Radford Primary School Academy Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Improve the effectiveness of leadership and management by ensuring that senior leaders:
  • tailor teachers’ improvement targets to address the professional development needs of individual teachers
  • further develop the role of middle leaders so that they can contribute more fully to whole-school improvement
  • develop and implement a process for checking on pupils’ progress in the foundation subjects.
• Improve the quality of teaching and accelerate pupils’ progress further by ensuring that all teaching provides opportunities for:
  • pupils to deepen their understanding and for increasing the number of pupils who achieve a greater depth to their learning
  • boys and girls to consistently make good progress and close the gender attainment gaps
  • disadvantaged pupils to make the same rapid progress as other pupils in the school.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• The headteacher and other leaders are ambitious for the pupils who attend Radford Primary. A high level of staff commitment and strong teamwork create a positive learning environment for pupils. Leaders encourage pupils to have high aspirations, and pupils make good progress.
• Senior leaders know the school well. They use their thorough self-evaluation to plan for improvement where it is needed. Leaders’ actions to address any weaknesses that they identify are successful.
• The academy trust is highly effective. Trustees have an accurate view of the effectiveness of the school’s work. They challenge the school’s leaders about their effectiveness and target any support they may need. Leaders work closely with other schools, both within the academy trust and through other partnerships. They make maximum use of the most effective practice and the sharing of ideas.
• The provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. Leaders ensure that pupils develop a good understanding of fundamental British values. Extra-curricular activities provide pupils with opportunities to explore a variety of other interests, for example karate, art and dance. Leaders provide pupils with the skills to become good citizens.
• Senior leaders and governors make good use of the extra funding that they receive. Disadvantaged pupils make good progress. However, some disadvantaged pupils do not make the same rapid progress as that of other pupils in the school. Staff know the pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities well. These pupils are well cared for and make good progress from their starting points.
• Senior leaders and governors make effective use of the physical education and sports funding. Leaders provide staff with training to increase their confidence. Pupils take advantage of the many sporting activities available to them.
• Senior leaders, and a dedicated team of support staff, work hard to engage parents in their children’s learning. They provide parents with support to increase the contribution they can make to their children’s education. Parents are appreciative of the school’s work and the support they receive.
• Leaders check on the effectiveness of teaching through a variety of different methods. They use their findings skilfully to address teaching practice that needs improvement. Senior leaders ensure that staff have access to high-quality professional development. The dedicated team of staff respond enthusiastically to the support that leaders provide.
• Teachers apply the school’s marking and feedback policy consistently. Pupils make valuable use of the feedback that teachers provide. They use it to increase their knowledge and improve their skills and understanding.
• Leaders have accelerated pupils’ progress. They have also increased pupils’ attainment in reading, writing, spelling and grammar and mathematics. Pupils’ attainment, in some of these subjects, is now average. Leaders make skilled use of accurate pupils’ assessments to check how well they are doing. Leaders and teachers use this assessment information to fill any gaps in pupils’ understanding. However, some variation in pupils’ progress remains. For example, the attainment of both boys and girls varies. The proportion of pupils who reach higher standards in some of their learning is below the national average.
• Middle leaders are enthusiastic. They have a firm grasp of what to do to fulfil their respective roles and areas of responsibility. Middle leaders provide helpful support to their colleagues. They also challenge staff when improvements in the quality of teaching are not rapid enough. Middle leaders are becoming increasingly successful in improving their subjects and accelerating pupils’ progress. This can be seen in the recent improvements made in reading. However, some of their initiatives are at an early stage. Any improvement, therefore, has yet to be measured.
• The school’s curriculum provides pupils with access to a broad range of subjects. Teachers make the topics interesting to motivate pupils. Pupils’ attitudes to learning are positive. Homework is set in a variety of different ways to extend and engage pupils in their learning. Leaders, however, do not check on pupils’ progress well enough in the foundation subjects. Therefore, they do not know whether pupils need any extra support or further challenge in their learning.
• Senior leaders and governors have improved procedures for rewarding teachers. They have not been afraid to link pay awards to the acceleration of pupils’ progress. However, teachers’ performance targets do not link closely enough to the development needs of individual teachers.

