Woodside Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Continue to improve the quality of leadership and management by:
  • developing the roles of the English and mathematics subject leaders, to enable them to support the headteacher to improve the quality of teaching, learning and assessment further
  • ensuring that leaders work with staff so that pupils are challenged to make the best possible progress.
• Improve the quality of teaching, learning and assessment and improve pupils’ outcomes further by:
  • embedding the school’s strategies to improve the teaching, learning and assessment of mathematics to ensure that pupils make rapid progress to continue to raise standards across the school
  • ensuring that pupils receive the guidance they need in line with the school’s assessment policy to improve the quality of their writing
  • ensuring that teachers use assessment information effectively to plan work which provides stretch and challenge for those pupils capable of achieving the higher standards, particularly the middle-attaining pupils.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• The headteacher has worked with determination and a relentless drive to improve the quality of education that pupils receive. She is ably supported by a highly committed staff team. She has established high expectations for staff and pupils through initiatives such as peer reviews carried out by local headteachers and ‘Aspirations Week’. This work motivates staff to provide the very best education for the pupils at Woodside Primary School. Pupils thrive in this caring and supportive learning environment, where they achieve both in their academic and personal development.
• Senior leaders have an accurate understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses. The headteacher ensures that staff benefit from well-targeted professional development to improve the quality of teaching. This work has resulted in a better understanding of effective practice and therefore outcomes that are improving for pupils in mathematics.
• Leaders manage the performance of staff well. They hold teachers to account for pupils’ outcomes and ask challenging questions about individual pupils when outcomes are not sufficiently strong. Consequently, leaders identify dips in pupils’ achievement and implement actions to tackle any underperformance quickly. Current progress information for pupils in the school shows that the proportion making at least expected progress is increasing rapidly.
• Leaders use additional funding effectively to support disadvantaged pupils and those who have SEN and/or disabilities. For example, funding is used to employ additional teaching assistants who provide targeted support for vulnerable pupils. This includes additional support for younger pupils to improve their phonics and mathematics. Consequently, the differences in achievement between disadvantaged pupils and other pupils in the school has closed.
• Sport premium funding is used effectively to increase pupils’ participation in interschool sporting events and to provide specialist coaches to develop sporting skills such as swimming, cycling proficiency and gymnastics.
• The curriculum is broad, balanced and motivates and engages pupils to learn effectively. Work planned in English and mathematics for each year is carefully considered to provide links with other subjects. Extra-curricular clubs offer pupils opportunities to experience activities such as dance, yoga, drama and sports. This supports pupils to develop a range of skills as well as their personal interests.
• The social, moral, spiritual and cultural curriculum actively promotes a good understanding of British values and prepares pupils well for life in modern Britain. In assemblies, pupils learn about mental and physical well-being, healthy eating, exercise, being considerate of one another and the whole-school ethos of self-belief.
• Leaders have created a culture in the school where pupils feel safe and are a valued member of the whole-school community. Parents are overwhelmingly supportive of the school leadership. They value highly the daily access to their children’s teachers and regular information on their progress. Comments such as, ‘A wonderful village school which promotes social skills as well as meeting educational scores. It teaches children to believe in themselves as well as being good citizens’ are typical of those received from parents during the inspection.
• Subject leaders for mathematics and English are working hard to ensure that the quality of teaching and learning continues to improve. However, these roles are not yet fully developed. As a result, some inconsistencies remain in the quality of teaching, learning and assessment across the school and the outcomes pupils achieve.

