Woodcroft Academy

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 20 February 2024

Pupils love attending Woodcroft Academy. They enjoy the school's balanced and well- planned curriculum. Leaders ensure that parents and carers are fully involved in their children's learning, for example in helping them learn to read. Parents appreciate the school's good communication with home. Leaders have high expectations for what all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), can achieve. Pupils get off to a good start in the early years. Learning moves smoothly from one key stage to the next. Across the school, pupils learn well. They often use information technology to good effect. Adults forge strong relationships with pupils. There is a calm and purposeful atmosphere in classrooms and corridors. Pupils are keen to learn and behave very well in lessons. They are polite, perceptive and articulate. At social times, pupils play happily together. They know there is always an adult to turn to who can resolve any issues. This helps all pupils to feel safe. Pupils' attendance is good. Pupils have good opportunities to help others, for example reading with younger children. They enjoy a range of extra-curricular activities, and many recently took part in the Young Voices singing festival in Manchester.

What the school should improve

• In foundation subjects where the school has recently adopted a new curriculum, pupils have sometimes not had the opportunity to learn in earlier years the topics that the scheme expects. In these circumstances, pupils cannot build on their prior learning as effectively as they might. The school should ensure that in continuing to implement the new curriculum, current learning builds securely on what pupils already know and can do.
• The school has not provided some support staff with all the training and guidance they require. As a result, they are sometimes unable to provide the highest quality of support for pupils. The school should make sure that that all teachers are aware of the most effective ways in which support staff can be deployed, and their responsibility to guide and monitor their work to ensure all adults provide pupils with the most effective support.

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