Supporting your Child's Emotional Health and Wellbeing
To support parents, we have added some new resources to our school website. These have been compiled by our ELSA Miss Openshaw and our...
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Find out about our
Ofsted & Performance
School improvement in action
In this selection of updates, you'll see examples of our approach to continual improvement in action. For more, visit the news page and search for "Performance".
Key Stage 2 Results
Like the Infant school, Woolton Hill Junior School has had no formal testing for two years. Like the infant school, we are delighted with the results for 2022/23 which exceed the National Averages in all categories. We even managed to increase our score in Reading from 80% to 84%, a tremendous achievement and a credit to the children, parents and teachers.
You can find further information on the Government website here
Age Related
READING
National
75%
84%
WRITING
National
69%
72%
MATHS
National
71%
78%
READING
National
28%
31%
WRITING
National
13%
25%
MATHS
National
23%
31%
Greater Depth
Key Stage 1 Results
After two years where formal testing has been suspended, due to the COVID pandemic, we couldn't be more pleased with this set of results for 2022/23 which sees Year 2 pupils at St Thomas' exceed the National Averages in all categories. All schools saw decreases in most areas due to the challenges of the pandemic, reduced time in the classroom and reliance on home learning, so we're especially proud of these results. We even managed to keep the same Reading Age Related result as 2019, a great achievement for the children, parents and teachers.
You can find further information on the Government website here
Age Related
Greater Depth
READING
National
67%
80%
WRITING
National
58%
74%
MATHS
National
68%
74%
READING
National
18%
20%
WRITING
National
8%
9%
MATHS
National
15%
29%
St Thomas' Infant
St Thomas' Infant was last subject to a full (Section 5) inspection in 2009 when the Inspectors found the school to be Outstanding. The school was also visited in 2019 for a deep dive into the teaching of History. The full reports can be found using the links on this page. We were pleased to see though that the report also made broader reference:
The findings do not change the overall effectiveness judgement of outstanding from the last section 5 inspection
As a Church of England School, St Thomas' is also subject to inspection under the Statutory Inspection of Anglican and Methodist Schools (SIAMS). The school was last inspected in 2019 and awarded an Excellent rating. This judgement was in respect of the question:
How effective is the school’s distinctive Christian vision, established and promoted by leadership at all levels, in enabling pupils and adults to flourish?
They also concluded that the Impact of Collective Worship was also Excellent
The report further concluded:
Meaningful experiences offered to pupils at St Thomas’ are life-changing. Pupils are growing in confidence all the time, and get involved in Rota Kids, a young person’s experience of supporting community events.
Parents have nothing but praise as these young pupils discover themselves. Pupils know the road they travel, and the importance of ‘being kind to people’, living out the values. Undoubtedly, St Thomas’ pupils are proud of who they are. They are learning to love and be kind to the world near and far.
Importance of maintaining high standards
A process for driving continual improvement in the care and education that we provide to children is core to the management of The Schools of Woolton Hill.
Two of the key ways in which we measure performance is through the results that our children achieve against measured tests and our Ofsted inspections. You will find details of both on this page.
Woolton Hill Junior School
Woolton Hill Junior was last subject to a full (Section 5) inspection in 2017 when the Inspectors found the school to be Good.
The full report can be read using the links provided, but we were delighted with the report which noted that:
Pupils enjoy lessons. They concentrate well and work hard. Teachers plan learning that meets pupils’ needs successfully.
Pupils are caring and considerate. The school offers sensitive support to enable all pupils to do their best. There is a positive atmosphere for learning and pupils value coming to school.
Leaders have designed a rich and varied curriculum. It enables pupils to learn how to keep fit, stay safe and be healthy. Pupils benefit from a wide range of learning opportunities, including through extracurricular activities.
Parents say that the school keeps their children safe and pupils feel safe at school.
Leaders, teachers and governors are highly ambitious for this school and the pupils who attend it. They have worked hard to improve the quality of education for pupils since the schools federated in 2020
Pupils are proud to attend this happy village school
Ambition
Our Vision and Values, launched last year, are central to our approach
Staff have high expectations for all pupils. Leaders ensure that every pupil’s ‘light shines’
Vision & Values
Leaders have introduced a well-structured phonics programme. This aligns with the federation infant school’s programme and provides effective support as pupils move between the two schools
Phonics
Lessons are purposeful and pupils work hard
Leaders have redesigned subject content to ensure that pupils learn ‘an irresistible curriculum’. They have identified the most important knowledge, skills and vocabulary that they want pupils to learn, year by year, subject by subject
Irresistible Curriculum
Another area of focus for the school has been our provision and support for children with special educational needs (SEN). This was commented on by the inspector:
Pupils with SEN have their needs met through good leadership, clear systems and effective passports for success
Our inclusive ethos to learning really stood out, especially at the juniors, where this has really improved. We enable all pupils to "find their thing"; and in this we enable pupils to "let their light shine"; Our vision is being realised.
Special Educational Needs
Our work to implement the Six Strands Curriculum was highlighted:
They know the three school rules, ‘accept, behave, care’ well. They follow instructions and are polite and respectful. Strong relationships permeate throughout the school so that pupils feel safe. Bullying is rare and staff deal with any incidents quickly
Pupils say it is ‘easy to make friends’ at Woolton Hill
Six Strands
Safeguarding is one of the areas subject to the most critical focus by the inspectors. I was pleased then that this area was highlighted in the report:
Vulnerable pupils and those with special needs and/or disabilities (SEND) have access to all that is on offer at the school. This includes a wide range of leadership opportunities, such as librarians and ambassadors. The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
Leaders have created a strong culture of vigilance
Safeguarding
Junior Ofsted
The Junior School was last subject to a full inspection in November 2017 when it was judged to be good. When a school is judged to be good, the inspectors will normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good. This is called an ungraded inspection. Although no formal grading is provided for an ungraded inspection, if evidence is found that suggests a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection. This is the first ungraded inspection since the school was judged to be good in November 2017.
Following the January 2023 ungraded inspection, the inspectors judged that Woolton Hill Junior School continues to be a good school.
We are proud of the report itself; as it demonstrates the progress we are making, and our target remains to get both Schools to Outstanding by the time of the next inspection.
Reading is taught well across the Federation, reading lessons are clearly delivered with a sharp focus on vocabulary. Children enjoys reading, the new Libraries are popular as is class story time.
A clear phonics scheme is very well implemented in both schools - a real strength
Reading & Phonics
In maths children are taught key number fluency and reasoning skills through concrete, pictorial and abstract approaches. This enables pupils to embed their knowledge and understanding
Maths
Safeguarding is effective. A strong culture of vigilance. DSLs are tenacious and ensure that no pupils fall through the gaps
Children feel safe in our Federation and have good relationships with staff and peers. Children understand the school rules and values well. All staff have high expectations for behaviour. Children behave well in lesson and low-level disruption is rare
Safeguarding
The Introduction of the six strands curriculum was seen as a huge strength across both schools.
They liked our vision of 'Three planks' to the curriculum: Knowledge, Skills and Learning Behaviours. A way to teach a progressive approach to acquiring the key learning behaviours that will support children in life. Children responding well and able to recall what they'd learnt.
Inspectors thought embedding this would be an excellent asset on our journey to outstanding.
Six Strands
Pupils with SEN have their needs met through good leadership, clear systems and effective passports for success
Our inclusive ethos to learning really stood out, especially at the juniors where this has really improved. We enable all pupils to 'find their thing' and in this we enable pupils to 'let their light shine'. Our vision is being realised.
Special Educational Needs
Infant Ofsted
It was over thirteen years since the Infant School was last inspected. During the intervening time, there has been a great deal of change in the way in which schools are assessed and graded, and it has become increasingly difficult for schools to be graded as Outstanding.
In the last year, for schools assessed where the previous grading was 'Outstanding'; less than 1 in 5 retained this grading. Nationally, out of the past 100 inspections, only 4 were graded 'Outstanding'.
So the goalposts have moved, but be assured, our target remains to get both Schools to Outstanding by the time of the next inspection.
Ofsted at The Schools of Woolton Hill
When both schools federated to become "The Schools of Woolton Hill" in April 2021, we embarked on a journey. We have sought to create a "primary school experience" for pupils in our Federation, by bringing together the strengths of both schools, whilst retaining their unique characteristics. We continue to work to create a high quality, clearly structured and properly sequenced curriculum that offers continuity between Infants and Juniors. High quality teachers seek to deliver this in an exciting manner that makes learning ‘irresistible’ for all pupils.
The assessment undertaken by Ofsted is confirmation that the journey we set ourselves is the right one and that we are making great progress!
We are rightly proud that both schools are graded GOOD and this is a testament to the hard work of our staff, children, governors, and other stakeholders. You can read the full report by following the links, or read the highlights below.
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