The Willows Primary School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 13 February 2024

Pupils follow the new school rules of 'Ready, Respectful, Safe'. They like the range of rewards on offer, which motivate them to try their best. Year 6 pupils are particularly proud of their effort charts. However, pupils do not achieve as well as they could. Pupils have positive relationships with staff, who know them and their families well. Pupils like the new start to the school day, where they enjoy a range of mindfulness activities to help them settle into the day ahead. Pupils speak enthusiastically about their school. In lessons, pupils work well together. They focus on their learning, listen carefully to their teachers and try hard. When outside, most pupils play together well. Some pupils are not always respectful of others. Pupils trust adults to deal with any problems quickly and well, which helps pupils feel happy and safe. Pupils learn how to keep safe. This includes learning through visits from the police and charities. Pupils enjoy a variety of trips out of school. They are excited about the upcoming residential trip, which has been reintroduced. Pupils appreciate the clubs available. They can take on leadership roles, such as school council members and prefects. Pupils influence changes made in school and fundraise for local charities.

What the school should improve

• In some subjects, the curriculum is not implemented effectively to meet pupils' needs. Teachers do not always make necessary adjustments to help pupils, particularly pupils with SEND, learn the curriculum effectively. Consequently, pupils do not achieve as well as they should. The school should ensure that teachers adapt activities and the curriculum in all subjects to meet pupils' needs to support pupils to achieve well.
• In some subjects, teachers do not use assessment effectively to check that pupils understand and remember what they have learned previously. Teachers do not use assessment information to plan activities and sequences of lessons that build effectively on pupils' prior knowledge. Pupils do not achieve as well as they should in these subjects. The school needs to ensure that teachers use assessment effectively to inform planning and teaching in all subjects.
• There is a core group of pupils who are not yet meeting the school's new expectations of behaviour. These pupils are not always respectful to others and behave inappropriately. The school should continue to develop its work and strategies to support pupils to meet expectations of behaviour.
• Some pupils are absent from school frequently. These pupils miss out on learning and do not achieve as well as they should. The school should ensure all pupils and their families understand the importance of regular attendance and provide support to help overcome remaining barriers to pupils attending regularly.

Read the full Ofsted report (opens in a new tab)