Woolden Hill Primary School

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Woolden Hill Primary School Netherfield Road, Anstey, Leicester, Leicestershire LE7 7ES

p.1

Outcome

Woolden Hill Primary School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

p.1

Outcome

The headteacher of this school is Candi Norman. This school is part of Discovery Schools Academies Trust Ltd, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), Paul Stone, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Richard Bettsworth.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

This is a warm, welcoming and vibrant school. Pupils are keen to learn. They respond positively to the ambition the school has for them. Pupils take an active role in their own learning. Pupils are prepared well for secondary school and are confident in their use of technology to support independent learning. Most pupils achieve well, in line with national expectations. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) have the adaptions needed to access the curriculum successfully.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Across the school, pupils behave well. The very youngest children sustain concentration and take turns. They have highly positive attitudes to learning. Pupils know the school’s routines and follow them. They relish getting their name in ‘the golden book’ or getting house points. Pupils make good friends. Pupils learn how to be resilient and manage their feelings. This results in calm and harmonious learning and play environments.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

The school develops pupils’ self-esteem and confidence through highly effective pastoral care. There are many opportunities to participate in wider activities, for example sports, choir and leadership roles. Pupils benefit from visits to museums, theatres and a farm. They learn about the world beyond school through assemblies and links to charities at home and abroad. 25 and 26 March 2025

p.1

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

The school has a well-thought-out and ambitious curriculum that builds knowledge logically from early years upwards. The school and trust provide effective professional development for staff so they can deliver the curriculum effectively. In each year group, this results in most pupils working at the standard expected for their age.

p.2

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

The school expertly identifies pupils with SEND. Staff adapt learning so that any barriers to learning are addressed. Some pupils with SEND who have significant needs follow a carefully considered bespoke curriculum or have additional interventions tailored to their needs. As a result, pupils with SEND achieve well from their starting points.

p.2

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

The school has recently refined its approach to the teaching of reading to ensure that phonics is taught to a consistently high standard and that pupils’ reading knowledge is deepened. This has had a positive impact in lifting reading standards to above national averages. Pupils enjoy reading and those who need extra help quickly catch up. Pupils are provided with opportunities for reading well-chosen texts across the curriculum. In early years, stories underpin learning, enabling children to experience rich vocabulary from the outset.

p.2

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

Starting from early years, pupils learn how to write accurately and develop a sound grasp of key mathematical concepts. However, there are instances where pupils are given work that does not extend their depth of understanding. This limits how far pupils who are ready to learn more in writing and mathematics can excel. In early years, children are encouraged to be curious learners. However, again, some learning activities do not maximise opportunities to extend knowledge even further for those children ready to do so.

p.2

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

In the wider curriculum, pupils also engage in learning enthusiastically. They can recall current learning. Pupils with SEND work alongside their peers due to well-chosen adaptations to learning. However, some pupils are less secure in making links across subjects or are less confident in recalling prior learning. This hinders the depth of understanding these pupils are able to reach.

p.2

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

Pupils enjoy being at school and attendance is improving. The school takes swift, supportive action if absence becomes a concern. Pupils also benefit from having on-site mental well-being support. This reduces pupils’ worries so they are in the correct mindset for learning and sustaining friendships. There are high levels of mutual respect between adults and pupils. Pupils have trusted adults to help them. Pupils are not worried about bullying and have faith that any unwelcome behaviours are sorted out.

p.2

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

Pupils are taught how to keep themselves safe. For example, they are taught how to stay safe online and when crossing the road, and who to call in an emergency. They learn about democracy through fair elections. Weekly assemblies about topics in the news help pupils understand about respect, kindness and people’s rights and responsibilities. Pupils are suitably prepared for life in a diverse world. They are also supported with key transitions, from pre-school to Reception or from Year 6 to secondary school. 25 and 26 March 2025

p.2

3

The trust and those responsible for governance provide effective oversight of the school. Staff benefit from training and support from the trust’s central team. All leaders keep a watchful eye on staff’s well-being and workload. This is appreciated by staff.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some instances, pupils are set work that does not sufficiently deepen their knowledge. This means some pupils who are capable of more do not achieve as highly as they could. The school needs to ensure that staff enhance learning activities to specifically set work that will allow pupils the opportunity to extend their knowledge further so they can excel.  In the wider curriculum, links with prior learning are not made explicit enough and checks on what pupils must remember over time are not sufficiently robust. This limits how well pupils achieve the ambitious curriculum aims. The school should ensure that staff make effective checks on pupils’ learning and plan learning activities to ensure that pupils can securely connect knowledge across the curriculum.

p.3

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.

p.3

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.

p.3

Background

This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good for overall effectiveness in November 2019. 25 and 26 March 2025

p.3

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.

p.4

How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

p.4

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

p.4

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 March 2025

p.4

School details

Dates of previous inspection 26 and 27 November 2019, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

p.5

Information about this school

 The current headteacher took up post in September 2023.  The school runs a pre-school for children aged three to four years. Children attend a mix of morning and afternoon sessions.  The school uses one unregistered alternative provider.

p.5

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 lead inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The lead inspector met with the headteacher, subject leaders, teachers and support staff. 25 and 26 March 2025

p.5

6

 The lead inspector met with the trust’s school improvement partner.  The lead inspector met with a representative of the board of trustees, the chair of the local governing body and a governing body member.  To evaluate the quality of education, the lead inspector met with staff, visited classes, looked at pupils’ work and spoke to pupils from across the school.  The lead inspector also reviewed documentation provided by the school, including the school development plan, its self-evaluation document and minutes of the governing body meetings.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the lead inspector reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and children; and considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  The lead inspector met with a group of staff and considered the opinions expressed

p.6

6

through the staff survey.  The lead inspector took account of the views of parents expressed through Ofsted Parent View, including free-text comments.  The lead inspector spoke to pupils from all year groups during the inspection.

p.6

Inspection team

Sara Boyce, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 25 and 26 March 2025

p.6

7

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.

p.7

7

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.7

7

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open- government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

7

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

7

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7