Red Hill Field Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Ensure that the balance of consolidation and challenge in learning is appropriate for pupils, especially the most able, so they deepen their knowledge and application of learning, to achieve more rapid progress.
• Some leaders should take a more whole-school approach within their role, to embed recent improvements and further improve the school.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• The headteacher has effectively and intelligently led significant change over a short period of time, which has brought about rapid improvements in the quality of teaching. This has been underpinned by a complete overhaul of school systems.
• The headteacher has carefully used his prior experience, external advice and research, to inform this overhaul. He has made sure that assessment and tracking of how well pupils are learning is linked closely to rigorous performance management of teachers and a range of appropriate continuing professional development.
• Leaders have made a considerable investment in effective teaching materials, to underpin a carefully designed curriculum. This has included a range of training, the effect of which has been significant in rapidly improving teaching. There is now a strong platform for further improvements. Pupils are highly motivated by this investigational, practical and enjoyable curriculum. This was clear from the quality and sensitivity of letters that pupils wrote, in role as Charles Darwin’s children. Pupils were also excited to take on the role of being a palaeontologist to research fossils and were looking forward to following this up, with a forthcoming trip to the Natural History Museum.
• The headteacher sets high standards for himself and the staff. The rigour of the performance management system has had a galvanising effect on staff and, as a result, pupils’ achievements have improved. School leaders know that not all teaching matches the best in the school. This is because recent rapid improvements are not yet consistently embedded. Some leaders do not sufficiently link their actions in specific areas of responsibility back to whole-school needs, to ensure that teaching across the school consistently matches best practice.
• The quality of pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural education is evident in their positive attitudes to their work and how well they get on together. Pupils are enthused by interesting and active learning across the school and this is often shared with their families and the community, as was evident in ‘Grandparents to School Day’ and pupils sharing their experience of the local ‘Victory Show’ with older members of the community. Pupils’ entrepreneurship was also put to the test when they presented their ideas to the Friends of the School Dragons Den panel.
• Pupils celebrate the fundamental British values of democracy through elections to the school council, being class ambassadors and opportunities to put forward their ideas. Pupils show tolerance and respect towards adults and classmates and appreciate service to others through charitable collections.
• Leaders effectively use pupils’ progress meetings to plan effectively for disadvantaged pupils, those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities, and those at risk of falling behind. As a result, these pupils make at least as good progress as their peers.
• Leaders use the additional pupil premium funding effectively. Direct adult support within the classroom and for specific interventions, including pastoral support, is carefully targeted to improve the outcomes of disadvantaged pupils. Leaders have ensured that this group of pupils have every chance to participate and be successful in all aspects of timetabled and extra-curricular activities.
• Leaders use the additional funds from the physical education and sports grant to good effect. They have ensured that teachers have worked alongside coaches to improve their teaching and coaching skills. Pupils have many opportunities to take part in a range of sports and competitions, including athletics, hockey, tag rugby, kwik-cricket and football. Activities such as the ‘daily mile’ have a very positive impact on their general well-being.

Governance of the school

• Governance has strengthened considerably since the last inspection, with ambition for and commitment to the school very clear. Members share the determination of school leaders to secure high-quality education for all pupils.
• Governors have a strong understanding of the school’s strengths and areas for development, particularly the need to improve the quality of teaching and progress for all pupils. Minutes from governing body meetings and reports illustrate their ability to ask school leaders searching and challenging questions.
• The governing body is well organised and uses governors’ range of skills and expertise to add value to overall leadership. The governors assiduously test out and scrutinise the wide range of information they receive. This allows them to hold school leaders effectively to account to improve outcomes for all pupils.
• Governors know their responsibilities in relation to safeguarding and the use of the pupil premium and physical education and sports funding. They support how the headteacher uses the management of teachers’ performance to hold staff accountable for effective teaching and pupils’ outcomes.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. There are clear systems and procedures in place. Leaders keep precise records to ensure effective and timely work with external agencies. Staff and governors receive relevant training and updates, including on radicalisation and extremism.
• The culture of safeguarding in the school is evident in children feeling safe and parents’ confidence in this. Learning about how to keep safe is woven into pupils’ learning across the school curriculum.
• Case studies and records show that potentially vulnerable children and families are well supported. Governors and school leaders particularly recognise the need to support the welfare of all pupils and have made additional investments this year in putting a welfare team in place. Leaders rightly identified the need to improve early identification and assessment of barriers for vulnerable pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Although the team has only recently been established, thorough records show improved timely identification and good current progress for identified pupils.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• Since the previous inspection there has been a significant improvement in the quality of teaching. Leaders have successfully raised staff’s expectations of what pupils can achieve. As a result, inspectors’ observations in lessons, detailed work scrutiny and analysis of current school assessment information show that overall pupils are now making good progress.
• Teachers know their pupils’ learning needs well. This is because they ask questions during lessons which effectively check pupils’ understanding and use this to quickly correct misconceptions. As a result, pupils remain focused on learning and know what they need to do to improve.
• Leaders ensure that teachers’ rigorous assessment is used consistently to accurately plan what pupils need to learn next in reading, writing and mathematics. Although this is done successfully for all pupils, most-able pupils are not moved on quickly from consolidating their learning to applying it to more challenging problems. As a result, these pupils do not make sufficiently rapid progress.
• In their writing and their reading, pupils are taught to use their well-developed knowledge of phonics to spell or pronounce tricky or unusual words. This helps them to write and read with fluency from an early age. During lessons, pupils were confident to read from their work to inspectors and teachers and teaching assistants used well opportunities for reading within a range of observed lessons, enabling pupils to widen their understanding and vocabulary. Inspectors also heard a range of readers from Years 2, 3 and 6 who were keen to read and were able to use strategies appropriate to their age to read confidently and discuss what they were reading.
• Writing is taught effectively across the school through interesting topics. Teachers consistently use a ‘readers and writers workshop’ approach that ensures that pupils make good connections between reading, creative writing and guided use of their grammar and punctuation. However, opportunities to act on guidance for improvement are not consistently provided to extend pupils’ skills as required by the school’s marking policy.
• In mathematics, there have been recent rapid improvements, following teachers’ rigorous implementation of a new scheme of work. This has had an immediate impact on pupils’ progress, by securely building skills and understanding at least in line with age-related expectations. In Year 2, pupils were confidently explaining and exploring commutative relationships in multiplying by two and 10. By Year 6, pupils were reviewing learning on brackets, order, division, multiplication, addition and subtraction (BODMAS), composite numbers and division of fractions. Despite the generally high expectations, books and observations showed that teachers usually expect pupils to work through all examples, even if they can already do it. This means that pupils are not always moved on quickly enough to tasks that apply and deepen their learning, in order to make the rapid progress of which they are capable.
• Teachers effectively plan teaching assistants’ work, particularly in key stage 2. Pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities and disadvantaged pupils receive support which effectively promotes their good academic and personal progress.
• Teachers’ marking of pupils’ work is consistent across the school. Pupils in all years present their work well. Teachers do not all consistently follow the school’s policy to provide pupils with the opportunities to follow up and respond to their guidance through marking.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good. The strong ethos of respect and care, to fulfil the stated school purpose of being ‘a happy place to learn’ is evident in all aspects of school life.
• The school places particular importance on active citizenship. When speaking to inspectors, pupils could explain the importance of, ‘If you are a bystander – don’t be – be an upstander.’ Pupils enjoy taking on responsibilities, such as members of the school council and class ambassador roles, and sensibly manage activities, such as the dance club.
• Pupils work well together, listening respectfully to teachers and each other. Pupils take pride in their work. However, pupils are not always confident in tackling difficult tasks and formulating strategies to work things through for themselves.
• Pupils understand how to keep themselves safe and feel very safe in school. They know who to speak to in school if they have any worries. They understand the different forms of bullying, including cyber bullying and how to keep themselves safe in a range of situations. Pupils said that bullying is rare, but were clear on what to do if it did occur.
• The vast majority of parents who spoke to inspectors and responded to Parent View were very positive about the support their children receive. They are rightly confident that their children are happy and safe.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good. Pupils show courtesy and consideration towards each other and adults, including visitors in the school.
• Pupils have positive attitudes to learning and enjoy coming to school. Pupils behave well in class and around the school and interruptions to learning are rare. Pupils enjoy receiving rewards, but understand the school sanctions. They take responsibility for their actions and choices, due to a strong ethos of respect and active citizenship.
• Attendance has continued to be good since the last inspection and is currently above the national average. Very few pupils are persistently absent but where this is the case, the headteacher is taking appropriate action.

Outcomes for pupils Good

• Pupils’ outcomes in reading, writing and mathematics are now improving in all years. This is because school leaders have improved the quality of teaching and set high expectations for learning. Leaders have made sure that all teachers are clear about the essential skills pupils need to at least match age-related expectations and that these skills are promoted consistently across the curriculum.
• Achievement in the Year 1 national phonics screening check has been consistently at or above the national average. This builds on the strong start made in the Reception Year.
• In 2015, during a time of considerable staff change and development, the school maintained pupils’ attainment and progress in line with or above the national average in all three subjects. The progress and attainment of disadvantaged pupils was also at least in line or above the national average in all subjects for key stage 2. Progress in writing and mathematics particularly strengthened in key stage 2 and also in writing at key stage 1.
• National performance data for 2016 is not comparable to previous years’ data. In 2016, national performance data showed that disadvantaged key stage 2 pupils continued to make progress in line with the national average. Key stage 1 attainment and progress in reading and writing was in line with or above the national average. In 2016, there was a dip in performance at key stage 2, particularly in reading and mathematics, but the school has convincing evidence that there were good reasons for this. These weaknesses are being rapidly addressed.
• Inspectors scrutinised pupils’ work in their books and in lessons. Leaders have ensured that teachers are consistently implementing the overhauled curriculum. This means that current pupils are making at least good progress and securing strong age-appropriate skills and knowledge in reading, writing and mathematics. This is consistent and sustained across the school and for all groups, including disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. This is also the case in the wider curriculum areas, such as science, history and geography. However, the most able pupils are not making the rapid progress of which they are capable, because teachers do not move them onto more challenging tasks quickly enough.

Early years provision Good

• Children in the early years enter with skills and abilities broadly typical for their age. By the end of the Reception Year the proportion of children attaining a good level of development is above the national average. This represents at least good progress from the children’s starting points, so they are well prepared when they enter Year 1.
• The early years leader sets high expectations across the whole teaching team. She models highly effective teaching. She ensures that the whole team are involved in securing a consistent understanding of how to effectively support children’s learning within activities.
• Teachers use careful, ongoing assessment to plan targeted and structured opportunities to develop skills, particularly in phonics, letter formation and number skills. Teachers undertook sharply focused baselines at the start of the school year to assess children’s skills and knowledge on entry and then put appropriate support immediately into place for those disadvantaged children and those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities, where required. This is securing rapid progress for all children.
• Children settle quickly into the welcoming environment because the adults working in the early years provide a variety of interesting, stimulating and well-organised activities. This means children work purposefully and maintain concentration on tasks, with or without adult support.
• Adults encourage safe play and the use of resources and all of the children learn how to keep themselves safe when using the internet. Children are kept safe at all times and are well looked after by caring staff. This ethos ensures that children play happily and fairly together.
• Parents are rightly positive about the good start that their children make in the Reception class. Parents value the extended, summer-term-induction programme, the ongoing good communication and opportunities such as weekly parent drop-in sessions. They are confident that their children are safe and well cared for in this environment.
• The early years is well led and managed. This early years team has only been in place for just over 12 months. The highly skilled and focused leader involved the whole team in securing high-quality teaching and learning from the start. The early years leader has recently been appointed to the senior leadership team, as acting deputy headteacher. This means she is well placed to further strengthen structured learning across the early years and key stage 1 classes.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 139344 Leicestershire 10019576 This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. Type of school Primary School category Age range of pupils Gender of pupils Academy converter 4 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 284 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Headteacher Telephone number Website Email address Anne Senior Stephen Snelson 01162 841500 www.redhillfield.com office@redhill.leics.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 30–31 October 2014

Information about this school

• The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website.
• The school complies with the Department for Education guidance on what academies should publish.
• Red Hill Field is larger than the average-sized primary school. Most children attending the school come from the immediate area.
• The majority of pupils are of White British heritage and a very small number speak English as an additional language.
• The proportion of pupils eligible for the pupil premium is well below the national average.
• The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is below the national average.
• In 2015 and 2016, the school met the government’s current floor standards for pupils’ attainment and progress by the end of Year 6.
• The school works closely with the Discovery Schools Academy Trust and the Affinity Teaching School Alliance.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors observed learning in 26 lessons, including four joint observations with the headteacher and senior leaders. Inspectors observed the teaching of early reading skills and pupils were heard reading. The inspectors talked to pupils about their school and looked at pupils’ books while visiting lessons. The team scrutinised a large sample of pupils’ work jointly with the headteacher and leadership team, to gain a view of the impact of teaching over time.
• Inspectors held discussions with the school’s senior and middle leaders, representatives of the governing body and a representative of the Discovery Schools Academy Trust.
• Inspectors spoke to parents informally at the start of the school day and considered 48 responses to the Ofsted online parent questionnaire, Parent View. They also considered 11 responses to the staff questionnaire.
• Inspectors looked at a range of documents including the school’s self-evaluation, improvement plans, records of the monitoring of the quality of teaching, the most recent information on pupils’ achievement and progress and information relating to safeguarding, behaviour, attendance and punctuality.
• Inspectors considered the range and quality of information provided on the school’s website.

Inspection team

Mandy Wilding, lead inspector Kelly Lee Matthew Spoors Antony Witheyman

Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector