Woodlea Junior School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Improve the quality of teaching, learning and assessment so that pupils’ progress becomes even faster, by:
  • making sure that the most able pupils are challenged to work hard and think for themselves
  • making sure that pupils are taught strategies and skills to enable them to persevere and solve problems independently.
• Improve the quality of leadership, by:
  • ensuring that art, modern foreign languages and design technology are taught in sufficient depth
  • continuing to support subject leaders, so that they check the teaching of subject-specific skills, in subjects such as art and design technology, is appropriate and effective.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• Leaders and governors have steered the school through a period of considerable change since the previous inspection. They have minimised the potential impact of a number of key staff changes on pupils’ learning. Leaders have sustained a focus on improving the quality of teaching, learning and assessment during an unsettled time, ensuring continuous improvement in pupils’ outcomes over the past three years.
• The headteacher’s determination and commitment to improving the school has been central to its success since the previous inspection. She provides clear direction for her colleagues. She sets high expectations for herself and others and her tenacity has secured a strong and committed teaching team.
• Leaders manage staff performance positively and effectively. They insist on the very best for pupils and have successfully tackled the legacy of weak teaching since the previous inspection so that pupils’ progress has improved. All staff benefit from and value high-quality training and support and this is effective in securing effective continuous improvement.
• Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is promoted effectively. The curriculum provides opportunities for pupils to enjoy learning and appreciate the world around them. Pupils work together constructively and this develops their social skills. They develop a good sense of their own cultural heritage as well as learning about other cultures and faiths. This is supported through the school’s work with the Burnley Faith Centre, where pupils have the opportunity to ‘email a believer’ to explore a deeper understanding of a range of religions.
• British values are reflected in the school’s own core values which are promoted through the curriculum and through carefully planned enrichment weeks. Pupils learn ‘what it means to be British’ by exploring history, architecture, art and culture. This prepares them well for life in modern Britain. For example, pupils’ understanding of the diversity of Britain develops as they learn about racism during Black History Month and celebrate the work of the local Turner Prize-winning artist, Lubaina Himid.
• The pupil premium funding is used effectively to raise achievement and to broaden the experiences of disadvantaged pupils. Appropriate initiatives to minimise barriers to learning and raise achievement have a positive impact. Support to improve attendance and punctuality has been successful in making sure that pupils arrive in school on time every day, well prepared to learn. Similarly, support to minimise behavioural, social and emotional barriers to learning helps to raise pupils’ self-esteem and promote their positive attitudes to learning.
• Funding for pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities is used effectively to promote their achievement and independence. Leaders liaise closely with outside agencies to ensure that pupils get the additional support that they need to overcome barriers to learning and to meet their personal and emotional needs.
• Additional physical education and sport funding is used effectively to extend pupils’ participation in sporting activities and develop staff skills. The school has a clear focus on promoting health and well-being, for example by providing opportunities for pupils to learn emergency life-saving skills.
• Pupils are offered many additional opportunities to broaden their experiences. Visits to museums, science centres and residential outdoor pursuit activities motivate and inspire pupils and enhance their learning. Pupils also enjoy a wide range of activities after school, including sporting, craft and drama clubs.
• The majority of parents and carers are very supportive of the school. Typically, parents comment that Woodlea is ‘a lovely school that provides a healthy, happy environment where pupils thrive’.
• The curriculum is generally well planned and subjects such as English and mathematics are monitored closely. Leaders acknowledge that the majority of school time has been devoted to improving pupils’ English and mathematical skills. Some subjects, such as art, modern foreign languages and design technology are not monitored closely and are not taught frequently enough or in sufficient depth to enable pupils to learn subject-specific skills. Consequently, the progress some pupils have made in art, design technology and modern foreign languages is not as good as it should be.

Governance of the school

• Governors share the passion and commitment of the headteacher and senior leaders to raise standards in the school. They have set out high expectations and closely monitor the school’s work to achieve these goals.

• As part of a review of the school’s effectiveness, new governors have been recruited to strengthen the expertise of the governing body. They take full advantage of regular training opportunities, including those for safeguarding, to further develop their skills.
• Governors have an accurate understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the school. They are increasingly well-informed about the quality of teaching and pupils’ outcomes. This is because they ask challenging questions about the information they are given and use the advice of the local authority to help validate reports provided by school leaders.
• Governors manage the performance of the headteacher effectively and are aware of staff salary progression. They ensure that additional funding is used as intended and that this has a positive impact on pupils’ achievements.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• The leadership of safeguarding is highly effective in communicating the school’s policies and systems so that all staff understand them well. Leaders keep detailed records and follow up all concerns both within school and with other agencies. For example, any unexplained absences are followed up quickly.
• Staff are well trained, appropriate to their responsibilities, and receive frequent updates from members of the safeguarding team. The result is that the culture within the school is one of constant vigilance.
• The welfare and well-being of each pupil takes a high priority in the school. The family support worker works very closely with all staff, parents and pupils, providing highly effective support. Very close links with the feeder infant school mean that leaders are able to initiate help for vulnerable pupils quickly in order to support the whole family.
• Parents agree that staff are vigilant in keeping pupils safe.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• School leaders have continually focused on improving teaching and learning and taken effective action to address any insecure teaching practice. The headteacher and senior leaders have ensured rapid improvements by providing guidance, training and skilled support to teachers.
• Teachers’ high expectations of pupils’ behaviour help to build positive and secure relationships. Pupils know that staff want them to succeed so they work hard in lessons and concentrate well.
• A significant feature of teaching is the consistency of approaches. For example, as part of the focus on improving the teaching of writing, leaders and staff have implemented a well-organised approach. Pupils’ grammar, punctuation and spelling, as well as handwriting, are now taught effectively and have improved considerably since the last inspection. Teaching builds securely and progressively on what pupils have already learned. Pupils’ writing in books is well-structured, interesting to read and presented with care.
• Teachers successfully promote an enjoyment of reading. Pupils proudly wear their ‘reading challenge’ badges, which encourage them to read 100 books by the time they leave school. In addition, teachers use high-quality texts to enthuse and motivate pupils to read and to inspire their imaginations. For example, pupils in Year 5 developed their communication and imagination when discussing the feelings of characters in the book ‘The invention of Hugo Cabret’. As a result of these initiatives, pupils’ attainment and progress in reading is improving across the school.
• Teachers’ secure subject knowledge contributes well to the progress that pupils make in mathematics. An example of this was seen in a Year 4 mathematics lesson when the teacher’s analysis of different ways to solve number sentences helped to deepen understanding for pupils.
• Teaching assistants are well deployed to ensure that pupils who need extra help or those who have SEN and/or disabilities receive good-quality support. Accordingly, these pupils make strong progress from their starting points.
• Teachers encourage pupils to try their best in lessons, which they usually do. However, some pupils sometimes lack the resources and strategies to help them solve problems when they become stuck. They too frequently rely on adults to help them and the pace of learning slows while they wait for attention.
• Most teachers look for ways to make lessons interesting, while also making pupils think hard. In a Year 6 mathematics session, for example, the teacher adjusted the level of challenge for pupils by taking them outside of the classroom to calculate and measure area. However, assessment of pupils’ skills and knowledge is not always sharp and information is not used effectively to meet the needs of some pupils. On occasions, some pupils, especially the most able, are not sufficiently challenged either by the task that they are given or by the questions teachers ask. This means the progress of these pupils is not as swift as it could be.
• Although most subjects are taught in depth, pupils do not access a rich and deep curriculum in art, design technology and modern foreign languages. There is not a cohesive approach to the teaching of these subjects across the school.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.
• Strong relationships are key to the school’s success in securing a positive and purposeful learning atmosphere.
• Pupils know how to keep safe in different situations, including when online. Visitors to the school reinforce important messages and give pupils the opportunity to discuss concerns in a safe environment.
• Pupils value the help that they receive from the school’s family support worker and told inspectors that they receive help ‘to get through things when you have a problem’.
• Pupils enjoy taking responsibility and are justifiably proud of the good contribution that they make to the running of the school. The school’s food council helps to promote healthy eating and also encourages support for the local community by collecting food parcels from each class and delivering them to the local food bank. In addition, the eco committee helps develop a haven for wildlife in the school’s newly designed outdoor space called the ‘heart of the school’.
• Pupils are taught about different types of bullying and what to do if it happens. Pupils, staff and parents report that bullying is rare. Indeed, the pupils who spoke with inspectors could not recall any instance of bullying. Pupils are confident that adults will always have the time to listen to any concerns they might have and they trust adults in school to help.
• Parents appreciate the care and attention which staff give to their children. Almost all of those who answered the Ofsted questionnaire, Parent View, and most of those who spoke with inspectors, would recommend Woodlea Junior School to other parents.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good.
• Pupils are consistently respectful and show good manners to each other and to visitors. Inspectors observed several instances of pupils going out of their way to say a kind word, instinctively open a door for others or to assist when help was needed.
• Older pupils commented that behaviour has improved significantly in the last two years. They enjoy and value the new rewards and sanctions which they think they are far more effective. Since the previous inspection, some fixed-term exclusions have occurred. However, exclusion is not a common occurrence. This is because of the school’s consistent and effective approach to managing pupils’ behaviour and helping those who struggle to cope at school in overcoming their difficulties.
• On the playground, at breakfast club and in other informal situations, pupils mix happily with one another. They are at ease with adults and their peers and follow the school rules. School uniform is adhered to and older pupils are proud to wear a different coloured sweatshirt when they earn the right to model the positive behaviour expected in school.
• The rate of attendance at school has risen, especially for disadvantaged pupils and those who have SEN and/or disabilities. In the past, the attendance of these groups was low, but a series of successful initiatives means that attendance is similar to the national average in primary schools. Punctuality has also improved. School staff work very closely with pupils and their families to maintain these improvements.

Outcomes for pupils Good

• The improvement in teaching and learning has resulted in better progress and outcomes for pupils, particularly in reading and mathematics, over the last two years. The legacy of weak teaching has been addressed. Pupils’ progress across the school is accelerating.
• The 2017 key stage 2 results indicate that although pupils’ progress in writing lagged slightly behind that of reading and mathematics, middle-ability pupils made good progress in their writing in 2017. These pupils made up a substantial part of the cohort.
• Work in current pupils’ books shows that leaders’ effective actions have resulted in consistently strong progress for most pupils in reading, writing and mathematics. Teachers and pupils are rising to the challenge of leaders’ higher expectations.
• The quality of pupils’ writing continues to improve. Pupils’ books show that they take pride and care in the presentation of their work. This is because teachers’ expectations of pupils’ application and presentation of writing are high. Pupils transfer these skills well to subjects other than English.
• Progress and attainment in reading are also improving. Leaders have invested in a variety of effective support systems including computerised programmes to develop pupils’ reading skills while promoting a love of reading.
• Current pupils are making strong gains in their mathematical knowledge and understanding. They are increasingly confident in tackling mathematical problems and they use mathematical vocabulary appropriately.
• The school identifies pupils who are at risk of falling behind and makes effective provision through activities designed to meet their individual needs. This includes pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities. As a result, these pupils make strong progress from their different starting points.
• Effective use of the pupil premium funding helps disadvantaged pupils make strong progress in reading, writing and mathematics. Targeted teaching helps this group of pupils to overcome gaps in their learning.
• The 2017 test results at the end of Year 6 showed that the proportion of pupils working at a greater depth of understanding was below the national average in reading, mathematics and writing. Leaders are aware of the need to accelerate progress for the most able pupils and have recently turned the spotlight onto this group. Books for current pupils show that leaders are having some success. However, this is not embedded across the school.
• Pupils make strong progress in most subjects across the curriculum. However, progress in some subjects, including art, design technology and modern foreign languages, is not rapid enough for some pupils. This is because these subjects have received less attention due to changes in subject leadership and a focus on the teaching of English and mathematics.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 119208 Lancashire 10042441 This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. Type of school Junior School category Age range of pupils Gender of pupils Maintained 7 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 230 Appropriate authority Chair Headteacher Telephone number Website Email address Local authority Karen Stephens Jillian Shorrocks 01772 421992

www.woodleajuniors.co.uk head@woodlea.lancs.sch.uk

Date of previous inspection February 2016

Information about this school

• The school is average in size compared to other primary schools.
• The proportion of disadvantaged pupils is above the national average.
• The percentages of pupils from minority ethnic groups and of pupils who speak English as an additional language are below the national averages. 

• The proportion of pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities is similar to the national average, as is the proportion of pupils who have a statement of special educational needs or education, health and care plan.
• The school met the government’s current floor standards in 2017, which are the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 6.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors observed lessons in each class of the school, including joint observations with the headteacher.
• Discussions were held with senior leaders, members of staff, six representatives of the governing body and two representatives of the local authority. 

• Inspectors examined a wide range of documentation, including that relating to safeguarding, behaviour and attendance, school improvement planning, assessment information and reports on the quality of teaching. 

• Inspectors spoke to pupils informally during the school day and observed them during playtime, lunch and before and after school. They also met formally with one group of pupils to chat about their learning, behaviour and safety. 

• Inspectors heard a number of children read. 

• Inspectors took note of displays around the school. 

• A range of pupils’ books were checked with school leaders.
• Inspectors spoke to a number of parents at the start of the day and took account of the 109 responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View. Inspectors also took note of the 10 responses they received to the inspection questionnaire for school staff and the 25 responses they received to the inspection questionnaire for pupils. 


Inspection team

Cathy Parkinson, lead inspector Louise Corlett

Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector