Woodlands Academy

Inspection of Woodlands Academy Hathaway Gardens, Ealing, London W13 0DH

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Overall effectiveness Good

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

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Overall effectiveness Good

The headteacher of this school is Catherine Hasker. This school is part of the Grand Union 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 (CEO), Nathan Walters, who is also the executive headteacher. The trust is overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Christine Dickson. 15 and 16 May 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

This is a happy and nurturing school where adults know the pupils well. Leaders have created a respectful and inclusive environment. Pupils feel safe in school, and are kept safe. Pupils understand and model the school values of respect, self-belief, determination and resilience. Consequently, behaviour in lessons and at play time is typically calm and orderly. Pupils know that adults will deal with any concerns that may arise.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is ambitious for all pupils, this includes those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Appropriate adaptations and support are provided to help pupils learn effectively. The school has been refining and developing the curriculum. Pupils work hard and produce work of good quality. However, the recent changes to aspects of the curriculum are not fully embedded or reflected in the published outcomes which pupils achieve.

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What is it like to attend this school?

There are a range of leadership opportunities for pupils. These include being sports captains, play leaders and safeguarding leads. The school council represents pupils’ views. For example, it has contributed to the reorganisation of the playtime rotas.

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better?

The curriculum is broad and meets the ambition of what is expected nationally. In most subjects, the knowledge that pupils need has been clearly identified and well- sequenced. This helps pupils to learn and remember more and prepares them well to tackle more-complex ideas later on. In these subjects, pupils develop a depth of understanding and are more confident in what they have learned. For example, in mathematics, children in early years learn to count, add and subtract with numbers up to 10. Older pupils build on this knowledge when learning about equivalent and improper fractions, ratios and proportions. Similarly, in history, older pupils draw on their learning about ancient Greece to debate whether Alexander the Great deserved his title.

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better?

In a few subjects, the curriculum is less well designed. In these areas, the most important knowledge that pupils need to secure is not as clearly defined. This means teachers do not consistently focus on the most important content and pupils do not develop as secure an understanding in these subjects. Assessment is typically used well to check what pupils have learned. However, in subjects that are less well designed, errors and misconceptions are sometimes missed. This creates gaps in some pupils’ learning.

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better?

A love of reading is prioritised across the school. For example, pupils enjoy attending the book clubs which are designed to encourage pupils to read widely. Children learn phonics from the start of their Reception Year. All staff have had appropriate training to implement the school’s chosen phonics programme with consistency. Pupils practise reading books that match the sounds that they know. This helps them to 15 and 16 May 2024

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develop confidence and fluency. Pupils who need additional support are quickly identified and given targeted help to catch up.

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Pupils with SEND are accurately identified and well supported. The school works closely with external specialists to ensure appropriate adaptations are used to help pupils access the planned curriculum. This includes, for example, using different forms of communication for those who need it.

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Pupils’ broader personal development is well considered. The curriculum is designed to help them understand important issues. For example, pupils learn about the importance of diversity and respect through studying a range of religions and visiting different places of worship. The forest school helps the youngest children to learn about different environments and skills such as building habitats for animals. The curriculum is enriched through a programme of visits. For example, pupils enjoyed the opportunity to attend the Royal Albert Hall to create their own music.

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The school has prioritised improving attendance. Well-established routines and clear expectations mean that there has been significant improvement in the attendance of pupils. Behaviour in lessons and around the school is positive. Learning is not disrupted. This is because the systems and routines are well understood and consistently applied.

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Leaders, including at a trust level, understand the school’s context. They are ambitious in their drive to continually improve and have identified a number of priorities. Systems are in place to review the impact of leaders’ work; however, this is not consistently focused on checking the most important priorities. Staff are very positive about the consideration given by leaders to their workload and well-being. They are proud to work 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)

 A few subjects are less well designed. In these instances, the knowledge that pupils need is not as clearly identified. As a result, there is not sufficient focus on teaching or checking whether pupils understand the most important content. This limits the depth of understanding some pupils secure in these subjects. The school needs to ensure that the curriculum in each subject identifies and sequences the important ideas which pupils need to learn. The school should also ensure that the curriculum is consistently implemented so that pupils secure the depth of understanding they should in different subjects.  The systems for evaluating the impact of the school’s work are not consistently focused on checking the most important priorities. As a result, oversight is 15 and 16 May 2024

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sometimes not sufficiently concentrated on the most significant areas. The school should ensure that the systems for evaluation are sharply focused on identifying and checking the most significant priorities.

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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). 15 and 16 May 2024

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 25 and 26 June 2019, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is not currently making use of any alternative provision.  The school runs a breakfast and after-school club provision.

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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.  The inspectors met with the headteacher, assistant headteacher and members of staff. They also spoke with a representative of the local authority and a group of governors. Discussions were held with the CEO of the Grand Union Multi Academy Trust and a group of trustees, including the chair of the trust board. 15 and 16 May 2024

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 The inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, history and mathematics. For each deep dive, the inspector met with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke with pupils and staff and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  The inspectors also discussed the curriculum in some other subjects.  The inspectors looked at a range of documents, including leaders’ self-evaluation and priorities for improvement.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, inspectors: 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 views of pupils, parents and staff were gathered through discussions and their responses to Ofsted’s online surveys.

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Inspection team

Sophie Healey-Welch, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Ray Lau Ofsted Inspector 15 and 16 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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