Redmile Church of England Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Raise the quality of teaching and learning to ensure that:
  • a greater proportion of pupils can use their knowledge of phonics to read texts fluently by the end of Year 1
  • pupils can spell words consistently and accurately.
• Improve the quality of leadership and management by further developing the role of middle leaders so that they can rapidly drive improvement in their areas of responsibility.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• After the last inspection, there was a dip in standards. Some pupils did not make the progress that they should, particularly in mathematics. During this time, the organisation of the school changed, including changes to staffing and governance. The new leadership team has comprehensively improved the quality of teaching and learning. Attainment by the end of key stage 2 has improved and standards are rising again.
• As leadership roles have changed within the school, a wider leadership team has been built. Leaders have a more accurate self-evaluation of the school. Supported by Diocese of Leicester Academy Trust, leaders have ensured that staff have had access to high-quality professional development. They have supported leaders who are newer to their areas of responsibility to ensure that appropriate training is in place for them.
• Leaders have put in place a thorough plan of action to rapidly improve the teaching of mathematics. Teachers’ subject knowledge has improved and pupils are now consistently taught an age-appropriate curriculum. Leaders have ensured that assessments are accurate and that teachers use this knowledge well. Leaders have identified pupils who need to make rapid gains in their learning. They check regularly to see that they are making stronger progress.
• Leaders have created an environment that promotes a love of reading. Leaders have introduced a consistent approach to the teaching of reading and have ensured that pupils in key stage 2 who need to make more rapid progress with their reading have had support to catch up. However, leaders have not evaluated with sufficient rigour the quality of the teaching of phonics.
• Leaders have improved the breadth of the curriculum. They have ensured that pupils are building on the knowledge that they have previously gained. In subjects such as religious education and science, the curriculum is rich and provides the opportunity for pupils to deepen their thinking. Leaders are improving the curriculum in other foundation subjects so that it provides more challenge for pupils.
• Leaders have placed pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development at the heart of the curriculum. They have ensured that there is a strong moral code throughout the school and that pupils have opportunities to reflect on the school’s values. Leaders have developed links with contrasting communities. Leaders organise visits to different places of worship so that pupils can meet believers from a variety of faiths.
• The ethos of the school strongly promotes fundamental British values. Pupils are actively involved in the process of making the school a better place to be. Leaders listen to pupils’ opinions. Pupils are tolerant of others and feel strongly that equality is important.
• The primary physical education (PE) and sports premium is used effectively to promote activity and improve fitness. Pupils enjoy the improved facilities in the playground as they have a larger space on which they can be active in all weathers. They have regular opportunities to compete and develop their skills in sports such as handball and cross-country.
• Leaders use additional funding well to ensure that disadvantaged pupils have access to appropriate support which enables them to make stronger progress. Their well-being is also supported. Leaders ensure that there are tailored opportunities to widen their access to sporting and cultural opportunities.
• Leaders evaluate the progress that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) make. They work closely with other agencies and ensure that pupils are receiving the support that they need to reach their targets. Leaders check that pupils progress, and they liaise closely with other agencies to provide additional support and guidance if needed.

