Woodlands Park Primary School

Inspection of Woodlands Park Primary School Abbot Road, Ivybridge, Devon PL21 9TF

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Inspection dates: 25 and 26 February 2025

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The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good

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Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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The headteacher of this school is Eve Vollans. This school is part of Westcountry Schools 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), Rob Haring, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Carl Atkinson.

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Ofsted has not previously inspected Woodlands Park Primary School under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. However, Ofsted previously judged Woodlands Park Primary School to be outstanding for overall effectiveness, before it opened as an academy. Since September 2024, schools have not been awarded an overall effectiveness grade. 25 and 26 February 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at Woodlands Park Primary School are happy and safe. They are polite and well- mannered. Pupils value difference and understand the importance of respecting others. The school has high expectations for pupils. Pupils rise to these expectations and achieve well, ensuring that they are prepared for the next stage of their education.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Older pupils act as positive role models to younger pupils. Year 6 pupils are ‘coaches’ to the Year 3 pupils. This helps older pupils develop confidence and responsibility, while aiding younger pupils to develop positive attitudes to learning. Pupils enjoy taking on roles of responsibility, such as acting as eco-warriors, librarians and representing the views of their peers as school councillors.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils across the school behave well. Incidents of bullying are rare. When they occur, the school acts quickly to support all pupils. Pupils say that if they have a concern, there is always an adult who will listen and support them.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils make good use of the range of clubs available. Pupils develop their talents and interests through clubs such as cricket club, book club, basketball and participating in the school choir.

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

School leaders have a clear and ambitious vision for pupils. The curriculum is designed well to build pupils’ skills and knowledge progressively. This ensures most pupils are ready for the next stage of their education. The trust has prioritised the professional development of staff. As a result, staff feel supported and subject leaders have a clear understanding of how to continue to improve the effectiveness of their areas of the curriculum.

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

Children learn to read as soon as they start school. The school has close relationships with pre-schools which helps teachers to build an early understanding of the needs of children. Staff identify and understand the needs of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). This means that those children who require personalised support when learning to read, receive it early on. Staff are well trained and deliver the phonics curriculum consistently well. As a result, pupils achieve well in the national phonics screening check.

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

In most subjects, checks on pupils’ knowledge are used well to identify what pupils know and remember. In those subjects, pupils are secure in their learning and can explain what they have learned. For example, in history pupils describe the impact of Emperor Nero during his reign. While in geography, pupils compare their local area confidently with other regions of the world. However, in other subjects, assessment is not as effective. In these areas, teaching does not identify gaps in pupils’ knowledge. As a result, teachers do not consistently adapt teaching to ensure pupils are secure in what they are learning. 25 and 26 February 2025

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The trust and school work closely together to ensure pupils with SEND are well supported. When necessary, learning is adapted so that pupils with SEND learn the same rich curriculum as their peers. At other times, personalised sessions help pupils with SEND build the skills they need to access the wider curriculum.

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Children in the Reception class develop a love of learning from the time they start school. Staff use the books that children read to create engaging learning opportunities in the early years environment. Children paint characters from the stories they learn or develop dance moves that reflect how characters might move. This helps stimulate children’s interests in other learning experiences.

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The school is calm. Across the school, pupils know what is expected of them and as a result they behave well. For the small minority of pupils that find it difficult to manage their behaviour, the school ensures that these pupils receive effective support. This ensures that all pupils can learn well.

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While many parents are positive about the school’s work, some do not feel that communication between home and school is as effective as it could be. This has led to a feeling of disconnect between the school and some of its families.

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Pupils appreciate the range of trips on offer to them. They say that trips to Victorian villages help to deepen their understanding of the Victorian period. While residential trips help them to build friendships. The school’s ‘Wildtribe’ sessions develop pupils’ outdoor skills such as den building and fire lighting.

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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, assessment does not identify whether pupils have secured the skills and knowledge they need. Therefore, some pupils develop gaps in their learning that are not addressed. The trust should ensure that assessment is used to inform teaching and consolidate pupils’ understanding over time.  At times, the school does not communicate effectively with parents. This has led to some parents feeling disconnected from the school’s work and their child’s experience at school. The school should review and improve communication systems so that all parents feel fully involved and informed. 25 and 26 February 2025

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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). 25 and 26 February 2025

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 The school is part of Westcountry Schools Trust. Woodlands Park Primary School converted to become an academy school in September 2016. When its predecessor school, Woodlands Park Primary School, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be outstanding for overall effectiveness.  The school does not currently make use of alternative provision.  The headteacher was absent during the inspection.

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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. 25 and 26 February 2025

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 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. 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, geography, science and history. For each deep dive, the inspectors discussed the curriculum with teachers, 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.

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 The inspectors met the trust leadership team, the deputy headteacher, the special educational needs coordinator, the director of education, trustees and subject leaders.  The inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school site.  The inspectors gathered parents’ views by considering the responses to Ofsted Parent View and by talking to parents. The inspectors also reviewed responses to Ofsted’s online staff and pupil surveys.

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Inspection team

James Gentile, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Tracy Hannon Ofsted Inspector 25 and 26 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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