Governance of the school

• The L.E.A.D. Academy Trust ensures that governance of the school is strong. Trustees and governors have an accurate understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the school. Academy trust representatives routinely and thoroughly check on the effectiveness of the school’s work. From their checks, they identify clear priorities for further improvement. Trust representatives provide high-quality support for leaders to improve their effectiveness. They also hold leaders to account for improving the school.
• The local governing body has played an active role in improving the effectiveness of the school. L.E.A.D. governance is currently undergoing a period of re-structuring. As an ‘academy guidance committee’, the local governing body’s role is at an early stage of its development.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. The leadership team has ensured that all safeguarding arrangements are fit for purpose. All legal requirements are met and all polices are up to date. The designated teacher for child protection and safeguarding implements procedures meticulously. Records that the school keeps are detailed. The school works with a wide range of other agencies to provide any extra support that pupils or their families need.
• Leaders instil a strong culture of safeguarding among all staff and volunteers. Staff keep up to date with safeguarding issues through briefings and a programme of training. They understand the correct procedures to follow, including those associated with radicalisation and extremism. Staff are diligent in their daily practice.
• The curriculum helps pupils to gain a good understanding of how to keep themselves safe. Pupils who spoke with inspectors, and who responded to Ofsted’s pupil survey, said that they feel safe in the school. Parents who spoke with inspectors during the inspection agreed that their children are safe and well looked after. Parents who responded to the school’s own surveys share this view.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• The quality of teaching is good. Staff have high expectations of what pupils can achieve. Pupils’ attitudes towards their learning are good. They are keen learners and most work with enthusiasm and a determination to succeed.
• Teachers and teaching assistants provide help to pupils who need extra support. They make good use of resources to guide pupils and improve their understanding. At times, teaching assistants support most-able pupils. Teachers use this time to work closely with pupils who need support that is more intensive.
• Teachers display good subject knowledge. They use this to make learning fun and interesting. Pupils use subject terminology confidently to explain their own understanding.
• Teachers question pupils to check their understanding and address pupils’ misconceptions. Often, teachers’ questioning challenges pupils to think harder and to deepen their understanding.
• The teaching of reading has improved. Pupils read regularly, with confidence and with enjoyment. Fluency and comprehension skills are appropriate to their age.
• Teachers encourage pupils to use their reasoning skills in mathematics. For example, pupils’ understanding of rounding and estimation was deepened when they were asked to explain why they had arrived at their answers.
• Teachers provide pupils with opportunities to practise their writing skills. Pupils write at length with confidence and fluency. Pupils take care in the presentation and accuracy of their work. Teachers identify inaccuracies in spellings, and pupils work conscientiously to rectify them.
• Teachers make effective use of pupils’ prior learning. They plan activities that are well matched to pupils’ needs. Teachers often provide pupils with work which makes them think harder. For example, most-able pupils were encouraged to use extended text when learning about character descriptions. Sometimes, however, the tasks that teachers set do not provide pupils with opportunities to extend their learning.
• The teaching of phonics is accurate and systematic. In phonics sessions, staff made good use of their phonics training. Occasionally, however, pupils do not move on quickly enough when they have mastered a particular skill.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good. The school has a clear community ethos. Pupils told inspectors that they have no real concerns about bullying and that it is rare. They have every confidence in the staff to address bullying, should it occur.
• Pupils are confident. They show great respect for each other and for adults. At playtimes, pupils take it on themselves to play with pupils who are more vulnerable.
• Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is enhanced, for example, by religious visits and the celebration of St George’s Day. Pupils have also taken part in a whole-school project on Black History. Pupils have opportunities to learn about rights and responsibilities. For example, there is a junior leadership team. Pupils also design their own class charters. Pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain. They learn about refugees and raise money for various charities. They also benefit from being a part of the ‘Nottingham Citizens’ project, run by the local police.
• Leaders ensure that pupils engage in a wide range of extra-curricular activities. Pupils enjoy music camps and university focus weeks as well as dance competitions and theatre visits.
• Adults work hard to keep pupils safe. This includes pupils learning about stranger danger and road, fire and online safety. Pupils are encouraged to eat healthily and they enjoy taking part in physical activity.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good. Pupils arrive at school ready to learn. They know what staff expect of them. Staff apply the school’s behaviour policy consistently.
• Pupils are well mannered, courteous and welcoming to visitors. The school environment is bright and stimulating. Pupils take pride in being a part of their school community.
• Pupils’ conduct at social times is calm and orderly. The vast majority of pupils concentrate well in lessons and engage in their learning. Low-level disruption is rare. Exclusions from the school are low. Most pupils agree that behaviour around the school is good, and parents share this view.
• Pupils enjoy school and attend well. Some groups of pupils, however, do not attend as well as others. This is particularly true for pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities.

Outcomes for pupils Good

• Pupils’ progress in reading, writing, spelling and grammar and mathematics is good. This includes the progress made by the high number of pupils who speak English as an additional language. Leaders prepare pupils well for their next stage of education.
• At the end of key stage 1, pupils’ attainment is average. Leaders have addressed a dip in the 2016 phonics screening checks and they are now average again.
• During key stage 2, pupils make good progress in reading, writing, spelling and grammar and mathematics. Their attainment in reading and in mathematics matches age-related expectations. Attainment in writing, however, is not as high.
• Pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities are set challenging targets. Sometimes, pupils do not meet these targets but still make good progress from their starting points.
• Pupils who have different abilities make good progress, including the small number of most-able pupils. Pupils’ progress has become faster over the last year. The proportion of pupils who achieve a greater depth to their learning is also increasing. However, this is not consistent across all years or in different subjects.
• Disadvantaged pupils make good progress. Historically, the attainment gaps between disadvantaged pupils and non-disadvantaged pupils have diminished. The progress of current disadvantaged pupils, however, is not as rapid as that of other pupils in some years and in some subjects.
• Differences in boys’ and girls’ attainment are evident in some year groups. In particular, boys’ attainment in reading and writing in key stage 1 is lower than that of girls. Girls’ attainment in mathematics, when averaged out across the school, is lower than that of boys.
• Pupils’ progress in science is average. However, leaders do not check on pupils’ progress well enough across the full range of subjects.

