Woodcot Primary School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 21 January 2025

Woodcot primary is a place where pupils are happy and safe. Following a period of change, the school has raised its expectations of what pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), can and should achieve. The school is taking the right actions to improve the quality of education. However, the impact of these actions is not yet resulting in pupils' learning and outcomes. Staff secure positive relationships with pupils and this is at the heart of the school's culture. Pupils live out the school's values of consideration, resilience and independence as much as they can. This helps to foster a nurturing atmosphere throughout the school. Dedicated staff take the time to understand both pupils and their families. Pupils benefit from a range of clubs, including computing and woodland club, which help to develop their interests. Pupils, including children in the early years, generally behave well in class and around the school. They know what bullying is and are rightly confident that adults will act swiftly to resolve any issues. Staff provide effective support for pupils who find it challenging to regulate their emotions at times. This helps to create a positive and engaging environment and ensures that learning is not impacted.

What the school should improve

• Staff do not routinely check that pupils have understood new learning. When this happens, some pupils develop gaps in their knowledge. At times, they can be overwhelmed and unsure about the knowledge they need to learn. The school should ensure that teaching helps pupils to focus on the important knowledge that the curriculum identifies.
• On occasions, learning is not adapted well enough to meet pupils' specific needs. This means that pupils with SEND do not progress through the curriculum as the school expects. The school should ensure that staff have the knowledge and expertise to adapt their teaching and meet the needs of pupils.
• In some newer curriculum subjects, teaching does not support pupils to recall and build on previous learning sufficiently well. Some pupils therefore have gaps in their knowledge and insecure foundations on which to build new learning. The school should implement effective strategies to ensure that teachers regularly revisit previously taught content and knowledge.

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