Woods Bank Academy

Inspection of Woods Bank Academy Rough Hay Road, Darlaston, Wednesbury, West Midlands WS10 8NQ

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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 Requires improvement Previous inspection grade Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness Good

The principal of this school is Nicola Berkeley. This school is part of The Elliot Foundation 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, Hugh Greenway and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Tim Coulson. 9 and 10 July 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at Woods Bank Academy are well behaved, polite, and have good manners. They form positive relationships with staff and each other. The school sets high expectations for pupils’ learning and behaviour. Pupils meet these expectations well. Many pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), achieve well. Pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy their learning and feel valued and safe. They know who to talk to if they are worried about anything.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud of their roles as anti-bullying and reading ambassadors. They help resolve conflicts and support other pupils at playtime. They also help younger pupils with reading. These roles help pupils learn about leadership and how to support one another. This creates a friendly school, where everyone looks out for each other.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school uses a structured approach to teaching phonics and reading. Pupils enjoy reading and confidently discuss books they have read with enthusiasm.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy a well-structured curriculum that builds knowledge across subjects. This includes children in the early years. However, in the early years, staff do not yet communicate well enough with children in order to support their learning. Some learning activities are not easily accessible, which limits children’s learning.

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better?

The school has worked hard to improve the curriculum. It has carried out a thorough review and made significant changes. As a result, pupils now benefit from a well-structured and ambitious curriculum, which sets out the key knowledge and vocabulary for each subject. This sequenced approach helps pupils build on their learning step by step.

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better?

The school has introduced a structured approach to teaching phonics and reading. Staff are well trained and deliver the phonics programme consistently well. Children begin learning phonics as soon as they join the school. Pupils who struggle receive extra help from staff when needed. Pupils read books that are matched to the sounds that they have learned. This approach is helping more pupils to read confidently. Teachers read to pupils often, which further fosters a love of reading.

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better?

Most teachers deliver the curriculum well. However, some do not check pupils’ understanding regularly enough. They do not always use questioning or retrieval practice effectively. This means some pupils do not build on previous learning well. Occasionally, where subject knowledge is less secure, teachers introduce new concepts before addressing key gaps in pupils’ knowledge.

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better?

In the early years, there is a clear focus on phonics and mathematics. However, staff interactions with children vary in quality. Some staff do not present information 9 and 10 July 2024

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clearly enough or promote discussion to support learning. This is because some staff are still developing their expertise in delivering the early years curriculum. Some activities lack effective adult guidance. Others are not well structured. This limits children’s progress and development in the early years.

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The school’s pastoral care is a significant strength. The pastoral team provides targeted support for pupils with emotional and behavioural needs. Staff are well trained and have introduced effective strategies, such as ‘calm corners’. Staff work with external professionals when needed. This helps create a nurturing environment, where pupils feel supported and can thrive.

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All pupils understand the school’s behaviour system. They follow the rules well. When needed, pupils get time to think about their actions. They value this time and say it helps them make better choices. This approach supports pupils in thinking and making better choices and helps pupils learn from their mistakes.

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Staff have received appropriate training to meet the needs of pupils with SEND. This helps these pupils learn the curriculum alongside their classmates. As a result, pupils with SEND often achieve well.

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Pupils enjoy a range of clubs and trips that enrich their learning experiences. These include football and dance. They also go on outdoor trips and visit places like gardens, beaches, and theatres. These activities support different parts of the curriculum. Pupils respect various beliefs and values. This helps build tolerance and understanding.

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Staff feel valued and supported by the school. The school considers teachers’ workload and well-being. Teachers appreciate the training and networking opportunities offered by the trust. They are proud to work at the school and feel their opinions are heard and respected.

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The governance of the school is effective. Those responsible for governance visit the school often. They talk to staff and pupils to understand the school’s priorities and needs better. They provide effective challenge and support to the school. As a result, they help improve the quality of education.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Some teachers do not check pupils’ understanding effectively. This means some opportunities for some pupils to revisit and build on knowledge are missed. The 9 and 10 July 2024

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school should ensure that all teachers can make effective use of a range of suitable strategies to help pupils retain and recall their learning.  On occasion, teachers’ subject knowledge is not secure enough. In these cases, new concepts may be introduced before pupils are secure in previous learning. The school should ensure all teachers have the subject knowledge they need to recognise when pupils may need to re-visit or practise their learning.  In the early years, some staff interactions are not as effective as they should be in developing language and communication skills. As a result, some children are not making as much progress in these areas as they could. The school should ensure all early years staff promote language development consistently, in line with the school’s vision for early years education.  In the early years, some learning activities are not easy for all children to access.

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This means not all children participate or learn as well as they could. The school should ensure activities used in the early years support all children’s learning and development across all areas of the curriculum.

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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). 9 and 10 July 2024

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 1 and 2 February 2022, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of The Elliot Foundation Academies Trust.  The school operates a breakfast club provision.  The school makes use of two unregistered alternative provisions.

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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.  Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors met with a range of leaders, including senior leaders, the trust senior regional director and regional director, a group of trustees and the chief executive officer. 9 and 10 July 2024

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 The inspector met with the leaders with responsibility for pupils with SEND, behaviour, attendance and personal development.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, writing, physical education, science and geography. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke with teachers and spoke with some pupils about their learning. Inspectors looked at samples of pupils’ work. The lead inspector listened to several pupils reads to a familiar adult.  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.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and at other times during the

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day.  The lead inspector examined a range of school documentation, including leaders’ self-evaluation and the academy improvement plan, as well as documentation relating to behaviour, attendance and governance.  Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Ofsted Parent View, and considered the results of the Ofsted staff survey.

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Inspection team

Kerry Rochester, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

John Bates Ofsted Inspector 9 and 10 July 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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