Woodlem Park School

In the Kindergarten, children develop skills in speaking, listening, reading and writing. Their knowledge of the sounds that letters make is relatively strong and this forms a good basis in particular for their speaking and listening skills plus reading. Further up the school, the school's assessment information and external tests, students workbooks and lesson observations show there are a number of subjects where students are not doing very well. This includes mathematics and Arabic.

Students enjoy coming to school; their attendance is very good overall and they generally arrive at school and to lessons on time. They show positive attitudes toward school and learning. Their behaviour is positive, especially in the upper phases. Students develop respectful and strong relationships with members of staff and with each other. They demonstrate a secure understanding of a safe and healthy lifestyle and are aware of the need to make healthy food choices.

In the Kindergarten, children’s learning skills are underpinned by their enjoyment of learning and increasing responsibility for their own learning. Children are developing their skills of problem solving and critical thinking, although this is inconsistent and is largely dependent on the quality of teaching in the different classes. Not all teachers plan challenging lessons using assessment information about students’ prior learning. They miss opportunities to adapt their lessons to meet the needs of all groups of students.

The school understands the importance of promoting well-being but the active promotion of well-being across the school remains inconsistent. Staff are aware of the schools vision for well-being but possess limited ways to influence it. Students are eager to contribute to the active promotion of well-being and the school is in the early stages of developing this. Nevertheless, students report feeling safe and happy at school.

The school has basic systems to identify and provide for students of determination and students who are gifted and talented. Support for the large majority of students in lessons is not effectively matched to their needs. Parents are informed about their child's educational programme, however a deeper involvement is not sought and their contribution to the development of education plans and targets is limited.

Overall, school leadership is not strong. Although progress has been made since the previous inspection in a few areas, little has been accomplished in others where standards are often only acceptable at best. Monitoring of provision has not been sufficiently rigorous in evaluating quality and in identifying how it affects students' progress. Governors do not hold leaders to account. Development plans are fragmented and incomplete. A significant weakness is the school’s inability to appoint a qualified and experienced principal.