Early years provision Good

• Many children join the school with skills and abilities that are below those typical for their age. Children make good progress during the Reception Year. Often, their progress is rapid. The number of children who reach age-related expectations is increasing. This is especially true in reading and writing. Children are well prepared for their transition to Year 1.
• The early years leader provides high-quality leadership. She is knowledgeable and uses her skills to great effect. Assessment processes are rigorous. Leaders make good use of children’s assessments to plan a curriculum which meets the children’s needs. They make sure that they focus on any gaps they identify in children’s learning. This ensures that children catch up quickly with age-related expectations.
• The learning environment, both indoors and outdoors, is rich and well organised. It provides children with a wide range of stimulating activities. All activities have a clear learning purpose. Children follow structured guidance to complete their tasks and develop valuable skills.
• Children enjoy their learning. Their behaviour is good and often it is exemplary. Children play well together. Adults encourage teamwork through adult-supported activities. This was seen to be effective when a group of children built a structure from wood and crates to walk along. Children sustain their play and happily talk about what they are doing.
• Adults are vigilant in their supervision of children and care for the children’s well-being. Leaders ensure that legal requirements are met and that safeguarding is effective.
• Leaders work hard to engage parents in their children’s learning. They encourage regular communication and are available to parents. Parents are involved at transition stages of their children’s education. Leaders make effective use of other agencies and partnerships to provide children with any extra support that they may need.
• Teaching in the early years is consistently good. Adults interact with children and ask questions which check their understanding. Sometimes, teachers use questions to extend children’s learning, but this is not applied consistently.
• All groups of children make good progress. This is especially true for those who are disadvantaged. The vast majority of disadvantaged children make rapid progress. Leaders provide effective support for children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities. Their progress is also rapid. Differences remain, however, between the number of boys and girls who make good progress.
• The teaching of phonics is effective. Adults are clear in their pronunciations and make good use of resources. Occasionally, resources which support some children’s phonics skills development are used less effectively.
• Leaders are effective in developing children’s reading, writing and number skills. They provide opportunities for children to practise these skills by weaving them into their daily routines. Progress in these learning goals is good. Leaders have yet to establish a similar approach to developing children’s space, shape and measuring skills.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 141586 Nottingham 10036052 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 209 Appropriate authority The board of trustees Chair (Acting) Headteacher Telephone number Website Email address Lynne Duckett Meeta Dave 01159 155810 www.radfordacademy.co.uk headteacher@radfordacademy.co.uk Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

Information about this school

• Radford Primary School became an academy on 1 December 2014 when it joined the L.E.A.D. Academy Trust. When its predecessor school, also called Radford, was last inspected by Ofsted it was judged to be ‘requires improvement’ overall. The school is also part of the L.E.A.D. Teaching School Alliance.
• Radford is smaller than the average-sized primary school. The number of pupils who join or leave the school part way through the school year is above average.
• The proportion of disadvantaged pupils is well above average.
• The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is above average. The proportion of pupils who have a statement of special educational needs or an education, health and care plan is well below average.
• Pupils who attend Radford Primary come from a wide range of ethnic backgrounds. The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is well above average.
• The school provides a breakfast club for its pupils.
• In 2016, the school met the government’s floor standards, which are the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 6.
• The school meets the Department for Education’s definition of a coasting school, based on key stage 2 academic performance results.
• The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website.
• The school complies with Department for Education guidance on what academies should publish.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors observed pupils’ learning in 10 lessons. A little of this learning was observed jointly with a senior leader.
• Discussions took place with school staff, members of the governing body and a trustee.
• The inspectors met with groups of pupils and talked with pupils informally. Inspectors observed assembly and playtime. They also listened to pupils in Year 2 and Year 4 reading.
• Inspectors took into account responses from staff and pupils to Ofsted’s online surveys. There were insufficient responses submitted by parents to Ofsted’s online survey, Parent View, to comment on. Inspectors also reviewed the school’s own surveys and spoke informally with parents at the beginning of the school day.
• Inspectors observed the work of the school and looked at a broad range of evidence, including the school’s analysis of its strengths and weaknesses, planning and monitoring documentation, the work in pupils’ books, records relating to attendance and behaviour and the school’s information on pupils’ current attainment and progress in reading, writing, mathematics and a range of other subjects.
• The school’s child protection and safeguarding procedures were scrutinised. A review of the school’s website was made to confirm whether it meets the requirements on the publication of required information.

Inspection team

Vondra Mays, lead inspector Chris Greenhough Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector