, computing and science. For each deep dive, the inspector held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons and spoke to teachers. The inspector spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. The inspector also discussed the curriculum in mathematics. 1 and 2 May 2024

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 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.  The inspector spoke to a range of staff members and reviewed the responses to Ofsted’s online staff and pupil surveys. They also spoke with parents and considered the views of parents who responded to the parent online survey, Ofsted Parent View.

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Inspection team

Polly Haste, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 1 and 2 May 2024

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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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