Woodfield Academy

Inspection of Woodfield Academy Studley Road, Redditch, Worcestershire B98 7HH

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Inspection dates: 19 and 20 November 2024

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The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Requires improvement Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Previous inspection grade Requires improvement

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The headteacher of this school is Neil Straw. This school is part of the Bordesley 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), Adrian Ward, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Deborah Andrews. 19 and 20 November 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high ambitions for every pupil. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) learn the curriculum alongside their peers. In the past, the school did not always act effectively to support pupils’ learning. This meant that pupils did not achieve as well as they could. New leaders and the trust have introduced many improvement strategies to address this. However, some staff are not implementing the new teaching approaches consistently well. This slows the positive impact of this work.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy learning and attend school regularly. They are friendly and polite. Positive relationships between staff and pupils are commonplace. The ‘One Woodfield’ core values permeate the school. Pupils understand what the school expects of them in terms of conduct. However, when pupils cause disruptions to lessons, the school does not deal with incidents of poor behaviour consistently well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school provides many opportunities for pupils to develop their personal qualities. They are taught about keeping safe and the importance of positive relationships. Many attend the school’s extra-curricular offer, such as the popular drama production. Additionally, pupils go on educational trips, including residential stays. The school provides pupils with effective advice about their next stages of education and possible career paths. As a result, pupils are well prepared for their next steps.

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

The school drives its ambitions for all pupils through a broad curriculum. Pupils join the school in Year 5, five terms before sitting their public tests. Pupils have not achieved well in these tests. They know and remember more by the time they leave school after Year 8.

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

The school has recently introduced improvements to teaching the curriculum, for example how staff should deliver explanations and provide opportunities for pupils to recall prior learning. These strategies are beginning to improve pupils’ learning. However, staff do not always deploy them consistently well. Many pupils joining the school have gaps in their learning. Work is underway to address this. While generally, staff use checks on what pupils can do well, this is not consistent. At times, teachers do not know what pupils can and cannot do. They are then not able to adapt their teaching to address these gaps. As a result, some pupils’ learning slows.

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

The school has clearly laid out processes to provide support for pupils with SEND. It swiftly identifies any pupils who may need extra help. Targeted interventions help pupils to catch up. Staff know pupils well and receive information and helpful strategies to meet each pupil’s needs in lessons. When these are deployed consistently well, pupils overcome their challenges. However, this is not consistent.

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

Reading is important to the school. The school knows that many pupils arrive with low literacy levels. The school identifies pupils who need extra help and provides them with targeted support. Pupils quickly improve their reading skills. They catch up over time, and more read at an age-appropriate level. 19 and 20 November 2024

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Securing strong attendance is a priority. The school knows of the challenges that some pupils face attending regularly. Key staff work closely with these pupils and their families to overcome any barriers. This work has improved attendance.

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Expectations of pupils’ conduct are generally understood by all. Suspensions and exclusions have been reduced. However, some staff do not effectively and consistently deal with incidents of poor behaviour. This results in low-level disruptions to lessons.

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The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development is strong. Pupils learn about positive mental health and well-being. The curriculum to develop pupils’ personal, social, health and economic understanding is highly effective. Pupils talk knowledgeably about the importance of kindness, tolerance and respect. The programme to inform pupils about possible career choices helps them to make informed decisions about their next steps. As a result, pupils are well prepared for later life.

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The trust and local governing board provide the school with the challenge, support and resources to deliver its inclusive vision. The recently developed programme of staff training provides teachers with the knowledge to carry out their roles. Staff enjoy working here and say that leaders are considerate of their well-being and workload.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Not all staff consistently implement the new approaches to teaching the intended curriculum in lessons. As a result, these have not fully had the desired impact on sustainably improving pupils’ achievements across the curriculum. The school should ensure staff receive the support they need to deliver the curriculum effectively so that all pupils know more and remember more.  Some staff do not use checks on what pupils can do and have learned with enough rigour. They do not typically spot the gaps in learning pupils have. They then do not routinely match learning to pupils’ needs or adapt their teaching to fill any gaps. This slows the learning of pupils. The school should ensure that all staff have the expertise to support pupils’ learning effectively.  Some staff do not apply the school’s behaviour policy consistently well. When this happens, some pupils become disengaged from their learning and low-level disruption

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

occurs. The school should ensure staff receive the support needed to consistently apply the behaviour systems to allow all pupils to meet the school’s high behaviour expectations. 19 and 20 November 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). 19 and 20 November 2024

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 7 and 8 June 2022, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this school

 The school is a larger-than-average-size middle school. It is part of the Bordesley Multi- Academy Trust.  There have been a number of changes to the senior leadership in the last two years.  The school does not use any alternative provision.  The school provides a breakfast club to its pupils.  The school meets the requirements of the provider access legislation, which requires schools to provide pupils in Years 8 to 13 with information and engagement about approved technical education qualifications and apprenticeships.

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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 19 and 20 November 2024

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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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 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation 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 the headteacher, the deputy headteacher, the assistant headteachers and other senior leaders. The lead inspector held a meeting with the local governing body, including the chair and vice-chair.  Inspectors held meetings with representatives from the multi-academy trust, including the chair of the board, the deputy CEO and the safeguarding and attendance lead.  Inspectors met with curriculum leaders, early career teachers and teaching staff.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: English, early reading, mathematics, history, science and languages. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers,

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spoke to pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. Inspectors also discussed the curriculum in some other subjects.  An inspector listened to pupils read to a familiar 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 and interactions during lessons and at breaktimes and lunchtimes and spoke to many pupils during the inspection.  Inspectors took account of the parent responses to the Ofsted Parent View survey, including any free-text comments. Inspectors also considered the responses to the online pupil and staff surveys.

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Inspection team

Bianka Zemke, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Gill Turner Ofsted Inspector 19 and 20 November 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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