Governance of the school

• Governors are a highly visible part of school life. They are committed to the success of the school and work alongside staff to check that improvements are being made. They ask challenging questions to ensure, for example, that pupils are becoming more fluent in being able to quickly recall multiplication facts.
• Changes to the governance structure have taken place as part of the review of the scheme of delegation. Governors undertake regular training so that they fully understand their statutory duties. The trust monitors the quality of education that the school provides and offers support and training to bring about further improvement.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• Leaders have ensured that staff training is up to date. Staff understand when they should record concerns that they have and how they should follow this up. Leaders make appropriate referrals. They are persistent in following up the outcomes of these so that pupils and families receive timely support.
• There are rigorous checks in place before adults begin to work with pupils. Governors make regular checks to ensure that safeguarding arrangements are effective.
• Pupils feel safe and explain that there is always someone to share a problem or concern with. They know how to keep themselves safe online. They understand how to deal with messages that are upsetting and they can explain the importance of reporting these to an adult. They can explain how to keep themselves safe when crossing the road.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• There is a highly consistent approach to the teaching of mathematics. Teachers use their subject knowledge to plan engaging lessons which capture pupils’ interest. For example, older pupils were able to apply their knowledge of measurement to work out the perimeter of objects inside and outside the classroom.
• Teachers provide activities which enable pupils to build their fluency. Pupils have opportunities to recall number facts quickly so that they can use this knowledge in more complex operations. Teachers provide opportunities for pupils to deepen their thinking through solving problems and reasoning. Older pupils display increased independence in these activities. Pupils’ explanations of their solutions are improving.
• Teachers have high expectations of the way in which pupils present their work. Handwriting has improved, and pupils take pride in their work. Pupils’ writing is now generally well formed and increasingly fluent.
• Teachers capitalise on pupils’ interest by providing opportunities for them to write at length. For example, pupils’ interest in South America and their concern for the environment was harnessed in a persuasive writing task about the issue of deforestation and habitat loss. Older pupils were able to organise their arguments well and use features such as rhetorical questions for effect.
• Teachers provide pupils with opportunities to revisit and improve their work. Pupils are becoming increasingly able to improve the punctuation in their work and the quality of the vocabulary that they have chosen. Some spelling errors are identified but some pupils continue to misspell commonly used words.
• Teachers have promoted a love of reading high-quality fiction through sharing class novels. This has captured pupils’ imaginations and improved their knowledge of different authors and genres. Teachers provide pupils with tasks that improve their ability to infer meanings and encourage pupils to use parts of the text to substantiate their answers.
• Teachers model pure sounds in the teaching of phonics. However, not all teaching meets pupils’ needs effectively. Teachers do not yet use the assessment information that they have well enough to ensure that pupils are building quickly on their prior knowledge. Books are not well matched to the sounds that pupils already know. They do not provide pupils with the opportunity to segment and blend sounds fluently.
• Teachers provide opportunities for pupils to express themselves in a range of media. Pupils learn to make printing blocks and are inspired by artists such as Andy Warhol to make repeating patterns. Older pupils draw with care and closely observed attention to detail. Teachers plan opportunities for pupils to present their learning to different audiences. Events such as the ‘world buffet’ encourage pupils to explain their learning to parents and other pupils.
• Teachers provide pupils with a variety of homework. Pupils understand that this provides them with the opportunity to consolidate their learning and to prepare for secondary school and adult life.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Outstanding

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is outstanding.
• Pupils are confident and articulate learners. They become active citizens in the world, who are compassionate, tolerant and respectful of others. They are keen to make a difference. For example, pupils suggest and organise their school fundraising activities in response to world events.
• Staff and pupils work together very well. Pupils appreciate the support that they receive from adults in the school. Pupils are respectful and interested in what they are learning.
• Parents are highly supportive of the school’s nurturing ethos. They feel that their children become well-rounded individuals. They value the way in which pupils care for each other and the Christian values of the school.
• Pupils make good use of the extra-curricular clubs on offer. They enjoy competing and are keen to improve their performance while remaining supportive team members. The school signposts opportunities for pupils to continue their involvement in sports outside school so that activity can become a lifelong habit.
• Leaders have prioritised pupils’ mental health and well-being. They have promoted through the curriculum opportunities for pupils to learn how to relax through yoga and quiet times. Pupils learn how diet helps to keep them healthy and the importance of exercising regularly. They engage with a wide range of activities at break and lunchtimes, from table tennis to the trim trail. Pupils make the most of the school grounds and enjoy their time playing together.
• Leaders have ensured that pupils have opportunities to challenge themselves and develop resilience. Pupils reflect on how experiences such as creating dens and team building help them to work together more effectively. Pupils display these attitudes both in their cooperative play and when working together in class. They are keen to help each other succeed.
• Pupils could not recall incidents of bullying at the school. However, leaders display no complacency. For example, anti-bullying ambassadors have written guides for younger pupils to explain what bullying is and who pupils can talk to. Pupils are adamant that teachers would deal appropriately with any bullying. The rare instances which have occurred have been dealt with thoroughly and appropriately by leaders.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is outstanding.
• Pupils speak with pride about behaviour in the school. They appreciate the trust that their teachers place in them to behave responsibly. They are highly responsive to teachers’ instructions and organise themselves well for learning. Their conduct around the school is mature and considerate. They are polite and welcoming to visitors.
• Pupils feel that instances of poor behaviour are very rare. Pupils and staff work closely together to make sure that this remains the case. Leaders listen to what pupils have to say and encourage pupils to lead initiatives to promote good behaviour. For example, pupils are involved with reviewing the behaviour policy. Pupils understand the consequences of breaking the school’s moral code and can explain how time to reflect is helpful.
• Very few pupils miss a day at school and attendance remains consistently high. No groups of pupils are disadvantaged by non-attendance. Pupils make the most of the opportunity to be at school every day.

Outcomes for pupils Good

• Pupils’ outcomes at the end of key stage 2 rose in 2018. The proportion of pupils at the end of key stage 2 who reached the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics was broadly average and above average at the higher standard.
• Disadvantaged pupils are making strong progress across the curriculum. They write at greater length and in more detail. Their recall of number facts and multiplication tables is becoming more fluent.
• Pupils with SEND are making strong progress. Clear targets are in place for pupils. Adults regularly record the success that they have achieved in reaching these targets, as well as what their next steps for learning are.
• Scrutiny of current pupils’ work shows that they are making strong progress in their writing. Older pupils can adapt their language and use of punctuation for effect. The most able pupils make good use of opportunities to edit and improve their writing.
• Evidence in the school’s own assessment information and in scrutiny of current pupils’ workbooks shows that pupils are making strong gains towards becoming more fluent in mathematics. For example, pupils use their knowledge of multiplication tables in working out more complex problems.
• By the end of key stage 2, most pupils read fluently and well. They can explain preferences for authors and different styles of writing.
• In 2018, the proportion of pupils who reached the standard required at the phonics screening check was lower than the national average. Not all pupils are making the progress that they need to be able to decode simple text fluently by the end of Year 1.
• Pupils make strong progress in religious education. They build on the knowledge that they have to compare different world views and explain the meaning of different passages in the Bible. Progress in science is clearly evident. Pupils develop their investigative skills in different contexts. Younger pupils learn to identify and classify different materials before evaluating how and why they are used for different purposes.

Early years provision Good

• There have been recent changes within the leadership of early years. Leaders have had access to high-quality professional development. They have used the knowledge that they have gained to establish new ways of working. Children are now making strong progress towards a good level of development.
• Leaders have appropriate expectations of children’s behaviour. They reinforce these consistently so that children learn to listen carefully to each other’s ideas and feel confident to contribute their own.
• Leaders keep records of the progress that children are making. They use these to plan next steps in learning. For example, teachers have introduced opportunities to share and take turns through role play and literacy. Adults in the early years work closely together to ensure that children can develop their social skills as well as their knowledge and understanding.
• Teachers have introduced engaging tasks for children to develop their writing skills. Children enjoy making ‘get well’ cards for Humpty Dumpty and writing about recent experiences in their lives. Letter formation is improving. Children are beginning to use the sounds that they know to make phonically plausible attempts to spell words. There are a few occasions when children’s incorrect pencil grip is not identified and opportunities to correct this are missed.
• Children learn to persevere and concentrate. They work carefully. They identify objects outside that are longer and shorter than the ‘measuring sticks’ that they have made. Adults listen to what the children are saying and use questioning to probe children’s understanding of the mathematical ideas that they are learning.
• Leaders identify children’s additional needs. They communicate regularly with parents and work with outside agencies to seek additional support and advice. This approach ensures that children’s needs are well met. Leaders have ensured that adults have access to training so that they can help children make more rapid progress in developing their speech and language.
• Parents value the opportunities that they have to speak with adults in early years. Frequent communication with parents through a variety of methods enables learning to be shared and helps parents to know what their children’s next steps are.
• Children have access to a wide range of learning activities such as cooking apple crumble and role play. They are developing strong communication skills as well as the knowledge and understanding that they need to be ready for Year 1.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 140910 Leicestershire 10086770 This inspection was carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. The inspection was also deemed a section 5 inspection under the same Act. 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 86 Appropriate authority Chair Headteacher Telephone number Website Email address Board of trustees Jonathan White Julie Hopkins 01949842429 www.redmile.leics.sch.uk info@redmile.leics.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 9–10 October 2013

Information about this school

• The school is a smaller-than-average-sized primary school. Pupils are taught in mixed- age classes. The number of pupils has increased recently.
• The headteacher is executive headteacher of two schools. The deputy headteacher is executive deputy headteacher of both schools.
• The school has become part of the Diocese of Leicester Academy Trust since 1 December 2014. The scheme of delegation has recently changed. The chair of governors took up his position in November 2018. There have been many changes to staffing since the last inspection.
• The majority of pupils are from White British backgrounds.
• The proportion of pupils eligible for the pupil premium is lower than the national average.
• The proportion of pupils with SEND is higher than the national average.
• The school underwent a section 48 denominational inspection on 31 January 2014.

Information about this inspection

• The inspector observed teaching and learning in all year groups. Most of these observations were accompanied by the headteacher. The inspector scrutinised pupils’ work in the presence of the headteacher and other senior leaders.
• The inspector met with the headteacher and middle leaders. She also met with governors and spoke to the chief executive officer of the Diocese of Leicester Academy Trust.
• The inspector scrutinised documents, including the school development plan, subject action plans, school policies, records about behaviour and safeguarding, attendance reports and records of visits from the trust.
• The inspector listened to pupils read. She spoke with groups of pupils formally, and informally with pupils during lessons, at breaktimes and lunchtimes.
• The inspector talked with parents at the beginning of the day.

Inspection team

Hazel Henson, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector