Woodlea Primary School

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Woodlea Primary School Long Hill, Woldingham, Caterham, Surrey CR3 7EP

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Outcome

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

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Outcome

The headteacher of this school is Nina Gambier. This school is part of Tandridge Learning 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), Rebecca Plaskitt, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by David Prothero (interim chair).

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is a welcoming and nurturing environment. Pupils are well looked after and enjoy the warm and trusting relationships they have with staff. Pupils feel comfortable asking for help if they have any concerns. For example, they like being able to use their ‘listening ear’ picture to alert staff when something is worrying them. The school has high expectations and pupils rise to these. They behave positively, work hard and achieve well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school’s ethos of ‘ready for life’ underpins much of the school’s work. The annual ‘WOW Woodlea’ event, for example, introduces pupils to different careers and life skills, such as cookery and financial awareness. Pupil responsibilities, including house captains and prefects, help pupils to develop their leadership and organisational skills.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are encouraged to be kind and considerate. Older pupils help to look after younger ones through roles such as ‘Playground Angels’, organising games and acting as buddies. The school makes great use of its extensive grounds. The pupil-led ‘Eco Council’ help to maintain these. For example, they undertake gardening and clean the pond. Pupils have opportunities to nurture their sporting, creative and musical talents, including through sports tournaments, the choir, and the annual ‘Woodlea’s Got Talent’. 29 and 30 April 2025

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

The school, the trust and governors work together to secure continuous improvements for all pupils. Since the previous inspection, the school has refined its curriculum thinking. Leaders give careful thought to the knowledge and skills they want pupils to learn, and these are mapped out in a sequential and logical way. Staff receive regular training and development, which helps to maintain and improve their subject knowledge and pedagogy. The trust, for example, provides opportunities for staff to work with other schools, sharing ideas and comparing practice. However, in a few subjects, the delivery of the curriculum is not as strong as in other subjects. This affects how well pupils build up knowledge in these subjects.

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

The teaching of phonics is particularly strong and reflects the priority placed on reading by the school. Weaker readers receive well-targeted support to help them catch up quickly. From the early years, pupils secure essential mathematical, reading and writing knowledge and skills. Pupils build on these as they progress through the school. Pupils achieve well, as seen in published outcomes at the end of Year 6 in reading, writing and mathematics. The curriculum prepares pupils appropriately for the next stage of their education.

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

The school provides an inclusive environment where all pupils can learn the broad and ambitious curriculum. Staff identify pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities at an early stage. The school accesses specialist external support as necessary and staff ensure that pupils’ different needs are met. The school makes decisions with pupils’ best interests at heart so that no pupil is left behind.

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

Skilled teaching staff explain subject content clearly, check pupils’ learning carefully and answer pupils’ relevant questions in lessons accurately. Staff encourage pupils to think deeply and to explain their ideas using subject-specific language. In many subjects, teaching helps pupils to remember previous subject content that has been taught and address any gaps or misconceptions. However, in some subjects, opportunities to recap and practise important knowledge are not so well considered. Where this is the case, pupils’ knowledge is sometimes not secure, and they struggle to recall important information they have previously learned.

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

The school has a clear behaviour policy, which staff consistently adhere to. Pupils are attentive in lessons and want to do their best. Staff provide nurturing and personalised support to ensure that pupils can engage in their education appropriately. Pupils attend school regularly and attendance rates have improved steadily over time.

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

The school organises various opportunities beyond the classroom to enhance pupils’ learning. Pupils enjoy the ‘Curiosity Challenges’, for example, where pupils work on projects that they have chosen and designed. These help to develop skills in areas such as research, technology and presentation. Pupils have a range of purposeful educational trips and activities that broaden their experiences. Staff teach pupils to respect people’s 29 and 30 April 2025

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differences. Through activities such as ‘news assemblies’, pupils learn about current affairs and the importance of listening to different viewpoints.

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Leaders have established a supportive and collaborative culture in the school. Staff often take on multiple responsibilities. However, they report that leaders help them to manage their workload, because their well-being is a priority for the school and trust. Staff morale is high, and staff are proud to work here. There are clear structures in place that help governors and trustees to both support and challenge the school effectively.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The implementation of the curriculum is varied in a few foundation subjects. Sometimes, the opportunities for pupils to recap and practise prior learning are limited. This affects how well pupils build their knowledge over time. The school should ensure that the curriculum is implemented consistently well across subjects.

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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 second ungraded inspection since we judged the predecessor school, Woodlea Primary School, to be good for overall effectiveness in May 2012. 29 and 30 April 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). 29 and 30 April 2025

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School details

Chair of trust David Prothero (interim chair)

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 11 and 12 February 2020, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Since the previous inspection, there have been some changes in school leadership. The headteacher took up post in September 2022 and a new assistant headteacher was appointed in January 2024.  The school manages before- and after-school care for its pupils.  The school uses two alternative provisions, one registered and one unregistered.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of 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. 29 and 30 April 2025

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 The inspector held discussions with the headteacher, the assistant headteachers, groups of pupils, teaching staff and non-teaching staff.  The inspector met with the interim chair of the trust board, the CEO and two members of the local governing committee.  The inspector 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 inspector: 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 inspector considered the responses to the online survey for parents and carers, Ofsted Parent View, including free-text comments, and to the staff survey.

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Inspection team

Jude Wilson, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 29 and 30 April 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 looked-after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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