Rose Wood Academy Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Leaders and teachers need to further improve the quality of teaching, learning and assessment in key stages 1 and 2, by ensuring that:
  • teachers provide challenging work in subjects beyond English and mathematics
  • in the wider curriculum subjects, teaching enables pupils’ skills and knowledge to build progressively on their prior learning as they move up through the year groups
  • younger lower attaining pupils are provided with reading books that are well matched to their phonic knowledge
  • pupils develop a deep understanding of different religions and cultures, to better prepare them for life in modern Britain.
• Senior leaders need to continue to work with subject leaders to strengthen their effectiveness in checking the quality of teaching and pupils’ outcomes in the areas they lead.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• The headteacher and deputy headteacher have turned the school around quickly since the last inspection and have secured improvements to the quality of teaching and pupils’ outcomes. They are a strong team and have a shared, determined vision that every pupil will succeed and achieve. They are fully committed to improving the quality of education further for all pupils. They have created a strong culture of professional trust and value the contributions all staff make to the school.
• Senior leaders have an accurate view of the quality of teaching at the school. Because of this, plans for improvement correctly identify the areas that need to be developed further to enable all pupils to fulfil their potential.
• Leaders have high expectations of all. The new system for checking the progress pupils make over time is effective. From this, those pupils who need additional support to catch up or those who need further challenge are quickly identified. As a result, pupils make good progress.
• The impact of senior leaders’ work can be seen in the improvements to the quality of work in pupils’ books and in teaching. Their strengths are being used effectively to support subject leaders who are new to their role.
• Leaders and teachers have established successful partnerships with a number of schools to agree judgements about pupils’ achievements in reading, writing and mathematics. This is improving leaders’ subject expertise further and developing their leadership skills.
• The curriculum has been carefully planned by senior leaders to ensure that there is breadth in a wide range of subjects. The project-based approach, which uses high-quality texts as a starting point, is supporting pupils’ deeper and growing understanding in subjects such as geography, history and art.
• An expert leader ensures that the support for pupils with SEND is of the highest quality. There is a clear, inclusive approach to identifying and supporting individuals. Pupils’ targets are precise and closely matched to each pupil’s needs, ensuring their academic and personal success. Communication with parents and carers is strong and they value the information they receive from all leaders and teachers.
• The use of the pupil premium funding by senior leaders is effective. Leaders have full knowledge about barriers that pupils face and how to overcome these. As a result, all pupils who are entitled to this funding make strong progress.
• Leaders are passionate about the use of sport to improve behaviour and promote self-esteem and confidence. The primary physical education (PE) and sport funding is used well to encourage greater participation in a wider range of physical activities.
• The vast majority of parents value the work of all staff at the school. Those who expressed their views said that they are made to feel welcome and the school is a warm and friendly place to be. They describe the school as a great place for learning and say that their children thrive because all adults care for them and often ‘go the extra mile’.
• Subject leaders are enthusiastic about improving the quality of teaching and learning experiences for pupils. They receive high-quality professional development from senior leaders in school and from the Enquire Learning Trust. They are beginning to monitor the quality of teaching and pupils’ work more effectively. The impact of their work is in its early stages and although there are green shoots of success, these are not yet sustained.
• Leaders have very recently introduced an effective way of checking on pupils’ learning in a wide range of subjects. Planned tasks are being used to deepen pupils’ knowledge and understanding. However, this requires further development to ensure that greater challenge is given to the most able pupils.
• Leaders have ensured that teaching develops pupils’ social and moral development effectively. However, further work is needed to ensure that pupils develop a deep understanding of different religions and cultures to prepare them well for life in modern Britain.

Governance of the school

• Governors are passionate about the school and share the leaders’ vision that every pupil be supported to be the best that they can be. They have suitable knowledge and expertise and use this to challenge leaders about differences in pupils’ outcomes.
• Governors know the school well and are clear about the strengths and areas for further development because of the clear information leaders provide.
• Governors’ incisive challenge ensures that the pupil premium funding is well spent.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• There is a strong safeguarding culture at the school; the team approach to ensuring the safety and welfare of all pupils is particularly strong. The family support worker plays an important role in ensuring that pupils and their families are well supported.
• Those with designated responsibility for safeguarding show tenacity and perseverance in securing the most effective support for vulnerable pupils and their families.
• Systems and procedures for safeguarding all pupils are effective and all staff understand these very well. Training for all staff is frequently updated and ensures that they have suitable knowledge of risks to children.
• Leaders frequently engage with a wide number of external agencies. This means pupils and their families receive expert support linked to their individual needs.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• The quality of teaching has improved since the last inspection, and overall is good. As a result, pupils make good progress.
• Leaders’ focus on developing pupils’ vocabulary and independence in learning is evident in classrooms. Pupils are provided with a wealth of opportunities to develop their interpersonal skills. Pupils share their ideas effectively. This helps to deepen their understanding.
• Teachers model and demonstrate learning effectively, so that pupils are clear about what they are learning. Pupils’ misconceptions are swiftly identified and addressed.
• Pupils show high levels of engagement in all year groups. Relationships between all adults and pupils are extremely positive. Teaching assistants are well briefed by teachers. They provide effective support to pupils individually or when they are working in small groups.
• Teachers have high expectations for how pupils present their work. Consequently, pupils take pride in their work. They show good attitudes to learning.
• Reading and writing are taught well. Teachers give pupils plentiful opportunities to use and apply their reading and writing skills when they complete work across the curriculum subjects. This is improving their skills, including in English grammar, punctuation and spelling, effectively.
• Pupils enjoy reading high-quality, topic-related texts. These are well chosen by teachers and have motivated pupils to read more widely at home. Teachers’ strong subject knowledge in reading helps pupils to find evidence from these well-chosen texts. Teachers often ask pupils to ‘answer it, prove it, and explain it’. This approach encourages pupils to respond to reading comprehension questions in greater depth.
• In mathematics, teachers ask challenging questions, encouraging pupils to explain their thinking and methods of working and to use correct mathematical vocabulary. The school’s focus on improving fluency in mathematics is helping pupils to develop their reasoning and problem-solving skills more effectively.
• In English and mathematics, teachers provide pupils with challenging work that is well matched to their varying needs and abilities. Most-able pupils complete activities that challenge them effectively, such as through choosing ‘chilli challenges’. Teachers describe their approach as ‘putting no ceiling on learning’. The proportion of pupils reaching the higher standards in reading, writing and mathematics has increased and is above average.
• The teaching of phonics is effective. As a result, the proportion of pupils reaching the expected standard in the phonics screening check is consistently above average. Even so, lower attaining pupils in key stage 1 do not develop their early reading skills as quickly as they could. Sometimes, the books they use to practise their reading skills are not matched closely to their phonic knowledge.
• In subjects beyond English and mathematics, teaching is more variable in quality. Some pupils, for example, struggle to recall their knowledge of the history topics and religions that they have studied. In science, pupils do not use correct scientific vocabulary or draw conclusions from practical investigations. Across the wider curriculum, work for the most able pupils sometimes lacks challenge. Leaders and teachers are committed to improving teaching, so that it is consistently strong in all subjects. Further work is needed, however, to ensure that pupils’ skills and knowledge build progressively well on their prior learning.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.
• Pupils are taught how to respect the views, opinions and differences of others. They explained that everyone can be themselves and make their own choices, and they would be respected for that. They talked warmly about the importance of family and the importance of love within families.
• Leaders ensure that pupils’ social and moral development is effective, but pupils’ understanding of faiths and cultures is not deep.
• Most pupils say that bullying is rare. On the few occasions when it does happen, they know they have adults in school they can trust and who will help them when they need it.
• Pupils feel safe and know how to keep themselves safe in a variety of situations. The work the school has done in relation to online safety ensures that pupils are clear about how to keep themselves safe when using a range of electronic devices.
• Pupils participate in a wide range of clubs and tournaments, which helps them to develop healthy lifestyles.

Behaviour

• Pupils’ attitudes to learning are positive because teachers plan lessons that are fun and engaging and they have high expectations of pupils.
• Pupils are delightful. They are welcoming to visitors and have wonderful manners. A calm, purposeful atmosphere permeates the school.
• The behaviour of pupils is good. Most pupils understand the rules for behaviour clearly and follow them well when in and out of lessons. All members of staff manage behaviour positively and consistently.
• Leaders work effectively with pupils and their families to promote good attendance. Attendance rates are high for most pupils. Where issues do arise, there are effective support systems in place to address these quickly. Most pupils rarely miss a day of school.

Outcomes for pupils Good

• Since the last inspection, pupils’ outcomes across the school have improved. Children get off to a good start to learning in early years. In key stages 1 and 2, all groups of pupils make good progress in reading, writing and mathematics from their starting points. Standards of attainment by the end of Year 6 have risen considerably. Pupils are well prepared for secondary school.
• Pupils achieve well in key stage 1. In 2017 and 2018, pupils’ attainment in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 2 has been above average. In 2018, the proportion of pupils reaching the higher standard in all these subjects increased and was above average. This represents good progress from pupils’ previous starting points in Year 1.
• Pupils make good progress through key stage 2. For the last three years, by the end of Year 6, the proportion of pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics has been above average. The proportion reaching the higher standards has been rising, and in 2018, was above average in these subjects. Progress in writing was well above average.
• Disadvantaged pupils make similar progress to other pupils in the school; this is better than the progress of other pupils nationally.
• Pupils with SEND make strong progress academically and in relation to their specific personal targets. Those who can reach an expected or higher standard do so. Effective provision is planned and provided. Pupils are well supported individually.
• Leaders’ efforts to foster a love of reading have been successful. The profile of reading has been raised. Increasing proportions of pupils in all year groups, including those who are disadvantaged, are reaching the expected and higher standards. The proportion of pupils achieving the expected standard in the phonics screening check in Years 1 and 2 is consistently above average. Sometimes, however, the books that younger lower attaining pupils use to practise their early reading skills are not well matched to their good phonic knowledge.
• In reading, writing and mathematics, the most able pupils achieve well. As a result, an above-average proportion of pupils reach the higher standards in these subjects at the end of both key stages 1 and 2. In subjects beyond English and mathematics, however, progress of the most able pupils is more variable. Work sometimes lacks the challenge needed to enable pupils to develop a high level of knowledge and skill.

Early years provision

• The early years is exceptionally well led. A knowledgeable and highly skilled leader ensures that detailed and accurate assessment is used to tailor teaching for every child. As a result, all groups of children make rapid progress from their different starting points.

Outstanding

• Children begin early years with skills that are broadly typical for their age and leave with skills and knowledge that are above average, ensuring that they are extremely well prepared for the demands of Year 1.
• Teaching is very effective. Adults explain and demonstrate new letters and sounds accurately. Children are encouraged to use the knowledge they have gained to write independently. Adults are adept at ensuring that children are challenged when they apply what they have learned when working by themselves.
• There are many well-planned opportunities to stimulate children to talk and develop their vocabulary. This is highly effective in supporting children’s academic, personal and social development.
• Adults question children very effectively, deepening their understanding further. For example, adult prompts led to children confidently and accurately using the correct vocabulary of ‘longer’ and ‘shorter’ when comparing the lengths of objects.
• Safeguarding is effective. The early years leader ensures that all safeguarding requirements are met and are regularly reviewed. Children feel safe and secure because relationships are extremely strong and trusting.
• Relationships with parents are very positive. One parent reflected the views of many when they said, ‘Staff in both Nursery and Reception are outstanding and supportive. Progress has been immediate, and the staff are absolutely brilliant!’ Parents make a valuable contribution to the knowledge adults have about their child.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 140504 Middlesbrough 10059068 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 3 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 383 Appropriate authority Board of trustees Chair Headteacher Telephone number Website Email address Jack Harrison Paul Cowley 01642 595353 www.rosewoodacademy.co.uk paul.cowley@rosewoodacademy.co.uk Date of previous inspection 15–16 November 2016

Information about this school

• The school is larger than the average-sized primary school, with a Nursery for children from the age of two years.
• The proportion of disadvantaged pupils is just below average.
• Most pupils are of White British heritage.
• The proportion of pupils with SEND is below average. The proportion of pupils with an education, health and care plan is below average.
• In early years, children attend the Nursery class for five mornings or five afternoons each week. In Reception Year, children attend full time.
• The school provides a breakfast and an after-school club.
• Rose Wood Academy joined the Enquire Learning Trust in September 2018.

Information about this inspection

• The inspectors observed pupils’ learning in classrooms. The inspectors also listened to

pupils reading. They observed pupils at breakfast club, and at breaktime and lunchtime. The inspectors carried out a review of pupils’ work.

• Discussions were held with the headteacher, deputy headteacher, staff, members of the governing body and representatives from the trust.
• A wide range of documentation was reviewed, including systems for tracking pupils’ progress, safeguarding arrangements, policies, a record of the school’s lesson observations and pupils’ work in their books.
• Pupils’ views of the school were gathered through informal discussions with individual pupils in lessons and at break- and lunchtimes. Discussions were also held with representative groups of pupils and with parents.
• Responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View, were considered alongside 36 free-text responses and the school’s most recent questionnaire.
• The 20 responses from Ofsted’s staff questionnaire were also considered.

Inspection team

Melanie Maitland, lead inspector Karine Hendley Alison Ashworth

Ofsted Inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Ofsted Inspector