Governance of the school

• There have been changes in governance since the last inspection. New governors have been recruited with the appropriate skills to be able to hold leaders to account for the continued improvement of the school. This has strengthened the capacity of leadership at the school.
• Governors have a good understanding of the strengths and areas for improvement. For example, they know where the quality of teaching is strong and where further improvement is required. They use information on the school’s performance to ask appropriate and often challenging questions of the headteacher. For example, they challenged the school’s outcomes in mathematics. In addition, leaders and governors work closely with the representative from the local authority and headteachers in local schools to review the quality of their work and its impact on pupils’ outcomes. As a result, governors are pivotal to the continued improvement of Woodside Primary School.
• Governors ensure that finances are closely monitored. They carefully evaluate the impact of additional funding, including the pupil premium and sport premium allocations. This is supporting pupils to receive high-quality and effective support to enable them to make good progress in their academic and personal development.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Safeguarding arrangements meet all statutory requirements well.
• The school works closely with social services to ensure that pupils are safe. There is a sharp focus on child protection. The headteacher, family support and special educational needs leaders follow safeguarding processes rigorously and escalate and pursue concerns with the Gloucestershire Safeguarding Children Board when required. As a result, pupils are kept safe. Their welfare is a priority for staff and this work sits at the heart of the school’s ethos.
• All staff are routinely trained in safeguarding procedures and they discuss their good understanding of how to keep pupils safe. This work contributes effectively to the school’s strong culture of safeguarding.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• The quality of teaching is typically good. Work in pupils’ books across a range of subjects shows that they make good progress from their individual starting points. Pupils are supported to learn well through effective relationships between staff and pupils which are positive and respectful.
• Leaders have improved the quality of teaching in mathematics in response to the outcomes achieved in 2016 and 2017. Focused training for staff and the sharing of assessment information have significantly improved the way mathematics is taught. Leaders have introduced an agreed approach throughout the school to ensure better consistency. This approach supports pupils to use and apply their knowledge, skills and understanding to reason and solve problems more effectively. The school’s information and work in pupils’ books shows that current pupils are making faster progress and are on track to reach higher standards at the end of the school year. However, the school’s approach is not yet fully embedded across all classes and some inconsistencies remain in the quality of teaching and outcomes that pupils achieve.
• The teaching of phonics is effective. Teachers and teaching assistants have strong subject knowledge and pupils respond well to the challenge provided to them. This is having a positive impact on the outcomes that pupils achieve.
• Teaching assistants support individual pupils effectively. Those who have SEN and/or disabilities receive dedicated help. This supports these pupils well in their academic and personal development.
• The teaching of science is good. The headteacher uses her strong subject knowledge to support staff to improve the quality of teaching across the school. For example, pupils’ work in Years 5 and 6 demonstrates a good understanding of the working of the heart and an understanding of a range of scientific concepts.
• Reading is taught effectively throughout the school. The teaching of comprehension skills enables pupils to understand the books they read well. As a result, pupils develop a love of reading. For example, older pupils are motivated to read a challenging range of English literature such as Shakespeare and classic poetry to successfully support the development of their writing.
• Teachers have focused on improving the quality of teaching and learning in writing across the school. They ensure that pupils understand how to structure sentences and develop their composition and writing in a range of styles such as persuasive writing. However, work in pupils’ books in some classes shows that teachers do not provide sufficient guidance to pupils so that they know how to improve the quality of their writing. This slows the progress they make and the standards reached.
• Staff know their pupils well and plan work which engages and motivates them to learn. However, in some mixed-age classes, teachers do not use their assessment information well enough to stretch and challenge some pupils, particularly the middle-attaining pupils. On these occasions, pupils do not make the progress that they are capable of.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good. They have particularly warm relationships with staff and thrive in the caring environment.
• Teachers demonstrate good care for pupils’ welfare throughout the school. The promotion of values such as self-belief, kindness and respect for one another are evident in lessons. Older pupils respond to one another’s work in ‘compliments’ books in which they record positive comments. This ensures that pupils feel valued and listened to.
• Pupils have a good understanding of different forms of bullying. They know that name-calling, inappropriate language or any form of discrimination are wrong and that such behaviour is not acceptable. Pupils report that on the few occasions that bullying happens they know exactly who to go to with their concerns. They are confident that staff will resolve any issues when they occur.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good.
• Pupils are happy in school and behaviour throughout the day is typically good. However, on occasion, when lessons are not sufficiently well matched to meet pupils’ needs, they lose focus and do not achieve as well as they could.
• Behaviour at break and lunchtimes is good. A large number of pupils have school lunches and the smooth routine shows their high levels of self-discipline and cooperation. They tidy away their plates and clean tables once they have finished eating.
• The school maintains detailed records of the few behaviour incidents that happen. All staff know the pupils very well and so can provide the guidance and support needed. This ensures that pupils feel safe and well cared for.
• Pupils enjoy coming to school and attendance has improved in 2017 to be just above the national average. Rates for persistent absence have almost halved in the past year, having previously been well above the national average.
• Pupils experience a wide range of activities, which helps to develop their spiritual, moral, social and cultural awareness. These include road safety, e-safety, World Book Day and participation in a local survey on mental and physical health in partnership with the University of Gloucestershire.
• Parents believe their children’s personal development and welfare is strong. For example, parents typically say, ‘The school has high expectations of children’s behaviour. One thing I really like is that they focus on values of the month/term which my children always talk about. This gives the school a sense of inclusion and ties in well with their ethos.’

