Westwoodside Church of England Academy

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Westwoodside Church of England Academy Nethergate, Westwoodside, Doncaster, South Yorkshire DN9 2DR

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Outcome

Evidence gathered during this ungraded (section 8) inspection suggests that aspects of the school’s work may not be as strong as at the time of the previous inspection. The school’s next inspection will be a graded inspection.

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Outcome

The head of school in this school is Aaron Rush. This school is a single academy trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Maria Potter.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy attending school. There are positive relationships between adults and pupils. Pupils enjoy chatting to staff and visitors. Pupils are safe in school. They know there are trusted adults in school that will help them if they need it. Pupils understand the risks of the internet and know how to stay safe online.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are well behaved. They move around the school sensibly. Pupils help each other with work in class. However, a number of pupils ‘switch off’ during lessons and do not concentrate. This tends to occur when work is too easy or too hard. Bullying is not an issue at school. Pupils recognise that it can happen, but they are confident that adults will act quickly should it occur.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy the opportunities they have to take on responsibilities. For example, members of the school council have helped to improve the outdoor environment. Pupils contribute positively to the community. They support the local food bank and raise money for charities such as Children in Need.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school wants the best for its pupils and to help them succeed. Too many pupils have gaps in their learning. However, the school’s ambition is not yet realised. 4 February 2025

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

Pupils study a wide range of subjects. The school has begun to review the curriculum. However, the school has not identified the most important things that pupils must know in some subjects. This means teachers are not clear about the content they should teach or how to build on what pupils have learned before in these subjects. Where important knowledge has been identified, teachers do not always teach this. As a result, pupils do not develop the depth of understanding that they should in some subjects.

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

The school does not use checks on learning carefully enough. Sometimes, the misconceptions pupils have and the mistakes they make are not identified during lessons. For example, the school does not teach early writing skills well enough. Many pupils do not form letters accurately. This often goes unchecked. Other pupils find work too easy. The school does not recognise this quickly enough and provide further challenge. As a result, some pupils do not learn as well as they should.

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

Some children struggle to develop their reading skills in the Reception class. Children start to read as soon as they start school. The school has introduced a new approach to the teaching of reading. It has provided staff with training. However, there have been significant changes in staff. As a result, the school has found it difficult to maintain a consistent approach to how reading is taught. Teachers check that pupils are keeping up. Sometimes, these checks are not accurate. This means that some pupils find it hard to learn new sounds in phonics lessons. As a result, some pupils struggle to read their reading books.

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

The school establishes positive relationships with parents as soon as their children join the early years. Children are inquisitive and eager to learn. The environment is well organised and staff encourage children to develop independence. However, the school has not clearly identified what children must learn as they move through the early years. As a result, some children are not ready for their next steps. The school is reviewing the early years curriculum.

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

There are accurate systems to identify pupils who have additional needs. The school puts plans in place to support pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). However, these plans are not precise enough. Sometimes, the activities these pupils complete do not take account of their needs. The school is sometimes too slow to secure and act on external advice when needed. As a result, some pupils with SEND do not learn as well as they should.

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

The school celebrates and encourages individuality. Pupils are encouraged to share their ideas and opinions. The school involves all pupils in the life of the school. As a result, pupils are respectful of others with different beliefs or backgrounds. The mental well- being ambassadors promote positive mental health in school. This helps pupils to talk confidently about the benefits of positive mental health.

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

The school has taken steps to make improvements this year. Leaders recognise there is still more work to do. Staff find the workload placed on them difficult to manage. 4 February 2025

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However, they appreciate the support they receive from leaders. Staff recognise the work they do will help to improve the school. The governing body has an accurate view of the school. The governing body has worked closely with the local authority and a multi- academy trust to get additional support. This has helped the school to make some improvements.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The school has not identified important knowledge in some subjects, including in the early years. As a result, pupils do not build on what they know or can do in these subjects. The school should review curriculum plans to ensure that important knowledge is clearly identified and enables pupils to build on what they know and can do as they move through the school.  The school does not check how well pupils are learning carefully enough. This means misconceptions are not corrected and pupils have gaps in their learning. Some pupils’ learning is not extended, and they could learn more. The school should ensure that it checks what pupils have learned and act quickly to provide further support and challenge when needed.  Some pupils with SEND do not receive the support they need. As a result, some pupils with SEND do not achieve well enough. The school should ensure that pupils with SEND receive effective support that is well matched to their needs.

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Background

Until September 2024, on a graded (section 5) inspection we gave schools an overall effectiveness grade, in addition to the key and provision judgements. Overall effectiveness grades given before September 2024 will continue to be visible on school inspection reports and on Ofsted’s website. From September 2024, graded inspections will not include an overall effectiveness grade. This school was, before September 2024, judged to be good for its overall effectiveness.

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Background

We have now inspected the school to determine whether it has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at that previous inspection. This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school’s work has improved significantly or that it may not be as strong as it was at the last inspection, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection. A graded inspection is carried out under section 5 of the Act. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, 4 February 2025

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behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

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This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good for overall effectiveness in March 2020.

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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). 4 February 2025

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 4 and 5 March 2020, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school operates a breakfast club.  The school does not currently use any alternative provision.  The school has a Christian religious character. The school’s most recent section 48 inspection took place in June 2022.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision.  This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The 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 school’s senior leaders, members of the governing body and a representative of the local authority. 4 February 2025

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 The inspectors visited a sample of lessons, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  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.  The inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school site.  The inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View, as well as the responses to Ofsted’s online surveys for staff and pupils.  The inspectors reviewed a range of documentation, including safeguarding records and minutes of governing body meetings.

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Inspection team

Jaimie Holbrook, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Jo Bentley Ofsted Inspector 4 February 2025

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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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