Willow Primary School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 18 October 2022

This is a school where staff, leaders and pupils live the school values. They ASPIRE to be the best they can be every day. The school has undergone significant changes in the recent past. The changes leaders have made are making a significant and positive difference to the lives of pupils. Staff make sure that pupils follow clear routines as they walk around school, such as 'wonderful walking' and 'legendary lining up'. There is an atmosphere of calm and consideration throughout school. Pupils who need help with their behaviour receive this in a carefully considered and subtle way. They can talk about how the help they receive has enabled them to improve their behaviour. Relationships between pupils and staff are built upon respect and care. Pupils feel safe and are confident that adults will help them if they have problems or worries. Some bullying does happen, but pupils know that this will be dealt with by adults. Pupils feel very confident to report concerns. They have a strong moral compass that helps them to identify right and wrong and to help others who need it.

What the school should improve

• The pedagogical structures leaders have put in place within lessons are not used as efficiently as they could be to re-cap and embed previously taught knowledge. As a result, opportunities are missed to check pupils' understanding of important knowledge for forthcoming learning, or to close identified gaps in learning. Leaders should ensure that there is clarity for teachers on which knowledge is re- visited and prioritised within the lesson structures across the curriculum to give pupils the best chance of knowing and remembering more.

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