Dudley Wood Primary School is proudly celebrating its recent Ofsted inspection result, attaining a ‘Good’ rating across all areas following the inspection on 2nd and 3rd July 2024. This achievement reflects the school’s dedication to excellence and continuous improvement.

The Ofsted report praises the school’s strong culture, stating, “Pupils achieve well. Their wellbeing is prioritised.”  Dudley Wood Primary is a nurturing environment where the ‘STARS’ values - Sharing, Trust, Achievement, Respect, and Safety are embodied in every aspect of school life. The report affirms that “Pupils are happy and safe,” a sentiment echoed by the school community.

The report acknowledges the school’s many strengths:

• Exceptional Start for Early Years: The report celebrates the “fantastic start” provided to children in the early years, emphasising the school’s focus on routines, language development, and problem-solving. “Children grow in confidence and develop a love of learning,” setting a strong foundation for their educational journey.
• Support for All Learners: Dudley Wood Primary excels in identifying and supporting pupils with additional needs, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The school provides tailored resources and professional assistance to ensure all children can access and benefit from their education.
• Ambitious Curriculum and Enrichment Activities: The Rivers curriculum is complimented for its ambition and thoughtful design, allowing knowledge to build systematically over time. Teachers are noted as knowledgeable and effectively utilise prior learning to prepare pupils for future academic challenges. Additionally, “Pupils enjoy the wide range of clubs on offer which broaden their interests.”
• Active Citizenship and Community Engagement: The school fosters a sense of responsibility and respect in pupils through roles like mental wellbeing champions, sustainability champions and school councillors. Pupils actively contribute to the community, supporting local initiatives and learning about diverse cultures and faiths.

Dudley Wood Primary School joined the Rivers CofE Academy Trust as an academy convertor in June 2022 and has demonstrated significant progress since its last inspection in March 2022 (where the school was judged requires improvement, with early years being judged inadequate). The report recognised that “there have been rapid improvements to this school in recent years.  The trust has brought significant rigour and challenge, while also providing highly effective support to the school. There is now an aspirational school vision and a clear understanding of what needs to improve and how to improve it.

The headteacher, Jon Beacham, who joined the school in September 2023, has been pivotal in this achievement. Jon commented on the achievement: “We are incredibly proud of our Ofsted rating, which is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our entire school community. Our focus on high standards, supportive learning environments, and comprehensive care is central to our mission. We remain committed to addressing the areas highlighted for improvement and building on our successes to ensure every pupil reaches their full potential.”

For further details about Dudley Wood Primary School and its continued dedication to providing high-quality education, please visit https://www.dudley-wood.dudley.sch.uk/