Woodloes Primary School

Inspection of Woodloes Primary School Deansway, Woodloes Park Estate, Warwick, Warwickshire CV34 5DF

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Inspection dates: 24 and 25 September 2024

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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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The headteacher of this school is Sharon Byrne. 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 (CEO), Philip Hamilton, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Simon Atkins. 24 and 25 September 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

A strong, inclusive ethos is at the heart of this school. Pupils are polite and well mannered. They welcome visitors and are proud to show off their school. They talk confidently about the school values of PRIDE: perseverance, respect, integrity, diversity and excellence. Pupils can explain why it is important for everyone to be treated equally and with respect. They understand the importance of a good education and keep trying when they find work difficult.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations of behaviour, and pupils respond positively to these. Children in early years settle well and begin to learn how to manage their feelings and behaviour. Older pupils look after younger ones. They readily share and take turns on the playground and help each other in class. Relationships between staff and pupils are warm and respectful. As a result, pupils feel happy, safe and secure in school. They know who to talk to if they have any concerns.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school sets high expectations for pupils, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils listen carefully in lessons and are proud of their work. Recent changes have led to improvements in the curriculum, and standards are rising.

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

Pupils with SEND are supported well and make good progress. This is because the school accurately identifies their needs and meets them successfully. Staff are trained to adapt learning where necessary. This ensures that pupils with SEND access the same learning as their classmates.

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

The curriculum is well designed and sequenced. It is ambitious for all pupils. Some subjects have been successfully revised in order to raise standards, but more time is needed for this to fully take effect. However, not all subjects contain guidance that helps teachers to provide more challenging activities. At times, pupils are not provided with learning that allows them to apply, deepen or extend their understanding. This means that some pupils do not achieve as well as they could.

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

The importance of reading is recognised across the school. A new library is being created and incentives have been introduced to encourage pupils to read more at home. These new opportunities have been greeted with excitement and enthusiasm and pupils are keen to talk about the books they are reading. The teaching of phonics has been a recent focus. A new scheme has been introduced and training for staff has been prioritised. Children learn sounds through songs and rhymes in nursery so they are ready to learn phonics when they join the Reception class. They benefit from a range of new books that closely match the sounds they are learning, and standards have risen. However, some pupils who did not fully benefit from the new approach need more support to reach reading levels that will allow them to access their learning with greater independence. 24 and 25 September 2024

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Staff receive high-quality training and demonstrate secure subject knowledge. They explain new learning well and plan activities that help pupils to gain a good understanding of the new learning. Recall activities help pupils to remember what they have already learned before adding new knowledge. Teachers check pupils’ understanding effectively. However, they do not always make the best use of the opportunity to move pupils on when they have demonstrated their understanding of the taught content or when they have completed their learning. Valuable learning time is sometimes wasted while pupils wait for others.

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Pupils behave well and show consideration for others. The new behaviour policy takes a positive approach and rewards good behaviour. This is proving popular with both pupils and parents. Attendance has improved. The school understands the importance of regular attendance and continues to keep this as a priority.

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The school has successfully planned opportunities for the personal development of pupils across the curriculum. This starts in early years where children learn how to make and keep friends. Pupils enjoy the range of extra activities that are available to them. They also benefit from a variety of opportunities, such as participation in an eco-project with the neighbouring special school, but they do not have enough opportunities to make decisions about their school or to practise their leadership skills. Pupils demonstrate a strong understanding of fundamental British values. However, more work is needed to strengthen pupil’s awareness of other religions and cultures so that they are well prepared for life in modern Britain.

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Governors know the school well. The trust has supported the school effectively in developing the curriculum and making changes that have led to significant improvements, resulting in higher standards. The new headteacher has quickly identified areas for improvement and gained the support of staff.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The curriculum in some subjects, for some pupils, does not deepen their learning and understanding sufficiently well. As a result, pupils do not learn as well as they could. The school should ensure that these pupils are sufficiently challenged so that their understanding is extended and deepened.  Pupils who complete the planned work before their peers often have to wait for them to finish before their learning is moved on. This results in valuable learning time being lost in class lessons and intervention groups. The school should ensure that appropriate activities are planned so that pupils continue to practise and consolidate their learning. 24 and 25 September 2024

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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). 24 and 25 September 2024

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 19 and 20 March 2019, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 A new headteacher has been appointed since the last inspection.  The school is part of the Community Academies Trust (CAT).  The school does not use 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. During a graded inspection, we grade the school for each of our key judgements (quality of education; behaviour and attitudes; personal development; and leadership and management) and for any relevant provision judgement (early years and/or sixth form provision). Schools receiving a graded inspection from September 2024 will not be given an overall effectiveness grade.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision. 24 and 25 September 2024

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 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 and other senior leaders. Meetings were also held with the chair of the governing body, the CEO and the chair of the board of CAT.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, history and physical education. 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 discussed the curriculum in some other subjects.  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

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the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  An inspector observed a selection of pupils reading to members of staff. Other pupils were heard reading their own work during lessons.  Inspectors met with groups of pupils to talk about their learning and life in school. They met with parents at the start and end of the school day and took account of responses to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text comments and the staff survey.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around school and talked to them about behaviour, bullying and welfare.  Inspectors considered a range of documents, including leaders’ self-evaluation and plans for improvement and the minutes of governors’ meetings. Inspectors looked at records of attendance and behaviour and at documentation relating to SEND.

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Inspection team

Anne Potter, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

David Buckle Ofsted Inspector 24 and 25 September 2024

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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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