Wootey Infant School

Overview

Wootey Infant School is described as a “nurturing school that has high ambition for pupils,” including those who are disadvantaged or have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The inspection found that “most pupils achieve well” within a supportive environment where adults take great care to help pupils feel safe and clear their worries. The school fosters a positive culture built on values of “happiness, respect and creativity,” with pupils enthusiastically engaging in learning opportunities and leadership roles.

Strengths

• Staff are “experts in teaching phonics and early reading,” using regular checks and tailored interventions to ensure struggling pupils catch up.
• The curriculum is “broad, balanced and engaging,” with clear knowledge goals that build progressively from Reception, helping pupils confidently use technical vocabulary.
• Teachers possess “strong subject knowledge” and use “skilful questioning” to ensure pupils remember what they have learned and engage well in class.
• Pastoral support is a strength, with leaders showing “real consideration for the workload and well-being of staff,” resulting in a happy and confident workforce.
• Pupils enjoy diverse enrichment activities during “golden time,” such as gardening, sewing, and cooking, alongside opportunities for leadership roles.

Areas to improve

• In some curriculum subjects, activities are “not adapted well enough to support pupils with barriers to their learning and pupils with SEND,” meaning support is not as effective as it could be.
• Leaders must ensure teachers provide appropriate tasks and support so that pupils with SEND and those who are disadvantaged “make expected progress” and catch up quickly enough.

Safeguarding

The report states that “the arrangements for safeguarding are effective.”