Woodlands Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Main findings

This is a good school. It achieves its aim of providing, 'a happy, caring, secure and stimulating community' for pupils and their families. Pupils' level of academic attainment is high and there are outstanding aspects of personal development.

Pupils have a good foundation for learning in the Early Years Foundation Stage and start Year 1 with above average attainment. Between Year 1 and Year 6 pupils' progress is good and, by the end of Year 6, the level of attainment is high in English, mathematics and science. The good results mask a degree of underachievement in writing across the school, particularly amongst boys, and in the performance of girls in mathematics in Key Stage 1.

Pupils make ...good progress in aspects of their personal development. They develop an extremely advanced understanding for their age of how to act safely and are very aware of the importance of eating sensibly and taking regular exercise. Behaviour is good and bullying is rare.

Pupils enjoy school, and this is one reason for their high rates of attendance and excellent punctuality. The quality of teaching is good with particular strengths in the Early Years Foundation Stage and upper Key Stage 2. Staff work hard to challenge and extend the advanced knowledge of many pupils.

Lessons are generally exciting and the basic skills of literacy and numeracy are taught well, but expectations for pupils to take responsibility for their own learning are frequently low; this reduces the progress of the highest attaining pupils. Pupils talk positively about how the more active curriculum is improving enjoyment and learning. Planning, however, is not yet refined enough to enable staff to monitor the pupils' achievement in subjects other than English, mathematics and science.

Good care, guidance and support enable pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those whose circumstances make them potentially vulnerable, to access all aspects of school life. Effective leadership and management, including that of the governing body, have improved the school since the last inspection. Achievement is now outstanding, teaching is better, the engagement of parents and carers is outstanding and excellent partnerships benefit pupils.

The strong management team evaluates the school's effectiveness thoroughly. It uses information gained from its robust systems, such as those that track pupils' progress, to set ambitious targets for future development. Given the current strengths within the school, it has a good capacity for sustained improvement and gives excellent value for money.

Information about the school

This is a larger-than-average-sized primary school. The percentage of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is low as is the proportion identified with special educational needs and/or disabilities. The vast majority of pupils are from White British backgrounds.

There have been changes in staffing since the last inspection with the appointment of new staff with management responsibilities and some job-shares have been established. Major upgrades have been made to the school buildings and aspects of the outdoor provision. The school provides before- and after-school provision, which is inspected separately by Ofsted.

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