Woodcocks' Well CofE Primary School

Inspection of Woodcocks’ Well CofE Primary School Church Street, Mow Cop, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire ST7 3NQ

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Requires improvement Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Good 10 and 11 July 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel loved and valued at this picturesque village school. They are happy. Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), appreciate the strong relationships that they form with staff. They are curious and enjoy learning. Pupils embody the school’s motto to ‘discover a world of wonder’.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has set out high expectations of what pupils can and should achieve. Currently, pupils achieve well in key stage 1 and in the early years. Pupils spoke confidently to inspectors about what they had been learning. They are ready for their next stage of learning. However, due to multiple changes in staff and weaknesses in the former curriculum, some pupils in key stage 2 do not achieve well enough.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils, including those in the early years, are attentive in lessons. They work hard. When misbehaviour or incidents of bullying occur, staff deal with them quickly and effectively.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils make the most of the school’s unique setting and extensive grounds. They benefit from carefully designed science, physical education and mathematics activities in the pond and meadows that surround the school. Pupils also talked excitedly about trips that they had been on, for example to Paris, local museums and the zoo. These opportunities add considerable value to pupils’ learning and development.

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better?

This school is emerging from a significant period of staff instability. The school has also established new curriculums for many subjects. These curriculums are engaging and ambitious for pupils, including for those with SEND. The school has thought carefully about the important knowledge that it wants pupils to learn at each stage.

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better?

In some subjects, the curriculum is delivered effectively. In others, staff do not have enough subject expertise to design and deliver learning sufficiently well. This means that some of the activities pupils experience do not help them to learn the knowledge in the curriculum securely. As a result, pupils do not learn as deeply as they should.

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better?

In a few subjects, the school is still developing its assessment strategies. Staff do not check that pupils learn the curriculum accurately. Consequently, some pupils develop gaps in their learning which are not identified and addressed as quickly and effectively as they should be.

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better?

The school has successfully forged a love of reading that extends from the early years to Year 6. For example, pupils spoke eagerly about the books that they had won through the school’s reading raffle. Pupils benefit from a well-ordered phonics programme that staff deliver well. Pupils practise their reading with books that are 10 and 11 July 2024

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closely matched to the sounds that they know. Staff provide swift and effective help to any pupils who need to catch up with their peers. Most pupils become confident, fluent readers by the end of key stage 1.

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The school uses effective systems to identify pupils with SEND quickly. Staff successfully support pupils with SEND to develop their independence. Nevertheless, pupils with SEND experience the same curriculum weaknesses as their peers.

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Pupils follow well-established routines throughout the school. They benefit from a calm and purposeful atmosphere. Pupils are friendly and polite. Attendance is a high priority for the school. For those pupils whose rates of attendance are lower than they should be, the school offers highly effective support to bring about improvements.

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The school places a strong emphasis on pupils’ personal development. For example, older pupils take the lead in running school safeguarding and ethos councils that spread important messages and champion pupil voice. Pupils are democratically elected to their roles or undertake interviews to secure them. This helps to prepare pupils well to become successful citizens beyond school.

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Pupils learn about the importance of embracing and accepting difference. They know how to keep themselves healthy and how to stay safe online. Pupils are offered a wide range of clubs such as athletics, construction and pebble painting. These opportunities help them to develop and share their talents and interests with others.

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Staff value their ‘school family’ and appreciate the way that the school considers their workload and well-being. For example, staff are allocated individual supervision time to talk through any worries. Staff are proud to work at the school.

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Governors have not acted swiftly enough to tackle weaknesses in the school. This, in part, has led to a decline in the quality of education that pupils have received since the last inspection. However, governors do have a secure overview of the school’s situation. They are committed to improving the quality of education that pupils receive.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some subjects, some teachers do not have the subject knowledge that they need to deliver the curriculum effectively. This means that some learning activities do not help pupils, including some with SEND, to learn the curriculum as well as they should. The school should make sure that teachers have the knowledge they 10 and 11 July 2024

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need to deliver the curriculum effectively.  In some subjects, the school does not check that pupils are learning the essential knowledge identified in the curriculum effectively. This means, on occasion, some pupils develop gaps in their learning which are not identified and addressed swiftly. The school should ensure that assessment strategies are closely aligned with the curriculum so that teachers identify gaps with accuracy and help pupils address them.  Governors have not acted quickly enough to stem the decline in the quality of education that pupils receive. As a result, pupils do not achieve as well as they should. Governors should ensure that they offer appropriate support and challenge to the school so that the quality of education that pupils receive improves.

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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). 10 and 11 July 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Website www.woodcockswell.cheshire.sch.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 11 October 2018, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this school

 This is a Church of England primary school which is part of the Diocese of Chester. The last section 48 inspection took place in September 2023. The next section 48 inspection is due by 2029.  The headteacher took up post in January 2021.  The school does not make use of any alternative 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 that 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.  Inspectors met with the headteacher, other senior leaders and staff. They also 10 and 11 July 2024

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met with members of the governing body, including the chair of governors.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics and geography. 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.  Inspectors also considered the curriculum in some other subjects.  The lead inspector observed some pupils reading to a trusted adult.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the 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 during lessons and breaktimes. They also spoke with pupils about their experiences of school.

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 Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free- text comments. Inspectors also considered the responses to Ofsted’s surveys for staff and for pupils.

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Inspection team

Ruth Moran, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

David Woodhouse Ofsted Inspector 10 and 11 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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