Willoughby Primary School, Loughborough

What it's like to be a pupil at Willoughby Primary School

Willoughby Primary School is a vibrant hive of activity where pupils participate fully in school life and attend well. They benefit greatly from the positive relationships they develop with their peers and staff. Each morning, pupils and staff greet one another formally, yet warmly, on the playground before moving calmly into classes. Pupils form lasting friendships across age groups, contributing to the school's distinctive ‘family feel'. Many parents value this highly and how the school is the centre of the village community. Pupils rise to the school's high expectations for behaviour and attitudes to learning. They have a secure understanding of the school rules of being ready, respectful and safe. Pupils learn and play cooperatively and are supported effectively when they find it more difficult to manage their emotions. Pupils feel safe at school because bullying and deliberately unkind behaviour are rare. When concerns do arise, staff respond swiftly and effectively, ensuring pupils feel listened to and supported. Children's positive start in the Reception Year helps them grow into confident, curious and increasingly independent learners. Staff are highly attentive to pupils' needs and interests. Pupils value how this supports their learning. Mostly, pupils enjoy learning and achieve well. Staff identify pupils with any barriers to learning quickly so that these pupils can receive targeted support. As a result, pupils mainly gain the essential knowledge that they need to be well prepared for the next stage of their education. Pupils lead active lives in school, with early morning ‘wake and shake' sessions being well attended. They particularly enjoy practical learning opportunities and developing teamwork skills during forest school sessions. Pupils benefit from a wide range of enriching experiences that support their personal development. These help them to understand the world beyond the school and to develop their character well.

What Ofsted says the school should do next

• Leaders should complete their curriculum refinements, ensuring that the knowledge different year groups need to learn and remember is clearly defined across the curriculum.
• Leaders should ensure that staff consistently enable pupils to build their knowledge from their starting points and develop the clarity and depth of their explanations.
• Leaders should ensure that staff check pupils' knowledge systematically and use assessment information consistently well to adapt their teaching to meet pupils' needs and address misconceptions or gaps in learning.

Willoughby Primary is a vibrant school where children thrive academically and personally. The school excels at teaching the basics - reading, writing and maths - with results above the national average. Leadership is passionate about inclusion, ensuring all pupils, including those facing challenges, receive the support they need to succeed.

Safeguarding standards are met - leaders have created an open culture where safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and pupils feel safe.

Sports clubs, sports competitions, music lessons, concerts, dramatic performances, author discussions, visits from members of parliament, visits to Houses of Parliament, school trips, thematic events

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