Northlands Wood Primary Academy

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Northlands Wood Primary Academy Beech Hill, Haywards Heath, West Sussex RH16 3RX

p.1

Outcome

Northlands Wood Primary Academy has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud of their highly inclusive school. They live up to the school’s high expectations for their learning and behaviour. They know why the school rules matter and demonstrate them consistently. In lessons, pupils are respectful and motivated learners. They achieve well across the curriculum.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy contributing to the school through the many leadership roles available to them. Those on the school council have a strong voice when representing their peers. Older pupils act as positive role models when they lead playtime activities and help to run the school’s assemblies. Pupils enjoy their break and lunchtimes where they can choose from an abundance of fun activities.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

The school provides an interesting and inclusive extra-curricular programme. Pupils’ interests and talents are nurtured well through school clubs and in the trips which enhance their learning. Sporting events allow many pupils to develop a sense of team spirit. This includes the recent flag football team who competed in a regional competition with pride.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Parents and carers praise many aspects of the school. They value the regular communications they receive which keep them informed about their children’s learning. The school newsletters value and celebrate pupils’ achievements both in and outside of school.

p.1

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

The school has designed an ambitious and high-quality curriculum from the early years to Year 6. It ensures that pupils’ learning prepares them for their next educational steps and 7 and 8 May 2025

p.1

2

reflects their local context. Pupils remember their learning well through regular recaps and their use of informative classroom displays.

p.2

2

Inclusion sits at the heart of this school’s ethos. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities have their needs identified accurately. Across the curriculum, teachers have strong subject knowledge and ensure that all pupils receive the support they need to learn well. Recent changes to the school’s English curriculum are having a positive impact. However, some pupils do not use appropriate punctuation and grammar in their written work.

p.2

2

Children get off to an excellent start in the early years. They listen carefully and show enthusiasm for their learning. The environment and resources are well set up so that children can make independent decisions. Teaching staff incorporate activities which build on children’s interests and learning needs. Children use their ‘busy books’ to apply their learning well. They have many opportunities to explore the natural world through their first-hand experiences. For example, they show awe and wonder when examining butterflies and moths which link to their book, ‘The Woolly Bear Caterpillar’.

p.2

2

Pupils become confident and skilled readers. Staff teach the school’s phonics programme well. Pupils pronounce letter sounds accurately and blend them together to read words. Any pupils who need extra help, receive support to catch up quickly. They benefit from experiencing a wide and diverse range of text types across the curriculum. Pupils are enthusiastic readers and talk knowledgeably about their favourite authors.

p.2

2

The school develops pupils’ communication and language skills well. There are many opportunities for pupils to debate and discuss their learning. Younger pupils use ambitious vocabulary which they learn by being immersed in books and through sharing nursery rhymes and songs. Adults support conversation well by modelling appropriate sentence structure and grammar. Drama activities allow pupils to draw inferences about characters’ actions. For example, pupils in Year 6 show in-depth understanding about their current book, ‘Frankenstein’.

p.2

2

Pupils benefit from their impressive forest school sessions. They enthuse about their learning and show respect and care for the natural world. Pupils learn how to assess and manage risk. They use a range of tools with skill and take appropriate care around the fire pit and pond. Pupils are engrossed in their interesting outdoor activities. They make strong and purposeful links with their classroom learning. For example, they apply their scientific knowledge about lifecycles and habitats.

p.2

2

Pupils behave well. They are kind and caring to each other. Pupils care deeply about fairness and equality. They speak with passion about people like Rosa Parks and Ruby Bridges and understand why it is important to challenge racism and discrimination.

p.2

2

The governing body and trust ensure that they support school leaders well. They have an accurate view of the school’s strategic strengths and next steps. This is enabling the school to take effective action to maintain the standards from the last inspection and to relentlessly address any improvement areas, such as reducing the numbers of pupils who 7 and 8 May 2025

p.2

3

are persistently absent from school. Staff are incredibly proud to be part of the school team. They appreciate their training opportunities and the consideration given to their workload and well-being.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Recent changes to the English curriculum are beginning to have a positive impact on pupils’ writing. However, some pupils’ written outcomes are not as strong as they should be. The school should continue to embed these curriculum improvements and evaluate their impact to ensure that pupils' writing is further strengthened.

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 second ungraded inspection since we judged the predecessor school, Northlands Wood Community Primary School, to be good for overall effectiveness in May 2014.

p.3

How can I feed back my views?

find out what other parents and carers think. We use information from Ofsted Parent View 7 and 8 May 2025

p.3

4

when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection.

p.4

4

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). 7 and 8 May 2025

p.4

School details

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

p.5

Information about this school

 The school is part of the Sussex Learning Trust.  The school does not currently use any alternative provision.

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. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspector met with school leaders and with representatives from the trust and the local governing body.  The inspector visited a sample of lessons, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. 7 and 8 May 2025

p.5

6

 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 analysed responses to the staff survey and spoke to staff about their views of the school.  The inspector took account of the responses to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View and the additional free-text responses. They also spoke with parents at the start of the second day of the inspection.

p.6

Inspection team

Kate Fripp, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector 7 and 8 May 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