Woodfield Primary School

Inspection of Woodfield Primary School Wigan Lane, Wigan, Lancashire WN1 2NT

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

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Until November 2020, the school was exempt from routine inspection because it was judged as outstanding for overall effectiveness at its previous inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. The school has not been inspected under section 5 of the Act since October 2014. Since September 2024, schools have not been awarded an overall effectiveness grade. 3 and 4 December 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Woodfield Primary School provides all pupils with an excellent standard of education. The school wants all pupils to be the very best they can be. Pupils, including children in the early years, rise to these high expectations at every opportunity. They benefit from an ambitious curriculum and staff expertise. As a result, pupils achieve exceptionally well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The quality of the learning environment, both indoors and outside, is superb. Pupils take pride in the high-quality displays, which bring many aspects of their work to life.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy and their behaviour is exemplary. The deep level of mutual respect that they show to each other is evident during lessons and at playtimes. Pupils know that staff care about them. They understand that if they have any worries or concerns, staff are there to lend a listening ear and offer support.

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What is it like to attend this school?

An exciting and extensive range of personal development opportunities are on offer to all. Pupils access a wide range of clubs and trips to broaden their awareness of the world around them. They make a highly significant contribution to decision-making within the school through their many leadership roles, such as school councillors, well-being ambassadors and play leaders. They are very proud of the money that they raise for a wide range of charitable causes, and of the extensive links that they have established with the local community.

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

The school is relentless in its pursuit of excellence. This is evident in the quality of the curriculum. It is highly ambitious and sets out clearly the knowledge and skills that the school wants pupils to learn. This ensures that staff are highly aware of how to build on pupils’ prior knowledge and what essential knowledge they will need for their future learning. Using the latest research, the school regularly reviews the curriculum to ensure that it is of high-quality content and relevant to pupils in the school.

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

Pupils’ recall about what they have learned across many subjects in the curriculum is deep and detailed. They connect what they have learned in the past to topics that they are currently studying. Staff access high-quality training to ensure that they deliver the curriculum exceptionally well.

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

Teachers present new learning clearly and concisely. They check pupils’ understanding before they move them on to more complex learning. Any misconceptions are dealt with as soon as they arise. Teachers design tasks that match the high ambition of the curriculum.

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

Teaching pupils to become confident and fluent readers is a school priority. As soon as children enter the early years, they are introduced to the joys of stories, rhymes and poems. In the Reception class, there is a strong emphasis on developing children’s language skills. The teaching of phonics begins as soon as children start at the school. Well-trained staff deliver the school’s phonics programme exceptionally well. Teachers 3 and 4 December 2024

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make excellent use of their voice and body language to make phonics teaching a pleasurable experience for all. Pupils, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), read books that are closely matched to the sounds that they know. The school is swift to spot pupils who are falling behind with the intended curriculum. Targeted support is put in place to help these pupils catch up with their peers. Older pupils love to read. They talk confidently about their favourite authors and the different types of books that they like to read.

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Pupils value their education. They work hard in lessons. They are resilient and not afraid to make mistakes.

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Pupils with SEND, including those in the early years, have their needs identified quickly. Carefully considered adaptations are made so that most pupils can learn alongside their friends in class. Pupils with SEND achieve highly from their different starting points.

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Pupils are becoming responsible citizens. They recognise the importance of protecting the planet for future generations. Through the curriculum, pupils learn about money management and the dangers of alcohol and drug misuse. They understand the importance of keeping themselves healthy, both mentally and physically. Pupils learn a deep respect for the view of others as they debate topical issues, such as ‘what makes a good friend’.

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Pupils talk very confidently about the different faiths and cultures that form part of modern Britain. They recognise and value families that are different to their own. Pupils recognise the dangers of the internet and what they must do to keep themselves safe when they are online.

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Governors know the school exceptionally well. They offer a high level of support and challenge while clearly focusing on the quality of education.

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Staff feel very appreciated and enjoy working at the school. They know that the school will go the extra mile to ensure that they have an acceptable work-life balance. This ensures that pupils benefit from a harmonious atmosphere in the school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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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. 3 and 4 December 2024

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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 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). 3 and 4 December 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 21 and 22 October 2014, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Since the previous inspection, a new headteacher has been appointed.  The school runs a before- and after-school club for pupils.  The school does not currently access any alternative provision for pupils.

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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. 3 and 4 December 2024

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 This is 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.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: 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.  The lead inspector observed pupils from Years 1 to 3 read to a familiar adult.  Inspectors considered the curriculums in other subjects. They met with leaders, spoke with pupils and reviewed pupils’ work in these 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 and puts children’s interest first.  The lead inspector spoke with members of the governing body. She also spoke with two representatives of the local authority.  Inspectors spoke with staff about their workload and well-being. They also took account of the responses to Ofsted’s online survey for staff.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in classrooms, in the playground and in the dining hall.  The lead inspector met with leaders who are responsible for attendance, behaviour and pupils’ personal development.  Inspectors looked at a range of polices and documentation relating to pupils’ welfare and education.  An inspector met with parents and carers at the start of the school day. The lead inspector took account of the responses to the online survey for parents, Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text responses. Inspectors also took account of the school’s

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own questionnaire for parents.  Inspectors spoke with groups of pupils about their experiences at school. They took account of the responses to Ofsted’s online pupil survey, including the free-text responses.

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Inspection team

Sheila Iwaskow, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Elaine Jackson Ofsted Inspector 3 and 4 December 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 looked-after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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