Outcomes for pupils Good

• Current achievement information and work in pupils’ books show that pupils in the school are making faster progress than found previously, including in mathematics and writing. Outcomes in 2017 at the end of Year 6 in mathematics and writing were below the national average. The school has responded swiftly, strengthening their approach to the teaching of these subjects. As a result, the majority of pupils are on track to reach standards expected for their age across the school and at the end of Year 6.
• In 2016 and 2017 outcomes at the end of Year 2 have been broadly in line or just above that seen nationally in reading and mathematics. However, outcomes in writing have been weaker and continue to be a focus for improvement. Work in pupils’ books currently shows that pupils are given opportunities to practise their writing skills and as a result, progress is improving, especially in Year 2.
• Pupils in Year 2 are also developing their reading skills effectively. They use their knowledge of phonics to decode unknown words and read them correctly the next time they appear. The most able pupils read fluently and with expression.
• Disadvantaged pupils progress well. The differences between their performance and that of other pupils in the school has closed as result of the effective use of the additional funding to support them in making faster progress.
• Pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities receive effective support. The school has a strong reputation for working well with these pupils and as a result, some classes have a high proportion of pupils with additional needs. They receive focused and sensitive support, enabling them to make progress and be ready for the next stage of their education.
• Pupils’ outcomes in the Year 1 phonics screening test have been at or above the national average for the past three years as a result of good teaching in the early years and Year 1.
• In Years 5 and 6, pupils achieve strong outcomes in science. Older pupils’ written work demonstrates strong progress from their starting points in September. Practical activities engage pupils and they are able to plan and carry out experiments, which develops their understanding of predicting, measuring and recording their findings.

Early years provision Good

• Leadership of the pre-school and early years classes is good. Children enter the pre-school setting with a wide range of skills and experiences. However, some children enter with skills that are well below those expected for their age, especially in communication, literacy and language and personal, social and emotional development. Overtime, children build their learning and achieve well. The proportion of children achieving the expected standard at the end of the Reception Year has typically been above the national average.
• Children behave well in the early years setting and respond appropriately to instructions and guidance. As a result, they learn to become independent and play together well with their friends.
• The pre-school leader and early years leader work together effectively and plan learning activities. For example, children from both classes play and go on nature walks together. Cross-phase transition from early years to Year 1 is strong. This enables children to make progress at appropriate rates for their age and stage. Consequently, children are well prepared for Year 1.
• Teachers plan stimulating activities for children so that they enjoy learning. The strong emphasis on learning phonics helps children to be able to read and write accurately. Staff also focus on developing children’s speech and language skills, particularly for boys, who are encouraged to tell stories and engage in imaginative play in free flow and outside spaces. This supports the development of these skills effectively.
• Teachers ensure that assessment is robust. Teachers and teaching assistants carry out frequent assessments which enable them to plan activities to meet children’s needs and interests effectively. The early years leader is closely involved in local authority moderation of early years development stages and shares her expertise with other teachers in pre-school and key stage 1. This work supports the continuous professional development of staff effectively.
• The school closely monitors the needs of individual children in pre-school and early years. They have currently identified high percentages of children who have SEN and/or disabilities. Teaching assistants provide highly effective support which helps to move these children forward in their learning.
• Parents are closely involved in their children’s education in both pre-school and early years classes. They value the fortnightly ‘Woodside families’ learning opportunities when they are welcomed into school to enjoy stimulating activities such as pottery and cooking. This work strengthens links with home.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 115519 Gloucestershire 10042684 This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. Type of school Primary School category Age range of pupils Gender of pupils Maintained 4 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 109 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Headteacher Alison Davis Mel Davis Telephone number 01594 542287 Website Email address www.woodside.gloucs.sch.uk admin@woodside.gloucs.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 27–28 March 2014

Information about this school

• Woodside Primary is smaller than the average-sized primary school. Pupils are taught in four mixed-age classes.
• The proportion of pupils supported by the additional pupil premium funding is slightly below average.
• The proportion of pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities is above average.
• Most pupils are of White British heritage.
• This inspection evaluated provision in the pre-school, which is managed by the governing body.
• The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in English and mathematics in Year 6.

Information about this inspection

• The lead inspector observed learning in all classes, including the pre-school and early years provision.
• Discussions took place with the headteacher, four governors, senior leaders and the leader for early years, staff and pupils.
• Pupils’ work was examined during lessons. A more detailed scrutiny was made of a sample of pupils’ work in their books. Pupils read to the lead inspector and she spoke with pupils and staff throughout the inspection to gather their views.
• The inspector examined a range of school documentation, including policies and records about how the school keeps pupils safe; information about pupils’ behaviour and their learning, progress and achievement; and the school’s evaluation of its strengths and its priorities for improvement.
• The 34 responses to Parent View, Ofsted’s online questionnaire, were considered, together with six staff questionnaires which had also been returned. Discussions were held with parents as they dropped off their children at the start of the school day.
• The lead inspector had a telephone conversation with the local authority advisor.

Inspection team

Sheila Crew, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector