Woodhall Primary School

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Woodhall Primary School Mayflower Way, Sudbury, Suffolk CO10 1ST

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Outcome

Evidence gathered during this ungraded (section 8) inspection suggests that the school’s work may have improved significantly across all areas since the previous inspection. The school’s next inspection will be a graded inspection.

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Outcome

The headteacher of this school is Lisa Tweed. This school is part of the Unity Schools Partnership 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), Tim Coulson, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Christine Quinn.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils love their school. They arrive looking forward to the day. Pupils receive a warm welcome at breakfast club. They enjoy the caring, friendly and ordered start to their day. There are many happy smiles from pupils playing table football and riding scooters.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are cared for well. Staff have their best interests at heart. Pupils can rely on the staff for support if they are worried or upset. Everyone learns how to manage their emotions and ask for help. Pupils feel safe and respected.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff have the highest expectations of all pupils’ behaviour. Pupils meet these expectations readily because there are very clear rules, values, rights and responsibilities. As a result, pupils behave extremely well and have highly respectful, mutually supportive relationships. There are no limits at Woodhall. The school has lofty ambitions for all. Pupils ‘shine’ and always do their best. They work hard, attend to their learning and achieve highly.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils benefit from an extremely wide range of opportunities to develop personally. They are proud to contribute to school improvement in the school’s solution circles. Pupils look forward to extra activities such as fashion design and jewellery-making club. They are interested, creative and responsible members of the school community. 25 and 26 March 2025

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

The curriculum is highly aspirational and implemented consistently well. The school has identified important knowledge they want pupils to know. This starts in the early years. Learning is carefully sequenced so that pupils build a very secure understanding of the curriculum over time. Staff receive effective training. Consequently, they have strong knowledge of the curriculum and how to teach it. Staff quickly address any misconceptions pupils may have. They revisit learning pupils are unclear about. Staff have high expectations of pupils’ independence, recall and application of previous learning. As a result, pupils learn and achieve very well from their various starting points.

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

Children begin to learn to read as soon as they start school in the Nursery Year. Across the school, pupils learn to love and appreciate the power of great stories and information texts. Staff teach reading with confidence. They use consistent phrases, routines and resources to teach new sounds and review familiar ones. Pupils enjoy the pattern of lessons and proudly demonstrate what they know. Staff check regularly how well pupils are learning. Pupils who need help to stay on track with the school’s very high expectations receive effective support. Books that pupils read enable them to practise the sounds they are learning. Older pupils enthusiastically name their favourite books and authors. Pupils enjoy reading and become confident, independent and fluent readers.

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

The school has very high expectations of pupils’ behaviour, attitudes and learning. These expectations are embedded across the school. Pupils listen when others are talking. They respond courteously to everyone, speaking in the full sentences they have been taught to use. Pupils use familiar resources, routines and technology to help them learn. They discuss learning and cooperate well with their peers. Pupils have highly positive attitudes and can confidently recall and explain their learning.

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

The school prioritises good attendance. Staff are quick to identify and provide support with any attendance issues. As a result, attendance continues to improve.

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

Staff know pupils well. They identify pupils’ needs and gaps in learning consistently well. The school is highly inclusive and is ambitious for all pupils. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) learn the same aspirational curriculum as their friends. They have additional resources, adaptations and support to help them achieve their targets. As a result, pupils with SEND achieve their best possible outcomes.

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

The school has a comprehensive and well-thought-out personal development offer. It aims for everyone to be thoughtful, resourceful and self-aware. Pupils have opportunities to try new things and develop their strengths. They learn about a range of cultures and religions and how to stay physically and mentally well. They develop a strong sense of belonging and duty to their community. They are very well prepared for life beyond school.

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

Leaders at all levels work very effectively together as a team to help the school accomplish its ambitions for pupils and ensure the school continues to improve. Governance is highly effective. Roles and responsibilities are ably fulfilled. Leaders are 25 and 26 March 2025

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mindful of staff workload in their work to improve the school further. Staff take pride in their work and are proud to be part of this successful school community.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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

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Background

This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good for overall effectiveness in December 2019.

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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 25 and 26 March 2025

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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 March 2025

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 3 and 4 December 2019, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 There is a breakfast and after-school club run by the school.  The school does not use alternative provision.  The school is part of the Unity Schools Partnership trust.  The school has a specially resourced provision. It caters for pupils with education, health and care plans.

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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 inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the school. 25 and 26 March 2025

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 The inspector visited a sample of lessons, spoke to pupils about their learning and looked at pupils’ work and books.  The inspector met with school leaders, the CEO and the chair of the trust and members of the local governing body.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspector: reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff, pupils, parents and carers; and considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  The inspector evaluated a range of documents, including leaders’ strategic plans and the school’s self-evaluation.  Teachers, support staff and subject leaders met with the inspector to discuss their views of the school.  The inspector evaluated the responses to Ofsted’s staff and pupil surveys and took account of the responses to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View, including parents’

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Inspection team

Debbie Rogan, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 25 and 26 March 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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